MSc International Maritime Business
Keen to learn more about the business of maritime? With a rich blend of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, Solent’s International Maritime Business master’s programme...
BEng (Hons)Marine Engineering Top-Up
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Starting in:Â 2025
Campus: Southampton City CentreView on Google Maps
Why study a marine engineering top-up degree at Solent University
Gain strategic insights, skills and knowledge to equip you for a dynamic career in marine engineering management at sea and ashore.
- £0minvestment in our campus and industry-standard facilities
- 0thUK uni for sustained employment (Longitudinal Educational Outcomes, 2022)
- 0stout of 130 institutions for assessment and feedback (NSS 2023)
- Designed for qualified marine engineering or marine electro-technical officers, this specialised top-up course enables students to achieve a full BEng (Hons) degree and prepare for senior engineering management roles ashore.
- Study in the heart of Southampton, a major hub in the UK and European maritime and shipping industry. 
- A world-class hub of maritime excellence, our Warsash Maritime School has over 70 years' history of maritime education and an international reputation for quality.
- Develop your professional connections at our annual maritime conference with Solent graduates and senior professionals from the industry. 
- Solent is leading the way in maritime research with topics such as shipping hybridisation, cleaner energy and low-carbon technologies for port use – you will learn direct from leading experts in their field. 
- Solent alumni successes throughout the maritime industry. Graduates have gone on to roles with companies including; Bibby, Aberdeen; Lloyd’s Register, London; Odjfjell Tankers, Bergen; Cargill, Geneva; Carnival UK; and the International Maritime Organization. 
Course overview
This top-up degree allows former maritime officer cadets with a suitable foundation degree (FdEng) or HND qualification to top up these qualifications to BEng (Hons) level and prepare for senior engineering management roles ashore.
Building on your existing qualifications and industry knowledge, the course will develop your critical thinking and analytical skills in parallel with wider knowledge of the maritime industry.
The course is due to start in June 2025.
Any questions?
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Apply direct
You can apply direct to Solent University for this course
Further studies
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
Top-up option
If you have an appropriate qualification, you can top it up to a degree in just a year
Who is this course for?
The course will allow former cadets who have previously achieved a foundation degree (FdEng) or HND with at least a 50% average grade, and who want to further their career opportunities, to earn a BEng (Hons) degree.
Such candidates will be people who want to learn skills and strategies that will allow them to become ideal candidates for roles as senior managers (technical superintendents, vessel managers, etc) in their chosen shipping companies.
What does this course lead to?
This course would suit former cadets who want to prepare themselves for a time later in their marine engineering careers when they may wish to come ashore and work as technical superintendents, vessel managers or similar roles.Â
Meet the team
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces.
Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
What you'll study
Core modules
Fundamentals of Engineering System Design
You will learn how to manage stakeholder expectations and identify key players within the lifecycle of a project, to define requirements and establish proposed system architecture and to design and manage key interfaces between organisations and system components. Success criteria will be investigated through verification, validation and commissioning processes. You will learn how the design process should provide a basis for the full life cycle management of your delivered project.
Leadership and Management
This module will enable you to understand how effective and efficient people management adds to a company’s success. The module analyses the integrative nature of people management and how this is achieved through a range of management tools and techniques. The module will identify current themes and issues that relate to managing people from the perspective of the line manager in an organisation.
Marine Surveying and Accident Investigation
This module will explain the conduct of marine survey, incident, and accident investigations. Through it, you will consider the role of investigators appointed by maritime certifying authorities, government maritime accident investigation agencies, shipping companies, and protection and indemnity (P&I) insurers.
Maritime Sustainability
During this module, you will develop the skills in leadership and management needed to sustainably manage business and projects. You will explore the complex challenges of ensuring a sustainable future and develop the understanding and skills needed to make informed decisions for sustainable outcomes.
Dissertation
This module will enable you to develop an in-depth understanding of your chosen dissertation topic(s) and develop the skills to critically analyse, synthesise and evaluate your chosen area(s) of research. You will learn how to work autonomously and take full control and management of your time.
How you will learn and be assessed
You will learn by:
You may be assessed by a combination of:
- Coursework
- Group presentations
- Written exams
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out more
Study support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
The disability advice team provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose a career in marine engineering?
The shipping industry is directly linked to global development and the drivers of supply and demand for commodities across the world.
If you are joining this course you will already be fully aware of the maritime industry and your place within it; this course will allow you to gain additional skills and knowledge to help you progress to higher levels of responsibility in the industry.
Solent Careers
The Solent Careers team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
6th
UK uni for sustained employment
Longitudinal Educational Outcomes (2022)
Further study
Thinking about studying further than an undergraduate degree? Alumni can get 20% off their postgraduate study.
MSc International Shipping and Logistics
Over 90 per cent of the world’s goods are transported by sea, making shipping and shipping logistics a vital part of world trade. Solent University’s international shipping and...
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2024/25 academic year are:
- UK, ROI, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £6,950 per year
- International full-time fees: £9,995 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Solent EU Welcome Scholarship (Fee Discount)
This scholarship is available to students from an EU country, with EU nationality, who are applying for an undergraduate course starting in September 2025. The scholarship will reduce your tuition fees to £10,500.
Find out more about the scholarship
Cost of living support
At Solent, we understand that the cost of living crisis may be of some concern. To help, we've put together some detailed information to show what support is available and how to make your money go further.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you may be required to pay for the rental of your ceremonial uniform. You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Student finance videos
Student finance in under three minutes Student funding - the essentials
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
Candidates who have previously achieved a foundation degree (FdEng) or HND cadetship in marine engineering or marine electrical and electronic engineering and have achieved an overall average score of 50% or higher, or hold a SQA HND Pass in marine engineering or marine electrical and electronic engineering, will be welcomed.
Key entry requirements
Entry is based on successful award of an HND or foundation degree cadetship in marine engineering or marine electrical and electronic engineering with an overall average score of 50%, or hold a SQA HND Pass in marine engineering or marine electrical and electronic engineering.
Key entry requirements
Entry is based on successful award of an HND or foundation degree cadetship in marine engineering or marine electrical and electronic engineering with an overall average score of 50%, or hold a SQA HND Pass in marine engineering or marine electrical and electronic engineering.
For more information about qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
Note to all international students requiring a visa
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email:Â Call:ÂHow to apply
Full-time
Applications for this course are made directly to Southampton Solent University. Students wishing to apply should click the red 'Apply direct' button in the main header.
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component
- TOEFL IBT 92 with a minimum of 22 in writing and a minimum of 20 in reading, listening and speaking
- Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 100 in each component
or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Make your application
- 1 year full-time
