WASHINGTON – Few people know that there are seven accredited maritime schools in the United States, each of which train and prepare students for a variety of vocations involving trade, engineering, business and sometimes even the military. Here’s a short look at all the maritime schools in the nation: what they have to offer and what makes them unique.
1. Maine Maritime Academy
Castine, Maine
MMA is a public college that offers admission requirements similar to most other colleges and universities, which means an applicant doesn’t need to have a congressional appointment to apply. Depending on their major, students at MMA have the choice between following the conventional college route and participating in the Regiment of Midshipmen: a leadership and management based program.
MMA was the first U.S. maritime or service academy to graduate a female student: Capt. Deborah Doane Dempsey in 1976, and continues to attract a large pool of female applicants every year. Though there is no military obligation for MMA students, the academy offers Naval Reserves Officer Training Corps (NROTC) and Merchant Marine Reserve (MMR) programs that give students the option to take a commission in the Navy, Naval Reserve, Coast Guard or Marine Corps after graduation.
2. Great Lakes Maritime Academy
Traverse City, Michigan
For students at Great Lakes Maritime Academy, the primary emphasis is going to sea. Students can train to become a deck officer or an engineering officer through experience-centered, hands-on classes and training opportunities. Each program trains students to become an officer or business professional in the chosen field and licenses them to pilot unlimited tonnage or horsepower in both the Great Lakes and the oceans. This academy prides itself on offering students all the necessary experience to make them marketable for almost any maritime vocation. The highly selective school also gives students an option to supplement their cadet work with the Naval Reserve and Merchant Marine Program. This program helps students pay for attendance and polishes their military training.
3. U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, New York
This 68-year-old self-proclaimed “demanding” and “rigorous” academy offers a four-year curriculum involving education for a Bachelor of Science degree and training for students to become merchant marine officers or commissioned officers in a reserve component of the Armed Forces. Admission to the academy is not easy, and applicants are required to receive a congressional nomination as part of their application. As the school is a federal service academy, students are required to complete a service obligation after graduation by applying for, and accepting, an appointment to serve in any reserve component of the U.S. Armed Services.
4. The California Maritime Academy
Vallejo, California
This California State University campus, the only degree-granting maritime academy on the West Coast, is best known for its floating classroom: the 500-foot Golden Bear Training Ship. Every summer, first and third year cadets take a two-month training course on the ship, learning applied technology and leadership development. Aboard the Bear, students are in charge of running the ship: from navigation and driving, to repairing and overseeing the engines.
Though Cal Maritime students do wear uniforms, there is no requirement for students to join the military post-graduation. If students so chose, there are several options to be part of the Armed Services including Navy and Air Force ROTC programs, Navy officer and Coast Guard pilot programs.
5. Texas Maritime Academy
Galveston, Texas
Complete with a training ship, bridge simulation facility, radar training facility, shore side facilities, TMA boasts the lowest tuition of all U.S. maritime schools and the highest admission of women: 20 percent. TMA, a campus of Texas A&M University at Galveston, is divided into three groups of students: Cadets wishing to work as Merchant Marine Officers can be part of the Merchant Marine Licensing Program which has no military obligation, but allows students to join a U.S. Navy Reserve. The NROTC College Program is offered to student competing for Navy scholarships and who have agreed to serve in the U.S. Navy after graduation. If neither of these programs appeals to a student, he or she can be part of the Drill and Ceremonies Unit without pursuing a license degree program.
6. State University of New York Maritime College
Throggs Neck, New York
Nearly 140 years old, SUNY Maritime College has repeatedly made the list for top tier regional colleges and best engineering programs. The oldest and largest maritime university in the nation, SUNY Maritime is divided into two programs: The Regiment Program and the Civilian Program. The Regiment Program teaches students a military style of life and prepares them for a possible entry into the U.S. Merchant Marine. Though 90 percent of SUNY students participate in this program, the other 10 percent go into the Civilian Program, which offers a more traditional college experience.
7. Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzard’s Bay, Massachusetts
MMA’s programs are wide ranging: the school offers students in environmental science, marine safety, maritime transportation, international business, marine biology and many more. The MMA Buccaneers have a passion for sports, including men and women’s lacrosse, track and field, and soccer, as well as a variety of other student government-run clubs and organizations. More than 40 percent of its current students participate in one or more of the school’s competitive sports teams.
Though structured like a military academy, MMA does not require its students to fulfill a military obligation unless they volunteer for the commissioning programs. Cadets are required to complete one Sea Term, a 52-day voyage where students learn ship operations, maintenance and emergency drills.