Marine Engineering Degree

Program Overview

This innovative degree cadetship combines academic study with extensive hands-on training at sea, preparing students to become Marine Engineering Officers in the Merchant Navy. Sponsored by shipping companies, it offers practical experience on real vessels and leads to industry-recognized qualifications, as well as a full academic honors degree for career advancement. Students benefit from state-of-the-art training facilities and industry connections in the heart of Southampton, a major maritime hub.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This innovative course combines the benefits of a maritime cadetship program, supported by a sponsoring company and offering extensive hands-on training at sea on real working vessels, with the recognized career-enhancing potential of a full academic honors degree. Fully sponsored by one of a huge range of shipping and maritime companies, and developed to meet the specific needs of the shipping industry and the Merchant Navy Training Board, your degree cadetship combines rigorous academic study at our dedicated cadet training center in Southampton – one of the UK’s busiest ports – with extensive practical training at sea. Shipping out as an engineering officer cadet on a range of vessels owned or operated by your sponsoring company, you will develop the essential skills, knowledge and behaviors needed to become a Marine Engineering Officer in the Merchant Navy. You will acquire a strong understanding of relevant modern ship-board engineering and electrical systems, their operating principles and safe practices. And you will develop a range of practical engineering skills appropriate to operating and problem-solving for ships’ propulsion and auxiliary machinery systems, as well as other relevant systems, in a safe and efficient manner. And with a full academic honors degree, you will also be well placed for a range of senior, shoreside and management roles later in your career – making this the perfect course for a long and lasting career in maritime engineering.

Outline:

Year One

• Core Modules:
• Mathematics
• General Engineering Science
• Marine Electronics and Control Systems
• Marine Engineering Principles
• Marine Engineering Systems
• Work Based Engineering Operations

Year Two

• Core Modules:
• Further Engineering Science
• Marine Electro-Technology
• Marine Engineering Management
• Marine Propulsion Systems
• Naval Architecture
• Work-based Engineering Project

Final Year

• Core Modules:
• Dissertation
• Fundamentals of Engineering System Design
• Leadership and Management
• Marine Surveying and Insurance
• Principles of Accident Investigation

Assessment:

You may be assessed by a combination of:

• Group work
• Practical classes and workshops
• Practical activities

Teaching:

You will learn by:

• Directed learning
• Collaborative learning
• Guided learning

Careers:

As a ship’s engineer, you will be a key part of this, keeping vessels of all kinds, from tankers to container ships – or even ferries, cruise liners or superyachts – running effectively, efficiently and safely. The engineering department is responsible for the safety, performance and efficiency of the vessel’s machinery. It is their job to maintain the mechanical and electrical operations, ensure robust maintenance schedules are implemented and troubleshoot problems efficiently. Marine engineer officers are responsible for the maintenance and operation of the ship’s main propulsion machinery and auxiliary plant, including deck machinery, air conditioning plants, refrigeration plants and domestic and electrical services.

Other:

• Cadetships are fully sponsored by shipping or maritime companies.
• Time at sea is built into the course, offering real-world experience.
• You will access a full range of industry-leading training facilities, including an engineering workshop with facilities for bench/hand fitting, use of machine tools, welding, marine power plant and electrical maintenance.
• As an engineer officer cadet, you will spend around 450 hours in the workshop, where you can learn and develop practical skills, such as use and care of hand tools, drilling machines, lathes and welding.
• Solent graduates have gone on to roles with companies including Bibby, Aberdeen; Lloyd’s Register, London; Odjfjell Tankers, Bergen; Cargill, Geneva; Carnival UK; P&O Cruises, Cunard, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
• Study in the heart of Southampton – a major hub in the UK and European maritime and shipping industry.
• Through the new Centre for Marine Sustainability, Solent is a leader in the creation, sharing, and application of insight, innovation, and knowledge for safe, sustainable seas – you will learn direct from leading experts in their field.

Officer cadet training is fully sponsored by shipping companies. Successful applicants will have their course fees paid and be provided a training allowance by the UK sponsoring companies throughout their training: .