IAMU News - Special Edition

Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland

Postgraduate Educational Opportunities at the Marine Institute

The Marine Institute (MI) is a learner-focused technical institution that provides flexible education and training designed to meet the demands of learners' lifestyles and professions. The MI team of curriculum and instructional designers, content experts and technical personnel has developed online programming at the undergraduate level that offers mariners the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree. It has embarked on a process of preparing postgraduate short courses that address specific professional development/career advancement needs and is now developing an online master's program in maritime management.

Master of Marine Studies (Maritime Management)

The Master of Marine Studies (Maritime Management) Program is a course-based master's program in maritime management to be offered jointly by the Marine Institute and the Faculty of Business Administration of Memorial University. The structure provides a core requirement of general business courses and maritime management courses together with elective options that offer the opportunity for a focus in particular areas.

The program will consist of nine semester-courses of which six will be core requirements and two will be electives. The final course will consist of a capstone major paper. The program will be available on a full-time or part-time basis and delivered online. If there is sufficient demand, it will also be delivered on-campus in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. Full-time students will be able to complete the program requirements in 12 months.

Entrant Profile:

• Those admitted to the program will be professionals, working in or intending to enter management careers in the marine sector.
• They will normally have prior experience in the marine sector; those without this experience, but otherwise acceptable, will be required to complete a prerequisite course that will provide an introduction to marine and offshore operations.
• They will normally possess an undergraduate degree.
• Those taking courses online will complete a short introduction to online learning in order to take full advantage of the medium.

Graduate Profile:

• Graduates will possess the knowledge and skills required for entry into middle management positions in the marine sector. With experience, they will develop the capabilities required for progression into more senior positions.

Program Focus:

• The program will provide an understanding of the structure and operation of organizations, the factors that influence business decisions and the process of strategic planning and decision-making.
• The core components of the program will provide a maritime management focus through the development of knowledge of national and international marine policy and marine law and their application to the management of marine operations and the business of shipping.
• Elective courses will enable students to focus on particular aspects of marine management, including the areas of marine safety, emergency planning and response, port operations, and coastal and environmental issues.

Inter-institutional Partnerships

The MI is anxious to develop partnerships with other marine-focused institutions in order to share program development expertise and to offer students enhanced programming options and flexibility. It is intended that at least one or both elective courses in the Master of Marine Studies program may be selected from among those offered by other institutions that have a collaborative relationship with the Marine Institute.

Opportunities for Mariners without an Undergraduate Degree

Deck and engineering officers who have diploma-level credentials or internationally recognized professional certification will normally complete the Marine Institute Bachelor of Maritime Studies or Bachelor of Technology program prior to admission to the Master of Marine Studies. These undergraduate programs consist of 13 semester-length courses providing an exposure to human resource and technology management concepts enabling graduates to advance to senior technical positions or move into related commercial activities. The programs build on students' previous education and training and may be completed on a full-time basis in one year. The programs are also available on a part-time basis and can be completed fully online with no on-campus residence requirement.

Online Education at the Marine Institute

The MI has established a team of professionals to provide curriculum development and instructional design expertise in order to ensure that both its on-campus and distance programming take full advantage of the available learning technologies. As a result, most on-campus classes are delivered in a networked environment and include a significant online component. Online distance learning is provided using the WebCT platform that enables full interactivity between course leaders and students. The design team offers professional development opportunities to MI faculty and provides ongoing support throughout course delivery.

"Scuttlebutt"

The Marine Institute has recently created "Scuttlebutt", an International Maritime Forum. The purpose of Scuttlebutt is to connect people who work in the wide-ranging, international maritime community. This moderated forum serves as a global home base for individuals eager to discuss educational programs, debate issues, chat about available jobs and employers, and to stay connected. Information concerning post-secondary maritime institutions, major employers, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and job opportunities is encouraged.

Details about registering for the forum can be found at http://www.mi.mun.ca/scuttlebutt.

Dr. Peter Fisher, Head, Division of Degree Studies and Research, Marine Institute of Memorial University
Ms. Corinne Breen, Instructional Designer, Marine Institute of Memorial University
Ms. Christine Molloy, Instructional Designer, Marine Institute of Memorial University