In endeavoring to prepare officers to meet the Navy's present and future needs, the Department offers EAC/ABET accredited degrees in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering - each an interdisciplinary field involving the application of engineering principles relating to the ocean environment.
These marine-oriented programs of study are supported by the latest in facilities at the Academy and are taught by an experienced staff of dedicated professional faculty. All these studies have direct carry over to careers in the Naval Service.
The knowledge of basic engineering principles, their practical application and the research and design insights provided through these majors offer a well-balanced preparation for the ready assimilation of young officers into the fleet as well as a basis for postgraduate studies.
Mission and Objectives
The mission of the Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering majors is to provide graduates with a sound understanding of the ocean environment and the engineering methods necessary for life-long contributions to the Navy and Marine Corps, government, and industry in the analysis, design, construction, and operation of complex marine systems.
This mission reflects the fact that our graduates will serve in technically-demanding jobs, on or under the sea, during their naval careers. In addition, many will continue later in civilian life in engineering or engineering management careers.
In concert with the Strategic Plan Focus Areas, the Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering has established a set of Program Educational Objectives for those midshipmen who choose to pursue a degree in the Naval Architecture Program.
The Program Educational Objectives for the Naval Architecture Program are to develop:
- Officers who possess a breadth of integrated, fundamental knowledge in engineering, the basic sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
- Officers who have a depth of knowledge in naval architecture and have a solid understanding of the principal tasks associated with the design of ships and other marine vehicles.
- Officers who can apply their knowledge and skills to understand and analyze Navy relevant engineering systems.
- Officers who have an intellectual curiosity, a desire to continue learning, and the skills to be successful in advanced educational or training opportunities.
- Officers who communicate effectively, who work effectively in teams, and who can grow into team leaders.
- Officers who know and practice their ethical, professional, and community responsibilities as embodied in the U.S. Navy Core Values.
In support of the educational missions of both the Naval Academy and of the Ocean Engineering Program, four educational objectives have been developed for the Ocean Engineering Program:
- To provide officers having a broad education, with a solid foundation in the fundamentals of engineering integrated with basic sciences, social sciences and humanities, to meet the needs of an increasingly technical naval service through service in any warfare community within the Navy and Marine Corps.
- To provide officers having a range of professional skills, including problem solving, teamwork, leadership, management techniques, experimentation, analytical and computational methods, and communication skills necessary for success in their naval careers.
- To provide officers having a depth of knowledge in one or more specialty areas of ocean engineering, through applications of mathematics, science, and basic engineering principles to problems faced by engineers in the ocean environment; and to use this depth of knowledge to instill an appreciation for the need for professional competence, independent inquiry, and life-long learning.
- To provide officers having an awareness of the engineering profession, understanding how professional engineers interact with clients, society, and the environment when addressing real-world problems in the world’s oceans or coastal regions.