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Field Experience

Career Services works directly with students, faculty, and industry leaders to coordinate field experiences that support the undergraduate curriculum, contribute to personal growth and professional competency, and serve our partners in industry. Field experience courses are an integral part of a Maine Maritime Academy education and a graduation requirement for most majors.

“There is a course we teach that you won’t find in the course catalog. It’s called ‘confidence’ and our students learn this from field experience courses like commercial shipping and internships.”~ Professor & Alumnus, Class of 1973
“I worked hard this summer and was offered a full-time position when I graduate at the end of my internship.”~ PET Student, Class of 2020
“My internship was the best course in my major.”~ IBL student, Class of 2006

These work experiences are a dynamic way to provide both technical and social learning opportunities, as well as practical, hands-on experience in a student’s chosen field of study. Along with this work experience comes exposure to:

  • Current practices in your field of study
  • Management organizations and structures
  • Diverse equipment, machinery, people, and geographical locations
  • The social atmosphere and its surrounding community

Program Highlights:

  • Some sponsor companies are large, national and multinational companies. The primary motivations of these companies in sponsoring is to train and evaluate students in order to develop them as prospective future employees
  • Field experience courses earn academic credits toward graduation
  • Field experience may be an avenue for employment opportunities with sponsor companies
  • Learn while you earn academic credit and a paycheck
  • Typically, internships are completed during summers between academic years

All students who are preparing for the USCG unlimited-license programs are required to participate in MMA’s original field experience program, called Commercial Shipping.

Explore majors for information that directly relates to the field experience requirements for each major.