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Graduate Program

Overview

The United States Merchant Marine Academy Master of Science in Marine Engineering program is designed for you, the engineering professional seeking graduate education that is relevant to your profession without the need to leave your employ or commute to a special site or campus.  Ending at the Master's level with the potential of continuing on for additional professional education, the MMarE program is a natural extension of undergraduate programs in Marine Engineering.  If your undergraduate education was not formally dedicated to Marine Engineering, the MMarE program can complete and enhance your education as a practicing marine engineer.

Goals of Program

The goals of the United States Merchant Marine Academy practice oriented Master of Science in Marine Engineering  program are that:

  • Students shall demonstrate advanced level knowledge in core marine engineering topics.

  • Students shall become proficient in new computational tools such as computational fluid dynamics.

  • Individual students shall be enabled to expand their knowledge of specialized topics related to marine technologies.

  • Students shall be able to creatively apply knowledge to address challenges facing the marine community.

  • Students shall be able to understand the technical, political and social dynamics that impact the discipline of marine engineering.

These goals are attained through the capitalization of the USMMA's extensive, qualified and diverse marine engineering faculty, and extensive laboratories that address all phases of marine engineering.

The Academy faculty is internationally recognized for their breadth and depth of marine engineering knowledge and their excellence in teaching and our laboratories cover the gamut from traditional test and analysis laboratories. Whereas the laboratories have been primarily used for undergraduate teaching, they are more than capable of supporting graduate level, applied research if MMarE students elect to undertake a research project as a part of an optional thesis course.

General Information

  • The United States Merchant Marine Academy is one of five Federal Academies and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Two of its three undergraduate engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
  • To accomplish the goals and objectives of the engineering programs, the Engineering Department has 25 full-time tenure track faculty, a group of dedicated practicing engineers who serve as adjunct faculty, and more than 20 engineering laboratories and simulators focusing on all aspects of marine engineering including:
  • Diesel Prime-movers and Propulsion Systems
  • Gas Turbine Prime-movers and Propulsion Systems
  • Steam Turbine Prime-movers and Propulsion Systems
  • Nuclear Energy Converters and Propulsion Systems
  • Electrical Energy Converters and Propulsion Systems

Academic Curriculum

The foundation of the 36-credit Master's Program is a required 21-credit core consisting of the following courses:

  • EM610            Computational Methods
  • EM621            Advanced Marine Power Plants
  • EM622            Thermal System Design and Optimization
  • EM623            Advanced Marine Materials
  • EM631            Electrical Power Systems
  • EM650            Internal Combustion Engine Analysis and New Technologies
  • EM670            Marine Industry Policy

Students must augment this core with 15 credits of electives. Typical electives include:

  • EM615            Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • EM620            Marine Propulsion Systems1
  • EM624            Vibrations of Marine Machinery and Structures
  • EM625            LNG Vessel Operations and Design Considerations
  • EM626            Marine Nuclear Propulsion
  • EM627            Alternative Marine Power Production
  • EM632            Power Electronics and Applications
  • EM633            Control Theory and PLC Applications
  • EM634            Marine Electrical Systems and Propulsion
  • EM640            Economics of Marine Engineering Systems
  • EM642            Reliability Engineering and Operations Research
  • EM645            Marine Engineering Management I
  • EM646            Marine Engineering Management II
  • EM660            Hydrostatics and Basic Hydrodynamics1
  • EM661            Propulsion and Propulsors
  • EM680            Thesis/Design Project 12
  • EM681            Thesis/Design Project 22
  • EM690            Independent Study

1Only for students who have not had formal education in marine engineering and/or naval architecture

2Faculty advisor/mentor for specific thesis/design projects are selected from the Engineering Faculty at-large, depending on area of interest

The Program attempts to offer electives that address the needs of the marine industry and are of interest to the students. Specific elective course offerings will depend on student interest and availability of faculty.  Individual student elective course selections will be determined after the student confers with the MMarE Program Director or assigned faculty advisor. Not all electives will be available to each graduating class.

Standard Six-Semester Program

(Classes Entering Fall and Subsequent Classes)

First Semester

EM610 - Computational Methods
EM650 - Internal Combustion Engine Analysis and New Technologies

Second Semester

EM621 - Advanced Marine Power Plants                                          EM631 - Electrical Power Systems
 

Third Semester

EM622 - Thermal System Design and Optimization
EM623 - Advanced Marine Materials

Fourth Semester

EM670 - Marine Industry Policy
Elective 1

Fifth Semester

Elective 2
Elective 3

Sixth Semester

Elective 4
Elective 5

Six-Semester Program

(Marine Engineering/Naval Architecture Prerequisites Required)

First Semester

EM610 - Computational Methods
EM620 - Marine Propulsion Systems (Elective 1)

Second Semester

EM631 - Electrical Power Systems
EM660 - Hydrostatics & Basic Hydrodynamics - Elective 2

Third Semester

EM623 - Advanced Marine Materials
EM650 - Internal Combustion Engine Analysis and New Technologies

Fourth Semester

EM621 - Advanced Marine Power Plants                                               EM670 -  Marine Industry Policy
 

Fifth Semester

EM622 - Thermal System Design and Optimization
Elective 3

Sixth Semester

Elective 4
Elective 5

Graduate Certificate Program

The Graduate Certificate Programs are intended to offer focused education to individuals with completed advanced degrees or those who want the advanced knowledge in special topics but do not want to fully commit to the full 36 credit MMarE Program. Candidates for admission to a Graduate Certificate Program will follow the same admissions procedure as the candidates for the MMarE Program and will be held to similar standards as the MMarE candidates. Candidates with undergraduate degrees in fields different from those of their intended certificate may be required to make up additional courses. At present, only one Graduate Certificate program is offered.

Electrical Power Graduate Certificate:

EM631 - Electric Power Systems
EM632 - Power Electronics and Applications
EM633 - Control Theory and PLC Applications
EM634 - Marine Electrical Systems and Propulsion

A Graduate Certificate is awarded upon satisfactory completion (minimum G.P.A. of 3.0) of the prescribed 12 credits from the MMarE Program.

Admission to the Graduate Certificate Program will be on space available basis. Applicants for the MMarE Program will in most cases take priority. 

Now Accepting Applications for the Class of 2029