The Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program in Ocean Engineering at URI satisfies both the B.S. and non-thesis M.S. requirements in full, and allows for undergraduate courses from the B.S. requirements to count for up to one-fifth of the total credits required in the master’s program. Students may also transfer up to one-fifth of the required master’s credits of advanced standing credits not counted towards the B.S. For example, in a 30-credit program, 6 credits can be counted from the B.S. degree requirements and an additional 6 advanced standing credits can be transferred. Only 500 and 600-level courses, as well as at most one 400-level courses designated for graduate credit, can be applied towards a M.S. degree. Students must complete the requirements for their M.S. by the end of their additional year – failure to do so will negate the option to apply one-fifth of the credits taken from the B.S. requirements.
The URI Ocean Engineering ABM program is governed by “Appendix K” of the URI Graduate School Manual. The M.S. program component requires 30 credits, which are detailed below. Additional information can be found on the departmental website.
| NON-THESIS M.S. Ocean Engineering |
|---|
| Required courses (9 credits) • EGR 515: Hydrodynamics • OCE 571: Underwater Acoustics • OCE 591 or 592: Special Problems (3 credits culminating in a comprehensive report with oral presentation.) Elective courses (21 credits) • Up to 4 credits from one 400-level course which is designated “for graduate credit” • Remainder of credits must be 500-level or 600-level courses Required, but not for program credit • OCE 605: Graduate Seminar (fall) • OCE 605: Graduate Seminar (spring) |
| (Optional, ABM Specific) Applying (“Double-counting”) one-fifth from B.S. credits • Up to 6 credits of elective courses designated “for graduate credit” • OCE 491/492 are not allowed |
| (Optional) Transferring one-fifth for advanced standing credits. • Up to 6 credits of elective courses designated “for graduate credit” • Advanced standing credits are those that are not used to meet the B.S. requirements • OCE 491/492 are not allowed |
Sample Timeline
Years 1–3
Follow B.S. curriculum sheets, achieving 3.5 GPA, with the addition of completing general education requirements.
Year 4
Follow B.S. curriculum sheets, achieving 3.5 GPA and ensuring that:
- At least 2 Professional Electives (6 credits) for BS are also designated for graduate credit.
- 1-2 additional course (3-6 credits) beyond the BS is designated for graduate credit.
Year 5
5-6 graduate courses (15-18 credits)
1 independent study (3 credits of OCE 591/2)
Comprehensive report based on OCE592/2 work with oral examination.
Guidance for completing courses and applying
To achieve completion of the ABM program within a 5th year, it will be necessary to shift some credits earlier to stay within the maximum (12 credits per semester) of a full-time graduate student. This can be accomplished in one or more of the following ways:
- Choose professional electives that will count towards a M.S. degree.
- Take extra professional electives during the 4 years of the undergraduate program. These would count as “advanced standing credits.” OCE 491/492 are not allowed to be transferred/double-counted from B.S.
Application procedure
Students should formally apply to the graduate school for the 5-year ABM program in their senior year (January 15th deadline). The application process for the ABM program is competitive. Students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA from their B.S. work. Their application must include three letters of recommendation, with one being from a department faculty member who is committed to supervising their OCE 591/2 independent study during their 5th year.
A Program of Study is required for submission of the application. If admitted, a student will be formally entered into the ABM program in their senior year and expected to complete all graduate degree requirements by the end of the Spring semester of their 5th year.
Transferring to a Thesis-Based Master’s Program
Students may transfer into the thesis-based M.S. program at the discretion of the Graduate Program Director or Department Chair based on the recommendation of a department faculty member who is committed to supervising their OCE 599 Masters Thesis credits. The expectation is that an additional semester or semesters will be required to complete the 9 credits of research credits. Students transferring to the thesis-based M.S. may not apply credits required for their B.S. in Ocean Engineering to the 30-credit requirements for the thesis M.S.
Continuing on to a Ph.D.
Students who are considering applying for the Ocean Engineering Ph.D. program after completion of the five-year non-thesis ABM are encouraged to attempt the Ph.D. Qualifying Exams in between the Fall and Spring semesters of their 5th year. Those who transfer from the ABM program to the regular thesis-based M.S. program may attempt the Ph.D. Qualifying Exams in between the Fall and Spring semesters of either their 5th or 6th year.