Florida Atlantic University - Sea Tech

Written on 10/23/2024

Lori Wheeler

Program Overview

Florida Atlantic University offers an Ocean Engineering program through its College of Engineering and Computer Science. Established in 1965, it was the nation’s first undergraduate ocean engineering program and is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Students learn how to design, build, operate, and maintain ships, underwater vehicles, offshore structures, sonar systems, and other technologies used in the ocean environment. Coursework includes subjects such as hydrodynamics, acoustics, marine materials, corrosion, structural analysis, ocean systems, and engineering controls.

SeaTech, FAU’s Institute for Ocean and Systems Engineering, is the university’s waterfront research center in Dania Beach. It supports the academic program through laboratories, classrooms, docking facilities, research vessels, machine and electronics shops, testing tanks, and facilities for developing autonomous underwater and surface vehicles. Students in the undergraduate program complete portions of their senior-level coursework at the SeaTech location.

Education and Career Pathways

Ocean Engineering students prepare for careers involving ship and yacht design, underwater robotics, marine vehicles, offshore structures, ocean energy, acoustics, naval engineering, hydrodynamics, marine materials, corrosion prevention, and ocean technology research.

FAU offers Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and doctoral pathways in Ocean Engineering. The undergraduate program combines mathematics, science, engineering courses, laboratory work, technical electives, and senior design projects.

Program Information

Program Format

Four-year undergraduate engineering program with classroom instruction, laboratories, technical design projects, research opportunities, and upper-level learning at the SeaTech waterfront research center. Graduate programs are also available.

Credentials

Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering from an ABET-accredited program, with Master of Science and doctoral degree options available for advanced study.

Who It Serves

Students interested in careers involving ships, yachts, underwater vehicles, marine technology, naval engineering, offshore systems, ocean research, robotics, acoustics, hydrodynamics, and marine materials.

Admissions

Applicants complete Florida Atlantic University’s undergraduate admissions process and begin within the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s engineering pathway. Students must satisfy the required mathematics, science, and pre-professional engineering courses before progressing through the Ocean Engineering major. Current curriculum guidance requires at least a C in Calculus I and University Physics I to declare the major.