Bachelor's Degree in Ocean Engineering

The Bachelor of Engineering in Ocean Engineering is designed for students passionate about ocean science, coastal resilience, and the blue economy who want to engineer solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing coastal communities and the maritime industry, including national defense, climate adaptation, and renewable energy. Ideal candidates come from backgrounds or interests such as:

• Naval Architecture

• Coastal Engineering

• Marine Systems Design

• Environmental Science & Sustainability

• Fluid Dynamics

• Structural Engineering

• Marine Renewable Energy

• Systems Engineering

To achieve its mission, the ocean engineering program has established the following program educational objectives:

• Solve complex problems associated with the ocean environment, applying advanced engineering fundamentals and interdisciplinary tools to real-world challenges in naval, coastal, and marine energy systems.

• Be recognized by peers as innovators and leaders in their field, leveraging a strong technical foundation to continuously increase their skills and knowledge in their area of expertise.

• Have a positive impact on their workplace through multidisciplinary collaboration, teamwork and leadership with engineers, scientists, policymakers, and industry partners.

• Effectively navigate important contextual factors in their careers, including the historical, regulatory, political, policy, economic, ethical and public relations aspects of problems in their discipline.

Many graduates pursue advanced study in civil engineering, systems engineering, consulting, business, law, and other fields.

By the time of graduation, students majoring in ocean engineering will have the ability to:

• Design and evaluate marine systems — Design and evaluate marine systems — from ships and underwater vehicles to marine energy converters, applying rigorous engineering principles and fluid dynamics fundamentals.

• Engineer resilient coastal solutions — Engineer resilient coastal solutions — assess and mitigate the impacts of sea-level rise, storm surge, and coastal flooding through evidence-based structural and environmental design.

• Apply naval architecture and structural design — Apply naval architecture and structural design — develop and analyze vessels and offshore structures that meet performance, safety, and regulatory standards.

• Harness marine renewable energy — Harness marine renewable energy — design and evaluate ocean-based energy systems that advance U.S. energy goals and complement existing green technologies.

• Conduct hands-on research and testing — Conduct hands-on research and testing — leverage world-class facilities including the Davidson Laboratory Tow Tank and Coastal Engineering Research Group field assets to validate engineering solutions.

• Collaborate across systems and stakeholders — Collaborate across systems and stakeholders — lead multidisciplinary senior design projects integrating mechanical, systems, software, and business expertise to deliver real-world impact.

• Practice responsible and sustainable engineering — Practice responsible and sustainable engineering — incorporate environmental stewardship, regulatory compliance, and ethical considerations into every project lifecycle.