# MS International Transportation Management quickest way to deck license question **URL:** \ **Category:** SUNY Maritime\ **Created:** [November 9, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ms-international-transportation-management-quickest-way-to-deck-license-question/13606 "2014-11-09T19:02:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![outerrimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c4cdca/32.png) [@outerrimm](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/outerrimm)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ms-international-transportation-management-quickest-way-to-deck-license-question/13606/1 "2014-11-09T19:02:39Z")
Hi all, So I am looking into applying to the M.S. Int. Transportation Management Graduate program at SUNY because I think that will be the fastest way for me to get a deck license. I have a Bachelors degree so I thought this would be an easier option than getting an engineering degree. My goal is to get to Sea asap with a deck license. My question is, to get the Coast Guard License it says I would have to do 3 Summer Sea Terms. Is there a way to do the 180 days faster than that and get a 3rd mate deck license? I would like to get it all done in 2 years rather than 3. Could I get a second bachelors degree, have more of my classes transfer over and then do a Sea term somewhere else that would get my 180 days in 2 years? Just curious, James ---
**Author:** ![jdcavo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jdcavo/32/108_2.png) [@jdcavo](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jdcavo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 6:27am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ms-international-transportation-management-quickest-way-to-deck-license-question/13606/2 "2014-11-10T06:27:07Z")
[QUOTE=outerrimm;147660]Hi all, So I am looking into applying to the M.S. Int. Transportation Management Graduate program at SUNY because I think that will be the fastest way for me to get a deck license. I have a Bachelors degree so I thought this would be an easier option than getting an engineering degree. My goal is to get to Sea asap with a deck license. My question is, to get the Coast Guard License it says I would have to do 3 Summer Sea Terms. Is there a way to do the 180 days faster than that and get a 3rd mate deck license? I would like to get it all done in 2 years rather than 3. Could I get a second bachelors degree, have more of my classes transfer over and then do a Sea term somewhere else that would get my 180 days in 2 years? Just curious, James[/QUOTE] There are two ways to get the license - 3 years of sea time,. or complete a comprehensive approved program. At an academy, ou would be getting the license because you completed a program that includes shipboard training. It’s a package deal, you have to complete the entire program. The cruises are not sea time per se, it’s part of the complete program. You cannot get “sea time” from outside of the program to use in place of the shipboard training in the program. If you want to use sea time from outside the program, you need 3 YEARS of sea time. ---
**Author:** ![LI\_Domer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/li_domer/32/768_2.png) [@LI\_Domer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/LI_Domer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 7:01am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ms-international-transportation-management-quickest-way-to-deck-license-question/13606/3 "2014-11-10T07:01:01Z")
Usually you can get your first and second cruises done in the same summer, but adding the license classes on top of the grad school classes makes it so you can’t really graduate in less than 3 years. Maybe 2.5 if you take a huge credit load and pass every thing. ---
**Author:** ![cali\_deckie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/cali_deckie/32/73837_2.png) [@cali\_deckie](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/cali_deckie)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 8:53am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ms-international-transportation-management-quickest-way-to-deck-license-question/13606/4 "2014-11-10T08:53:18Z")
From what i have heard you must go to an academy for 3 years to get a license,it is in the CFRs. look at 46 CFR 310.3C ---
**Author:** ![LI\_Domer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/li_domer/32/768_2.png) [@LI\_Domer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/LI_Domer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 9:16am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ms-international-transportation-management-quickest-way-to-deck-license-question/13606/5 "2014-11-10T09:16:06Z")
You’re right Cali, had forgot about that one. So that’s the rule, you’re not allowed less than 3 years anyway. ---
**Author:** ![ShooterMcGavin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/shootermcgavin/32/1756_2.png) [@ShooterMcGavin](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ShooterMcGavin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 8:06am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/ms-international-transportation-management-quickest-way-to-deck-license-question/13606/6 "2015-02-03T08:06:41Z")
It took me exactly three years to finish the program… those who came in and combined the first and second cruises (which I did not do) graduated in 3 as well.