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Marine Science Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Iron Isotope Transformations in Saanich Inlet , Claire Onak

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Environmental chemical analysis method optimization and application to northwest Cuban marine sediment , Thea R. Bartlett

Time series analysis of Pseudo-nitzschia species composition, domoic acid, and environmental conditions in the Gulf of Maine from 2013-2020 , Christina Chadwick

Exploring the Impact of Eddies on Southern Ocean Biogeochemical Structure using BGC-Argo Float Observations , Nicola J. Guisewhite

Meta-Analysis of United States Seabird Populations Based on Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) Records (1965–2018) , Savannah Hartman

Stable Isotopic Investigation of the Hydrological Cycle of West-Central Florida , Toedsit Netratanawong

Examining paleoshorelines in the eastern Gulf of Mexico: Insights on sea level history and potential areas of interest for habitat management , Catalina Rubiano

Stable Isotope Analysis on Yellowfin and Blackfin Tuna Eye Lenses Reveals Life History Patterns in the Gulf of Mexico , Kylee M. Rullo

Stable Isotope Analysis of Doryteuthis (Amerigo) pealeii Eye Lenses to Determine Migratory Patterns in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Using Statoliths for Age Determination , Hannah M. Schwaiger

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

The effects of temperature and oxygen availability on aerobic performance in three coastal shark species; Squalus acanthias, Carcharhinus limbatus, and Carcharhinus leucas , Alyssa M. Andres

Continuous Effort Required to Maintain Populations of Outplanted Acropora cervicornis in the Florida Reef Tract, USA , Tiffany S. Boisvert

Elucidating the Sources Supplying Aerosol Iron, Zinc, and Cadmium to the Surface of the North Pacific Ocean with Stable Isotopes , Zach B. Bunnell

Quantifying Environmental Sensitivity of Marine Resources to Oil Well Blowouts in the Gulf of Mexico , Emily Chancellor

Zooplankton Biodiversity in the Northeast Gulf of Mexico and on the West Florida Shelf from 2005 - 2014 , Megan Ferguson

Coupling 210 Pb and 14 C to constrain carbon burial efficiency of blue carbon ecosystems , Tynisha R. Martin

Empirical and Modeled δ13C and δ15N Isoscapes in the Gulf of Mexico and their Application to Fish Eye Lens Migration Studies , Brianna Michaud

Chronological Accumulation of Microplastics in the Gulf of Mexico and Their Acute Effects on Coral Bleaching , Martina M. Plafcan

Determinations of Chemical Equilibria in Natural Waters Using Spectrophotometric Techniques , Katelyn M. Schockman

Interactions between juvenile estuary-dependent fishes and microalgal dynamics , Ian C. Williams

Ocean Eddies and Frontal Zones in the Gulf of Mexico and Straits of Florida , Yingjun Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Metabolic Rate, Critical Oxygen Partial Pressure, and Oxygen Supply Capacity of Farfantepenaeus duorarum at their Lower Thermal Limit , Alexandra L. Burns

From River to Sea: Improving Carbon System Measurement Methods for use in Rivers, Estuaries, and Oceans , Ellie Hudson-Heck

Riverine and Estuarine CO2-System Studies on the West Coast of Florida , Christopher S. Moore

Past Ice-Ocean Interactions on the Sabrina Coast shelf, East Antarctica: Deglacial to Recent Paleoenvironmental Insights from Marine Sediments , Kara J. Vadman

Investigating the Recent History of a Changing Planet with Innovative Isotopic Techniques and New Geologic Archives , Ryan A. Venturelli

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Testing the Efficacy of Recompression Tools to Reduce the Discard Mortality of Reef Fishes in the Gulf of Mexico , Oscar E. Ayala

Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Organochlorine Pesticides, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Snapper (Family Lutjanidae) from Cuba and the Wider Gulf of Mexico , Brigid E. Carr

A Health Evaluation of Gulf of Mexico Golden Tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) and Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill , Kristina Leigh Deak

A Process-based Approach to Evaluating the Role of Organic Ligands in Trace Metal Cycling in the Marine Environment , Travis Mellett

Investigation of Retention Versus Export of Planktonic Fish Eggs in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico , Bich Vi Viviane Nguyen

Development of a Benthic Foraminifera Based Marine Biotic Index (Foram-AMBI) for the Gulf of Mexico: a Decision Support Tool , Bryan O'Malley

Plio-Pleistocene Antarctic Ice-Ocean Interactions in the Ross Sea , Catherine Prunella

Mechanisms of Carbon Movement and Stabilization in Mangrove Wetlands , Carey Schafer

Hepatobiliary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Pelagic Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico , Madison R. Schwaab

Analytical Methods and Critical Analyses Supporting Thermodynamically Consistent Characterizations of the Marine CO 2 System , Jonathan D. Sharp

Large Thecosome Pteropods of the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Species Abundance, Spatial and Vertical Distribution With a Temporal Comparison of Shell Thickness , Sarah M. Shedler

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Exposure, Hepatic Accumulation, and Associated Health Impacts in Gulf of Mexico Tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) , Susan M. Snyder

Investigating the Isotope Signatures of Dissolved Iron in the Southern Atlantic Ocean , Brent A. Summers

Modeling Early Life: Ontogenetic Growth and Behavior Affect Population Connectivity in Gulf of Mexico Marine Fish , Kelly Vasbinder

Isotope-Based Methods for Evaluating Fish Trophic Geographies , Julie L. Vecchio

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Use of Spectrofluorometry to Detect Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Marine Environment , Mary Iris Abercrombie

Can Florida's Springs Coast provide a Potential Refuge for Calcifying Organisms? Evidence from Benthic Foraminifera , Kyle E. Amergian

Iron-Virus Interactions: Development and Testing of the Ferrojan Horse Hypothesis , Chelsea Bonnain

DNA Barcoding of Fish Eggs in the Gulf of Mexico , Makenzie Burrows

Ecological Responses of Seascape Heterogeneity , Dinorah H. Chacin

Species Abundance, Spatial and Vertical Distributionsof Large Heteropods (Pterotracheidae and Carinariidae)in the Northern Gulf of Mexico , Kristine A. Clark

Zooplankton Community Structure in the NE Gulf of Mexico: Impacts of Environmental Variability and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill , Kate M. Dubickas

Life History Through the Eyes of a Hogfish: Evidence of Trophic Growth and Differential Juvenile Habitat Use , Meaghan E. Faletti

Population Demographics of Golden Tilefish Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps in the Gulf of Mexico , Greta J. Helmueller

Regeneration of Trace Metals During Phytoplankton Decay: An Experimental Study , Adrienne P. Hollister

Estimating Coastal Water Turbidity Using VIIRS Nighttime Measurement , Chih-Wei Huang

Untapped Potential of Gorgonian Octocorals for Detecting Environmental Change in Biscayne National Park, Florida, USA , Selena A. Kupfner Johnson

High-Resolution Investigation of Event Driven Sedimentation: Response and Evolution of the Deepwater Horizon Blowout in the Sedimentary System , Rebekka A. Larson

Variations of Sedimentary Biogenic silica in the Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon and IXTOC-I Oil Spill. , Jong Jin Lee

Variations of Global Ocean Salinity from Multiple Gridded Argo Products , Chao Liu

Fish Communities on Natural and Artificial Reefs in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico , Elizabeth C. Viau

Reconstructing Geographic and Trophic Histories of Fish Using Bulk and Compound-Specific Stable Isotopes from Eye Lenses , Amy A. Wallace

Studies of the Long-term Change of Global Mean and Regional Sea Surface Height , Yingli Zhu

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Ecophysiology of Oxygen Supply in Cephalopods , Matthew A. Birk

Remote Estimation of Surface Water p CO 2 in the Gulf of Mexico , Shuangling Chen

Spatial Dynamics and Productivity of a Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish Fishery Following Large Scale Disturbance and Management Change , Marcy Lynn Cockrell

Quantifying the Probability of Lethal Injury to Florida Manatees Given Characteristics of Collision Events. , B. Lynn Combs

Diversity of ssDNA Phages Related to the Family Microviridae within the Ciona robusta Gut , Alexandria Creasy

Use of a Towed Camera System along the west Florida shelf: A Case Study of the Florida Middle Grounds Benthic Marine Communities , Katie S. Davis

Using Ecosystem-Based Modeling to Describe an Oil Spill and Assess the Long-Term Effects , Lindsey N. Dornberger

Extending Spectrophotometric pHT Measurements in Coastal and Estuarine Environments , Nora Katherine Douglas

Evaluating the use of larval connectivity information in fisheries models and management in the Gulf of Mexico , Michael Drexler

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Understanding Predator-Prey Relationships in a Changing Ocean: From System Design to Education , Ileana M. Freytes-Ortiz

Application of Image Recognition Technology to Foraminiferal Assemblage Analyses , Christian Helmut Gfatter

Evaluation of trace-metal and isotopic records as techniques for tracking lifetime movement patterns in fishes , Jennifer E. Granneman

The Stability of Sand Waves in a Tidally-Influenced Shipping Channel, Tampa Bay, Florida , John Willis Gray

Application of Modern Foraminiferal Assemblages to Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction: Case Studies from Coastal and Shelf Environments , Christian Haller

Integrating Towed Underwater Video with Multibeam Acoustics for Mapping Benthic Habitat and Assessing Reef Fish Communities on the West Florida Shelf , Alexander Ross Ilich

Evaluating Beach Water Quality and Dengue Fever Risk Factors by Satellite Remote Sensing and Artificial Neural Networks , Abdiel Elias Laureano-Rosario

Microbial Associations of Four Species of Algal Symbiont-Bearing Foraminifera from the Florida Reef Tract, USA , Makenna May Martin

Environmental controls on the geochemistry of Globorotalia truncatulinoides in the Gulf of Mexico: Implications for paleoceanographic reconstructions , Caitlin Elizabeth Reynolds

Dormancy in the Amphistegina gibbosa Holobiont: Ecological and Evolutionary Implications for the Foraminifera , Benjamin J. Ross

Optical Remote Sensing of Oil Spills in the Gulf of Mexico , Shaojie Sun

Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Pelagic Sargassum in the Intra-Americas Sea and Atlantic Ocean , Mengqiu Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Packaging of Genetic Material by Gene Transfer Agents (GTAs) Produced by Marine Roseobacter Species and Their Effect on Stimulating Bacterial Growth , Shahd Bader Aljandal

Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Soil Composition and Accumulation Rates in Mangrove Wetlands , Joshua L. Breithaupt

Characterizing Benthic Habitats Using Multibeam Sonar and Towed Underwater Video in Two Marine Protected Areas on the West Florida Shelf, USA , Jennifer L. Brizzolara

Latitudinal Position and Trends of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and its Relationship with Upwelling in the Southern Caribbean Sea and Global Climate Indices , Kaitlyn E. Colna

Calibration-free Spectrophotometric Measurements of Carbonate Saturation States in Seawater , Erin E. Cuyler

Viruses in marine animals: Discovery, detection, and characterizarion , Elizabeth Fahsbender

Quantity Trumps Quality: Bayesian Statistical Accumulation Modeling Guides Radiocarbon Measurements to Construct a Chronology in Real-time , Devon Robert Firesinger

Characterizing Gross Lesions in Corals on Fringing Reefs of Taiwan and Hainan Island, China , Adrienne George

Reef Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary , Megan E. Hepner

Investigating Marine Resources in the Gulf of Mexico at Multiple Spatial and Temporal Scales of Inquiry , Joshua Paul Kilborn

Southern Ocean Transport by Combining Satellite Altimetry and Temperature/Salinity Profile Data , Michael Kosempa

Role of viruses within metaorganisms: Ciona intestinalis as a model system , Brittany A. Leigh

Evaluating satellite and supercomputing technologies for improved coastal ecosystem assessments , Matthew James Mccarthy

Stable Isotopes in the Eye Lenses of Doryteuthis plei: Exploring Natal Origins and Migratory Patterns in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico , Brenna A. Meath

Genetic Identification and Population Characteristics of Deep-Sea Cephalopod Species in the Gulf of Mexico and Northwestern Atlantic Ocean , Amanda Sosnowski

Investigation of Sediment Ridges Using Bathymetry and Backscatter near Clearwater, Florida , Lewis Stewart

Resolving chronological and temperature constraints on Antarctic deglacial evolution through improved dating methodology , Cristina Subt

Subtropical benthos vary with reef type, depth, and grazing intensity , Kara R. Wall

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Diversity and Distribution of Diatom Endosymbionts in Amphistegina spp. (Foraminifera) Based on Molecular and Morphological Techniques , Kwasi H. Barnes

Abundance of Archaias angulatus on the West Florida Coast Indicates the Influence of Carbonate Alkalinity over Salinity , Sean Thomas Beckwith

Resource Use Overlap in a Native Grouper and Invasive Lionfish , Joseph Schmidt Curtis

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2023 Marine Engineering Degree Guide

Marine engineering degrees decreasing, best marine engineering schools by degree, marine engineering degree requirements, prior education for a marine engineering program, marine engineering degree types.

Most workers in marine engineering have at least a bachelor's degree. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in marine engineering have obtained.

Career Opportunities for Marine Engineering Majors

Growth projected for marine engineering careers.

How Much Money Do Marine Engineering Grads Make?

Marine Engineering graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $77,168 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $65,583 to as high as $94,796. As you might expect, salaries for marine engineering graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

High Paying Careers for Marine Engineering Majors

Getting Your Marine Engineering Degree

Top ranking lists for marine engineering, best schools marine engineering, best value colleges marine engineering, study areas in marine engineering, majors similar to marine engineering.

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Naval Architecture, Ocean And Marine Engineering

• University Of Strathclyde
• Faculty Of Engineering

United Kingdom

Student theses

• 1 - 25 out of 177 results
• Title (descending)

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A blade-resolved, partitioned-approach fluid-structure interaction analysis of a ducted, high solidity tidal turbine in real flow conditions.

Supervisor: Xiao, Q. (Supervisor) & Incecik, A. (Supervisor)

Student thesis : Doctoral Thesis

A CFD study of fluid-structure interaction problems for floating offshore wind turbines

A compound novel data-driven and reliability-based predictive maintenance framework for ship machinery systems.

Supervisor: Lazakis, I. (Supervisor) & Theotokatos, G. (Supervisor)

A comprehensive approach to ship system maintenance modelling and decision support using machine learning and reliability analysis

Supervisor: Lazakis, I. (Supervisor) & Turan, O. (Supervisor)

A decision-making framework for assessing the safety culture of maritime organizations with commercial cargo-carrying vessels

Supervisor: Zhou, P. (Supervisor) & Xiao, Q. (Supervisor)

A decision support system for the selection of most appropriate antifouling coatings for fishing vessels operating in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

Supervisor: Turan, O. (Supervisor) & Atlar, M. (Supervisor)

Advancement of life cycle assessment policy framework on marine fuels towards decarbonisation of the shipping sector

Supervisor: Jeong, B. (Supervisor) & Zhou, P. (Supervisor)

A dynamic energy modelling approach to low energy ship design

A holistic approach to damage survivability assessment of large passenger ships.

Supervisor: Boulougouris, E. (Supervisor) & Vassalos, D. (Supervisor)

A hydrodynamic analysis of deep-water moorings

Analysis of diesel combustion in four-stroke marine engines : an integrated cfd and reduced chemical kinetics approach.

Supervisor: Theotokatos, G. (Supervisor) & Zhou, P. (Supervisor)

Analysis of ship performance in deep and shallow waters using CFD

Supervisor: Incecik, A. (Supervisor) & Tezdogan, T. (Supervisor)

An automated methodology for optimisation with respect to vessel manoeuvring

Supervisor: Tezdogan, T. (Supervisor) & Turan, O. (Supervisor)

An edge processing solution development for vessel condition monitoring

Supervisor: Coraddu, A. (Supervisor) & Turan, O. (Supervisor)

An integrated framework for resource assessment and operation and maintenance cost modelling for wave energy farm

Supervisor: Lazakis, I. (Supervisor) & Day, S. (Supervisor)

An integrated machine learning framework for enhanced vessel operational efficiency

An investigation into the characteristics and optimisation of a high-pressure common rail injection system.

Supervisor: Zhou, P. (Supervisor) & Clelland, D. (Supervisor)

An isogeometric boundary element method for three-dimensional lifting flows

Supervisor: Kaklis, P. (Supervisor) & Xiao, Q. (Supervisor)

A novel framework for enhancing marine dual fuel engines environmental and safety performance via digital twins

Supervisor: Theotokatos, G. (Supervisor) & Vassalos, D. (Supervisor)

A novel methodology for robust, holistic, simulation-based ship design optimization

Supervisor: Boulougouris, E. (Supervisor) & Khorasanchi, M. (Supervisor)

A novel safety analysis method for marine cyber-physical systems

Supervisor: Theotokatos, G. (Supervisor) & Boulougouris, E. (Supervisor)

A numerical study of fin and jet propulsions involving fluid-structure interactions

Supervisor: Xiao, Q. (Supervisor) & Yuan, Z. (Supervisor)

A numerical study on the effect of bow flare angle on green water loading on FPSO

Supervisor: Demirel, Y. K. (Supervisor) & Atlar, M. (Supervisor)

Student thesis : Master's Thesis

A numerical study on the maneuverability of the DTMB 5415 using CFD

Supervisor: Tezdogan, T. (Supervisor) & Demirel, Y. K. (Supervisor)

A resilience assessment framework for shipping companies which learns from past accidents by using a Fuzzy Cognitive Maps-based approach

Supervisor: Kurt, R. E. (Supervisor) & Turan, O. (Supervisor)

Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME)

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UBC Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Theses

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For general help in finding theses & dissertations visit the Library's Theses & Dissertations research guide ,  visit Woodward Library's Information Desk, or contact your  Engineering Librarian .

• cIRcle: UBC's Institutional Repository Find all UBC theses and dissertations online here. Also includes selected undergraduate theses, reports by graduate students and UBC faculty, and conference proceedings.
• NDLTD: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations A collaborative effort of the NDLTD, OCLC, VTLS, and Scirus, the NDLTD Union Catalog contains more than one million records of electronic theses and dissertations.

• OAIster OAIster is a union catalog of millions of records representing open access digital resources. OAIster is useful for searching multiple online archives for theses and dissertations simultaneously. Set the Content option to Theses/Dissertations to limit the search.
• UBC Library Guide: Theses and Dissertations A research guide for locating theses and dissertations from UBC, British Columbia, Canada, and International databases and repositories.
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Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Master of Science

The Master's program "Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering" prepares graduates for scientific work in the fields of shipbuilding, ocean engineering and related mechanical engineering disciplines through in-depth and comprehensive engineering, mathematical and scientific knowledge. They have a critical awareness of recent findings in their discipline, on the basis of which they can act responsibly in their professional activities and society. Six thematic specializations are possible through the elective modules: design, construction and strength, fluid dynamics and ship theory, marine engineering, marine technology, and planning and manufacturing. Accordingly, the professional activity of the graduates can be either systems-oriented, e.g. in the design of a ship or a marine engineering facility, or focused on specific areas of expertise, such as hydrodynamics or the strength of steel structures.

What characterizes this study program?

Graduates are able to analyze and solve problems scientifically, even if they are unusual or incompletely defined and have competing specifications; abstract and formulate complex problems from a new or developing area of their discipline; apply innovative methods in basic problem solving and develop new scientific methods; identify information needs, find and obtain information; plan and conduct theoretical and experimental investigations; critically evaluate data and draw conclusions;  investigate and evaluate the application of new and emerging technologies; methodically classify and systematically combine knowledge from different fields and deal with complexity; systematically familiarize themselves with new tasks in a short period of time; systematically reflect on non-technical implications of engineering activities and responsibly incorporate them into their actions; develop solutions that require in-depth methodological competence; successfully pursue a scientific activity with the goal of obtaining a doctorate.

The key qualifications already acquired in the Bachelor's program for practical engineering activities are expanded within the Master's program.

How is the program structured?

The study program is modular in design and is based on the university-wide standardized study program structure with uniform module sizes of six credit points (LP).

The program combines the disciplines of shipbuilding and marine engineering on the basis of the bachelor's degree already acquired. Essential basic subjects are mandatory for all students to ensure a uniform level of knowledge. In addition, students can individualize their studies due to the extensive freedom of choice.

In the common core qualification, students take the following modules with six LP each:

• Structural analysis of ships and marine engineering structures
• Ship vibration
• Ship safety
• Maritime behavior of ships and shipbuilding laboratory
• Maritime engineering and marine engineering systems

Students specialize by individually selecting six compulsory elective modules from a diverse range.

In addition, the compulsory open module "Operation & Management" as well as "Non-technical supplementary courses in the Master's program" must be taken, each with six LP. In addition to the final Master's thesis, students complete an additional scientific project work.

• Project work (12 LP)
• Master thesis (30 LP)

What job can I take?

The study program deepens the engineering, mathematical and scientific bachelor education and imparts competences for systematic, scientific and independent solving of responsible tasks in industry and research. The content covers computational, design and implementation methods for ships and marine engineering systems. Through the individual selection of the elective modules, on the one hand there is the possibility of a certain specialization, on the other hand it is ensured that good knowledge in the related fields is available. This individual selection allows students to adapt and personalize their studies very flexibly due to the extensive range of elective subjects. The broad level of knowledge acquired in this way will consequently enable graduates to be broadly deployable in their careers. Graduates can take up scientific activities in universities and research institutes, especially with the aim of obtaining a doctorate, or decide to enter industry directly. Here, they can pursue specialist careers or, with increasing professional experience, qualify for demanding management tasks in the technical field (e.g. project, group or team leaders, development managers).

What are the requirements?

On the one hand, the specific admission requirements must be met. You should also have a fascination for ships and the sea! Your career prospects afterwards are almost ideal and you can almost certainly count on employment!

How do I apply?

You can apply annually for the winter semester in the period from June 1st to July 15th and for the summer semester in the period from December 1st to January 15th. For this you need a Bachelor's degree and sufficiently good German language skills (level B2.2). We conduct an online application procedure.

Further questions?

How to start.

To make it easier for you to start your studies at the TUHH, you will find various offers here:

•     New@TUHH provides you with information on starting your studies, registration at the library and at the computer center.
•     The Student Counseling Center offers an orientation session for incoming students of the German-language master's programs

Can I include a semester abroad?

A stay abroad is possible within the framework of the studies and is offered in the 3rd semester (winter semester). The participating institutes are happy to help with the arrangement of e.g. student research projects at universities abroad.

Can I study in the dual program?

Yes, you can! All Master of Science degree programs at the TU Hamburg can be studied dual. Since 2003, the Technical University of Hamburg has also offered its Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in a dual study variant in cooperation with more than 50 cooperating companies.

The study concept combines complete university studies with professional practice in the engineering field. The students are employed by one of our cooperating companies and, as cohorts across study programs, represent the entire spectrum of engineering sciences.

The program is rounded off by seminars on the development of social skills, so that graduates can face the challenges of the working world in a responsible manner.

You can find more information about the dual study program at the TU Hamburg here: https://dual.tuhh.de/  

What are my options to do a PhD?

Graduates can take up scientific activities in universities and research institutes, especially with the aim of obtaining a doctorate. The TUHH is very active in this area and employs numerous doctoral students in numerous exciting projects.

How is campus life?

The TU Hamburg is one of the youngest universities in Germany. On the clearly arranged and cozy campus you will quickly get to know your new fellow students and in spring and summer numerous seating areas and green spaces invite you to linger together in the fresh air. In an almost familiar atmosphere, we celebrate our summer festival every year in June, where our TU's own beer brewing group "Campusperle" also offers its creations. Of course, you can also get involved in our numerous AGs, which also organize regular events, e.g. screenings of the cinema AG, concerts of SingING or SymphonING. Of particular interest to Data Science students are also the HULKs, who regularly participate in international robot soccer championships, for example.

If you decide to study at TUHH, you also decide to study in Hamburg, the metropolis on the Elbe, Germany's second largest city and certainly its most beautiful. Hamburg combines urbanity and maritime life and is also Germany's greenest city with over a million inhabitants. You will never get bored here: rowing on the canals during the day or jogging in the city park, sunset on the Elbe, a concert in the Elbphilharmonie or a pub night on the Schanze and the fish market at dawn. Here you will find everything for the adventurous, but also numerous quiet places to pause. Together with your fellow students, you will certainly explore Hamburg and its treasures quickly and get to know your new favorite place.

How do I start my career?

Career Center and Alumni Network TU&You

The TUHH Career Center supports students and graduates in the transition from university to work. The services offered include company contact fairs, the TUHH-PraxisPlus internship program for prospective TUHH master's students, case study workshops and job application training. The alumni network TU&YOU offers the opportunity to make contact with former TU members while still a student through a variety of events such as research afternoons, homecoming events and anniversaries.

www.tuhh.de/tuhh/uni/service/career-center.html

www.tuandyou.de

Where can I find the relevant regulations?

All modalities for admission to the Master's program are regulated in the Statutes on Studies.

The framework conditions for examinations at TUHH are defined by the General Study and Examination Regulations (ASPO) and the Subject-Specific Study and Examination Regulations (FSPO). The Module Handbook describes the concrete design of the modules provided for in the curriculum and their learning objectives. They also provide information on content, recommended prior knowledge and literature for preparation.

All regulations relevant to the study program, the module manual and study plans can be found here .

Whom can I contact?

If you have any questions about your studies, you can always contact the Central Student Advisory Service or the head of the study program and the advisors!

Program coordinator

Prof. dr. sören ehlers.

• Konstruktion und Festigkeit von Schiffen

The study program is thematically located in the research field Aviation & Maritime Systems .

The study program is accredited.

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The Master of Science ( MS)  is a master thesis option. This option is  24  credits of coursework and  6  credits of research thesis.

The thesis option is available to students who wish to include a research experience as part of their graduate program. A 6 credit hour, written research thesis under the supervision of and approved by at least one NAME faculty member is required as part of the 18 NAME credits.

If pursuing the master thesis-based degree, master students are encouraged to reach out to NAME faculty to discuss potential research projects during their first term of study.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Take Required Course –  MATH for Naval Architects  (NA 500/ 3 credits), these credits will also count towards the required  15  NAME  500+ level  credits
• Take at least One (1) COGNATE Course (level 400 and up) – An Engineering or another Math course outside NAME
• A minimum of  18  credit hours of NAME courses – At least  15  ( of the 18 required NAME ) credits need to be at the 500 level or above
• Take  6  credits of  NA 592  (Master thesis)
• IF NEEDED – Remaining credits will be of approved coursework (level 400 and up) – Not all students will need this if they already have earned 30 credits by fulfilling the above requirements

Below are some of the NAME 500 level courses offered:

• NA 510 Marine Structural Mechanics
• NA 512 Finite Element Methods in Solid and Structural Mechanics
• NA 513 Defect Assessment for Marine Structures
• NA 514 Fatigue of Structures
• NA 520 Intermediate Marine Hydrodynamics
• NA 523 Numerical Marine Hydrodynamics
• NA 525 Drag Reduction Techniques
• NA 528 Remote Sensing of Ocean Dynamics
• NA 540 Marine Dynamics III
• NA 551 Offshore Engineering I
• NA 552 Offshore Engineering II
• NA 562 Marine Systems Production Business Strategy and Operations Management
• NA 565 Self Driving Cars: Perception and Control
• NA 568 Mobile Robotics: Methods and Algorithms
• NA 570 Advanced Marine Design
• NA 583 Adaptive Control
• NA 590 Directed study, research, and special problems
• NA 592 Masters Thesis – 6 credits
• NA 599 Special Topics in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
• NA 620 Computational Fluid Dynamics for Marine Design

Ready to apply?

Applicants to this program should complete the Rackham School of Graduate Studies application

• Apply to the MS Program

Naval Architecture

Projects in naval ship conversion design.

• Read more about Projects in Naval Ship Conversion Design

Systems Engineering and Naval Ship Design

• Read more about Systems Engineering and Naval Ship Design

Projects in New Concept Naval Ship

• Read more about Projects in New Concept Naval Ship

Principles of Naval Architecture

• Read more about Principles of Naval Architecture

Principles of Naval Ship Design

• Read more about Principles of Naval Ship Design

What is the best title thesis for marine engineering student?

it must be related to your profession either it about your uniform comparing to the other schools.. or addiction on how maritime student spend their vacant time or about the machines used by the ship.

Anonymous ∙

Add your answer:

What is the hierarchy on an engineering firm?

Engineering Title

What is the groups in engineering?

there are lots of possibilities in engineering. a lot of branches * Aeronautical Engineering * Aerospace Engineering * Agricultural Engineering * Automobile Engineering * Bioinformatics * Biological Engineering * Ceramic Engineering * Chemical Engineering * Civil Engineering * Computer Science Engg. * Electrical Engineering * Electronics Engineering * Fire Engineering * Industrial Engineering * Information Technology * Marine Engineering * Mechanical Engineering * Metallurgical Engineering * Petroleum Engineering

Where can one find listings of jobs in petroleum engineering?

Finding listings in petroleum engineering is quite specific, so it shouldn't be that hard to find. You have the primary site Engineer Jobs that specializes in engineering jobs as the title says. You also have Career Builder, that's a site that helps you get a career in what you want, and petroleum engineering is one of them.

Do you capitalize Chemical Engineering?

As a title of a school course, yes. As a word in a sentence such as, "The drug affected his brain chemistry," no.

What kind of engineers work with solar energy?

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The motivations and expectations of students pursuing maritime education

• IAMU Section Article
• Open access
• Published: 27 January 2015
• Volume 14 , pages 313–331, ( 2015 )

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• Yui-yip Lau 1 &
• Adolf K.Y. Ng 2 , 3  

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The ever-changing global environment has increased emphasis on the research and creation of knowledge dedicated to professional practice. The maritime industry serves as the illustrative example, of which it has transformed from a traditionally largely unskilled, labor-intensive industry to a capital-intensive, sophisticated one. This has transformed the nature of maritime education from a highly practical, hands-on approach to tertiary education emphasizing on business and analytical skills, as characterized by the increasing number of tertiary institutions offering under- and postgraduate maritime programs. However, the motivations and expectations of students pursuing such programs have remained under-researched. In this study, we have conducted a questionnaire survey towards under- and postgraduate students who pursue maritime programs. The aim is to understand their profiles, motivations, and expectations of respective programs that these students have enrolled in. Constructive recommendations and strategies are provided to contribute to an effective planning and management of program articulation.

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1 Introduction

The maritime industry is one of the four economic pillars of Hong Kong. According to a summary statistics on the Hong Kong shipping industry (Transport and Housing Bureau 2012 ), Hong Kong is currently among the world’s top 10 fleet owning countries/territories. There are a total of 72,524,000 tonnages for all registered vessels in Hong Kong, while the number of vessels is 2035 and the number of authorized ship insurers in Hong Kong has reached 90. The maritime industry has made significant economic contributions to the city. For instance, ship agents and managers and local representative offices of overseas shipping companies have generated a profit of HKD 5,975 million, while the profit made by ship owners or operators of sea-going vessels was HKD 93,727 million. The Hong Kong maritime industry has created a wide range of industry groups and job opportunities: 7,653 persons engaged in ship agents and managers and local representative offices of overseas shipping companies business; 4,461 persons joined the workforce in ship owners or operators of sea-going vessels; 2,024 persons were involved in ship owners and operators of Hong Kong–Pearl River Delta Vessels; and 285 persons were employed as shipbrokers.

To maintain the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s maritime industry in the world, it would be essential to maintain a comprehensive maritime education. However, there has been increasing concerns that maritime studies may gradually “fade out” under an integration of courses covering broader themes to be redundant. Footnote 1 As the changing global environment has created an emphasis on dedicated knowledge, professional, and research (Moreby 2004 ), employees of the highest caliber should respond effectively to ongoing changes and professional education could be an effective and direct way to improve productivity (Becker 1993 ). In recent years, there has been a substantial growth in “professional” and “practice-based” programs based has taken place among academic institutions (Bourner et al. 2001 ), which emphasize apprentice-style, non-academic learning approaches.

The maritime industry serves as an illustrative example, especially after its transformation from a largely unskilled labour- to a capital-intensive industry, and contributed to the presence of tertiary education in maritime studies (Grammenos 2002 ; Heaver 2002 ; Levinson 2006 ; Stopford 2009 ). Many governments formulate policies to train up officers on sea-going vessels and shipping firms ashore through maritime education. Mitropoulos, the secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) believed that an extensive international education and training would be essential to continually upgrade knowledge and skills throughout one’s working life Footnote 2 . In the early years, maritime education mainly focused on vocational training of deck and electronic officers on board sea-going vessels as their knowledge, skills and willingness could contribute to the reliability and efficiency of shipping operations (Gardner et al. 2007 ; Harlaftis and Theotokas 2004 ; Theotokas 2007 ). However, factors such as economic growth, the rise in multimodal supply chains, technological revolution and sophisticated maritime business models have called for the need to redesign the curriculum of maritime education with an objective to appeal to the younger generation. There is also a need for maritime programs to adopt a wider strategic view, as opposed to a narrow, operational view (Mangan et al. 2001 ).

In this paper, we understand maritime education as an interdisciplinary academic field that embraces ship management, humankind’s critical monolithic skills, and knowledge for being management trainees in companies and deck cadets on board. To meet the ever-rising national and international standards within the maritime industry, such as Port State Control (PSC) and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, maritime education should enhance, and explain, integration between human activities and the condition of the maritime environments (Fu et al. 2010 ; Lewarn 2002 ; Zhu 2006 ). To align maritime programs with the needs of maritime stakeholders, their curriculums should inscribe business and management skills, e.g., language, decision making, leadership, organizational knowledge, interpersonal, etc., into consideration. Indeed, they should equip students with the desired skills and proper knowledge and professional attitudes for the maritime industry. Although the demands for both under- and postgraduate maritime studies programs keep on growing rapidly, the reasons for such demand remain rather unclear. To fill in this gap, we review the development of maritime education and examine the value of under- and postgraduate maritime programs from the student’s perspective, with a special focus on Hong Kong. It aims to explore whether exiting maritime education is an effective way for occupational groups to achieving their professional status and in what ways education supports a substantial growth of maritime industry and generates increasing productivity and equips industrial practitioners with desired skills.

The rest of the paper is structured as follows. Section  2 presents the situation of maritime education in Hong Kong, followed by an explanation of the methodology in Section  3 . Section  4 discusses the empirical results. Before the concluding remarks in Section  6 , Section  5 examines the structures and characteristics of the demands for under- and postgraduate maritime programs in Hong Kong.

2 Maritime education in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government strongly supports the education and trainings of programs in the maritime industry (The 2013 Policy Address 2013; Hong Kong Maritime Department 2013 ). A number of local academic institutions offer programs related to maritime studies at both post- and undergraduate levels. Table  1 illustrates some major maritime programs offered by Hong Kong’s tertiary and professional institutions.

2.1 Scope of area

The majority of training courses and educational programs associated with maritime studies focus on transportation, logistics operations and supply chain development. Hong Kong is among the world’s top 10 fleet owning countries/territories, and a port of Hong Kong is one of top 5 ports in the world, handling 23 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) (UNCTAD 2012 ). These evidences suggest that it would be necessary for Hong Kong to develop maritime education programs that focus on sea freight management and operations.

2.2 Course design

Considerable current maritime programs emphasize on shipping operations, dangerous goods handling, import/export trading practices, port and terminal operations, intermodal transport operations, and chartering practice. When designing new programs, it is important to balance theoretical and practical knowledge.

Over the years, considerable research works have contributed to the literature regarding maritime education and training, the skills required for maritime employees, and the structure of maritime courses (e.g., Barnett et al. 2006 ; Carp 2004 ; Cooper et al. 2003 ; Emad and Roth 2008 ; Evangelista and Morvillo 1998 ; Gardner et al. 2007 ; Hara 2000 ; Ircha 2006 ; Lewarn 2002 ; Ng et al. 2011 ; Paine-Clemes 2006 ; Pettit et al. 2005 ; Ruan 2002 ; Sampson 2004 ; Shah et al. 2007 ). Taussik ( 1998 ) highlights interdisciplinary training and education in maritime industry as being critical for the maritime stakeholders. Barnett et al. ( 2006 ) identify seafarer requirements at sea and shore-based maritime sectors have contributed to these initiatives through mapping the multiple career opportunities and maritime education that exist for seafarers. Finally, Shah et al. ( 2007 ) outlines a specific template for postgraduate level courses requiring a fine balance between academic and vocational relevance in maritime education.

Nevertheless, research examining the significance of different incentives in decisions to embark on maritime education has remained rather scarce. The extents by which actual features of such programs correspond to the aspirations of the enrolled under- and postgraduate students have not been empirically studied. Many previous studies also seem to share some methodological shortcomings. First, many do not have applied research methodologies, e.g., statistical, experimental, etc., and conclusions are often based on theoretical discussions. Many are merely extensive analyses about regulations in the maritime industry and the changing needs of contemporary business environment. Inadequate attention has been paid to students, the direct users of educational services. Also, although there are some studies which attempt to address this deficiency (e.g., Ng et al., 2009 ; 2011 ), comprehensive studies comparing under- and postgraduate students have been found wanting. Understanding such, in this study, we conduct a questionnaire survey with students enrolling in under- or a postgraduate maritime programs. Specifically, we focus on the following issues:

Students’ profiles

Their considerations, motivations, and channels of information before choosing to study on maritime programs

Their expectations, particularly in academic knowledge, career, and personal development

Their selection of career paths after graduation

Their evaluations of the features of maritime programs.

We compare the survey findings between under- and postgraduate students through a comprehensive database developed to a survey within a same maritime education institution. The study explores the process of professionalization within a shipping world and offer useful insights and advice to improve existing under- and postgraduate maritime programs so as to sustain the development of such programs in the long run.

3 Methodology

A questionnaire based on the Likert-style score scale (1 = strongly agree; 2 = agree; 3 = fairly agree; 4 = fairly disagree; 5 = disagree; and 6 = strongly disagree) was designed, and distributed to students who have enrolled in under- and postgraduate programs in maritime studies. During the fall of 2011, 250 questionnaires were distributed to 180 undergraduates and 70 postgraduates studying maritime programs at the Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies (LMS) at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU), pursuing the Bachelor of Business Administration in International Shipping and Transport Logistics and the Master of Science in International Shipping and Transport Logistics, respectively. We have decided to focus on HKPU because it has been offering education for vocational training of deck officers and electronic officers on board sea-going vessels for potential managers to ship management for decades, and is considered to be a very significant player in Hong Kong’s maritime education. Since the 2000s, LMS (Department of Logistics, or LGT, before 2008) has re-designed the curricula of all maritime programs by incorporating subjects related to management and general business issues within a maritime industry rather than highly specialized or technical subjects, e.g., marine engineering, maritime law, maritime technology, etc. To ensure that the respondents could provide relevant answers based on real learning experience, all of them have completed at least one year of studies in their respective programs. Footnote 3

The response rate was encouraging—76.4 % with 191 completed questionnaires (with valid responses). The questionnaire was divided into two sections: In Section A, participants were asked to provide background information related to their work experiences and studies, for instance, their highest academic qualification, years of working experience within a maritime industry, nationality, age, family background, etc. In Section B, participants provided detailed information about their studies including higher education enrolment, employment, and scholarships during their studies as well as their plans and preferred work after graduation. The questionnaire also asked respondents on the following topics: (1) issues considered when deciding to pursue their maritime programs, (2) information channels for their current maritime programs, and (3) a description of their maritime programs. The questions were asked in the form of statements and participants responded by choosing the extent to which they agree with a particular statement or not (i.e., eight to nine statements per theme).

To comply with confidentiality, data analysis was undertaken collectively without reference to any particular survey participants or institutions. Additionally, the survey questions and certain information in Section  5 were based on some semi-formal discussions with a number of relevant parties or materials pertaining to scholars, industrial practitioners, and maritime journalists. All aspects of the attributes could be validated in the questionnaire and addressed the study objectives (Malhorta and Grover 1998 ).

To ensure statistical sensibility of the collected data, we have conducted a series of t tests to evaluate their reliability and addressed potential non-response bias on the results (Armstrong and Overton 1977 ). The non-response bias was measured by dividing the 191 survey respondents into two groups (Table  2 ), and we used this as the database for further analysis. The results revealed that the collected data was statistically significant at the 5 % significance level.

4 Empirical results

4.1 background information.

Most undergraduate students enrolled in undergraduate maritime programs have completed secondary education for at least two years, or have obtained higher diploma or associate degree, and have articulated to programs that they are currently pursuing through the Non-Joint University Programs Admissions System (Non-JUPAS) Footnote 4 . Simultaneously, over 90 % of the postgraduate students consist of degree holders in business, management, and/or marine engineering. Their degrees are awarded by universities worldwide, including the University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong), the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong), the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong), City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong), Shanghai Maritime University (China), Shanghai International Studies University (China), Dalian Maritime University (China), Southwest Jiaotong University (China), University of Applied Sciences (Germany), University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), Rouen Business School (France), Huddersfield University (UK), and Curtin University of Technology (Australia). The rest of the respondents have obtained other professional qualifications with solid work experience in the shipping, transport, or logistics sectors before proceeding to their postgraduate maritime programs. In Hong Kong, there is less restriction in language, since in most cases English is used as the main medium of instruction. Additionally, there are non-Chinese students enrolled in such programs every year as exchange students to take part in maritime programs.

Broadly speaking, only 7.4 and 9.3 % of the under- and postgraduate students, respectively, have family members who have worked in the shipping industry, or in any maritime-related employment before (Table  3 ). Among them, two have a (former) marine engineer within the families—a senior safety officer and a captain. Although the results suggest that few under- and postgraduate students enrolled in maritime programs had family members working in a maritime industry, 75.6 and 65.1 % of under- and postgraduate students, respectively, found that a role of maritime tradition was significant to their decision to enroll in maritime programs. Not surprisingly, 83.8 and 70 % of under- and postgraduate students, respectively, reported that an economy of their hometowns are currently associated with jobs related to a maritime industry.

The results indicated that 27 % of the undergraduate students held at least one university degree or possessed postgraduate qualifications, while 16.3 % of their mothers were also university degree holders. For postgraduate students, 27.9 % of their fathers and 14 % of their mothers were degree holders (Table  4 ). Nevertheless, none of the parents of the under- or postgraduate students have attended any marine academies.

The results indicate that the annual family income of our respondents stands at a lower and of the scale (Table  5 ). Over 60 % of undergraduate students reported that their families earned less than HKD 203,410 (equivalent to about USD 26,245 in August 2014) per year, and only about 20 % and 10 % of these families can be categorized as middle- and upper-income class, respectively. Therefore, it is not surprising to find that 44.6 % of the undergraduate students have part-time works so as to relieve some financial difficulties. Similarly, 58.1 % of the postgraduate students reported that their respective family income was at lower income levels and that 30.2 % of them have a full time job (Table  6 ).

4.2 Professional experiences before and during enrolment

Interestingly, no postgraduate students in our survey had any professional sea-going experience, although 13 possessed some onshore experiences, such as sales and marketing, accounting, law, documentation, customer services, procurement, to name but a few. As expected, most undergraduate students did not have any professional maritime experiences when they enrolled in their maritime programs (Table  7 ), although some of them had some professional experiences: 56.5 and 83.3 % had worked in non-maritime-related part- and full-time jobs, respectively. In addition, over 70 % of the undergraduate students planned to work part time during their studies. This was not only due to financial incentives but also a desire to gain some professional experiences before graduation. Meanwhile, professional experiences and financial incentives were the main factors that prompted postgraduate students to pursue their current studies (Table  8 ).

4.3 Plans after graduation

Over half of the undergraduate students who completed the survey planned to continue their postgraduate education in maritime studies after graduation, and this could foster themselves to obtain higher educational qualifications in a maritime field (Table  9 ). Except for coast guards and the shipbuilding industry, the responses for all other sectors were similar and showed positive feedbacks. Indeed, the undergraduate students often planned to seek professional life from other industries.

In terms of plans after graduation, the responses from postgraduate students are significantly different from their undergraduate counterparts. Few of them consider pursuing further studies, neither in logistics and maritime theme (9.3 %) nor in another discipline (4.7 %). Half of them indicate that they prefer finding a job in the maritime (and, in some cases, logistics) industries. There was also a tendency to seek professional life from other industries among these postgraduate students, especially in the banking and financial sectors. Slightly over half of them wanted to work in a shipbuilding industry (56 %), closely followed by the (general) transport industry (53 %). Port and coast guards are jointly ranked as the third most preferred option (49 %). Finally, tourism is ranked as the fifth most preferred option (40 %). Based on the collected data, postgraduate students least prefer to work in public administration (21 %) (Table  10 ).

Table  11 presents the results of postgraduate students’ responses to the question “if maritime industries are an ideal work to be associated with, then which sub-sector?” The results show that about 45 % of them showed an interest in containers, 14 % in dry bulk, and 11.6 % in tankers. Only few would like to work for cruise or coastal shipping.

4.4 Motivation to enroll in maritime programs

Nearly 40 % of the family members of the students being surveyed expressed a positive view towards maritime studies, and this suggests that their family members are likely to support them to pursue such programs and develop a career path in the maritime industry. With the support from their family members, 30 % of the undergraduate students reported state that the maritime programs that they are pursuing were their first choice during their university admission application. In contrast with undergraduate students, four out of five postgraduate students decided to pursue maritime programs. Practical and occupational-orientated nature seems to be the most crucial factor for pursuing maritime programs at postgraduate level (Table  12 ).

Forty-three postgraduate students have answered the question about scholarships in pursuing maritime program. Thirteen and four postgraduate students have received scholarships from tertiary institutions and external parties, respectively. In our data analysis, this is a crucial point of postgraduate students pursuing in such program.

4.5 Issues considered in enrolling a maritime program

To explore the key issues considered by under- and postgraduates when enrolling in a maritime program, the questions asked and a description of the summarized mean scores are presented in Tables  13 and 14 , respectively. The results indicate that the top 3 issues considered by undergraduate students when pursuing a maritime program are (1) to enhance knowledge about a logistics industry, (2) to enhance knowledge about maritime industry, and (3) program’s accreditation by professional units with the last item scoring the best mean score. The findings also show that undergraduate students pay less attention to (1) higher chance of getting a job, (2) great interests in the courses, (3) to be associated with their respective countries’ maritime tradition, and (4) no other alternatives. On the contrary, postgraduate students emphasize the following factors: (1) a reputation of the programs/departments, (2) university/faculty/departments have good networks within the industry, and (3) the easiness to obtain good grades in courses, followed by (4) courses are practice-oriented, which is in line with a crucial feature of the maritime programs (as mentioned earlier). Interestingly, when considering whether to enroll in a particular maritime program or not, postgraduate students are generally not affected by family members, friends, or colleagues whose have already pursued such programs.

4.6 Information channels for the maritime programs

In this section, we address the ways on how respondents found out about the program they enrolled in (Table  15 ). In this regard, it is surprising to see that, while social network (notably family members, friends, teachers, or knowing a third person) is not an effective channel for undergraduate students to gather information about maritime programs, it is very important for postgraduate students. In fact, a large number of enrolments (especially postgraduate students) were not a direct result of any aggressive marketing campaigns. The advancement of information technology has also helped students to seek relevant course information without time and place restrictions, and because of this, both under- and postgraduate students mostly agree that information technology is an important channel to obtain necessary information regarding the programs.

4.7 Description of the maritime programs

During the survey, we have invited survey respondents to describe their enrolled maritime programs. The received answers are summarized in Table  16 . Most under- and postgraduate students agreed that the maritime program outcomes meet their initial expectations. The workload is appropriate, and the teaching staff has adopted various teaching methods to allow students to learn effectively. In general, all responses to the specific questions fell within a range of strongly agree (1) to rather agree (3). None of the 191 survey respondents has expressed any disagreement towards any of the statements in this section. However, despite the well-qualified teaching staff, many feel that the courses are too academic or theoretical and that the courses could, and should, cover more practical aspects of the maritime industry. Unlike their postgraduate counterparts, undergraduate students appreciate the fact that they can enhance their professional competence and skills and transfer job-related skills from the maritime programs. However, 54 % of them reported that they had limited or no knowledge about the Chinese maritime industry (Table  17 ). Given the closer ties between Hong Kong and other parts of China, this suggested a major shortfall of the maritime programs being studied.

5 Discussions

We have closely examined the profiles, motivation, and expectations of under- and postgraduate students pursuing maritime related programs. In addition, we have analyzed the structures and characteristics of the demands for such programs.

Our study discusses the presence of a triple maritime dimension: Students select to pursue an undergraduate maritime degree, and that they may consider studying for a maritime postgraduate program, and finally their ambition is to work in the maritime sector. In general, the motivation of both under- and postgraduate students in pursuing their respective maritime programs is strategically driven by practical considerations. The results support the notion that their maritime programs generally meet the initial expectations of both under- and postgraduate students.

Regarding the degree choice considerations, according to our findings, a good program should possess the following competencies: (1) increases students’ professional competence and skills, (2) provides updated information on the industry, and (3) courses to be delivered by well-qualified teachers. Additionally, well-qualified teaching staff should provide a wide variety of innovative teaching methods so as to transfer relevant professional and practical skills to students and enhance their knowledge about the maritime industry.

Both under- and postgraduate students perceive the maritime programs they pursue as being too theoretical. To address this problem, we strongly believe that tertiary institutions should put more efforts in strengthening their networks with a local maritime industry. In return, the latter should offer more training opportunities, mentorship, and internship placements, so as to allow students to establish or expand their industrial networks more effectively. For example, HKPU has often invited scholars from foreign universities to conduct reviews and help in redesigning maritime programs. Other parties from the maritime industry, including industrial associations, potential and current employers, and alumni were also invited to offer advices to the programs, and to better equip students when they entered the job market. Furthermore, our findings illustrate that a large number of students pursue maritime programs because of an appropriate study workload, and that in some cases students perceive that they could obtain good results rather easily. The long-term impacts of such trend against the quality of the maritime industry professionals are subject to further research.

Unsurprisingly, most students expect to work in the maritime industry after graduation. For postgraduate students, a container sector is their ideal work under the maritime industry. This should not be deemed surprising, given that most of the world’s traded cargoes are carried by container shipping both in terms of value and tonnages (Ng and Liu 2014 ), and thus, it often receives the most attention, in both media and the maritime programs themselves. This suggests that maritime programs should perhaps pay more attention to the non-container aspects. Furthermore, with closer economic ties between Hong Kong and other parts of China in recent years, the maritime and logistics development of both regions are likely to affect each other significantly. However, our findings suggest that not many undergraduate students have even fundamental knowledge about the Chinese maritime industry. Thus, in the future, universities and tertiary institutions in Hong Kong should consider incorporating subjects with more “Greater Chinese elements” into both under- and postgraduate curricula of maritime education in future and invite more reputable guest speakers to deliver seminars or presentations about the Chinese maritime industry.

Regarding survey respondents’ family background, few family members of the surveyed under- and postgraduates have worked in the shipping industry or in maritime-related activities. This suggests that an influence from family members probably does not play a vital role in providing first hand or updated relevant maritime programs information in Hong Kong. Compared with undergraduate students, most postgraduate students are already working in the maritime industry and their key contact parties (notably, colleagues, supervisors, former teachers, and associations) can provide them with useful information regarding the maritime programs, and share past experience with them in pursuing such programs. Support from these parties often creates peer-group influences that motivate these students to pursue the maritime programs. Finally, our findings suggest that information technology has become a necessity for students to access maritime program information in real time.

Regarding the annual family income of the respondents, most under- and postgraduate students come from or are living at low-income levels, and they take up employment during their studies because of financial necessities. Only 39.5 % of the postgraduate students have been awarded scholarships from tertiary institutions/universities and/or external parties. Based on these findings, the HKSAR Government and industrial associations should take more initiatives in offering scholarships to motivate qualified students to enroll in maritime programs.

6 Conclusions

Quality education is fundamental for the long-term well-being of the maritime industry. As a global maritime logistics hub, maritime education has been growing in Hong Kong in the past decade as reflected by an increasing number of enrolments in maritime programs and the number of programs offered to under- and postgraduates by local tertiary institutions.

In this study, we collected data from 191 students (148 undergraduates and 43 postgraduates) through a questionnaire survey. By doing so, we can understand more about the students’ profiles, their sources of information, motivation, and expectations of the associated programs that they have enrolled in. In addition, we explored the different perceptions and evaluations of undergraduates and of their enrolled programs. This study has examined a professionalization process of the maritime industry and provides invaluable insight to researchers, maritime industries, associations, perspective students, and current ones. By studying the characteristics and structures of the demands for maritime programs, strategies and recommendations are made to contribute to an effective planning and management of maritime program articulation, and to help Hong Kong to develop into a world-class maritime educational hub in Asia-Pacific and the world. Useful strategic advice for developing a global maritime logistics hub is also given for others’ reference. In the past, Hong Kong’s maritime education focused on seafarer vocational training and covering narrow and highly technical aspects in shipping. Nowadays, they do not only cover shipping-dedicated subjects (e.g., navigation and communication systems, shipping logistics, ship-broking, chartering practice, marine navigation and meteorology, port planning and management, etc.) but also core (e.g., business finance, introduction to business law, global economic environment, operations management, etc.) and non-core business subjects (e.g., business English, transferrable skills, etc.). In many cases, the restructured maritime programs have incorporated a wide range of theoretical and commercial knowledge and skills, so as to equip graduates with both specialized knowledge in shipping and logistics as well as strong management competency, such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.

A well-structured and comprehensive maritime program offers both width and depth (from certificate and doctorate level) to train up students in business knowledge and analytical skills. A number of local [e.g., Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ)] Footnote 5 and overseas [e.g., National/Scottish Vocational Qualification (N/SVQ) Footnote 6 , Association of MBAs (AMBA) Footnote 7 , the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Footnote 8 , and the European Foundation for Management Development-European Quality Improvement System (EFMD-EQUIS)] Footnote 9 professional institutions have accredited Hong Kong’s maritime programs, such as those offered by LMS, in achieving certain quality standards. These institutions offer constructive advice on how to articulate degree programs with a postgraduate study level in both local and overseas institutions.

Maritime education has flourished in Hong Kong in the past decade as evidenced by the increasing number of under- and postgraduate maritime programs offered by local tertiary institutions. However, the structures and characteristics of the demands for such programs remain under-researched. Through this study, a generalized trend regarding the profiles, motivation, and expectations of respective programs of students from maritime programs can be drawn and the similarities and differences in terms of professional experience, culture, gender, and competency among these students can be identified. Furthermore, we have offered ways to adopt effective planning and management of maritime program articulation and to sustain the development of Hong Kong as a world-class educational hub for maritime studies.

This paper is based on a single case study, i.e., Hong Kong, and is an initial attempt to apply a concept of professionalism in maritime education through an exploratory study. It should provide useful insight to professional bodies on how to improve the quality of these under- and postgraduate programs in the future. To increase the generalizability of our findings, we plan to conduct large-scale longitudinal studies on maritime education in other countries, for instance, a comparison of maritime programs offered in Hong Kong and those in other countries (e.g., Canada, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Thailand, Korea, etc.). A comparative study between Hong Kong and other Asian countries should be of great significance, as the findings will help to plot the general development of under- and postgraduate studies in maritime education. By doing so, we can create a strong platform in conducting further research on this important topic.

Here, it is interesting to recall a plenary session held during the Annual Conference of the International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME) 2000 (Naples, Italy), discussing this issue in light of the restructuring of Cardiff University, UK, and the integration of the then Department of Maritime Studies and International Transport to the University’s Business School. During the conference, some scholars expressed the view that the end of maritime studies higher education degrees was probable.

This is an opening address by Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, E. Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization on 10 May 2006 for the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), 81st session.

When the survey was undertaken, most undergraduate programs run by the universities in Hong Kong, including HKPU, were still under the 3-year system. Hence, all the survey respondents were either in their second year or, in the case of undergraduate students, third year of study.

JUPAS is the main route of application designed to assist students with Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination results (past and/or current) to apply for admission to programmes offered by the JUPAS-participating tertiary institutions in Hong Kong.

For details of HKCAAVQ, see: http://www.hkcaavq.edu.hk/ .

N/SVQ is the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority of the UK, Scotland, Wales, Australia and New Zealand. For details of N/SVQ, see: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/2.html .

For details of AMBA, see: http://www.mbaworld.com/ .

For further details on AACSB, see: http://www.aacsb.edu/ .

For further details on EFMD-EQUIS, see: https://www.efmd.org/index.php/accreditation-main/equis .

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Acknowledgments

The study was partly supported by the CPCE Research Funds (project account code: 4.8L.xx.EZ65). We thank the editor and anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and advice. The usual disclaimers apply.

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Hong Kong Community College, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

Yui-yip Lau

Department of Supply Chain Management, I.H. Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Adolf K.Y. Ng

Transport Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

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Lau, Yy., Ng, A.K. The motivations and expectations of students pursuing maritime education. WMU J Marit Affairs 14 , 313–331 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13437-015-0075-3

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Received : 24 June 2014

Accepted : 09 January 2015

Published : 27 January 2015

Issue Date : October 2015

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s13437-015-0075-3

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