Webb Institute is a unique, top-ranked undergraduate institution offering one academic option, a double major in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. It is also the only full-tuition scholarship undergraduate program of its kind in the country.
All students at Webb graduate with a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, which encompasses several engineering disciplines. Webb’s 146-credit curriculum is based on a systems approach to engineering and provides each student with rich experiences in mathematics, engineering, naval architecture, and design. The depth and quality of this rigorous curriculum is made to ensure that all graduates are prepared to pursue careers in the maritime industry or beyond or to continue their education in premier graduate programs. Each semester includes at least one course in naval architecture or marine engineering that serves to tie the program together from the beginning to end.
Webb’s academic experience also includes the following unique programs:
-The Classroom Experience – Each of the four classes at Webb has its own classroom, which includes a lecture area in the front, and individual work stations in the back. This environment encourages students to work collaboratively as well as to help one another.
-Winter Work Term – Between the fall and spring semesters, all students take part in a practical work term. These eight-week winter work terms provide students with first-hand experiences in the industry and encourage attitudes and work habits that contribute to a sense of professional excellence. Students have pursued Winter Work Term experiences in each of the seven continents.
-Monday Lecture Series – In addition to formal courses, all students attend Webb’s weekly Monday Lectures, during which invited speakers discuss a variety of topics from the technical to historic to current events. The weekly lecture is designed to expand Webb students’ education in both technical and non-technical subject areas.
-Zeien Lecture Series – Twice per year, the Webb community and invited guests congregate for a special evening presentation as part of the Zeien Lecture Series, which brings noted individuals from industry, academia, the arts, and government to Webb’s campus to share their stories, experiences, insights, and knowledge.
-Senior Thesis – During the junior year, Webb students, under the guidance of members of the faculty, choose a topic for their senior thesis, a requirement for graduation. This process includes developing an approach and presenting a formal proposal for consideration and approval of the faculty. Throughout their last year and a half at Webb, the students conduct research, perform tests, study data, and write their theses, ultimately presenting them to the Webb community at the end of their senior year.
-University of Southampton Exchange Program (SOTON) – Students are given the opportunity to enrich their study of naval architecture and marine engineering as well as to experience the rich culture of Great Britain and Europe with Webb’s University of Southampton Exchange Program. Webb students are invited to this premier university during their first semester of sophomore year, and selected students from Southampton are invited to join the Webb administration, faculty, staff and student body in the Spring.
Furthermore, Webb’s 26-acre ocean-front campus, the former estate of Herbert L. Pratt, includes beautiful historic buildings as well as unique and state-of-the-art facilities. These facilities include:
-Haeberle Lab - Houses several state-of-the-art laboratories that are designed to help students further explore and master naval architecture and marine engineering. These laboratories include marine engineering, mechanical engineering, materials testing and structural engineering, electrical engineering, aerodynamics, and hydrodynamics.
-The Robinson Model Basin - Built in 1947, the basin houses a shop model towing tank and an instrumentation room. The 93-foot-long model tank is used for student coursework, academic instruction, consulting work, and research for the US Navy. The tank features a full-height viewing window which allows for observations to be made above and below the water line.
-The Machine Shop and Carpenter Shop - The shops house various tools available for student use. The woodshop has a table saw, compound mitre saw, jointer, bandsaw, drill press, a suite of hand power tools, and the Webb model cutter, a ShopBot three-axis CNC router. Webb’s Machine Shop houses a set of MIG, TIG, and arc-welding stations, lathes and milling machines (including a CNC mill), as well as saws grinders, drill presses, and many smaller items typically found in a shop. It also contains an aluminum shop for cold forming aluminum sheets.
-Goldbach Boathouse - Located on Webb’s private beach and pier, the boathouse stores supplies for the fleet of 420s, Boston Whalers, rowing sculls, windsurfers, and kayaks.
-The Livingston Library - Contains extensive resources in naval architecture, marine engineering, science and general engineering, as well as collections in literature, social sciences, and the arts.
-The Couch Computer Lab - The lab includes several multi-core processing computers that support the use of high-end engineering software for Finite Element Analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics, and physicist-based modeling and simulation. The lab also has printing and plotting capabilities, including 3D printing.
-The Advanced Learning Classroom (ALC) - The state-of-the-art ALC was designed to support new learning technologies together with distance learning capabilities. The classroom is outfitted with a video conferencing system, cameras, speakers, and microphones that support the receipt and delivery of lectures from remote and local participants, as well as remote collaboration with industry and academia.
