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HNDMarine Engineering

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Campus: Southampton City CentreView on Google Maps

Why study a marine engineering cadetship at Solent University

Build the foundations of a career as a marine engineer in the dynamic maritime industry - supported by a sponsoring company to become a certified Engineering Officer of the Watch.

  • 0st
    in the UK for teaching satisfaction in mechanical engineering (out of 67 institutions) (Guardian Uni Guide 2025)
  • 0years
    of providing maritime training to seafarers
  • £0m
    investment in our campus and industry-standard facilities
  • Seafaring experience included - time at sea is built into the course, offering real-world experience.
  • Gain academic and professional qualifications while studying, and work towards your engineering MCA Certificate of Competency. 
  • Cadetships, for eligible UK students, are fully sponsored by shipping or maritime companies.
  • Warsash Maritime School has a full range of industry-leading training facilities including an engineering workshop with facilities for bench/hand fitting, use of machine tools, welding, marine power plant and electrical maintenance.
  • A world-class hub of maritime excellence, our Warsash Maritime School has 80 years' history of maritime education, and an international reputation for quality. 
  • Study in the heart of Southampton, a major hub in the UK and European maritime and shipping industry. 

Course overview

Build the foundation of a great career as an engineering officer in the dynamic maritime industry - the backbone of modern international trade. This maritime cadetship offers extensive hands-on training at sea on real working vessels, supported and fully sponsored by one of a huge range of shipping and maritime companies.

Combining specialist study in our cadet training facilities in Southampton – one of the UK’s busiest port cities – with extensive practical training at sea, our marine engineering cadetship is developed to meet the specific needs of the shipping industry and the Merchant Navy Training Board.

Shipping out as an engineering officer cadet on a range of vessels owned or operated by your sponsoring company, you will develop the essential skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to become a marine engineering officer in the Merchant Navy.

You will acquire a strong understanding of relevant modern ship-board engineering and electrical systems, their operating principles and safe practices. You will also develop a range of practical engineering skills appropriate to operating and problem-solving for ships’ propulsion and auxiliary machinery systems, as well as other relevant systems, in a safe and efficient manner. 

As part of your cadetship, you will gain your first qualification as an Engineering Officer of the Watch – and be equipped with all the knowledge and understanding to you need to undertake tasks as detailed in the industry-based onboard training – and with academic exemptions for further professional qualifications under the internationally recognised Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) and UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) regulations.

This programme is aligned to the new UK-wide maritime officer cadetship syllabus developed by the Cadet Training and Modernisation (CT&M) Programme, led by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Effective from September 2025, the new syllabus reflects the current practices and technology used aboard modern vessels and supports the development of 'human element' skills - essential learning for today’s aspiring officers. 

This course is part of the South Coast Institute of Technology (IoT), a partnership of colleges, universities and industry-leading employers to create new career opportunities in the technology sector. IoT courses like this one are precisely tailored to the needs of employers in the maritime, engineering and digital industries – industries which are hungry for talented new engineers, technologists, technicians and creatives like you.

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Course features

  • Professional accreditation

    This course has been accredited by a professional body

  • Additional qualifications

    This course offers additional professional qualifications which you will obtain in addition to your academic qualification

  • Specialist facilities

    This course has access to specialist facilities

  • April and September starts available

    This course has an option to start in April and September

  • Further studies

    After successfully completing your programme, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent

Who is this course for?

This course is ideally suited for students wanting to enter the Merchant Navy and who have a passion for engineering. 

What does this course lead to?

This exciting course will allow you to gain your first qualification as an Engineer Officer of the Watch (EOOW), opening up a wide range of opportunities within the maritime engineering career path. With further study and sailing experience you may be able to rise to become a Chief Engineer.

Meet the team

The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.

Facilities

Warsash Maritime School has a full range of industry-leading training facilities including an engineering workshop with facilities for bench/hand fitting, use of machine tools, welding, marine power plant and electrical maintenance. Engineer officer cadets spend around 450 hours in the workshop, where they can learn and develop their practical workshop skills, such as use and care of hand tools, drilling machines, lathes and welding.

Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.

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