Ship Captain: Course and Training Programs

<h3 id="section---WhatYouNeedToKnow">What You Need to Know</h3> <p>Although not required to obtain work as a captain, a bachelor's degree may accelerate your career. For instance, non-degree candidates start out as ordinary seamen or deckhands aboard a vessel, accumulating thousands of hours of work experience before being promoted to ship captain. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> <b> Programs</b> </td><td>Bachelor's degree from a marine academy</td></tr> <tr><td> <b> Courses</b> </td><td> Naval leadership and ethics, deck operations, safety, history of seapower, naval architecture, aquatic survival</td></tr> <tr><td> <b> Training</b> </td><td>On-the-job, hands-on learning while in school</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: US Merchant Marine Academy</i> </p> <h3 id="section---WhatTypesOfShipCaptainTrainingProgramsAreAvailable">What Types of Ship Captain Training Programs Are Available?</h3> <p>For those interested in receiving a full college education, a bachelor's degree from a marine or maritime academy may be ideal. Some programs don't require a military commitment, and some offer tuition assistance in exchange for your service in the U.S. Armed Forces and in a maritime industry in times of national emergency. </p> <p>Additionally, attending a maritime high school may improve your chances of entry into this career or one of the marine academies. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatElseDoINeedToKnowAboutTrainingRequirements">What Else Do I Need to Know About Training Requirements?</h3> <p>Regardless of whether you pursue a degree, you'll need to pass a written exam that requires extensive training and knowledge to become a deck officer or captain. Students will most likely need to take on-campus classes due to the hands-on nature of these programs, so online options aren't common. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatWillILearnInAShipCaptainTrainingProgram">What Will I Learn in a Ship Captain Training Program?</h3> <p>The marine academy curriculum is designed to give you a broad college education. You may want to consider majoring in maritime transportation or logistics and intermodal transportation if your goal is to become a captain of a ship. According to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, you usually take a comprehensive written exam for your Merchant Marine Officer license administered by the U.S. Coast Guard at the end of your freshman year (<i>www.usmma.edu</i>). The academy further notes that practical hands-on training aboard a ship at sea occurs during your sophomore and junior years. </p> <p>Core and elective courses may address: </p> <ul><li>Port and terminal operations </li><li>Maritime law </li><li>Celestial navigation </li><li>Ship handling </li><li>Maritime communications </li><li>Maritime business </li><li>Cargo operations </li><li>Ethics </li><li>Leadership </li><li>Environmental management </li><li>Information technology </li></ul><h3 id="section---DoINeedToBeLicensed">Do I Need To Be Licensed?</h3> <p>Most mariners on ships are required to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) from the U.S. Coast Guard. You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and pass a security screening to receive your TWIC credential. Your MMC credential includes several licenses and varies based on the type of vessel and body of water it's on. </p> <h3 id="section---AreThereAnyPrerequisites">Are There Any Prerequisites?</h3> <p>To apply for your TWIC and MMC credentials you'll need to pass a drug screen and medical exam and meet the minimum age requirement. Excellent physical health, superior vision and color perception, dexterity and balance are all characteristics that may help you in a career as a ship captain.</p>