Texas A&M University System Board of Regents Approves new Bachelor’s Degree in Maritime Operations on Galveston Campus
Degree provides much-needed opportunity to support the growing demand of port operations
On February 5, the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the establishment of a new degree program at Texas A&M University at Galveston, leading to a Bachelor of Science in Maritime Operations (B.S. MARO).
Following approval by the Board of Regents, the Maritime Operations degree proposal will be submitted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for approval and certification that all applicable THECB criteria have been met.
The B.S. MARO addresses the growing role that maritime operations play in fueling the global economy, where the economic impact of Texas port business and maritime operations equates to $714 billion annually, or 28% of the GDP of Texas. Moreover, 90% of everything Texans wear, eat, drive, consume, or use has traveled across oceans or inland waterways. Shipping connects the Texas economy to the world market.
The Maritime Operations degree program will prepare students for shore-based jobs that are needed to allow for safe transit in and out of ports located along the United States coastline from sea to shining sea. Texas alone has 13 ports. For every job onboard the ships bringing in those goods, it is estimated that three to four jobs are located on the shore to safely provide for the operation of those vessels and to support those vessels.
“This is such an innovative degree that fills a critical workforce development need with the surge of growth both regionally and nationally. In addition, the new Maritime Operations degree expands our ability to partner with community colleges to grow the pipeline into these amazing career opportunities,” said Dr. Debbie Thomas, founding Dean of the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies at Texas A&M University and executive associate vice president for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M University at Galveston. “We are thrilled to support the Maritime Industries and Blue Economy through our cutting-edge degree offerings.”
The B.S. MARO will be housed in the Department of Maritime Transportation within
the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies at Texas A&M University Galveston Campus and will be a 120-semester credit hour degree program. The degree will provide a solid background in near coastal and inland vessel operations, cargo handling between vessel and shore, port security (including cybersecurity), and port infrastructure operations.
The first-year curriculum will mirror the first-year curriculum for the B.S. in Maritime Transportation (MART), including a summer sea term with shipboard and practical experience of life at sea or an applied internship (for students who either choose or are not qualified for a sea-going experience). The overlapping first year will allow students to explore
the options in maritime education and then choose either the shoreside (B.S. MARO) or seagoing (B.S. MART) program without losing credit hours or delaying graduation.
Following the first year, the remainder of the B.S. MARO program will include maritime business, inland waterways, ports, logistics, and safety courses, as well as flexibility to pursue coursework in cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, or a breadth of transportation offerings.
Toni Mooney Smith| Office of Marketing & Communications
Texas A&M University at Galveston| [email protected]