Naval Architects, Marine Engineers, and Ocean Engineers design, build, operate, and maintain ships and other waterborne vehicles and ocean structures as diverse as aircraft carriers, submarines, sailboats, tankers, tugboats, yachts, underwater robots, and oil rigs. These interrelated professions address our use of the seas and involve a variety of engineering and physical science skills, spanning disciplines that include hydrodynamics, material science, and mechanical, civil, electrical, and ocean engineering. Naval Architects are involved with basic ship design, starting with hull forms and overall arrangements, power requirements, structure, and stability. Some naval architects work in shipyards, supervising ship construction, conversion, and maintenance. Marine Engineers are responsible for selecting ships' machinery, which may include diesel engines, steam turbines, gas turbines, or nuclear reactors, and for the design of mechanical, electrical, fluid, and control systems throughout the vessel. Some marine engineers serve aboard ships to operate and maintain these systems. Ocean Engineers study the ocean environment to determine its effects on ships and other marine vehicles and structures. Ocean engineers may design and operate stationary ocean platforms, or manned or remote-operated sub-surface vehicles used for deep sea exploration. Recent statistics have indicated that today's professionals will change careers at least three times during their working lives. A career in the maritime industry offers such diversity that you can change careers innumerable times and still stay in the same industry! Young professionals beginning their careers as naval architects, marine engineers, or ocean engineers can attain top management and leadership positions in the marine industry, where talent and dedication are recognized, encouraged and rewarded. Whether your interest lies in commercial shipping, high-speed passenger transportation, naval ships, submersibles, pleasure yachts, cruise ships, aircraft carriers, or oil rigs, a career in the marine industry offers a challenging work environment and unlimited rewards. A high school student interested in a career in naval architecture, marine engineering, or ocean engineering must have a solid background in math, science, and writing. Courses taken should include trigonometry, calculus, physics, and chemistry. English language skills, especially writing skills are essential. Mechanical drawing, computer training, and shop courses are all helpful. Over twenty schools in the United States and Canada offer courses in naval architecture, marine engineering, or ocean engineering. Their names and web addresses are listed below. Explore the sites and contact the schools for catalogs and entrance requirements. For additional career information, see also the web site of our sister organization, The American Society of Naval Engineers. Colleges offering courses in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, and Ocean Engineering California Maritime Academy - www.csum.edu California State: Long Beach - www.csulb.edu Florida Atlantic University - www.oe.fau.edu Florida Institute of Technology - www.fit.edu Maine Maritime Academy - www.mainemaritime.edu Massachusetts Institute of Technology - www.mit.edu Massachusetts Maritime Academy - www.maritime.edu Memorial University of Newfoundland - www.engr.mun.ca State University of New York: Maritime College - www.sunymaritime.edu Stevens Institute of Technology - webcampus.stevens.edu/co-sponsors.aspx Texas A & M University - www.tamu.edu Texas A & M University at Galveston - www.tamug.tamu.edu U.S. Coast Guard Academy - www.cga.edu U.S. Merchant Marine Academy - www.usmma.edu U.S. Naval Academy - www.usna.edu University of British Columbia in Vancouver - www.student-services.ubc.ca University of California-Berkeley - www.coe.berkeley.edu/oceaneng University of Michigan - www.engin.umich.edu/dept/name University of New Orleans - www.uno.edu Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University - www.aoe.vt.edu Webb Institute - www.webb-institute.edu