The Master’s of Science program in Ocean and Resources Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, (www.abet.org). The MS degree has the following requirements: Pre-program; MS General Exam; Core, option-area, and elective courses, and; MS thesis (Plan A) or independent project (Plan B).
The pre-program (which includes a general education component, one year of college-level mathematics and science, and one and one-half years of engineering topics) provides students with a broad educational background that covers the technical and non-technical issues commonly encountered by engineers in professional practice. Students with an undergraduate engineering degree from an ABET accredited program satisfy the pre-program requirements a priori. Not all students in the program have an undergraduate degree in engineering. The department requires these students to make up any deficiencies by completing required pre-program courses.
Students who satisfy the pre-program requirements must take the general examination during the first semester of their full-time enrollment. This test is used to gauge incoming student’s knowledge of mathematics, science, and basic engineering principles, as well as their preparation for graduate-level course work. Students requiring pre-program work must take the general examination in the first semester following the completion of their pre-program, and prior to their semester of graduation. The general examination may be repeated once. Passing this exam advances the student to master’s candidacy. Students who have passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination within the three years prior to their admission to ORE are exempted from taking the general examination.
The core courses (ORE 411 , ORE 601 , ORE 603 , and ORE 607 ) provide students with a broad understanding of the topics of interest to ocean and resources engineering discipline. This includes hydrostatics, oceanography, water wave mechanics, underwater acoustics, and a laboratory course that connects material covered in the classroom with observations made and data collected in the ocean. Option-area courses prepare students for specialization in coastal, offshore, ocean resources, and oceanographic engineering. A required capstone design project is typically team-taught by faculty members and practicing professional engineers. Its objective is to familiarize students with the planning and design of an engineering project in a consulting firm setting. All MS students are required to attend 15 seminars which cover the latest in developments and research-as well as contemporary issues-related to ocean and resources engineering. Elective courses are chosen meet the 30 credit degree requirement and to form a coherent plan of study
Students complete their study with a thesis (Plan A) or independent project (Plan B). The thesis is research oriented and carries six academic credits. The independent project focuses on engineering application and design and carries three academic credits. Both require a proposal outlining the subject area, objectives, proposed methodology, sources of data, and anticipated results, and must be approved by a committee of at least three graduate faculty members. The thesis/project provides students with an opportunity to explore and contribute to the development of the latest technology in an ocean and resources engineering discipline. This work results in a thesis (Plan A) or a report (Plan B) that should demonstrate both mastery of the subject matter and an aptitude for clear and effective communication. The student must present and defend their work at a final examination which may be repeated once.
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