Ocean Engineering Graduate Programs

Overview

This multidisciplinary academic program is designed to give students a strong foundation in physical oceanography as well as opportunities to focus on their desired area of expertise and acquire state-of-the-art observing and modeling skills, while working closely with our Physical Ocean Science and Engineering (POSE) faculty.

Students in the POSE Program apply basic physical principles in their research in coastal physical oceanography, ocean acoustics, nearshore processes, environmental fluid dynamics, estuarine dynamics, high-latitude ocean dynamics, ocean instrumentation and engineering, boundary layer turbulence and air-sea interaction.

The program is particularly appropriate for students with physics, mathematics, or engineering backgrounds. The POSE program is committed to supplying exciting research opportunities, excellent facilities and a stimulating educational environment for students.

Students in the program pursue a master’s degree or a doctorate in marine studies with a concentration in POSE. 

Master of Science in Ocean Engineering

The Master of Science in Ocean Engineering is offered jointly with the Physical Ocean Science and Engineering Program (POSE) in the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and Earth Studies. Students may matriculate through either the College of Engineering or the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and may choose a thesis advisor from either program.

The Master of Science in Ocean Engineering degree program is aimed at providing graduate students with advanced technical training in ocean science and engineering for positions in the public and private sectors and for matriculating into PhD programs. The program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours, which includes 6 thesis credits and dependent research. Students shall defend their thesis in an open oral examination chaired by the advisor.

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PhD in Ocean Engineering

The Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering is offered jointly with the Physical Ocean Science and Engineering Program (POSE) in the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment. Students may matriculate through either the College of Engineering or the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and may choose a thesis advisor from either program.

The Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering program is aimed at training graduate students to achieve the highest level of proficiency in research. Mathematics, fundamental sciences, ocean sciences and engineering sciences are combined to provide a personalized program of study and research. All graduate students work in close cooperation with the faculty on their dissertation area.

A student’s doctoral program, comprising 72 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree (including doctoral dissertation), is planned around a central objective in applied science and mathematics. If a student who already holds a master’s degree in the specific field of study is accepted directly into the Ph.D. program, the coursework from the master’s degree will be taken into account in the design of the doctoral program. All courses in the program are selected with the approval of the student’s dissertation advisor.

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