Degree Programme in Marine Engineering
Objectives
Shipping offers interesting and versatile jobs and good chances to make an international career.
In Electrical power engineering studies in Marine technology you will gain good knowledge and skills to be an Electro-technical officer onboard a ship as well as to jobs ashore where high skills are regarded such as expertise jobs in electrical and automation engineering. The degree with included mandatory training will directly give you the competence to have an Electro-technical officer´s certificate (STCW A-III/6) and also readiness to the highest electrical qualifications S1 ashore (two years of suitable practice is required).
After degree graduation of electrical power engineering you can have a job as:
- an Electro-technical officer onboard (unlimited competence)
- an expert ashore in different type of production, maintenance and other specialist fields and after acquiring S1 competence you can be a chief supervisor of electric power systems or a leading supervisor of electrical installations and drives.
At Xamk our strengths in Marine technology are know-how of safety at sea, operations of the ship systems and expertise in marine environmental protection.
Electrical and automation engineering in international surroundings
In marine technology studies you will familiarize yourself with ship machinery, ship systems and equipment and especially with ship´s electrical and automation systems and equipment.
You will complement your proficiency with seaman skills and with basic know-how of first aid, safety procedures and emergency operations.
In electrical power engineering studies you will go deeper into the electrical theories, electric power distribution, power station engineering and electric devices and systems. You will learn to read and make electric diagrams and you will familiarize yourself with electric standards and regulations. Electrical installations and commissioning of plants with inspections belong to your skills. Occupational safety at electric work is a core competence in all your studies.
The studies in automation engineering in turn will give you the required skills into the automation equipment and systems of ships and plants ashore. Process automation and digital control systems are used onboard as well as ashore.
Important part of the degree programme in marine engineering are extensive language studies and good communication skills because international contacts in different circumstances are daily routine. Good language skills – especially in English - are a must to understand and utilize all the regulations, technical documents and user´s and maintenance manuals in seafaring. English is often a common company language used onboard and in shipping companies, and also ashore especially within multinational enterprises.
Degree programme description
Degree programme of electrical power engineering, Marine technology 270 credits (cr)
The structure of Degree programme in electrical power engineering studies in Marine technology is an aggregate of following main modules:
• basic studies 42 cr
• professional studies 100 cr
• free choice studies 5 cr
• Supervised training 108 cr
• thesis 15 cr
The education divides in three different levels: Support- and Operational levels and S1 qualification. The Support level studies give you a competence to work onboard a ship in the engine department as a part of an engineering watch.
Operational level and S1 studies prepare you to take a job as an Electro-technical Officer onboard and beside that the S1 gives you the highest electrical competences required ashore.
During the first year you will carry out the Basic training and basic marine engineering studies at the support level so that you can work as an apprentice onboard first to get the watchman´s certificate (engine) and later on in the ship´s engine department or ashore to do the mandatory training of electrical field.
During the second, third and fourth year you will perform the theoretical studies and studies of leadership, management and safety in marine technology which are required for the Electro-technical officer and for the S1 electrical competence ashore. Part of the third academy year and the fourth year consists mainly of advanced studies of electrical and automation engineering and writing of the Thesis.
Training sessions are partly set within the academy years and it is also meant to be done during summer vacations.
In addition to the degree the student can take additional courses, approximately 30 credits from Marine engineers´programme to get theoretical acknowledge that is required for Marine engineer´s certificate at Operational level. Degree programme of Marine engineering and Electrical power engineering both last 4,5 years.
A person who has been approved to the degree programme in Marine technology has to show his/her suitability to the training with appropriate medical certificate required for the persons willing to take a job onboard.
• More information of medical examinations and health requirements of the seafarers can be found from the Finnish legislation in a law Nr. 1171/2010
• Additional information of required eyesight and hearing of the seafarers is in the decree 224/2013 set by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Implementation of studies
The studies of Electrical Power Engineering in Marine technology will be full-time and they include theory studies, laboratory and workshop training and exercises with the simulator. In addition to these the studies include a lot of practical training onboard and ashore. You will get a good basic acknowledge which you can put into practice on the training ship, in the simulator and during practicing sessions onboard and ashore.
The studies will mainly take place at Kotka campus.
Practicing
The studies include several long practice periods onboard the merchandise ships. The degree programme includes a full 360 days practice which of no more than 180 days can be done ashore.
Theoretical studies are broadly combined with laboratory training and onboard training as well as with training ashore to create practical acknowledge and skills. Mandatory studies include certain safety courses required of seafarers. The practicing ashore should be as versatile as possible consisting of both electrical and automation. The practicing periods will deepen your skills and competences and besides help you to plan your own career by getting to know different jobs and opportunities in the fields of electrical and automation engineering.
Career opportunities
Shipping offers not just interesting and diverse jobs but also chances to create an international career as a member of capable and highly skilled ship crew. Electro-technical officers work on cruisers, ice-breakers and other ships that are equipped with great electrical power systems and also internationally in offshore on the rigs.
Ashore there are plentiful jobs for professionals in extensive fields of electrical power engineering, electrical engineering and automation engineering.
By studying electrical power engineering you will get completion for management duties of electrical drives in unlimited traffic. After graduation you may take a job on different type of ships in worldwide traffic for example on the cargo ships, tankers, passenger ships and cruisers and ferries, especially on the ships that have great electrical power systems such as power station-like energy production, electrical propulsion and high voltage systems.
The electro-technical officer works under supervision of the ship´s chief engineer and takes a charge of electrical department of the ship with the help of possible junior Electro-technical officers and electricians.
The offshore field worldwide with oil drilling rigs and other platforms offers plenty of jobs which require highly skilled electrical engineers.
Seafaring is in a strong technical boost nowadays when all kind of electrical drives are increasing; such as hybrid-technology and other technologies important to decrease carbon footprint and different kind of energy saving solutions are making their way to the shipping field to the ships.
Digital controls of the electrical systems are widely used and their number is increasing as well.
Remote controls and system diagnostics of the ships set higher standards for the communications network and cyber security and these demands are increasing.
In many respects the fields of electrical and automation engineering show very interesting jobs and prospects now and in the future for the professionals.
Ashore you can have a job in the companies such as component manufacturers, shipping companies, shipyards and in electrical engineering or energy production. You can work as a project manager, electrical inspector and supervisor or expert and in other management duties.
By acquiring S1 electrical competence you can even be an independent entrepreneur in addition to countless other career possibilities.
Job titles could be:
• technical manager or director
• electrical inspector
• installation supervisor
• service manager
• project manager
• electro-technical officer (Maritime)
• electrical design engineer (shipyards, design offices, electrical engineering offices)
• Installation manager
• electrical plant manager
RDI and cooperation with world of work
Xamkissa kehität asiantuntijuuttasi aidoissa työelämäyhteyksissä. Työelämän oppimisprojektit toteutetaan yhteistyössä opiskelijoiden, työelämän edustajien ja opettajien kanssa.
Opintojesi aikana voit olla mukana monissa työelämäläheisissä oppimisprojekteissa, monesti myös usealle eri organisaatiolle. Tietosi, taitosi ja asenteesi kehittyvät ja niiden myötä osaamisesti kasvaa, ja saat ensiarvoisen tärkeitä kontakteja ja yhteyksiä työelämään. Tutustut elinkeinoelämään, ja tiivis yhteistyö avaa sinulle näköalan alueen yrityksiin ja muihin sidosryhmiin jo opintojesi aikana.
Alueellista ja valtakunnallista yhteistyötä
Xamkin merenkulun yksikkö on merenkulkuun ja kuljetusosaamiseen ja alusten käyttötekniikkaan erikoistunut, koko maata palveleva yksikkö. Opetus toteutetaan kansainvälisessä toimintaympäristössä yhteistyössä alan tutkimus- ja kehitysyhteisöjen, oppilaitosten sekä elinkeinoelämän kanssa. Opetusta järjestetään muun muassa yhteistyössä Etelä-Kymenlaakson ammattiopiston Ekamin kanssa Kotka Maritime Centrella.
Näyttöön perustuvaa toimintaa
Tutkimus-, kehitys- ja innovaatiohankkeissa (TKI) pääset mukaan monialaiseen yhteistyöhön alueen toimijoiden, korkeakoulun henkilöstön ja eri opiskelijatiimien kanssa. TKI:n ja opetuksen yhteistyö antaa sinulle kokemuksia käyttäjälähtöisistä kehittämistehtävistä, jotka kytkeytyvät alueellisiin, kansallisiin tai eurooppalaisiin yhteistyöverkostoihin.
Learning environments
One of the special learning environments at Xamk is the training ship Katarina which is hired for our maritime education annually. This opportunity is unique at the university level in Finland in this extent. All the equipment of the electrical and automation laboratories are fully exploited because an electro-technical engineer has to be able to do all the practical tasks as well. In all our maritime engineering studies the practical side with proper skills is highlighted. These skills are trained and increased during practicing periods onboard and ashore.