Our program in ocean and naval architectural engineering includes two related but distinct areas. Naval architectural engineers conceive, design and construct ships, offshore structures and other floating equipment to serve the needs of the ocean-going community. A naval architect is an engineer with a working knowledge of several disciplines and expertise in one of the basic areas of structural, hydrodynamical or marine systems design. On the other hand, an ocean engineer develops and designs floating, underwater and bottom-sited systems, wave-measuring buoys, underwater vehicles, sonar and other acoustic systems, offshore platforms and shoreline facilities, such as harbours and artificial islands.

The design of large structures such as ships and drill rigs requires an understanding of the many facets of design: function, strength, appearance and, especially important at sea, safety. Although there are several engineering programs involved in the design and construction of ships and platforms, only naval architects and ocean engineers are trained to deal with them as entire marine-going systems.