Education
Graduate Programs
Each student is required to take one oceanography course: ESCI 852, Chemical Oceanography; ESCI 858, Introductory Physical Oceanography; ESCI 859, Geological Oceanography; or ZOOL 850, Biological Oceanography; as well as OE 990, 991, Ocean Engineering Seminar I, II. In addition, each student must select three of the following core courses: OE 871, Geodesy and Positioning for Ocean Mapping; OE 810, Ocean Measurements Laboratory; OE 854, Ocean Waves and Tides; OE 870, Fundamentals of Ocean Mapping; OE 845, Environmental Acoustics I; and OE 885, Environmental Acoustics II. Students are also required to take a minimum of 12 credits of additional coursework and complete a master’s thesis for 6 credits.
This option is offered in conjunction with the Joint Hydrographic Center/Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping. Each student is required to take these core courses: ESCI 858, Physical Oceanography; OE 990, 991, Ocean Engineering Seminar I and II; OE 810, Ocean Measurements Lab; OE 845, Environmental Acoustics I; OE 885, Environmental Acoustics II; OE 870, Fundamentals of Ocean Mapping; OE/ESCI 871, Geodesy and Positioning for Ocean Mapping; and OE/ESCI 972, Hydrographic Field Course. In addition, each student must select at least 6 additional credits from these electives: OE 854, Ocean Waves and Tides; ESCI 859, Geological Oceanography; OE 954, Ocean Waves and Tides II; ESCI 907, Geostatistics; OE/ESCI 973, Seafloor Characterization; OE/CS 867, Interactive Data Visualization; EOS 824, Introduction to Ocean Remote Sensing; NR 857, Photo Interpretation and Photogrammetry; NR 860, Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources; OE 995, Graduate Special Topics; or OE 998, Independent Study. Students are also required to complete a master’s thesis for 6 credits. Other related courses may be taken with approval.
Students admitted to this Ph.D. option come from traditional engineering degree programs, physics, mathematics, computer science, and in some cases marine science programs. Those entering the Ph.D. option with a B.S. degree from an engineering program should be prepared to enter the Ph.D. option directly. Those coming from a B.S. in physics, mathematics, or computer science will have their transcripts more carefully reviewed on an individual basis, as additional courses may be required. A student in the ocean engineering option in the Engineering Ph.D. program will be expected to take a minimum of 12 courses (exclusive of dissertation research) beyond those required for a B.S. degree.
Required Courses
One course in oceanography or ocean science: ESCI/ZOOL 850, Biological Oceanography; ESCI 852, Chemical Oceanography; ESCI 858, Introductory Physical Oceanography; or ESCI 859, Geological Oceanography
Three core courses in ocean engineering: OE 810, Ocean Measurements Lab; OE 844, Corrosion; OE 854, Ocean Waves and Tides; OE 856, Principles of Naval Architecture and Model Testing; OE 857, Coastal Engineering and Processes; OE 845, Environmental Acoustics I; OE 885, Environmental Acoustics II; OE 873, Seafloor Characterization; OE 870, Introduction to Ocean Mapping; OE 871, Geodesy and Positioning for Ocean Mapping; or OE 872, Hydrographic Field Course
Two courses in advanced OE topics (two at 900 level): OE 937, Advanced Hydrodynamics; OE 954, Ocean Waves and Tides II; OE 956, Dynamics of Moored Systems; or ESCI 959, Data Analysis Methods in Ocean and Earth Sciences
Two courses (one at the 800 level; one at the 900 level): MATH 845, MATH 846, Foundations of Applied Mathematics; MATH 853, Introduction to Numerical Methods; MATH 854, Introduction to Scientific Computing; MATH 856, Principles of Statistical Inference; MATH 888, Complex Analysis; MATH 931, MATH 932, Mathematical Physics; ME 881, Mathematical Methods in Engineering Science I; ME 982, Mathematical Methods in Engineering Science II; ME 876, Introduction to Finite Element Analysis; or ME 986 Advanced Finite Element Analysis
Four electives (two at 800 level; two at 900 level): CS 867, Interactive Data Visualization; ME 807, Analytical Fluid Dynamics; ME 809, Computational Fluid Dynamics; ME 886, Introduction to Finite Element Analysis; ME 909, Viscous Flow; ME 910, Turbulent Flow Analysis; ME 911, Theory of Hydrodynamic Stability; ME 827, Advanced Mechanics of Solids; ME 824, Introduction to Vibration; ME 823, Advanced Dynamics; ME 922, Continuum Mechanics; ME 924, Elasticity; ME 926, Plasticity; CIE 861, Foundation Engineering; CIE 862, Introduction to Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering; CIE 863, Geological Engineering; CIE 883, Matrix Structural Analysis and Modeling; CIE 942, River Mechanics; CIE 961, In situ Geotechnical Testing; ESCI 907, Geostatistics; ESCI 958, Dynamical Oceanography; ECE 814, Introduction to Digital Signal Processing; ECE 817, Introduction to Digital Image Processing; ECE 845, Acoustics; ECE 857, Fundamentals of Communication; ECE 860, Introduction to Fiber Optics; ECE 939, Statistical Communication Theory; ECE 940, Information Theory; ECE 941, Digital Signal Processing; ECE 955, Estimation and Filtering; ECE 965, Introduction to Pattern Recognition; or ECE 970, Introduction to Optical Signal Processing
The general progress of a student through this option is expected to follow the time frame listed:
- Year 1: Coursework, qualifier at the end of the year
- Year 2: More coursework, thesis proposal presentation at the end of the year
- Year 3: Research
- Year 4: Research/thesis defense
- Year 5: Research/thesis defense
The course selection and sequencing will be established in consultation with the student’s guidance committee. There will be a qualifying examination on the student’s specific area of interest after the first year, but no later than the end of the second year. The goal of this exam is to test the breadth of a student’s knowledge in topic areas essential to ocean engineering and the student’s area of interest. For each student there will be a list of must-know topics; i.e., physical oceanography, underwater acoustics, fluid dynamics, mathematics. A formal Ph.D. proposal will then be written and presented in a seminar, which constitutes an oral exam. After successful completion, the student will be advanced to candidacy and work on the dissertation. The dissertation will be defended in a public forum when completed.