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Studies & Degrees in Naval Sciences

Naval sciences cover the knowledge needed to operate ships and to lead the people on board: navigation, seamanship, ship engineering, maritime history and law, and leadership. The name is used for two different kinds of study. In the United States, "Naval Science" is the set of courses that prepares university students to become officers of the Navy or the Marine Corps. In Spain and many other countries, the closest civilian studies are the nautical degrees that train deck and engine officers for merchant ships.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, for example, the Naval Science courses include navigation, naval engineering, naval weapons, naval operations, and a capstone course on leadership and ethics.

Qualifications and levels

Naval Science is usually not a degree of its own in the United States. It is taken next to a regular bachelor's degree:

  • Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) units at civilian universities. According to Jacksonville University, an NROTC midshipman chooses a major, completes Naval Science courses, attends drill sessions and takes part in unit events. All NROTC students take a naval science class and a drill session each semester, and scholarship students are also expected to take part in summer training cruises.
  • The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. Midshipmen attend for four years and graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as ensign in the Navy or second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. The core curriculum includes courses such as Fundamentals of Seamanship and Basic Navigation.

At Wisconsin, courses such as Navigation and Naval Engineering carry 3 credits each. Technical subjects weigh heavily. The Naval Academy states that at least 65% of its graduates commissioned into the U.S. Navy must complete a major in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, a requirement that also applies to NROTC programmes. Jacksonville University adds that Navy option scholarship students must complete two semesters of calculus by the end of their second year.

In Spain, the civilian route is a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits and four years. The Universidad de La Laguna offers the Grado en Náutica y Transporte Marítimo, which leads to the professional title of deck officer (Piloto de 2ª de la Marina Mercante), and the Grado en Tecnologías Marinas, which leads to the title of engine officer. These professional titles follow the STCW Convention of the International Maritime Organization, the international standard for the training and certification of seafarers, in force since 28 April 1984.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 11 active schools for this subject: seven in the United States, two in Spain, one in Canada and one in Bermuda.

In the United States, the examples include the United States Naval Academy and universities with a Naval Science department or NROTC unit, such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison, whose unit was established in 1948, The Pennsylvania State University and Jacksonville University. Penn State describes its introductory course as designed for midshipmen and for interested university students, so some courses are open to students outside the programme.

International students should check eligibility first. Applicants to the Naval Academy must be United States citizens by 1 July of the year of entry, and Jacksonville University states that applicants for national NROTC scholarships must be U.S. citizens.

In Spain, the Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica of the Universidad de Cantabria, in Santander, offers three bachelor's degrees: Ingeniería Náutica y Transporte Marítimo, Ingeniería Marina, and Ingeniería Marítima y Arquitectura Naval. These are civilian studies. The Universidad de La Laguna, in Tenerife, states that there is no specific entrance test for its nautical degree.

Careers

The military route leads to a commission. On completing a bachelor's degree, NROTC midshipmen become ensigns in the U.S. Navy or second lieutenants in the U.S. Marine Corps. The route comes with a service obligation: according to Jacksonville University, a national NROTC scholarship recipient is obliged to serve a minimum of five years of active duty in the Navy. The Naval Academy states that the Navy pays 100% of tuition, room and board for its midshipmen.

The civilian route leads to the merchant fleet. The Universidad de Cantabria describes its nautical graduates as future deck officers and captains, on cargo ships and on large yachts, and its marine engineering graduates as engine officers and chief engineers. Jobs ashore exist too, from maritime rescue to inspection. A degree alone is not enough to sail as an officer: at La Laguna, the professional title requires the degree, 12 months at sea and a professional competence test. Graduates can continue with the master's degree linked to the profession of merchant navy captain.

Frequently asked questions

Is Naval Science a degree in the United States?

Usually not. NROTC students choose a regular major and take Naval Science courses next to it. At the United States Naval Academy every graduate receives a Bachelor of Science degree, whatever the major.

Can international students join NROTC or the United States Naval Academy?

The published requirements ask for United States citizenship, both for admission to the Naval Academy and for national NROTC scholarships. Some universities open individual Naval Science courses to other students.

How long does a nautical degree take in Spain?

The Grado en Náutica y Transporte Marítimo at the Universidad de La Laguna has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years. The professional title of deck officer also requires 12 months at sea and a competence test.