Ocean engineering is the application of basic engineering principles to the analysis, design, construction, and management of systems that operate in the ocean environment. Typical ocean engineering application areas include: beach protection and nourishment, coastal structures, coastal erosion, development of ocean energy resources, instrumentation for coastal and offshore measurements, marine dredging and dredged material placement, moored and towed systems, ocean mining, offshore petroleum recovery, offshore structures, ports and harbors, search and salvage, suspended and dissolved constituent transport, subsea pipelines and cables, submersible vehicles, and underwater acoustics. Employment opportunities exist with private industry, defense contractors, consulting firms, and government agencies. Ocean engineering students are encouraged to pursue summer internships and may participate in the University cooperative education program. The curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in ocean engineering is administered by the Coastal and Ocean Engineering Division of the Department of Civil Engineering and is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

The mission of the Ocean Engineering Program is to conduct research, serve the public, and educate students in a broad program of instruction encompassing traditional and emerging areas of ocean engineering. Graduates are prepared for entering engineering practice, continuing onto graduate study, life-long learning and professional development. Students develop a sense of professionalism and an appreciation for the obligations of a professional engineer. The Program offers ocean engineering continuing education activities for the people and marine industry of the state, nation and international community. The Program serves the public and engineering profession in Texas and the nation through participation of faculty and students in public and professional activities. Applied and fundamental research is conducted that contributes to the better understanding of ocean engineering and supports student educational development.

The objectives of the Ocean Engineering Program are to graduate students that are qualified to contribute to the ocean engineering profession and society, gain employment in ocean engineering and related engineering fields with private and government organizations, and advance to positions of increased responsibility. Some graduates become professional engineers and members of ocean engineering related professional societies, pursue company training and continuing education activities, and attend technical conferences. Some graduates pursue graduate studies in ocean engineering and related fields and receive post baccalaureate degrees.

The ocean engineering curriculum includes courses in written communication skills, humanities, social sciences and American heritage to ensure a well-rounded education. Courses that directly apply to ocean engineering include: coastal engineering, dynamics of ocean systems, engineering design of offshore and coastal systems, fluid mechanics, marine hydrodynamics, naval architecture, numerical methods, ocean engineering laboratory, ocean wave mechanics, oceanography, offshore and coastal structures, underwater acoustics, and underwater and moored system design.

The laboratory facilities for the Ocean Engineering Program are among the most comprehensive in the nation for testing offshore and coastal systems. The facilities are located in the Reta and Bill Haynes `46 Coastal Engineering Laboratory, Offshore Technology Research Center, Civil Engineering Laboratory Building, and the Hydromechanics Laboratory. These facilities include a large deep water wave basin, two towing tanks, three wave channels, a variable slope flume, dredge pump test loop, two shallow water wave basins, and data acquisition systems. Additional information is available on the website edge.tamu.edu.