Bachelor of Ocean Engineering at University of New Hampshire

Ocean engineering is a field of study that seeks to solve engineering problems associated with the ocean, including those problems associated with the sustainable utilization of ocean resources and the scientific exploration and study of the ocean environment. Ocean engineering is an interdisciplinary field with roots in mechanical, electrical, civil, and environmental engineering, with strong ties to physical, chemical, biological, and geological oceanography. Students of ocean engineering are best served when they are formally trained inside a framework that fuses the expertise of these often-disparate fields.

The BSOE curriculum provides students with a solid engineering core and prepares students for professional engineering careers or for graduate study. The BSOE starts with foundational classes in math, physics, chemistry, and engineering computing, along with introductions to ocean engineering through seminars and oceanography coursework. Students develop their engineering acumen through coursework and laboratory studies that are focused on analysis, experimentation, and design. Students proceed to increasingly advanced coursework in ocean instrumentation, waves and tides, the design of ocean structures, coastal engineering, ocean measurements, and ocean acoustics. Opportunities exist for at least four technical electives, which help students gain further competence in an area of their choice. Students finish their curriculum with a two-semester senior capstone design project. Elective courses in the arts, humanities, and the social sciences are included to provide a well-rounded education.

Students work with an advisor to plan a program that is based on the courses shown in the ocean engineering degree plan below that totals not less than 128 credits. The degree plan is considered a guideline and may be modified to suit student needs and desires within the constraints of meeting minimum credit hours, course prerequisites, and non-major elective course requirements. Some ocean engineering elective courses may not be offered every year.

The Student Outcomes consist of the ABET 1-7 general requirements for all engineering programs with four additional outcomes specific to the Ocean Engineering program which are subsets of (1).

• (1) ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science and math. Knowledge of fluid mechanics and hydrostatics with depth in at least one. An ability to apply solid mechanics and dynamics through multivariate calculus and differential equations. Knowledge of oceanography, water waves, and underwater acoustics. Ability to apply probability and applied statistics.
• (2) ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental and economic factors.
• (3) ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
• (4) ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts.
• (5) ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
• (6) ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
• (7) ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.