First Year Undergraduate Curriculum
The freshman year curriculum is identical for most engineering undergraduate degree programs. Undergraduate students are admitted to the Texas A&M University College of Engineering with a preference for the major noted on their admissions application and follow the same first-year engineering curriculum. The Entry to a Major process is designed for students to take ownership of their future to identify at least three majors that are a good match for their career goals and academic performance.
The Bachelor of Science in ocean engineering degree can be earned in its entirety at either the College Station or Galveston campus. The curriculum includes courses in written communication skills, humanities, social sciences, and American heritage to ensure a well-rounded education. Courses that directly apply to ocean engineering include: coastal engineering, dynamics of ocean systems, engineering design of offshore and coastal systems, fluid mechanics, marine hydrodynamics, naval architecture, numerical methods, ocean engineering laboratory, ocean wave mechanics, oceanography, offshore and coastal structures, underwater acoustics, and underwater and moored system design. A number of approved technical elective courses are also required.
View Current Program Requirements
Courses
The Department of Ocean Engineering offers a large number of undergraduate courses for students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in ocean engineering.
Several of the core requirements courses (e.g. ENGR 102 or CVEN 446) are also taught from different departments within the College of Engineering.
Core Curriculum Electives
Breadth courses are to be selected from the University Core Curriculum. The University Core Curriculum includes: 3 hours from either ENGL 103 or ENGL 104, 3 hours from ENGL 210, 3 hours from Language, Philosophy, & Culture, 3 hours from Creative Arts, 3 hours from Social & Behavioral Sciences, 6 hours from American History, 6 hours from POLS 206 & 207, 3 hours from International & Cultural Diversity (ICD), and 3 hours from Cultural Discourse (CD). The ICD and CD requirements may be met by courses satisfying the Language, Philosophy, & Culture, Creative Arts, Social & Behavioral Sciences, and American History requirements if they are also on the approved list of ICD and CD courses.
Writing Skills Elective
The technical writing elective must be selected from ENGL 210 or 301. Students are required to take two writing intensive courses (W-Courses) in their major discipline. For students in the 2018-19 and older catalogs, the current W-Courses in the ocean engineering curriculum are OCEN 410: Ocean Engineering Laboratory and ENGR 482: Ethics and Engineering. Starting with the Fall 2019 Catalog, the W-Courses are: OCEN 407: Design of Ocean Engineering Facilities II and OCEN 410: Ocean Engineering Laboratory.
Technical Electives
Several technical electives must be selected from the approved Technical Elective List. Students who wish to take technical courses not on the list may do so with approval by the Ocean Engineering program head or the undergraduate advisor. Contact an undergraduate advisor for more information.