Ocean Engineering Graduate Programs
Overview
This multidisciplinary academic program is designed to give students a strong foundation in physical oceanography as well as opportunities to focus on their desired area of expertise and acquire state-of-the-art observing and modeling skills, while working closely with our Physical Ocean Science and Engineering (POSE) faculty.
Students in the POSE Program apply basic physical principles in their research in coastal physical oceanography, ocean acoustics, nearshore processes, environmental fluid dynamics, estuarine dynamics, high-latitude ocean dynamics, ocean instrumentation and engineering, boundary layer turbulence and air-sea interaction.
The program is particularly appropriate for students with physics, mathematics, or engineering backgrounds. The POSE program is committed to supplying exciting research opportunities, excellent facilities and a stimulating educational environment for students.
Students in the program pursue a master’s degree or a doctorate in marine studies with a concentration in POSE.
Master of Science in Ocean Engineering
The Master of Science in Ocean Engineering is offered jointly with the Physical Ocean Science and Engineering Program (POSE) in the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and Earth Studies. Students may matriculate through either the College of Engineering or the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and Earth Studies and may choose a thesis advisor from either program.
The Master of Science in Ocean Engineering degree program is aimed at providing graduate students with advanced technical training in ocean science and engineering for positions in the public and private sectors and for matriculating into PhD programs. The program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours, which includes 6 thesis credits and dependent research. Students shall defend their thesis in an open oral examination chaired by the advisor.
PhD in Ocean Engineering
The Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering is offered jointly with the Physical Ocean Science and Engineering Program (POSE) in the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and Earth Studies. Students may matriculate through either the College of Engineering or the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and Earth Studies and may choose a thesis advisor from either program.
The Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering program is aimed at training graduate students to achieve the highest level of proficiency in research. Mathematics, fundamental sciences, ocean sciences and engineering sciences are combined to provide a personalized program of study and research. All graduate students work in close cooperation with the faculty on their dissertation area.
A student’s doctoral program, comprising 72 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree (including doctoral dissertation), is planned around a central objective in applied science and mathematics. If a student who already holds a master’s degree in the specific field of study is accepted directly into the Ph.D. program, the coursework from the master’s degree will be taken into account in the design of the doctoral program. All courses in the program are selected with the approval of the student’s dissertation advisor. The program requirements are shown in the following table.
Course Requirements
- Graduate Courses Beyond the Bachelor of Science Degree: 36 credits
- The purpose of the course work is to provide a solid foundation for original research in the field of study and, within the limits of available time, to extend the student’s knowledge outside that field. At least 6 of the required credits should be taken outside of the Program of Ocean Science and Engineering and may include significant components from other departments.
- Ph.D. Dissertation: 9 credits
- Research (minimum): 9 credits
- Master’s Thesis (if applicable): 6 credits
Required courses include courses in mathematics and engineering sciences designed to insure that Ph.D. candidates have the basic skills in Physical Ocean Science and Engineering needed to conduct dissertation research.
Required courses beyond the Bachelor of Science:
CIEG639/MAST691 Ocean Fluid Dynamics
CIEG672 Water Wave Mechanics
MEEG690 Intermediate Engineering Mathematics
MEEG691 Advanced Engineering Mathematics
MAST693 Waves in the Marine Environment
MAST882 Physical Ocean Science and Engineering Seminar
CIEG865 Civil Engineering Seminar
Students matriculating from other universities may petition to have these courses waived if their course of study included equivalent courses.
Admissions Requirements
The minimum requirements for admission to a master’s or doctoral program for a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Ocean Engineering are as follows: a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 (out of a possible 4.0) for Masters applicants or 3.5 (out of a possible 4.0) for Ph.D. applicants, and a TOEFL IBT score (for international students) of at least 79 600. The POSE Graduate committee in the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment may increase these minimum requirements. The minimum IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score is a 6.5 overall with no individual sub-score below 6.0.
Application Availability and Admission Deadlines
The online application is found at Graduate Application.
Note the following important deadlines.
February 1 : Deadline for fall admissions and consideration for graduate assistantship/fellowship.
July 1 : Final deadline for fall admissions
October 1 : Deadline for spring admission only
Recruitment Coordinators
Jacquee Lukawski
E: jacquee@udel.edu
P: 302-831-6570
Jovan Tatar
E: jtatar@udel.edu
UD Graduate Admissions Office
E: gradadmissions@udel.edu
P: 302-831-6056
