The New Naval Architecture Degree Program at UNSW Canberra

By By W. Smith, D. Lyons and A. Swidan, UNSW Canberra at the New South Wales Section Technical presentation 6 October 2021
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UNSW Canberra is creating a new naval architecture degree to ensure Australia’s future naval shipbuilding needs are being met.

UNSW Canberra Rector Michael Frater said that the new Bachelor of Engineering: Naval Architecture program will continue UNSW’s long history of educating naval architects, but in a refreshed context in Canberra that is responsive to the future needs of the country and particularly the Navy.

UNSW has had a long and successful history in delivering Naval Architecture as an engineering discipline on the Kensington Campus (at UNSW Sydney) since 1962 and now it is coming to Canberra.

“This new program is planned to be offered from 2022 and will support the current Defence White Paper, the continuous naval shipbuilding policy and the requisite foundational skills development in the discipline,” he said.

“UNSW Canberra has been educating members of the Australian Defence Force for over fifty years, and this program is the next step we are taking in developing capabilities in this important Defence sector.”

The Naval Architectural program at UNSW Canberra is planned to run in parallel with Mechanical Engineering for the first two years.

“What this means is that students who satisfy the requirements of the first two years of the Mechanical Engineering four-year degree program, having studied at any Australasian tertiary institution, may be admitted into 3rd and 4th year of the proposed program leading to the award of a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Naval Architecture,” Professor Frater said.

“This is exciting as it means the very first students who will be admitted to the degree, and form the first graduating class, are already studying and have begun their career towards contributing to this ship design, production, maintenance and operation capability.”

Associate Professor Warren Smith will take the initial academic leadership and responsibility as the discipline coordinator for the program. Key academics from Sydney and Canberra will together develop the new curriculum and course offerings. Together, they will consciously be designing and tailoring the degree to meet the needs of tomorrow’s Navy and Defence’s shipbuilding program.