Introduction

 

This handbook has been prepared to provide you with information regarding college and department procedures related to successful completion of the requirements for the BS degree program in Ocean Engineering. The handbook, supplemented by the University Undergraduate Catalog (http://www.uri.edu/catalog/) and assistance from your advisor and the office of the Assistant Dean of Engineering, should provide you with the key information that you need. A host of additional information of interest to undergraduate students is provided on the URI web site at http://www.uri.edu/home/students/.

This handbook begins with a section on the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) process describing how the undergraduate degree programs have been designed and the process the department uses to ensure continuous improvement.  This is followed by a section on the BS degree requirements for Ocean Engineering and for the program of study for those students who select the International Engineering Program (IEP) option (http://www.uri.edu/iep/).  Students who enroll in the IEP receive a BS degree in Ocean Engineering and a B.A. in a foreign language (German, French, and Spanish). The 5 year curriculum is provided for each program.  This section also summarizes how professional electives are selected and a summary of the University general education requirements.  The process to petition for exceptions or substitutions in the curriculum, via the College of Engineering Scholastic Awards and Appeal Board is also presented.  Student support services including student advising and faculty office hours, email and web access, pre-registration/registration, the Engineering Computer Center (ECC) and department computer support and graduate teaching assistants are outlined in Section 3. Section 4 includes a list of professional organizations and honor societies that students might wish to become involved with during their program of studies. Finally an Ocean Engineering faculty and staff directory is provided in Section 5.

 

      ABET Process

 

The BS program in Ocean Engineering has been designed to conform to the requirements established by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The requirements for the most recent evaluation (ABET 2000) are provided at www.abet.org.

 

The ABET process required the department to establish a mission statement for its activities that was consistent with the mission statement for the College of Engineering.  The mission statements for the college and department were developed with input from the department’s major constituents, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, and our industrial advisory board. The mission statements for both the college and the department  are provided below.

 

 

Mission Statements- College of Engineering

 

The missions of the College of Engineering are to:

 

1. Provide high quality, undergraduate and graduate engineering programs that prepare students to work in a diverse, global market place.

 

2. Establish and maintain nationally and internationally recognized programs of excellence in research.

 

3. Provide professional services and outreach that support the college’s constituencies.

 

4. Provide an atmosphere of mutual respect for all students, faculty, and staff that allow them to realize their full potential.

 

Mission Statement, Department of Ocean Engineering

 

The missions of the department of Ocean Engineering are

 

(1)   to provide high quality, undergraduate and graduate degree programs that prepare our students for professional careers in ocean engineering in industry, academia, and government,

(2)    to develop and maintain internationally recognized research programs in selected areas of ocean engineering,

(3)    to actively serve the profession and the community in the areas of our expertise,  

(4)    to provide a challenging work and learning environment where diversity, community, scholarship, professional development, and excellence are valued and rewarded. 

 

The primary mission of the undergraduate degree program is to prepare students for successful careers in ocean engineering, for advanced studies, and for lifelong learning. The program is designed to provide our students with a strong base in fundamental sciences, mathematics, and engineering; a broad base in ocean engineering; opportunities for the integration of theory, experimentation, and design; appreciation of ethical, social and environmental issues in the practice of the profession; and strong oral and written communication skills.

 

In the next step of the ABET process the department established specific objectives for the BS program and a series of outcomes that could be used to measure whether students had achieved the program objectives.  The program objectives and outcomes were developed by a consultative process among our major constituents and within the guidelines required by ABET for Ocean Engineering programs.

 

BS Program Educational Objectives

 

Based on this process the educational objectives for the undergraduate degree program are as follows.

 

Graduates from the Bachelor of Science program in Ocean Engineering will have:

1.   Appropriate fundamental understanding of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and other basic sciences.

2.  Computer skills appropriate to ocean engineering problem solving, design, and data   collection and analysis systems.

3.      Basic engineering knowledge across a range of subjects including mechanics, dynamics, materials, and electrical circuits.

4.      Understanding of fundamental probability and statistics as applied to ocean engineering problems.

5.      Understanding and use of ocean instrumentation.

6.      Practice in the design, execution and analysis of laboratory and field experiments.

7.      Knowledge of advanced applied mathematics.

8.      Knowledge of wave dynamics and forces.

9.      Understanding of marine geomechanics, hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, oceanography and underwater acoustics.

10.  Understanding of ocean engineering design including sonar, marine structures, and ocean data collection systems.

11.  Experience in design of an integrated ocean engineering system with exposure to economic considerations.

12.  Advanced knowledge in selected topics in ocean engineering through professional electives.

13.  Experience with individual and team-based engineering problem solving.

14.  Understanding of ethics in the practice of engineering and the relationship between engineering and society. Knowledge of contemporary issues.

15.  Understanding of the necessity of life-long learning.

16.  Well-developed written and oral communication skills.

17.  Understanding the need for diversity in the national and international engineering workplace.

 

Outcomes:

 

Presented below are a list of outcomes that are used to determine if graduates of our program have achieved the educational objectives listed above.  The graduates of the Bachelor of Science program in Ocean Engineering will have:

 

(a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

(b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data

(c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs

(d) an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams

(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems

(f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

(g) an ability to communicate effectively

(h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a    

global and societal context

(i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning

(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues

(k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for

engineering practice.

(l) knowledge and the skills to apply the principles of fluid and solid mechanics, dynamics, hydrostatics, probability and applied statistics to engineering problems,

(m) knowledge and the skills to apply the principles of  oceanography, water waves, and underwater acoustics to engineering problems,

(n) the ability to work in groups to perform engineering design at the system level, integrating multiple technical areas and addressing design optimization.

(o) an appreciation of diversity in the engineering workplace

(p) participation of 20% of the Ocean Engineering BS students in the International Engineering Program(IEP) (German, French, and Spanish)

 

 In designing the curriculum for the undergraduate degree program the department faculty are guided by the educational objectives established by the collaborative process described above (which in turn are designed to conform to the ABET Program Criteria for Ocean Engineering) and the general education requirements of the University of Rhode Island.  The number of credits in the program (126 credits) is designed to allow full time students to complete the program within four years, with a reasonable work- load, and to participate in all aspects of the University’s intellectual and social life.  The achievement of the objectives is assured by having each student take courses that fulfill a portion of each objective.  In many cases one course will contribute to several educational objectives.  A detailed assessment of how each objective is met is contained in the department’s ABET self-study report (2000). This report is available in the department office.

 

 

Course and Program Evaluation

The department faculty is engaged in a process of continuous improvement at both the course and curriculum level. Each course offered by the department and required in the BS curriculum is subjected to an annual assessment process.

 

The course assessment process includes the following information:

(1)    Standard ABET course description sheet (basic course information, equivalent to an extended syllabus.)

(2)    A summary of course enrollment and grade statistics (number of students, number of students by major, and final grade distribution, average, and standard deviation) and results of the Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET)

(3)    Summary of specific course objectives.

(4)    Short summary of assessment plan. This includes one or more assessment problems/projects to be given and evaluated each time the course is offered. The plan clearly documents the relationship between the material offered in the course and how it meets the specific outcomes that it is required to address.

(5)    Assessment of results.  This section summarizes how each outcome is met.

(6)    Discussion of assessment results and conclusions.

(7)    Plans for improving outcomes.

 

A Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) questionnaire is administered for each course in Ocean Engineering at the conclusion of the course. Exceptions to the administration of SETs are seminar, independent study and courses with fewer than five students.  Some faculty members elect to add their own questions to the SETs allowing them to track issues of particular concern.  Faculty members may in addition solicit input from students using a questionnaire of their own design.  The SET includes thirty standard questions and evaluates the instructor’s analytic/synthetic approach, his organization clarity, instructor-group interaction, and instructor-individual student interaction.  The SET scores are provided to each instructor for the courses they teach and to the department chair for all courses taught in the department. Results of the SETs are included in Section 5 of the faculty assessment of courses. The SET results are not available until two months after the conclusion of the semester and hence well after final grades for a course are issued.

 

Each time the course is taught the instructor who taught the course completes a Course Assessment Annual Report, as outlined above. Each course is also evaluated every year by the entire Ocean Engineering faculty to ensure that program outcomes are being met and that the course is meeting the needs of other courses in the curriculum. A continuous record of assessment data for each course, following the format above, is maintained by the department and reviewed to determine deficiencies and to develop methods for improvement.  These summaries are posted on the department’s web site.

 

            Evidence to show that students meet the program outcomes is most succinctly summarized by the student achieving a passing grade for each course in the curriculum. 

In the larger context the program is preparing students for professional practice and for advanced education.  In these forums the specifics of whether the students achieve our list of outcomes is of less importance than that they meet the demands of the engineering workplace and have a firm foundation for advanced engineering education.  To assess their achievements from this perspective the department relies on alumni questionnaires, the exit interviews of graduating seniors performed by the Assistant Dean’s Office, input from our Industrial Advisory Board and employers of our graduates. This feedback has proven extremely valuable in assessing and modifying our program.

 

Every year the department faculty review the BS program curriculum to be sure that it best meets the educational needs of our students and conforms to changes made in course offerings required of our students, but offered by other departments. If as a result of this review process the faculty feel that curriculum revisions are required we revise the program.  This revised curriculum must be reviewed and approved by College of Engineering Undergraduate Curricular Affairs Committee, the COE faculty, the Faculty Senate Undergraduate Affairs Committee, the Faculty Senate, and the President.  The department typically revises the curriculum about once every three years.  The curriculum listed in the University catalog on the date you first matriculate into the program is the one that you will be required to follow to complete your degree requirements. In the event that you are already enrolled in the program and the curriculum is revised you may elect to remain with the curriculum on the date of your matriculation or you may elect to follow the new curriculum.  You however must follow one or the other curriculum.

The undergraduate curriculum was revised in Spring 2005. The recently revised curriculum, which will be implemented starting in the September 2005 and applies to the Class of 2009 and subsequent classes is provided on the next page. The curriculum for the classes of 2006, 2007 and 2008 is given on a subsequent page. It is suggested that students in the 2006, 2007 and 2008 classes who wish to switch to the new curriculum contact their academic advisor.

 

 

BS Degree Requirements

 

Ocean Engineering BS Curriculum

 

In order to satisfy the requirements for the BS degree in Ocean Engineering all students must complete the following curriculum (130 credits).  Descriptions of each course are provided in the University Undergraduate Catalog. These are available at http://www.uri.edu/catalog/.

Freshman Year First Semester:  16 credits 1 EGR 105 Foundations of Engineering 3 CHM 101 General Chemistry Lecture I 1 CHM 102 Laboratory for Chemistry 101 4 MTH 141 Introductory Calculus with Analytic Geometry 3 PHY 203 Elementary Physics I 1 PHY 273 Elementary Physics Laboratory I 3 General Education Elective   Sophomore Year First Semester:  17 credits 1 OCE 215 Ocean Engineering Design I 3 OCE 205 Ocean Engineering Design Tools 3 MCE 262 Statics 3 MTH 243 Calculus for Functions of Several Variables 3 PHY 205 Elementary Physics III 1 PHY 275 Elementary Physics Laboratory III 3 General Education Elective   Junior Year First Semester:  16 credits 4 OCE 301 Fundamentals of Ocean Mechanics 3 General Education Elective 3 MCE 354 Fluid Mechanics 3 OCE 310 Basic Ocean Measurements 3 Professional Elective

Freshman Year Second Semester:  17 credits 2 EGR 106 Foundations of Engineering II 4 MTH 142 Intermediate Calculus with Analytic Geometry 3 PHY 204 Elementary Physics II 1 PHY 274 Physics Laboratory II 1 OCE 101 Introduction to Ocean Engineering 3 General Education Elective 3 ECN 201 Principles of Economics:  Microeconomics   Sophomore Year Second Semester:  16 credits 1 OCE 216 Ocean Engineering Design II 3 OCE 206 Ocean Instrumentation 3 CVE 220 Mechanics of Materials 3 MTH 244 Differential Equations 3 MCE 263 Dynamics 3 Free Elective   Junior Year Second Semester:  16 credits 3 OCE 307 Introduction to Engineering Wave Mechanics     and Littoral Processes 4 OCE 311 Coastal Measurement and Applications 3 OCE 471 Underwater Acoustics 3 EGR 316 Engineering Ethics 3 General Education Elective

 

Senior Year First Semester:  17 credits 2 OCE 416 Ocean Engineering Professional Practice 3 OCE 495 Ocean Systems Design Project I 1 3 OCE 421 Marine Structure Design 3 CHE 333 Engineering Materials 3 General Education Elective 3 Professional Electives 2

Senior Year Second Semester:  15 credits 3 OCE 496 Ocean Systems Design Project II 1 3 OCG 451 Oceanographic Science 6 Professional Electives 2 3 General Education Elective               Notes: 1.        An approved off-campus experience, usually between the junior and senior years, can be substituted for OCE 495 and 496. 2.        The requirement for professional electives must          be satisfied by a minimum of two, approved          three-credit elective courses at the 300, 400,  or          500 level in engineering or oceanography and two,        approved three-credit courses in Ocean Engineering.

 

The curriculum above is the latest version  and students may fulfill the requirements for the BS in Ocean Engineering
degree by successfully passing these courses. Students can also choose to fulfill the requirements as listed
in the catalog during their first semester at the University. The course requirements for the various class years
are given here. The checklists for the various class years are given here.

The general education requirements of the University must also be satisfied and are given below

Latest General Education Courses

Summary of general education requirements for Engineering students at the University of Rhode Island.

 

All students in Engineering must satisfy the University General Education requirements as follows:

Mathematics (M) - 3 credits.  This is satisfied with required courses.

Natural Science (N) - 6 credits.  This is satisfied with required courses.

English Communications (EC, ECW) - 6 credits.  A minimum of 3 credits must be a course designed specifically to improve written communication skills. 

Fine Arts & Literature (A) - 6 credits. 

Letters (L) - 6 credits.

Social Sciences (S) - 6 credits.  3 credits of this are satisfied by ECN 201. 

Foreign Language or Culture (F) - 3 credits. 

The university also requires that at least two of the general education courses taken be diversity [D] courses. For example:

ENG 110 (Introduction to Literature) can satisfy either the Fine Arts and Literature (A) or the Letters (L) requirement; at the same time, the course has a [D] designation.

ECN 201 (Principles of Economics: Microeconomics) only satisfies the Social Sciences (S) requirement; it is not designated as a [D] course.  

Selection of courses for each area that are not met by required courses.  Descriptions of the courses are provided in the University Catalog.

Note: For courses not on the list, please consult your advisor or the Dean's Office.  HPR (Honor's Program) courses, which are cross-listed with the above courses, may be substituted.

 

 

Professional Electives

 

See this link for: Approved Professional Electives for Ocean Engineering Students.doc

The language coordinators for each program are:

German - Professor John Grandin grandin@uri.edu

French - Professor J. Morello morello@uri.edu

Spanish - Professor Robert Manteiga roberto@uri.edu

Double Major in Ocean Engineering and Marine Biology

The University of Rhode Island is unique in the country in offering a joint program between the Marine Biology program in the College of Life Sciences and the Ocean Engineering Department in the College of Engineering. Students can earn a double major (BS in Ocean Engineering and BS in Marine Biology) in five years. The program of study is available here.

Questions about this program can be directed to:

Prof. Jacqueline F. Webb,
Coordinator, Marine Biology Program
Department of Biological Sciences, BISC B-104
University of Rhode Island
100 Flagg Road
Kingston, RI 02881
Phone: 401-874-2609
jacqueline_webb@mail.uri.edu

or

Prof. James H. Miller
Department of Ocean Engineering
Middleton 114
Narragansett Bay Campus
Narragansett, RI 02881
Phone: 401-874-6540
miller@uri.edu

Minor in Oceanography

The minor in oceanography is available to students interested in scientific understanding of the ocean, including its role in controlling the environment in which we live, its usefulness as a resource, and the importance of marine area protection and sustainability.

Students choosing this minor must complete 18 credits, at least 9 of which must be from OCG courses. Courses may not be taken on a pass-fail basis (except for OCG 493/494). The following course requirements must be met: 1) One OCG course and up to one other course from the following 100-level course list: CHM 100; GEO 103; MAF 100, 120; OCG 110, 123, 131. 2) One of these three general oceanography courses: OCG 123, 401, 451. 3) The remaining 7-12 credits from the following courses: APG 413; BIO 345, 360, 418, 455, 457, 469, 475, 495; EVS 366; GEO 277, 450, 465; MAF 330, 415, 461, 465, 471, 482, 484, 490, 511; MCE 354; OCE 215/216, 301, 307, 310, 311, 471; OCG 420, 480, 493/494, 501, 506, 517, 521, 540, 561. Permission of the program administrator is needed if OCG 493 or 494 is used to satisfy requirement 3 (above). Other courses may be substituted, at the request of the student and with permission of the program administrator. The Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) administers this program. Interested students should contact GSO Associate Dean David Smith at 401-874-6172 or assoc_dean@gso.uri.edu.

Ocean engineering undergraduates can count oceanography courses taken in the program toward the minor. For example, OCG451 is required of all OCE students and two professional electives can be in oceanography. These three courses can count towards the oceanography minor. The following document provides a list of recommended courses for the minor in oceanography for ocean engineering undergraduates.

MinorOceanography_OceanEngineeringStudents.pdf

Scholastic Awards and Appeal Process

The College of Engineering has established an Scholastic Awards and Appeals Board, comprised of one representative from each department in the college and chaired by the Assistant Dean of Engineering. The Board evaluates requests for substitutions/waivers for courses required in the curriculum, appeals to dismissal from a degree program, and requests for re-admittance into a degree program.  Students who wish to make substitutions/waivers in the curriculum must petition the board for approval. Petition forms are available in the department office (Sheets 111).  The petition presents the requested change and the supporting rationale. This information can either be placed on the form or on an appended sheet.  In some cases letters of support for the proposed petition from course instructors are also appended to the petition. The petition must be approved by the student's advisor, the department chairman, and the department member of the College Scholastic Awards and Appeals Board.  The committee meets approximately twice per semester and decides on each request.

If you are considering filing a petition it is often helpful to meet with your advisor and the Assistant Dean of Engineering prior to submitting the petition.  They can provide some sense as to the viability of your petition and let you know what supporting information might be useful or is necessary.

            Transfer Credit

            All transfer credit evaluations (and requests for students to transfer into the department) are performed by the Assistant Dean.  Catalog descriptions, from the university where you have taken the course, are first checked for course equivalency to courses required in the Ocean Engineering curriculum.  This is done for each course that is being considered for transfer.  In addition, courses must have essentially the same prerequisites and be taken at approximately the same place in the curriculum as they are taken at the University of Rhode Island.  In the case of technical courses taken at a school that does not have an accredited engineering program, the student may also be required to supply additional information, such as course outline, textbooks, examinations, and other evidence of course work and performance. Transfer credit for courses at the junior and senior level is not normally granted, except from schools with ABET accredited engineering programs.  Evaluations of transfer credits by the Assistant Dean of Engineering are significantly facilitated if the above information is available at the time you meet with him.

Any student planning to take courses at another institution should check with the Assistant Dean and complete a prior approval for off campus study.

Grades

Faculty members assign grades for each course that they teach. Grading is of two types, letter grades (A to F) and satisfactory (S) and unsatisfactory(U).  The grading approach for each course is provided in the University catalog and the syllabus provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.  Letter grades and associated quality points assigned are as follows:

A	superior	4.00
A-		3.70
B+		3.30
B	good	3.00
B-		2.70
C+		2.30
C	fair	2.00
C-		1.70
D+		1.30
D	passing low	1.00
F	failing	0.0

Students must achieve a 2.00 grade point average in order to graduate from the program.

Instructors also have an option to assign NW- enrolled no work submitted or I – incomplete.  The former is given when a student is enrolled in a course but does not participate.  I is assigned when the student is unable to complete the course work by the end of the semester through no fault of his own.  Courses for which I grades are assigned need to be completed within one calendar year of the date the course was taken. Once the course work is completed your instructor needs to complete a change of grade form and submit it to the Assistant Dean of Engineering.  The forms are available in the department office.

In extremely rare circumstances instructors may change a grade that has already been assigned for a course using the change of grade form.  This is typically done if the instructor has made an arithmetic mistake or similar problem in assigning a grade.  In these cases a letter of explanation normally needs to be appended to the change of grade form explaining the circumstances that require the grade to be changed.

Student support services

Student Advising

All students who enter the University of Rhode Island as freshmen are initially assigned to University College (UC).  For those students who have identified the Ocean Engineering degree program, the department assigns a representative to University College to serve as an advisor to these students. The current UC advisor is noted in the table below.  Students who wish to pursue an undergraduate degree in engineering, but have yet to decide on a major, are grouped into an undecided category.  The College of Engineering provides an advisor to this group of undecided students.  This is typically done by faculty members on a rotating basis without consideration of department.

Ocean Engineering has one University College advisor for all undergraduate Ocean Engineering students in University College.  The advisor has on line access to all Ocean Engineering student records and to registration information for all courses in the University for the current semester. He also maintains a file on each advisee, which contains a master check sheet of the student's curriculum and records.  Before registration each semester the student's proposed program of courses has to be approved by his UC advisor.  The advisor reviews and approves all requests for Ocean Engineering students who wish to transfer from University College to the College of Engineering, BS program in Ocean Engineering. After successfully completing 26 credits of engineering, science, and mathematics course work students who have decided on a major program of study are eligible to apply to transfer from University College into the College of Engineering and a specific degree program.

            After Ocean Engineering B.S. candidates transfer from University College to the College of Engineering the department assigns a faculty advisor for each class.  The most current assignments, by class year, are provided below. This advisor is assigned to the class and will be your advisor until you graduate from the program.  It is important that you maintain active contact with your advisor during your degree program. Your advisor can assist you in course planning, selection of professional electives, and career development. As a minimum you should meet with your advisor twice per semester; about one third of the way through the semester to assess how you are doing and later in the semester, at pre-registration, to discuss and decide on the selection of courses for the following semester.  Failure to meet with your advisor on a regular basis often leads to a lengthening of time to complete program requirements.

            In addition to the departmental advisor, the Assistant Dean of the College of Engineering also monitors all student's programs of study using the master check list.  The Assistant Dean’s office also provides advising and counseling on particularly complex or contentious matters. His office also handles requests for transfer of credits and petitions for substitutions in the curriculum. The Assistant Dean also performs the final verification of the student's program of study. This is done using the master check list

Ocean Engineering Academic Advisors

Faculty office hours are typically decided upon at the beginning of each semester, after the faculty member’s workload is established.  Most faculty members in the department are typically available on a door open policy.  If formal hours are used they are typically provided in the syllabus provided for each course and posted on the faculty member’s door.  The department secretary maintains a master list of the schedules for all faculty members.                                                                                                                                

Pre registration/registration

Students typically register for classes in April and October for the following semester

( Fall and Spring) (pre-registration).  The Registrar’s Office informs each student of the time period (about two weeks) in which they need to register. Registration is typically done on line.  Once notified each student should meet with their advisor to determine the selection of courses for the coming semester.  Students are advised that it is best to follow the recommended curriculum as provided above.  The department and University will ensure that the course offerings listed in the curriculum are scheduled so that students can take all the required courses in any semester.  This may not be the case if a student doesn’t follow the recommended curriculum.  This may lead to a delay in completing course requirements and in completing the program.

Students may delay registration until the start of the semester but are cautioned that this may result in them not being able to register for courses they need to take because the courses are already filled. This rarely happens for Ocean Engineering courses, occasionally happens in engineering service courses required by Ocean Engineering, and is quite common in many of the general education courses required in the curriculum and offered by Arts and Sciences. The best strategy is to pre-register.

In some courses one of the pre-requisites is permission of the course instructor or the department chair.  This restriction is typically instituted by the department /instructor to allow the instructor to talk with the student and make sure he is prepared to take the course.  Course override forms can be obtained either from the department office or the Office of the Assistant Dean of Engineering.  The form must be completed by the student, signed by the course instructor/department chair, and forwarded to the Assistant Dean for his signature.  In some circumstances a student may not have formally completed a required per-requisite for a course but feels that they understand the background material sufficiently well to successfully complete the course.  The course instructor can waive the pre-requisite requirement by processing a course over ride.

Engineering Computer Center (ECC) and Department Computer Support

The College of Engineering provides students access to PCs and workstations in support of their education programs.  These facilities are provided by college in the Engineering Computer Cemter (ECC), Kirk Building, in the engineering complex.  A summary of the facilities available at ECC are provided at the college web site ( www.egr.uri.edu).

In addition the department of Ocean Engineering a computer lab located in the Middleton Laboratory. The lab is equipped with PCs and a variety of printers. Access to these facilities is by electronic key pad. Wireless access points are available in the Middleton Laboratory.   You need to see Fred Pease, 15 Middleton (pease@egr.uri.edu) for assignment of an electronic password to provide access to the facilities.  The department continually upgrades these facilities as resources become available. 

Graduate Teaching Assistants

The department has three graduate teaching assistants assigned to the department each academic year.  These assistantships are supported by the University (State) and employed to assist the department in offering the undergraduate degree program.  The graduate assistants typically grade homework, reports, and similar materials.  They offer tutorial sessions and are available to answer questions on material covered in class. For laboratory classes these graduate students are also responsible for setting up and putting away equipment for each laboratory and for overseeing the distribution of data collected during the laboratory.  Office hours for graduate teaching assistants are noted in course syllabuses, distributed at the beginning of the semester.  They also typically attend lectures for each class they are assigned.

Transportation:  Bay- Main Campus

The department has all its offices and facilities located on the Narragansett Bay Campus of the University (see www.oce.uri.edu). The department headquarters, faculty offices, wave and tow tank, and the Marine Geomechanics Laboratory are located in the Sheets Laboratory.  Additional faculty and graduate students offices, offices of department technical support staff, the acoustics tank, electronics laboratory, computer laboratory and shop facilities are located in the Middleton Laboratory.

Bus transport from the main to the bay campus is provided by the RI Public Transportation Authority. Times are posted on the main and bay campus.  Most students either driver their own vehicles or car pool with other students.  Students take few courses on the bay campus during the first two years in the program but the number increases substantially in the junior and senior years.

Announcements and notifications

The department maintains four bulletin boards in the Sheets Laboratory to provide information to our students: undergraduate, graduate, job and internship opportunities, and faculty publications.  All relevant hard copy material the department receives is posted to these bulletin boards.  All material the department receives in electronic form is immediately forwarded to students via the list server or posted to the department web site (e.g. jobs and internships)(www.oce.uri.edu).

As part of its routine operation the department uses the server lists to provide students with up to date information.  This might include a change in a class/laboratory/field schedule, notification of material available for pickup (reading material, homework, examination, lab report), or announcement of events.  Student inquiries can be made to the department secretary Gail Paolino via telephone (401-874-6139) or email gpaolino@oce.uri.edu on any issue.

Conflict Resolution

Inevitably problems will arise in the course of your degree program at the University. These may be personal or academic or some combination of the two.  These can typically be resolved quickly and simply at the instructor or department levels or by reference to another office at the University.  The department, as the rest of the college, subscribe to a conflict resolution strategy that is informal and begins at the level closest to where the problem originates and proceeds to more formal and higher administrative levels when lower levels are unable to resolve the dispute.  A flow chart summarizing the steps to be taken at each level is provided at the College’s web site (http://www.egr.uri.edu/diversity/conres.htm). The chart provides the names of the offices and contact telephone numbers. When in doubt talk first with your advisor, your instructor, and the chair of the department. If they are unable to resolve the problem they will refer you to the appropriate office in the university.

Student Society and Professional Organizations

Presented below are brief summaries of the major technical and professional societies that may be of interest to Ocean Engineering students.  In each case the following information is provided: overview of the society (mission statement/objectives), web site address where more information can be obtained, and the faculty advisor for the URI student chapter.  The department encourages all students to become actively involved in professional societies as it provides an excellent way to learn more about the profession.

Marine Technology Society, RI Student Chapter (www.mtsociety.org)

The missions of the Marine Technology Society are to disseminate marine science and technical knowledge; promote and support education for marine scientists, engineers and technicians; advance the development of tools and procedures required to explore, study and further the responsible and sustainable use of the oceans; and provide services that create a broader understanding of the relevance of the marine sciences to other technologies, arts, and human affairs. A student chapter of the MTS has been established at URI.  The chapter holds banquets and social events where Ocean Engineering students can meet one another, sponsors trips to local marine technology job fairs, sells MTS Ocean Engineering T-shirts to raise money, attends local meetings of the New England section of MTS, and organizes the URI team to compete in the National Autonomous Underwater Vehicle contest.  You can learn more about MTS and its education programs at http://www.mtsociety.org/education/index.cfm

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Christopher Baxter, Ocean Engineering, Sheets 211, Tel: 401-874-6575, Email: baxter@oce.uri.edu

Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a non-profit educational service organization of engineers founded in 1949 to help women engineers achieve their full potential, to encourage young women to study mathematics and science, and to expand the image of engineers. Membership in SWE is for both men and women who support the belief that women have the ability and the right to be engineers. The Society has over 15,000 members throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. The URI chapter of SWEholds about six meetings each year whose focus ranges from social to educational. SWE conducts workshops on networking and improving resume writing and job interviewing skills. SWE also invite engineers from local industry to give presentations on what it is like to work as an engineer in the "real world." One of the main goals of the URI chapter is to provide a nurturing environment where women engineering students can meet one another and share their common experiences and concerns.

Faculty Advisor: Dr. G. Faye Boudreaux-Bartels, Electrical and Computer Engineering - Kelly 215; Tel: 401-874-5805, Email: boud@ele.uri.edu

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE ) http://www.nsbe.org/geninfo/index.html

The mission of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.  The objectives of the organization are to stimulate and develop student interest in the various engineering disciplines, strive to increase the number of minority students studying engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,  encourage members to seek advanced degrees in engineering or related fields and obtain professional engineering registrations,  encourage and advise minority youth in their pursuit of an engineering career, promote public awareness of engineering and the opportunities for blacks and other minorities in that profession,  and function as a representative body on issues and developments that affect the careers of black engineers.  New and innovative project ideas are generated and implemented throughout the year on the chapter, regional and national levels.

Some of NSBE's typical activities include tutorial programs, group study sessions, high school/junior high outreach programs, technical seminars and workshops, a national communications network (NSBENET), two national magazines (NSBE Magazine and the NSBE Bridge), an internal newsletter, a professional newsletter (The Career Engineer), resume books, career fairs, awards, banquets and an annual national convention.

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Christopher Hunter, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Bliss 310, Tel: 401-874-2818, Email: hunter@egr.uri.edu.

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) (www.shpe.org)

The mission of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers is to promote the development of Hispanics in engineering, science, and other technical professions and to achieve education excellence, economic opportunity, and social equity. The strategic focus areas are to increase educational opportunities, promote professional and personnel growth, carry out social responsibility to be involved in education, business and government issues, and to enhance pride within the organization and reinforce our vital Hispanic organization.

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mercedes Rivero-Hudec, Chemical Engineering, Crawford 204, Tel: 401-874-2271, Email: rivero@egr.uri.edu.

Engineering Honor Societies

These societies honor the achievement and academic excellence of engineering students.

Membership is a recognition of these superior qualities.

Tau Beta Pi (TBP):

Tau Beta Pi is the national engineering honor society with chapters in over 172 institutions and a worldwide reputation for excellence in engineering education. The objectives are to recognize those students who have demonstrated distinguished scholarship and exemplary character, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges. The primary activity of this student governed organization is the election of new members. All newly elected members also participate in such projects as student tutoring and visits to local high schools to promote engineering as a career option. The URI Tau Beta Pi chapter annually sponsors review sessions for the EIT (Engineer-in-Training) examination, which is the first step toward professional registration.

Faculty Advisor: Dr. V. Rose – 118 Crawford Hall; Tel: 401-874-5924, Email: rose@egr.uri.edu.