Maritime Engineering with Foundation Year

Maritime engineering is a specialist discipline at the intersection of mechanical engineering and the design, construction, and operation of ships and other marine vessels and offshore structures. It encompasses naval architecture, which is concerned with the form, stability, and structural integrity of vessels, alongside marine engineering, which addresses the propulsion, power, and mechanical systems that make ships function. Southampton has been one of Britain's most important naval and shipbuilding centres since the Middle Ages, and studying maritime engineering there places you in a city with deep professional and historical connections to the discipline.

At the University of Southampton this four-year programme includes a foundation year, providing a route for students who need to build the mathematical and scientific foundations required before entering the main engineering curriculum. Once in the degree, you will develop mechanical engineering skills alongside specialist knowledge of naval architecture and marine engineering, studying hull design, stability and hydrostatics, propulsion systems, marine structural analysis, ship operations, and the regulatory frameworks governing vessels at sea. Southampton's world-class facilities and strong research reputation in marine technology give the programme exceptional depth and professional relevance.

Maritime engineering graduates work in shipbuilding and ship repair, naval architecture consultancies, offshore oil and gas engineering, shipping companies, the Royal Navy and defence maritime organisations, port and harbour engineering, marine renewables, and international maritime regulatory bodies. Roles include naval architect, marine engineer, ship manager, offshore structure designer, and maritime technology consultant. Many graduates pursue chartered engineer status through the Royal Institution of Naval Architects or the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.

Postgraduate study in naval architecture, ocean engineering, or marine technology is an option for those who wish to develop specialist expertise or pursue research in this technically sophisticated and globally significant field.