Master of Marine Engineering

Master degrees from the University of Adelaide and others take two years of full time study to complete, or four years if part time. They can be taken in a variety of formats, the most common two being coursework master degrees and research master degrees.

Coursework master

These provide units in a wide number of topics, including but certainly not limited to:

• Fluid mechanics
• Principles of control systems
• Materials selection & failure analysis
• Combustion technology and emissions control
• Heat transfer and thermodynamics
• Composites and multiphase polymers

The sheer number of courses can’t physically be taken over the course of a degree as there are so many; students with a clear goal in mind will be better suited to making informed decisions regarding what units to take. A research project is also involved, which can be in any topic so long as it’s within the scope of marine engineering.

Research master

Courses like the Master of Philosophy (Maritime Engineering and Technology) from the University of Tasmania are somewhat like PhDs in that they’re primarily dedicated to research. They are required to prepare and write a thesis on a research topic of their choice, developing not only improve marine engineering skills, but written and verbal communication too. This makes it an ideal pathway into academia or even a PhD later on.

Employment options

Working for Maritime Engineers or MG Engineering can provide graduates from coursework masters with the chance to enter a career in a variety of industries, including:

• Oil
• Gas
• Military
• Commercial fishing
• Mining

This makes them versatile and useful qualifications. Graduates from a research focussed degree can go on to teach at a university and perform even more meaningful research throughout a PhD.

Scholarships and funding

There are a number of both general and specific scholarship opportunities available to students of marine engineering. Some of the best specific ones include:

• The APPEA Tony Noon Scholarship, providing $3,000 to students of engineering with an interest in upstream petroleum engineering.
• The Robert Bage Memorial Scholarship is named after the combat engineer who died at Gallipoli in 1915. Students undergoing a research master can apply for variable funding to undergo fieldwork of the applicant’s devising. The unique thing about this scholarship apart from the origin is its selection criteria. Instead of being based primarily upon GPA or socio-economic need, it is awarded to strength of application and proposed fieldwork. This makes it an exceptional opportunity for engineers who are also skilled writers.
• The UNSW Student Exchange Engineering Award provides $2,000 to students of engineering willing to go on exchange outside Australia. Applicants must be from UNSW.

Some of the best general scholarships include:

• The Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship. This provides an astounding $120,000 to successful applicants who strive to enhance one of three capacities throughout their studies and future career:
  • Technology and innovation
  • Strengthening Australia-Asia Ties
  • Enabling positive social change

Students of marine engineering should have no trouble answering this question, as a career in this field is directly concerned with the first two points and indirectly with the third. Stronger maritime technology can mean more sustainable and energy efficient solutions, after all.

• General Sir John Monash Scholarships, worth $65,000. These are designed to foster leadership across industries.

Prerequisites and selection process

Students must have a prior four year bachelor of engineering to enter these courses. This is due to the large quantity of prerequisite knowledge they draw upon. Some also require students to have at least a credit GPA (65%), although this can be circumvented via the completion of a graduate certificate or diploma.