Marine Transportation
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences - Cal Poly Solano Campus
Chasing adventure? Ready for real challenges—and a high-paying career with job offers waiting when you graduate? With a Marine Transportation degree, you’ll train at sea, learn to navigate and operate ships, and gain a strong grasp of the global maritime industry. You’ll also earn two major credentials: a U.S. Coast Guard Third Mate Unlimited License and the international OICNW certification—launching you into a global career at sea and beyond.
Learn by Doing. Lead at Sea
Marine Transportation blends real-world training with focused classroom instruction to launch your maritime career. You’ll learn aboard our fleet of small vessels and the Training Ship Golden Bear, and sharpen your skills in high-tech simulation labs. Courses cover shiphandling, radar, seamanship, celestial navigation and more. Graduates are fully prepared for the U.S. Coast Guard Third Mate Unlimited License exam and ready to take the helm—on the water or onshore.
Lead on Day One
Your degree sets the course. You’ll graduate as a licensed Third Mate—your first step as a professional deck officer. From there, you’ll rise through Second Mate, Chief Mate and eventually Master by gaining sea time and passing U.S. Coast Guard exams. Each step brings more responsibility, more skill and greater opportunity across the maritime industry.
Summers at Sea
Set sail each summer to put your skills to work. In your first and third years, you’ll train aboard the Training Ship Golden Bear, visiting ports like Tahiti, Hawaii, Japan and Central America. Your second summer is a paid internship on a working vessel—tanker, tug, cruise ship or containership. Graduation often comes with a job offer already lined up.
Faculty and Staff
Learn from mariners who’ve charted these waters. Our faculty bring decades of real-world experience in commercial shipping, navigation, port operations and maritime leadership. You’ll benefit from close industry partnerships and gain hands-on insight in every classroom and simulator—preparing you for a successful career at sea and ashore.