One of the first texts that many students of Naval Architectural Engineering and Naval Architecture encounter is Rawson and Tupper [1]. This two volume text is an excellent overview of the basic aspects of naval architecture, and in its first chapter it has the following to say about the profession.

Naval architecture is art and science.
Basically, naval architecture is concerned with ship safety, ship performance and ship geometry, although these are not all exclusive divisions.

Ship safety aspects include stability of the vessel, even when the vessel is damaged, ship strength, and lifesaving and other contingency measures should such eventualities occur.

Performance requirements of the ship are dictated by its mission profile, or its intended function after delivery. If the ship is a commercial cargo vessel, then the needs of trade dictate its geometry and its performance. The cargo is to be delivered to the intended destination in good condition and in the most economical manner. For warships, its place in a naval force has direct bearing on its design. Rawson and Tupper suggest that, "... the warship must carry the maximum hitting power of the right sort and an efficient crew to the remote parts of the world".

With regard to ship geometry, [1] has this to say:

Ship geometry concerns the correct interrelation of compartments which the architect of a house considers on a smaller scale. In an aircraft carrier, the naval architect has 2000 rooms to relate, one with another. He [or she, with the assistance of marine and HVAC engineers] must provide up to fifty different piping and ducting systems to all parts of the ship. He must provide comfort for the crew and facilities to enable each member to perform his [or her] correct function. The ship must load and unload in harbour with the utmost speed and perhaps replenish at sea. The architecture of the ship must be such that it can be economically built, and the production arrangements for the ship are an important consideration. Finally, the geometry must be arranged, in so far as is possible, to be aesthetically pleasing; a merchant ship must appeal to its potential customers, while a warship must appear formidable to a potential enemy.

Benford and Mathes [2], also contend that art and science are involved,

The naval architect uses both art and science in designing ships. Armed with imagination and experience, he [or she] converts the owner's functional requirements into a suitable, economic design. He [or she] analyzes and selects the best dimensions, hull form and speed; he [or she] figures the power requirements and estimates the weights of the principal components. He [or she] designs and analyzes the hull structure and decides on the location of cargo holds, machinery space, accommodations, and stores. Additionally, the ship must be subdivided into watertight compartments so that, if damaged, the chances of survival are maximum. These requirements and more must be met to build a hull that is easy to propel, will not capsize, and will have an easy motion when at sea.

Benford and Mathes suggest that the very term "architect" connotes the "custom design" nature of the profession, and it "... underscores the fact that ship design is an art as well as a science..." [2].

Naval architecture can therefore be described as a technical profession which has to do with complex compromises of these parameters. "The art is, perhaps, the blending in the right proportions. There can be few other pursuits which draw on such a variety of sciences to blend them into an acceptable whole." [1]. Further, "... compromising all such conflicting needs in the design of the ship are the creative and challenging responsibilities of the naval architect" [2].

This notion of blending conflicting parameters into an acceptable end product is also central to the engineering profession. The unique thing about naval architectural engineering is that the product is a free-floating structure which, through its performance, gives direct feedback on the success of all the compromises involved in its design.

Naval Architectural Engineering

Not all naval architects are trained engineers, just as not all engineers are naval architects.

Benford and Mathes suggests that, "... the naval architect must have a thorough but broad background in many phases of engineering" and that, as a consequence the "... naval architect ... is a broadly trained engineer despite his dedication to a specialized pursuit". I would suggest that in this context, the naval architect could be regarded as a functional engineer, as opposed to a trained one.

To become a trained naval architect, one has to undergo study at an accredited institution offering courses in this field, leading to either a diploma or a degree in naval architecture.

To become a trained engineer in Canada, one has to undergo study at an accredited university offering courses leading to degrees in engineering. One is then obligated to register with the Association of Professional Engineers of the province of intended practice, and to be thereby licensed to practice in that province. This practice is governed by the Code of Ethics of the Association (for example see the Code of Ethics of APENB) and by the Engineering Profession Act and By-Laws of the particular province.

Not all engineering faculties offer Naval Architectural Engineering as a specialization, but those which do, graduate engineers that are naval architects as well.

I believe that MUN has the only program of this kind in Canada. Students of Naval Architectural Engineering at MUN benefit from a unique program which encompasses many fundamental aspects of engineering before specializing in their senior terms in naval architecture.

With its inception in 1979 under the leadership of Professor Bill "Skipper" Milne, the program focuses on the co-operative approach to engineering education where, in addition to 8 academic semesters, all engineering students have to undergo 6 work terms in which they gain on-the-job experience. To underscore the importance of these work terms, it is essential that the student submits a professional work report at the conclusion of the term, in order to get a passing grade. Due to the chronological structure of the programme, a failing grade in a work term has the same consequences as a failing grade in an academic term -- one has to wait a year to repeat the term. It should take 5 years to graduate with a Bachelor of Engineering from the MUN programme.

Recently, the Ship Structures Committee commissioned a study by Prof.Yagle of U.Michigan to do a study of the curricula of North American Naval Architecture programmes. MUN's programme scored very highly, and according to Prof.Yagle, MUN graduates are clearly above par.

All five programs in the Faculty of Engineering at Memorial University were granted a full six-year accreditation, the maximum accreditation period possible for engineering degree programs in Canada, after a review by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB). All engineering degree programs in Canada undergo rigorous assessments by the CEAB, which acts on behalf of the engineering profession in Canada to ensure that Canadian engineering graduates are among the best in the world.

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References

[1] Rawson, K.J. & Tupper, E.C., Basic Ship Theory;Volume 1; 3rd Edition; Longman; 1983.