Admissions are evaluated on a competitive basis for a limited number of spaces each semester. Please follow the instructions below in order to have the best chance of admission.
Students currently in General Engineering (ENGE), a Texas A&M Engineering Academy, or Engineering at Galveston should consult the Entry-to-a-Major (ETAM) process outlined at /academics/advisors-procedures/entry-to-a-major.
Students from institutions outside Texas A&M University
The admission process for most students who transfer from institutions outside Texas A&M is handled primarily by the university’s Office of Admissions. Please review the information on its website for application processes and minimum requirements. Applications not meeting the university’s minimum standards are automatically denied by the Office of Admissions and are not reviewed by the ocean engineering department.
Review of all transfer applications is done on a competitive basis among all other applicants that term for a fixed and limited number of places. Applications reaching the department are subjected to a two-step review process. First, an initial screening review is done to identify applications not meeting minimum standards (see below) and/or those unlikely to be competitive against others. Second, a full holistic review of applications passing the initial screening review is conducted at the end of the review period (typically about three weeks before end of the term), wherein all aspects of the application package are evaluated on a competitive basis. Further details of this review are given below.
Minimum Standards
To receive full consideration past the initial screening review, all applications must meet the following criteria:
- Transcript grades of no less than a “B” in courses that transfer to Texas A&M as MATH 151, PHYS 206 or 218, and CHEM 119. Applicants attending institutions not offering an equivalent to CHEM 107/117 may have the equivalent to CHEM 119 as a minimum, but will be required to pass either CHEM 107/117 or CHEM 119 for degree completion. Applicants currently enrolled in MATH 151, PHYS 206 or 218, and/or CHEM 107/117 (or 119) in the term of application submission will be denied by the department. Applications will NOT be re-reviewed for grades submitted at the end of a term.
- Grades of “B” or better in any math, science, or engineering courses subsequent to those listed above.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
- No record of academic misconduct.
Students from Texas A&M departments outside ocean engineering
Students currently enrolled at Texas A&M (including the Galveston and Qatar campuses) in a department outside OCEN may apply to enter the department by “change of curriculum” (a.k.a., “change-of-major”). Review of all change of curriculum applications is done on a competitive basis among all other applicants that term for a fixed and limited number of places.
Change of curriculum applications are accepted online.
The application is available the Change of Curriculum portlet in the student Howdy portal.
Notification of application results is given by email with sufficient time for students to be advised and registered for in-major courses in the next semester of enrollment. As the review includes the most recent semester’s grades, it does not commence until approximately a week after the end of final exams each term. Applicants should account for this timeline in their expectations for notification.
Minimum Standards
Students requesting admission by change of curriculum from another Texas A&M department will be evaluated only when they have:
- Completed at least two semesters of course work at Texas A&M. Students who are in an engineering major through the entry-to-a-major process must successfully complete one semester of course work in the major that accepted them.
- Completed all of the following courses, at minimum, with respective grades not less than “C” in each: MATH 151, PHYS 206 or PHYS 218, CHEM 107/117 (CHEM 119 and 120 may be taken in place of CHEM 107/117). Texas A&M equivalent courses taken at another institution may be used, but grades for those courses must be not less than “C.”
- Grades of “C” or better in any math, science, or engineering courses subsequent to those listed above. Subsequent courses may be taken as Texas A&M equivalents at another institution for grades not less than “C.”
- Minimum cumulative Texas A&M GPA of 2.5 as well as a minimum cumulative GPA at other institutions of 2.5.
- Minimum GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) for all math, science, and engineering courses.
- No record of academic misconduct.
Final Review Criteria
Applications meeting the criteria listed above are evaluated on a competitive and holistic basis by a review committee of faculty and advising staff. The following review criteria are used (subject to change in any semester). Applicants should note that submitted essays are used for evaluation against some of these criteria:
- Academic record.
- Understanding of the ocean engineering profession and clarity of purpose to enter it.
- Prior involvement and engagement with the ocean engineering profession.
- Extracurricular involvement.
- Evidence of overcoming adverse circumstances while succeeding academically.
- Contribution to a diverse ocean engineering workforce, broadly defined.
Every applicant who meets the minimum department standards listed above has their application file considered through an extensive holistic review by the department admissions committee. Because of the thoroughness of the review process there is no formal appeals process. Any request for information regarding an application and the decision must be made by the applicant themselves. A request must be made in writing or through a scheduled appointment with the appropriate department personnel. The department will not consider any information that was not provided in the original application package in its decisions.
The provisions of this policy do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between any applicant, student, faculty or staff member of the Department of Ocean Engineering or Texas A&M University. This policy is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as a guarantee of admission if all provisions are met. The department reserves the right to change or alter any statement herein without prior notice.