First time posting on this forum. Sorry for its length. I’m a high school senior in New England and in the process of applying to maritime academies for a degree in international business. I am applying to Maine, Massachusetts, SUNY, and Texas A&M maritime academies but, despite already visiting all of these campuses except Texas, it is difficult for me to tell which business program is the most respected or might have an advantage over another in different areas.
Maine MA Loeb-Sullivan School of International Business & Logistics
Massachusetts MA International Maritime Business program
SUNY MA International Trade and Transportation program
Texas A&M at Galveston (Texas MA) Maritime Administration program
Texas A&M would seem to have one advantage of it being a large university with strong school spirit and alumni support which might translate into good networking for employment after graduation. I do plan on visiting TAMUG soon.
Can some of you weigh in on the known industry reputation of each of these academy’s business programs, their differing course work or business emphasis, their pluses and minuses, their success in getting graduates good jobs after graduation, etc.
It seems, understandably, that the majority of the graduate employment statistics for the academies represent LO degree graduates. Although I plan on being in the regiment no matter where I might end up, I will not be going the LO route and so I would like to know how these academies stack up from the standpoint of their respective maritime business schools. While I won’t be looking to get a deck or engineer’s license, I would like to get a small vessel (200 ton I think) license along with the business degree. I know this can be done at Maine but not sure yet about the other programs.
here’s advice: don’t go to a maritime academy for a business degree and be in the regiment. ROTC is a better use of your time if you want that aspect of thins, but regiment is a waste of time unless you need to do it for a license major.
I appreciate the advice and have read on here that the general opinion is that the regiment is “BS,” a required and necessary evil. However, I think it might benefit me personally with discipline and time management so that’s why I plan on being in the regiment. I hope it will also look good on my resume but that’s not the main reason for doing it.
Any maritime business guys who can comment on my questions?
Go to a good properly accredited MBA program for a business degree. A business degree from a maritime academy is not anywhere near as valuable as a fully accredited MBA from a name brand school. Go to the best MBA school that you can get into regardless of cost.
If you re going to a maritime academy, the regular engineering license program will best prepare you for business school.
In the meantime, take and pass AP Calculus, AP Physics, and AP Statistics in high school.
get a good business degree and get your discipline elsewhere. Don’t look to a Maritime academy regiment to do so. You will be disappointed with the outcome.
I’ve always been suspicious of persons wanting to be in the Regiment but not going for license, unless they dropped license but all their friends were still regimental. That being said, I know at SUNY you will have the best opportunity to network with alums for shoreside jobs in the New York metropolitan area. NYC, Newark, and Stamford, Ct are major centers for the business of shipping. Texas A&M would be a great starting place too. There are a lot of shoreside opportunities to work in the gulf.
I don’t know about Mass or Maine’s programs.
Basically if you go to SUNY you can get a shoreside job in the more traditional world of shipping. If you go to Texas you can probably get a great job in the Oil and Gas Industry.
If suggest thinking about where you see your self living in 5 years, 10 years, etc. That should help.
I know the others said to go elsewhere for a business degree. I respectfully disagree. If you want to learn the business of shipping go to a maritime academy and network with alums who work shoreside in Marine Insurance, Admiralty Law, Chartering, Ship Finance, etc. if that’s your goal. If you just want any old business degree though, yea you will be better served at almost any other college or university. The Programs offered at the maritime academies are generally specific to the Maritime and Transportation industries.
I am seeking a business degree through a maritime academy because I want to pursue a career in maritime-related business. The job opportunities seem quite good and I think the specific training and education I will get at a maritime school will better prepare me compared to a more general MBA degree. Maybe I’m wrong but that’s what I think. I’m also thinking that I will have greater networking opportunities. I have a relative who is a shipbroker and he seems quite happy with his position and prospects for the industry’s future in general.
Thank you for your responses. They are greatly appreciated.