Program Details

The program will be seeking accreditation through the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) but it is not yet accredited. More information about ABET and the accreditation process can be found here: https://www.abet.org/.

The UNCW Coastal Engineering program educational objectives (PEOs) have been formulated to be consistent with the mission of university, the requirements of ABET, and the needs of the program's constituents and are listed below:

Graduates from the B.S. Coastal Engineering program at UNCW will be prepared to:

• Be employed in coastal engineering or related fields demonstrating competency in coastal wave mechanics, coastal modeling, field engineering, and/or coastal structure design.
• Demonstrate active lifelong learning through the pursuit of professional licensure, advanced graduate degrees, technological skill development, and engineering management opportunities.
• Contribute to the coastal engineering profession through participation of professional societies and providing leadership to solve the problems of coastal communities.

The faculty of Coastal Engineering Program have adopted the ABET EAC student outcomes in verbatim as the program outcomes which are given below:

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

We recommend that all incoming students own a desktop, laptop, or similarly powerful tablet capable of running software for engineering applications. Note that many applications used by the program are only compatible with Windows. Below are recommended minimum computer specifications:

• Operating System: Windows 11 64-bit - Regarding MacOS, please see note below
• CPU (Processor): 3 GHz+ 64-bit AMD or Intel processor
• RAM (Memory): 32GB
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA or AMD Graphics Card with 8GB of dedicated video memory
• Storage: 512GB+ Solid State Drive (SSD)
• Wireless: 802.11ac capable
• Warranty: 3 Year hardware warranty from reputable source with accidental damage coverage
• Accessories: 32GB+ USB Flash Drive, lightweight power adapter/charger

Take Anytime Courses

These courses must all be completed before graduation but may be taken in any semester:

Diverse Nation - Should not need an extra class if one for University Studies, such as HST 105/106, is taken to double-count.
Non-major Writing Intensive - Should not need an extra class if one for University Studies, such as ENG 110, is taken to double-count.
Elective Hours - To get up to 120 Total Credit Hours.

¹ If MAT 160 is needed in Semester 1, MAT 161 should be taken in Semester 2 and MAT 162 the Summer after Semester 2 to stay on track.

² Engineering 220 can be taken in either the Fall or Spring semester.