Develop the critical-thinking, design-oriented, research-focused skills that will serve you well throughout your career in marine engineering through the marine systems engineering degree at Maine Maritime Academy. With Maine Maritime’s 5-year bachelor’s degree option, you’ll take the engineering operations courses you need to become a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 3rd assistant engineer. The marine systems engineering degree also serves as a launchpad to careers outside of marine engineering, including medicine, international business, maritime law, and academia.

Through this math-intensive bachelor’s degree program, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills to solve problems as a design engineer. You’ll learn from Ph.D. faculty who bring a range of experience in marine engineering to you, and you’ll engage in engineering problem-solving on the water because of Maine Maritime Academy’s location on Castine Harbor.

4-Year Track

You will be equipped for a broad range of shoreside careers in marine and mechanical engineering fields with this 4-year bachelor’s degree program. This academically rigorous program features naval architecture and marine engineering courses. You’ll gain hands-on experience working with marine systems through two industrial co-ops, and experience aboard the training ship, State of Maine. Through the 4-year track you’ll be eligible to sit for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam — your first step to becoming a professional engineer. While you’re not required to participate in the Regiment of Midshipmen, you may opt in.

5-Year Track

Through the 5-year track, you’ll earn a bachelor’s in engineering plus the license to become a USCG 3rd assistant engineer. The 5-year track prepares you for a career in merchant seafaring or marine and mechanical engineering. You will complete approximately 195 sea days of training through specialized labs, simulation, three distinct cruises, and one co-op. In your fourth year, you’ll be eligible to sit for the USCG 3rd Assistant Engineer license, unlimited horsepower, steam or motor, any ocean. At the end of the first semester of your fifth year you’ll also be eligible to take the FE exam. You’ll build your confidence and leadership skills through a four-year Regiment of Midshipmen requirement.

NECHE- and ABET-Accredited

Maine Maritime Academy is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The marine systems engineering degree is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, www.abet.org. This assures you the program meets the quality standards of the engineering profession.

Enrollment

In the 2019 Fall semester, enrollment in the Marine Systems Engineering program was 76 students. Between August 16, 2018 and August 15, 2019, 8 students graduated from the program.

What Is Marine Systems Engineering?

Marine systems engineering involves the systematic application of common sense, science and technology, mathematics, and liberal arts to solve practical problems in naval architecture and marine engineering.

Why Study Marine Systems Engineering at Maine Maritime Academy?

Prepare for a future in marine engineering through an undergraduate engineering program that’s ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. At the end of your first year, you’ll gain sea experience aboard Maine Maritime Academy’s 500-foot training ship, State of Maine. Maine Maritime graduates are first in line for high-paying jobs in marine engineering all over the world; they also get into top graduate engineering schools.

See where a degree focused on naval architecture and marine engineering can take you.

Sea time and co-op training

In addition to training aboard our floating lab, State of Maine, you’ll gain invaluable experience through training voyages and co-ops. If you choose the 5-year license track, you’ll test your knowledge, learn from professional seafaring officers, and see the world through a 60-day cadet shipping experience. Both 5-year and 4-year students gain additional hands-on experience through summer cooperatives at engineering worksites across the nation.

High-tech laboratories

Develop the competencies you’ll need in order to face the challenges of a marine engineering career through high-tech, on-campus specialized laboratories. From our power plant and control-room simulators to our small-scale operating steam plant and electrical power lab, you’ll have access to the very equipment you’ll use daily in your future career.

Regiment of Midshipmen

For their first four years, students in the 5-year license track are required to participate in the Regiment of Midshipmen, a uniformed student body. The Regiment provides excellent leadership preparation and helps you develop self-confidence and self-discipline. It’s also a great way to learn teamwork and form lifelong friendships. While 4-year students are not required to participate in the Regiment, many still opt in to gain the skills that are valued in marine engineering.

What Can You Do With a Marine Systems Engineering Degree?

Marine systems engineering students at Maine Maritime Academy are accepted into the nation’s top graduate engineering schools. They work as design engineers, research and development (R&D) engineers, and in other positions in marine engineering. They also serve in the United States Merchant Marine and in the military.

Explore Classes for the Marine Systems Engineering Degree

One of the few such bachelor’s degree programs in the United States, the marine systems engineering degree at Maine Maritime Academy is academically rigorous. You’ll take 10 design/analysis courses with a strong hands-on marine component. Comparable to the mechanical engineering curricula at other engineering schools, the 4-year track is distinguished by additional naval architecture and marine engineering courses. Both pathways include arts and sciences courses to give you additional skills that employers value. Engineering faculty regularly consult with an industrial advisory committee to ensure naval architecture and marine engineering courses align with industry needs.

4 Year Track

View all courses for the marine systems engineering degree - Non-License Track.

5 Year Track

View all courses for the marine systems engineering degree - USCG License Track.