Course overview
- Description
Offshore and coastal engineering provides the foundation for global prosperity linked to the Blue Economy, with a focus on developing innovative solutions to engineering challenges in dynamic ocean and coastal environments. Examples include the design of offshore energy infrastructure (including marine renewables); vessels; ports and harbours; and diverse coastal infrastructure (including coastal protection structures). The Master of Offshore and Coastal Engineering (MOCE) prepares graduates from engineering backgrounds with the knowledge and practical skills required to lead innovation in offshore and coastal engineering. The course integrates disciplinary knowledge across the whole water column, from oceanography, hydrodynamics, structural and geotechnical engineering, and data science, to provide students with the multidisciplinary knowledge and practical skills required to analyse and design different ocean engineering solutions. Students will develop detailed knowledge into how dynamic ocean processes impact offshore and coastal structures from the seabed to the water surface, and from coastal regions to deep waters. The MOCE program is unique in its content and is designed to prepare graduates for a wide range of ocean-related career pathways.
- Course title
- Master of Offshore and Coastal Engineering (coursework)
- Award abbreviation
- MOCE
- Course code
- 62570
- Course type
- Master's degree by coursework only
- Status
- Current / 2025
- Administered by
- Oceans Graduate School
- CRICOS code
- 110776C
Course details
- Intake periods
- Beginning of year and mid-year
- Attendance type
- Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
- Credit points required
- 96
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Standard course duration
- 1 year at the minimal volume of learning [BEng(Hon) from specific majors] full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising 72 points of taught units and 24 points of admission credit, as recognised and granted by the School
- Maximum course duration
- 2 years at the maximum volume of learning full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising up to 96 points of taught study (see Rule 5 for further information)
- Time limit
- 5 years
- Delivery mode
- Internal
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth)
- Domestic fee type
- Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP; or postgraduate fee-paying/FEE-HELP
- Available to international students
- Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Dr Jana Orszaghova
- Fees
- Visit the fees calculator.
Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.
Example Study Plan
See study plans for more information.
Specialisations
Course structure
Key to availability of units:
- S1
- Semester 1
- S2
- Semester 2
- N/A
- not available in 2025 – may be available in 2026 or 2027
- NS
- non-standard teaching period
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Students who have not completed Master of Professional Engineering or a Bachelor of Engineering(Honours), or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA. must complete relevant conversion units up to the value of 24 points from this group, as advised by the School(s):
required on the advice of the Course Coordinator. Students can take GENG2010 Principles of Hydraulics OR GENG2003 Fluid Mechanics.
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | GENG2004 | Solid Mechanics |
| in-class lectures (including continuous assessment): 3 hours per week; practical classes: 2 hours per week |
| S1 | GENG2009 | Principles of Geomechanics |
| lectures: 3 hours per week; practice sessions: 2 hours per week; labs: 2 hours per week |
| S2 | GENG2010 | Principles of Hydraulics |
| lectures: 3 hours per week; practical classes: 3 hours per week; labs: 6 hours per semester |
| S2 | GENG2012 | Data Collection and Analysis | lectures: 3 hours per week; practical classes: 1 hour per week |
Take all units (36 points):
Note: OCEN5004 (S2 2024): Enrolment in this unit will require approval from the unit coordinator.
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | GENG5501 | Coastal and Offshore Engineering |
| |
| NS | OCEN4008 | Physical Oceanography | 2 x 4 hour workshops per week for 6 weeks | |
| NS | OCEN4010 | Ocean Observational Methods and Modelling | 2 x 4 hour workshops per week for 6 weeks | |
| S1 | OCEN5002 | Ocean Engineering and Technology | None | |
| S2 | OCEN5004 | Design of Coastal Structures |
| 2 x 3 hr workshops per week for 6 weeks |
| S2 | OCEN5005 | Advanced Design of Offshore Systems | Lectures: 2 x 2 hr lecture per week Workshop/practical classes: 1 x 2 hr workshop per week |
Take unit(s) to the value of between 36-60 points from this group, with at least two units at level 5.
Note: OCEAN5411/12 Offshore and Coastal Engineering Research Project Part 1/2 are taken by invitation.
Group A
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | CIVL4401 | Applied Geomechanics |
| 49 (lectures: 20 hours; seminars: 13 hours; practical classes: 12 hours; labs: 4 hours) |
| S2 | CIVL5501 | Structural Dynamics |
| lectures: 39 hours; practical classes: 26 hours |
| N/A | CIVL5504 | Offshore Geomechanics |
| 56 hours |
| NS | EART4415 | Coastal Hazards and Adaptation |
| 2 x 4 hour blocks of contact hours per week for six weeks; up to 2 x one day fieldtrips |
| S1, S2 | ENVT4411 | Geographic Information Systems Applications |
| The total workload for the unit is 150 hours. This includes podcasts for viewing and reading to be undertaken prior to attending one compulsory 3-hour workshop per week where students will be contributing to interactive discussions together with practical lab work using GIS software. Completion of the practical workshop labs is necessary to enable skills for completing written unit assessment. Independent learning is required throughout the unit. |
| N/A | ENVT5502 | Marine and Coastal Planning and Management |
| 3 hours per week (the total workload for the unit is 150 hours) |
| S1, S2 | GENG5505 | Project Management and Engineering Practice |
| lectures: 26 hours; practical classes: 13 hours |
| S1, S2 | GENG5507 | Risk, Reliability and Safety | lectures: 2 hour per week; practical classes: 1 hour per week; workshops: 3 hours per week | |
| NS | GEOS4413 | Climate Geoscience |
| Lectures and practical work. There may be a one-day field trip (TBC) |
| NS | GEOS5514 | Marine Geoscience |
| 2 x 4 hours workshops per week for 6 weeks |
| S1 | GEOS5515 | Coastal Dynamics |
| 4 hour workshops per week |
| N/A | OCEN4002 | Ocean Hazards | None | |
| S2 | OCEN4007 | Renewable Ocean Energy |
| lectures: 3 x 45 mins per week; practical classes: 2 x 1 hrs per week; labs: 3 hours every third week |
| S1, S2 | OCEN5411 | Offshore and Coastal Engineering Research Project Part 1 |
| Supervision sessions with one or two supervisors over two semesters; independent research and study. Students are guided in this process through an induction program at the start of semester. |
| S1, S2 | OCEN5412 | Offshore and Coastal Engineering Research Project Part 2 |
| Supervision sessions with one or two supervisors over two semesters; independent research and study. Students are guided in this process through an induction program at the start of semester. |
| S1 | SCIE5505 | Global Change and the Marine Environment | 7 hours per week for 6 weeks |
See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.
Rules
Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures
1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.
(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules
2.(1) A student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).
(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.
English Language competency requirements
3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.
Admission requirements
4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—
(a) a Master of Professional Engineering;
or
(b) a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and
(b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent;
and
(c) prior studies in Civil Engineering; or Chemical Engineering or Environmental Engineering; or Mechanical Engineering; or Mining Engineering.
Admission ranking and selection
5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.
Articulations and exit awards
6. This course does not form part of an articulated sequence.
Course structure
7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 96 points (maximum value) which include conversion units to a value of 24 points.
(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.
(3) Students who have completed Master of Professional Engineering or a Bachelor of Engineering(Honours), or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA. are granted credit for conversion units up to a value of 24 points.
Satisfactory progress
8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.
9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.
Progress status
10.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.
(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances—
(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';
(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';
(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded'.
11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.
Award with distinction
12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—
(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;
(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;
and
(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.
Deferrals
13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).