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Naval engineering graduate certificate

A group of naval vessels in the Pacific Ocean

Naval engineering is a field of study and expertise that includes all engineering and sciences as applied in the

  • research
  • development
  • design
  • construction
  • operation
  • maintenance
  • and logistic support

…of surface and subsurface ships, craft, aircraft, and vehicles (manned and autonomous) used by the Navy for the nation’s defense.

This certificate program is inherently multidisciplinary and is available to all departments in the College of Engineering as well as other colleges.

The program will attract and enable graduate students throughout the college to better prepare for this critical profession. It is open to all graduate students in the College of Engineering including distance-learning students.

Students must have:
- registered no later than the last day to add courses for the semester in which they complete the last courses for the certificate,
- submitted his or her program of study for the certificate to the Graduate School, which
has been signed by one of the faculty members on the Graduate Certificate in Naval Engineering Oversight Committee, and
- attained a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the designated courses.
- completed the certificate requirements as part of a Master of Science or Master of Engineering Degree in the Colleges of Engineering or Science.


Required coursework in addition to graduate degree:

  • 3 credit hours  |  AOE    5324:     Principles of Naval Engineering with Applications
  • 3 credit hours  |  AOE    5314:     Naval and Marine Engineering Systems Design, Pre: 5324

Complete additional 6 credit hours from the following list with a minimum grade of B- or better:

  • 3 credit hours  |  AOE 5304:         Advanced Naval Architecture
  • 6 credit hours  |  AOE 5315-5316: Naval Ship Design  (Pre for 5315: 5304, 5314, 5334, 5074; Pre for 5316: 5315)
  • 3 credit hours  | AOE 5074:         Advanced Ship Structural Analysis (Pre: 5024)
  • 3 credit hours  | AOE 5334:         Advanced Ship Dynamics 
  • 3 credit hours  | AOE 5444G:     Advanced Dynamics of High Speed Marine Craft 
  • 3 credit hours  | AOE 5084:         Submarine Design 

Application for degree deadlines

  • Fall semester: October 1
  • Spring semester: March 1

Contact: Dr. Alan Brown, albrown5@vt.edu
Stefano Brizzolara, stebriz@vt.edu
Eric Paterson, egp@vt.edu