Postgraduate Courses in Marine Engineering
There is a common misconception in the UK that because many of the major shipyards have closed there is now no longer any requirement for professional Marine Engineers. Far from it, there is a national, and indeed global, shortage or Marine Engineers and also Naval Architects. The job prospects are therefore very good, especially for those who do a postgraduate course in Marine Engineering. The UK is still very much a world centre of the marine industry. London houses the International Maritime Organisation (the only UN HQ in the UK) and a huge proportion of ship broking, insurance and reinsurance is still conducted on the London markets. London is also home to Lloyds Register one of the foremost classification societies and all the other classification societies have offices in London and elsewhere in the UK. There are also many specialist consultancy firms providing design and support services for the marine industry in the UK. The MOD and Royal Navy also recruit Marine Engineers. Most Marine Engineers have desk based, shore jobs, it is Marine Engineering Officers who spend all their time at sea. If you are interested in applying for a postgraduate course in Marine Engineering then read on to find out more.
Marine Engineering is a branch of engineering specialising in machinery for ships or offshore structures. It has strong connections with Mechanical Engineering which is why in some universities such as UCL it is housed in that department, in others it is linked with Naval Architecture. An exact definition is difficult as marine engineering covers a whole range of subjects from gas turbines to corrosion, gear boxes to fresh water production, control to DC power. Increasingly electrical power systems are also becoming the realm of the Marine Engineer as cruise ships and warships move towards the “All Electric Ship” concept. At UCL we now split our Marine Engineering MSc into Mechanical and Electrical streams allowing students to specialise in one area or the other. What is unique about a Marine Engineer is that he or she has to be skilled in system integration. And not any system integration, but integration into a compact steel structure where weight and volume are critical, the whole thing can often move quite violently and then it is all placed in a corrosive fluid – sea water. Large ships such as the Queen Mary II or a Nimitz aircraft carrier are the most complex structures built by man – longer than the Eiffel tower is high and can travel at more than 30mph.
The exact entry requirements for postgraduate courses in Marine Engineering vary from university to university, but generally a good first degree in Mechanical Engineering, Marine Engineering or related subject is required. Candidates with qualifications in other subjects such as Physics or Mechatronics will also often be considered. Pre-qualifying years are also available for those who do not quite meet the entry requirements or want to cross train. Knowledge of fluids and thermodynamics is essential and at least an understanding of basic electrical engineering. Ideally candidates will have had some experience of the marine environment but this is not a “must”. Options exist to study full time over 12 months or to spread it part time over a period of 2 to 5 years. A new “block release” MSc has been formed by the Marine Technology Education Consortium (MTEC) different modules are taught by one of 5 university departments in the UK.
Marine Engineering MSc programmes are bespoke designed to meet the needs of the industry and as a consequence they have strong links with their target industrial sector with good graduates being snapped up as soon as they complete their MSc. Graduates from them are highly sought after by companies in the industry such as Lloyds Register, BMT (British Maritime Technology), VT Shipbuilding, BAE systems, Shell and MOD. These companies provide support for the courses and get directly involved in the design and project work of the students. Some students have the opportunity to undertake their individual projects with an industrial partner often spending time on site. This is an excellent opportunity for them to get exposure to the industry and a foot in the door for a job after graduation. Opportunities exist to work in the offshore power industry – oil & gas or soon renewables, consultancy, surveying, or the design of “conventional” merchant ships, cruise ships or luxury mega yachts.
Contacts for further information:
MSc Marine Engineering at UCL: http://www.mecheng.ucl.ac.uk/learning/graduate/msc/
Marine Technology Education Consortium (MTEC): http://www.mtec.ac.uk/
Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology (IMarEST): http://www.imarest.org
If you are thinking of being a Marine Engineer, it is highly recommended that you take a postgraduate course in Maring Engineering. Whether yout career is in research or in industry, a postgraduate course in Marine Engineering will open up a world of opportunity.
Contributed by:
Dr Alistair Greig
Senior Lecturer and MSc Admissions Tutor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University College London
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