Postgraduate courses in Marine Engineering

There are so many different kinds of engineering courses to choose from but for now, let’s take a look at marine engineering.

If this is an area you’d like to take your career, we have some information to kick start your journey below. 

If there is one thing we know, it’s that you can never be over-educated so a postgraduate course will add to your chances of being employed and make you attractive to the employers you’ll be hoping for.

What is marine engineering?

Marine engineering is the field of engineering that deals with the development, production, upkeep and maintenance of boats, ships, oil rigs and other equipment used at sea. 

What does a marine engineer do?

As a marine engineer, you may have to work nights, weekends and bank holidays. As well as this, it is quite a physically demanding job. The day to day duties of an environmental engineer may differ. Duties include: 

• Design, build or repair marine equipment 
• Test equipment and make alterations where necessary 
• Conduct studies to help in the development of products – eg. analytical, environmental, operation
• Prepare drawings and direct the the preparation of products
• Research and analyze data 
• Carry our marine surveying 
• Ensure engines, instruments and systems are all working safely
• Work in office, on boats
• Carry out observations of products and equipment and ensure they meet health and safety standards as wella s environmental standards
• Inspect marine equipment and machinery to draw up work requests and job specifications
• Review work requests and compare them to previous work carried out 
• Ensure the costs of work that was/will be carried out are environmentally sound

Courses

There are many courses to choose from across the UK. Some courses offer the option of studying part time or full time. There may also be Covid-19 restrictions in particular universities. Examples of courses available include: 

Subsea Engineering 

A postgraduate course in subsea engineering will focus on fundamental skills and technical skills needed to work in this area. Students will develop their understanding of the development and operation of subsea technologies and systems. They will also gain the practical skills needed in order to apply sound engineering principles and analysis methods to the design and installation of subsea systems. Other focuses include skills in design software, learning to adapt particular analysis tools and techniques as well as communication skills, report writing and project management. 

Offshore Engineering

Courses in offshore engineering look at subsea engineering and renewable energy. They look at the strengths of these areas and use them to investigate modern applications of offshore engineering such as marine renewables and subsea oil and gas. Key focuses in these courses include marine renewables, marine environment impact assessments as well as subsea construction. 

International Marine Science

Postgraduate courses in International Marine Science combine biology, chemistry, geology and physics. They also look at the influence of climate change and how policy can be used to manage the resources of the ocean. Two of the main focuses for these courses are GIS and oceanography. Many of these courses can be done through distance learning depending on the university. 

Other courses available include Advanced Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering with Specialisation in Autonomous Marine Vehicles, Ship and Offshore Technology, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Subseas and Pipeline Engineering and Technical Ship Management, to name a few. 

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements may differ from course to course and university to university. In most cases, you will be required to have a 2.1 honours degree in a relevant subject. Some courses may accept a 2.2 honours degree. It is important to research your particular course to make sure you meet specific requirements. All information can be found on course overviews and on university websites. 

Salary Expectation

The average salary of a marine engineer in the UK is around £31,867. Starting out, your salary may be lower and closer to £24,000 but with time and experience, your salary can increase. Those with many years experience may earn closer to £55,000. These figures are based on estimates gathered from a sample of salaries of marine engineers. 

Skills and requirements

Skills and requirements that are helpful, and often necessary, in this field:

• Excellent communication skills
• Strong written skills
• Understanding of engineering, science and technology
• Mathematics skills
• Pay attention to detail
• A critical thinker 
• Problem solver
• Ability to analyse information
• Knowledge of physics
• Design skills