Skip to header Skip to Content Skip to Footer
Coastal Engineering Student installs and tests LiDAR technology used to measure waves and coastal change during storm impact.

Coastal Engineering, B.S.

Address Coastal Challenges from Population Growth to Rising Sea Levels
  • 1st

    University in the U.S. to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Coastal Engineering

As a coastal engineer, your job could include:

Contributing to estuarine, aquatic and/or wetlands restoration, beach nourishment and erosion solutions.

Dredging and dredged material management, port and harbor design.

Green and gray infrastructure, nature-based projects, docks, marinas and piers.

Stormwater management, water quality issues and ecology, wetland delineation/mitigation design, and wave runup/overtopping analysis.

Hydrographic surveying, assessing transportation systems, environmental analysis or advocacy, or pursuing graduate studies.

Learn To

Study engineering statics, mechanics of solids, fluid mechanics and water resource engineering

Dive in to learn about coastal wave mechanics, computational modeling, coastal structures, and laboratory and field data collection

Dig into dredging and beach renourishment practices

Top it off with a semester-long capstone design course tackling real-world engineering challenges

Coastal Engineering Program Overview

Study the beach... at the beach.

Coastal communities face a wide range of challenges associated with rising seas, hurricanes, long-term shoreline change, human and ecosystem health, and increasing development. An innovative and trained coastal workforce is needed to help communities, and the nation, address these challenges.

Our graduates have been hired by state and federal agencies including the North Carolina Department of Transportation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and by private surveying and design firms throughout the southeast region. In addition, some graduates have moved on to pursue graduate degrees at premier universities both domestically and abroad. The B.S. Coastal Engineering degree combines a breadth of experience that opens up a range of employment opportunities.

Take advantage of UNCW’s location and expertise

The program, within the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography, leverages the university's expansive expertise in earth and ocean sciences, physical oceanography and environmental science, as well as the regional and geographic distinctiveness of coastal North Carolina. It focuses on foundational courses in math and physics, and specialized coursework in coastal engineering and marine science.

As a coastal engineering student, you will address issues affecting coastal communities through the application of:

  • Geological and physical oceanography
  • Coastal management curriculum
  • Applied physics
  • Civil and ocean engineering fundamentals

Work with internationally respected faculty

UNCW is an internationally recognized leader in coastal engineering education and research. Our faculty leads research in areas affecting coastal communities around the world.

As an undergraduate student, you will also have the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research in the area's waterways and coastal habitats under the direction of faculty scholars, current and former practitioners, and licensed professional engineers. As part of the program, students learn and work in state-of-the-art facilities, including the coastal engineering laboratory with a 78-foot wave flume, the only one of its kind in the central Mid-Atlantic region. 

UNCW Coastal Engineering Wave Flume Installation

img
UNCW students and faculty in the undergraduate Coastal Engineering program now have new ways to study the power of ocean waves using a state-of-the-art wave flume installed right next to their classrooms. Spanning nearly 80 feet long and 5 feet wide, the glass and steel tank, which can be seen off the main lobby of the department’s newly constructed building, holds 9,500 gallons of water and is just as aesthetically pleasing as it is useful.
coastal-engineering

Opportunity awaits you at UNCW

CORE COURSE WORK

  • Calculus 1 & 2
  • Physics 1 & 2
  • Introduction to Coastal Engineering
  • Engineering Statics
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Computer Aided Design (CAD) for Engineers
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Water Wave Mechanics
  • Water Resources Engineering
  • Coastal Structures
  • Applied Coastal Modeling
  • Dredging and Beach Nourishment
  • Coastal Field Methods
  • Capstone Design


Important Curriculum Notes

Coastal Engineering coursework is sequential and most classes are only offered once per year. Students out of sequence may require five years to complete the degree. 

Due to the progressive nature of the degree, students must meet with their academic advisor each semester to review the status of their courses/degree.

Students who are not ready to enroll in Calculus I (MAT 161) the fall semester of their freshman year will likely need five years to complete the B.S. Coastal Engineering degree.

See The Full Curriculum

HOW DO I GET STARTED IN COASTAL ENGINEERING?

Once you are accepted to UNCW, you should enroll in the combined EGN 101/UNI course, which will satisfy the University Studies requirement for First-Year Seminar. This 3-credit course will be your first chance to start learning about the basics of engineering. Other important information about your first year at UNCW will be provided during orientation. If you have questions about getting started, we encourage you to reach out to the first-year academic advisor, Nile McKibben at mckibbenn@uncw.edu, (910-962-7908).

If you are a sophomore or transfer student, you should enroll in EGN 101, which is a two-hour Introduction to Engineering course. You will not need the additional UNI component. Transfer students should contact the Coastal Engineering program academic advisor, Robin Connelly at connellyr@uncw.edu.

The program requires the successful completion of PHY 201 before the start of 2nd year CE courses. In addition, math is critical to the coastal engineering program; therefore, students not ready to take MAT 161 in the fall of their freshman year may need give years to complete the degree.

Learn more about the
B.S. PROGRAM

See everything happening in theDEPARTMENT

Are You an International Student?

This is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security STEM designated program that allows eligible F1 international students to apply for a 24-month optional practical training extension.

Learn More

  • Related Programs

    B.A. in Physics

    Physical oceanography and environmental physics are two related areas of study.

    Learn More

    2+2 Engineering Program

    You take your first two years at UNCW and then transfer to NC State University to complete your degree in one of 16 programs.

    Learn More

    B.S. in Oceanography

    If you are interested in broader physical, chemical, geological and biological aspects of our world's oceans, consider the B.S. oceanography degree.

    Learn More

  • Graduate Programs to Consider Next

    M.S. in Marine Science

    A master’s degree in marine science prepares you to work as a manager of coastal and marine resources, trained to deal with contemporary problems in the nearshore environment.

    Learn More

    M.S. in Coastal and Ocean Policy

    The Master of Coastal and Ocean Policy (MCOP) is a professional, non-thesis, interdisciplinary degree program that immerses students in a unique curriculum aimed at advancing technical knowledge of coastal and ocean processes and resources, as well as the tools and concepts of policy making.

    Learn More

    Ph.D. in Applied Coastal and Ocean Sciences (ACOS)

    Learn to apply scientific and engineering principles to address natural and man-made hazards and changes in coastal systems using innovative solutions. Students also participate in research in state-of-the-art facilities, like UNCW's 78-foot wave flume.

    Learn More