Texas A&M University at Galveston is a special purpose institution for teaching, research, and public service of marine and maritime studies in science, engineering, and business. The University is also the home of the Texas Maritime Academy. The goal of the Marine Engineering Technology (MARR) is to prepare students for performing engineering work in the marine sector or marine-related shore-based industries involving the design, production, operation, maintenance, and management of engineering systems and projects.

Opportunities for such work abound in the vicinity of the University, which is located just south of the fourth largest metropolis in the U.S. The Houston/Galveston area has extensive port facilities, considerable commercial, recreational, and military ship traffic, and ever-increasing offshore and onshore infrastructure associated with the oil industry. Career opportunities of various kinds (e.g. operational, management, leadership, etc.) are therefore available for these graduates who are ideally suited for working on ships, at port facilities, and at shore facilities, particularly in power generation, distribution, and concomitant auxiliary support systems. The program provides a License Option and a Non-license Option. The License Option is intended for cadets of the US Maritime Service Corps who can then appear for the US Coast Guard’s license examination, enabling them to serve as engineering officers aboard sea-going vessels.

Our goal is to provide students with a strong background in engineering fundamentals,  mathematics, and analytical methods, which is reinforced by practical machine-shop, welding, and laboratory experiences (including several on the training ship). The curriculum builds on a foundation of basic engineering topics such as fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity, drafting, and materials science to develop inter-disciplinary skills required for the practice of marine engineering. In particular, the program’s objectives are to produce students who:
 

1. Can practice engineering pertaining to marine and facilities power systems and associated auxiliary systems (e.g. propulsion, electrical power generation and distribution, refrigeration, and air conditioning) in support of the maritime sector (the Navy, Coast Guard, and companies operating sea-going vessels), the offshore oil and gas industry, and companies involved in facilities management or shore-based power systems; in particular, to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain engineering systems intended to provide marine propulsion and electrical power; and

2. Are well-prepared to engage in lifelong education and professional development.