Appendix B Survey of Academic Institutions
The committee undertook a survey of universities known to have faculty involved in coastal engineering to document the status of coastal engineering education today. The survey included questions on program contents, the numbers of students and faculty, teaching and research facilities, and employment opportunities. The survey asked that answers be based upon average figures for the past five years. A copy of the survey is reprinted below. Of the 32 institutions invited to participate, 19 responded. A compilation of responses follows.
Survey of Education Programs
Background
The Marine Board of the National Research Council has formed the Committee on Coastal Engineering Research and Education Needs to examine the national needs and to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of existing institutions in meeting those needs. An important element in the committee's study is a survey of current educational and research programs. The following questions are being asked of all of the academic programs known to be involved in coastal engineering education. Your cooperation in this survey is greatly appreciated.
Committee on Coastal Engineering Research and Education Needs
Robert Dalrymple, chair
Billy Edge, Richard Davis, Robert Dean, Karyn Erickson, John Fisher, Gary Griggs, Orville Magoon, Marvin Moss, Robert Nichol, Anthony Pratt, Fredric Raichlen, Richard Seymour
Survey Questions
Name of your institution:
Name of respondent:
1. Does your institution have an undergraduate degree concentration, track, or specialty in coastal engineering?
1.a. If so, what is the average number (per year) of coastal graduates over the past 5 years?
1.b. What are the core coastal engineering courses/topics in this program?
linear wave theory
non-linear wave theory
coastal processes
design of coastal structures
ocean engineering
estuarine mechanics
tidal hydrodynamics
other courses
1.c. Where do these students go after graduation? (percent)
graduate school
consulting
off shore industry
state agency
federal agency (COE) or other
other
1.d. Are you making plans to add this program in the future?
2. Does your institution have a masters degree concentration, track, or specialty in coastal engineering?
2.a. If so, what is the average number (annual) of coastal graduates over the past 5 years?
2.b. What are the core coastal engineering courses/topics in this program?
linear wave theory
non-linear wave theory
coastal processes
design of coastal structures
ocean engineering
estuarine mechanics
tidal hydrodynamics
other courses
2.c. Where do these students go after graduation? (percent)
graduate school (Ph.D.)
consulting
off shore industry
state agency
federal agency (COE) or other
other
2.d. Are you making plans to add this program in the future?
2.e. What percent of your MS students are supported?
3. Does your institution have a Ph.D. degree concentration, track, or specialty in coastal engineering?
3.a. If so, what is the average number (annual) of coastal graduates over the past 5 years?
3.b. What are the core coastal engineering courses/topics in this program?
linear wave theory
non-linear wave theory
coastal processes
design of coastal structures
ocean engineering
estuarine mechanics
tidal hydrodynamics
other courses
3.c. Where do these students go after graduation? (percent)
consulting
off shore industry
state agency
federal agency (COE) or other
other
3.d. Are you making plans to add this program in the future?
3.e. What percent of your Ph.D. students are supported?
3.f. Do you have any Post Docs in your program?
4. Does your institution and or your faculty offer continuing education courses in coastal engineering, planning, or systems?
4.a. What is the average number of students taking these courses over the past 5 years?
4.b. What are these continuing education courses?
wave theory
coastal processes
structural design
dredging
computer modeling of coastal processes
tidal hydrodynamics
other
4.c. Where do these students come from?
private practice
government
other
5. If your institution does not offer a degree concentration, track, or specialty in coastal engineering, does it nonetheless offer coastal engineering courses?
5.a. What are these courses? (graduate and/or undergraduate)
wave theory
coastal processes
structural design
dredging
computer modeling of coastal processes
tidal hydrodynamics
other
6. What coastal engineering laboratory research or teaching facilities does your institution have?
depth sediment tides currents
(>>100cm)
wave flume
wave basin
other
7. What coastal engineering field research capabilities does your institution have? Please itemize
vessels
equipment
8. How many coastal engineers are there on your faculty?
full time
other, non-full time
adjunct
8.a. Do you expect to hire coastal engineering faculty in the near future?
9. Does your program engage in coastal engineering research?
If yes, is the average over the past 5 years:
a. less than $250,000
b. between $250,000 and $500,000
c. between $500,000 and $1,000,000
d. greater than $1,000,000
10. Who are some of the principal sponsors of your research support? What percent is private, state, or local?
Summary of Responses
Undergraduate Programs
Most coastal engineering programs are on the graduate level. Only three institutions have undergraduate programs, Texas A&M University, the Stevens Institute of Technology, and the Florida Institute of Technology. Table B-1 is a summary of the responses about these programs.
Graduate Programs
The 19 institutions that responded to the survey indicated that they offer graduate programs in coastal engineering. However, only the University of Florida continues to offer a degree specifically called coastal engineering (actually coastal and oceanographic engineering). All of the other institutions offer degrees in ocean, civil, or, in one case, environmental engineering. Table B-2 is summary of the average number of M.S. and Ph.D. degrees awarded annually in the past five years from each of these institutions.
Research Support
The survey asked the respondents to indicate where graduates had found employment in the past year. These results are summarized in Table B-3.
Annual funding for research varied among the respondents. Table B-4 summarizes the responses.
Table B-1 Undergraduate Programs
Average Number of Degrees Awarded |
|
Texas A&M University |
22 |
Florida Institute of Technology |
8 |
Stevens Institute of Technology |
5 |
Student Placement (percentage) |
|
Graduate school |
25 |
Private practice |
25 |
Industry (typically offshore) |
25 |
State and federal agencies |
25 |
Table B-2 Degrees Awarded
|
M.S. |
Ph.D. |
California Institute of Technology |
0 |
<1 |
Clemson University |
1 |
<1 |
Cornell University |
1 |
1 |
Drexel University |
7 |
<1 |
Florida Institute of Technology |
4 |
<1 |
Johns Hopkins |
2 |
<1 |
Lehigh University |
1 |
0 |
North Carolina State University |
2 |
<1 |
Naval Post-Gradate School |
n/a |
n/a |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
2 |
2 |
Old Dominion University |
5 |
3 |
Oregon State University |
7 |
1 |
Stevens Institute of Technology |
6 |
<1 |
Texas A&M University |
12 |
4 |
University of California, Berkeley |
3 |
2.5 |
University of Delaware |
3 |
2.5 |
University of Florida |
6 |
3 |
University of Hawaii |
3 |
1 |
University of Rhode Island |
3 |
1 |
University of Washington |
1.5 |
1 |
Total |
66 |
22 |
Table B-3 Employment of Recipients of Graduate Degrees
|
Percentage of Graduates |
|
|
M.S. |
Ph.D. |
Graduate school |
30 |
n/a |
Private practice |
35 |
35 |
Industry |
19 |
16 |
State or federal agencies |
16 |
19 |
Academic |
n/a |
30 |
Table B-4 Levels of Research Funding
Number of Institutions |
Funding |
5 |
less than $250,000 |
7 |
$250,000 to $500,000 |
2 |
$500,000 to $1,000,000 |
1 |
more than $1,000,000 |