BEng (Hons) Marine Engineering
About this course
Build the foundation of a great career as an engineering officer in the dynamic maritime industry - the backbone of modern international trade. This innovative new course combines the benefits of a maritime cadetship programme, supported by a sponsoring company and offering extensive hands-on training at sea on real working vessels, with the recognised career-enhancing potential of a full academic honours degree.
Fully sponsored by one of a huge range of shipping and maritime companies, and developed to meet the specific needs of the shipping industry and the Merchant Navy Training Board, your degree cadetship combines rigorous academic study at our dedicated cadet training centre in Southampton – one of the UK’s busiest ports – with extensive practical training at sea. Shipping out as an engineering officer cadet on a range of vessels owned or operated by your sponsoring company, you will develop the essential skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to become a Marine Engineering Officer in the Merchant Navy.
You will acquire a strong understanding of relevant modern ship-board engineering and electrical systems, their operating principles and safe practices. And you will develop a range of practical engineering skills appropriate to operating and problem-solving for ships’ propulsion and auxiliary machinery systems, as well as other relevant systems, in a safe and efficient manner.
As part of your degree cadetship, you will gain your first qualification as an Engineering Officer of the Watch – and be equipped with all the knowledge and understanding to you need to undertake tasks as detailed in the industry-based onboard training – and with academic exemptions for further professional qualifications under the internationally recognised Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) and UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) regulations.
And with a full academic honours degree, you will also be well placed for a range of senior, shoreside and management roles later in your career – making this the perfect course for a long and lasting career in maritime engineering.
This programme is aligned to the new UK-wide maritime officer cadetship syllabus developed by the Cadet Training and Modernisation (CT&M) Programme, led by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Effective from September 2025, the new syllabus reflects the current practices and technology used aboard modern vessels and supports the development of 'human element' skills - essential learning for today’s aspiring officers.
What you'll study
Phase 1
- 29 weeks (this is approximate and subject to change)
- Maritime Mathematics for Engineers
- Maritime Electrical Machines
- Maritime Thermodynamics and Mechanics
- Operational Electrical and Electronic Control Systems
- Operational Marine Engineering Knowledge
- Operational Maritime Law and Project Management
- Operational Naval Architecture and Stability
- MCA Engineering Workshop Skills Training (Part 1)
- Maritime safety training courses:
- STCW Basic Safety Training Week (BSTW)
- Proficiency in Designated Security Duties
- Cadet Cyber Awareness (CCA)
- Entry Into Enclosed Spaces
- Human Element, Leadership and Management - Operational
- High Voltage - Operational
Phase 2
- 38 weeks (sea phase lengths are approximate and subject to change)
- MNTB Training Record Book
Phase 3
What you'll study
Where you'll study
The main classroom teaching for this course is delivered from Solent University's East Park Terrace campus, located in Southampton city centre.
All mandatory STCW maritime safety training courses are delivered from our Warsash campus.
Facilities
Marine engineering workshops
Purpose-built and fully-equipped for teaching the use of machine tools, welding and electrical maintenance for marine engineers.
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Fire school
Our purpose built fire school provides a realistic but safe environment in which seafarers can learn the vital techniques of fighting fires at sea.
Find out more
How to apply
Entry requirements
104-120 UCAS points
- Minimum of three A-levels at grades BCC, one of which should be either Maths or a Physical Science.
- Plus four GCSEs at grade 9 to 4 (A* to C) in the following subjects:
- Maths
- English
- Physical Science (e.g. Physics, Engineering Science, etc)
- One other subject (e.g. Geography, Computing Science, etc)
All cadetship programmes welcome applications from UK and International applicants as long as they meet the academic and PSRB requirements. Warsash Maritime School welcome a diverse range of students and the school is committed to delivering a uniform experience to all students.
Medical requirements
Officer cadets must be in good health and capable of passing the Merchant Navy Medical Examination (ENG1).
Anyone contemplating a career as a ship’s officer would be well advised to take a medical examination and sight test as soon as possible to find out if there are any physical bars to their career aspirations.
The MCA holds a list of approved doctors throughout the UK who are able to provide ENG1 seafarer medical examinations. This list can be found here.
Nationality
British shipping companies will normally only recruit UK or European Union nationals. However, the MCA certificates of competency may be awarded to people of any nationality and the training programmes are open to all.
A potential international candidate from outside the UK and EU should secure sponsorship from a suitable shipping company that will be able to provide appropriate sea service as part of the cadetship programme.
International students should also hold a formal International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate of at least 6.0 overall and a minimum of 5.5 in each component, as a good knowledge of written and spoken technical English is required to commence the programme.
