Quick Summary
- Bachelor of Science in Nautical Science is a three year program at the undergraduate level.
- This course is primarily inclined toward educating students about ship operations and navigation.
- BSc Nautical Science has a broad scope covering jobs like Deck Officer, Nautical Surveyor, Marine Engineer, Marine Superintendent, and Q&A Expert.
Table of Contents
BSc nautical science is an undergraduate program of three years based on a multi-disciplinary field of study. It is a professional bachelor’s degree that deals with the study of the basic academic and practical devices required to safely navigate and operate marine vehicles, such as a ship. The major subjects comprise Mathematics, Science, and Physical Training. It is an essential merchant navy qualification for knowledge and techniques in the navigation field.
The course is approved by the Directorate General of Shipping, which falls under the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India. BSc Nautical Science Syllabus includes subjects such as navigation and seamanship, which is the basic application of shipboard equipment and tools.
The minimum eligibility to pursue the course is that the candidate must have passed 10+2 in the science stream with Physics, Chemistry, and Maths as the main subjects and a minimum score of 60%. The admissions are usually based on the entrance exams.
Popular entrance exams for B.Sc Nautical Science programs in India include IMU CET, TMISAT, AIMNET, MANET CET, and CMC Entrance Exam. The Details of which are given further in our blog.
BSc Nautical Science Highlights
BSc Nautical Science is a popular graduation course amongst students who want to become merchant navy officers. The course covers the technicalities of navigation and knowledge regarding operating a ship. The main points regarding the BSc Nautical Science are provided below: –
| Industry | Marine |
| Course Level | Bachelors |
| Duration | Three years |
| Eligibility | Completed 10+2 with a minimum 60% score from a science background. |
| Job scope | Merchant navy officers like deck cadets, captains, marine engineers, radio officers, and nautical surveyors. |
| Recruiting Companies | SAIL, ONGC, GSI, etc. |
Why Choose BSc Nautical Science?
- BSc Nautical Science programs provide specialized education focused on maritime operations, navigation techniques, ship handling, and maritime law and is one of the best degrees to pursue.
- BSc Nautical Science opens up diverse career opportunities after graduation in both private and public sectors.
- Students passionate about travelling and adventure can choose to take up this course as it allows them to explore different regions of the world and experience diverse cultures while pursuing their career goals.
- The graduates earn a starting salary of around 4 lakhs per annum which will increase based on experience and skills.
Subjects and Syllabus
The students must qualify for their 10+2 examination with a science background in Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry to pursue this merchant navy qualification. The syllabus of the BSc nautical science semester-wise is provided below:
Semester 1
| Cargo work & Mar.Com | Seamanship lab 1 |
| English 1 | Navigation 1 |
| Physics 1 | Mathematics 1 |
| Marine Engineering & Control System 1 |
Semester 2
| Engineering workshop 1 | Environmental Science 1 |
| Physics 2 | Marine Engg. & Control Sys 1 |
| Ship Construction | Technology for Ship Operation 1 |
| Voyage Plan & Collision | Mathematics 2 |
Semester 3
| Marine Engineering & Control System 2 | Environmental Science 2 |
| Seamanship lab 2 | Physics 3 |
| Navigation 2 | Mathematics 3 |
| Maritime Law 1 |
Semester 4
| Ship Operation Technology 2 | Marine Management & Maritime Commerce |
| Electricals | Computers |
| Voyage planning & collision prevention 2 | Engineering Chemistry |
| Engineering workshop 2 |
Semester 5
| IMO Conven Naval Arch- Ship Stability 1. | Ship visits and boat work |
| PT, Games, Swimming | Voyage plan |
| Navigation 3 (Bridge Equipment) | Ship Operation Technology 3 (All Cargos) |
| Collision prevention 3 |
Semester 6
| Navigation 4 | Ship and industry visits |
| Project | Maritime law 2 |
| Marine Engineering and Control System 3 |
During the entire graduation course, the students will also be able to attend different seminars and workshops to get practical knowledge regarding naval fields. They are provided with practical assignments which improve their logical thinking skills. After completing this graduation course, the students must go to one year-long service, after which they are said to take the viva-based examinations.
Entrance Exams for BSc Nautical Science
The popular entrance exams conducted for the students to get admitted for BSc Nautical Science are listed below:
- IMU CET: The Indian Maritime University (IMU) conducts an entrance examination to provide admissions to eligible candidates in their PG and UG courses. IMU CET is a common examination for all students of different fields, and the ones who qualify for the exam get admitted to the university. IMU CET is one of the best entrance exam opportunities for eligible students, as Indian Maritime University is a reputed and trusted university.
- CUSAT CAT: This examination is conducted to provide admissions to eligible candidates in different UG and PG courses at Cochin University of Sciences and Technology (CUSAT). BSc nautical science is one of their UG courses for which candidates must pass the entrance test and meet the basic eligibility criteria.
- BHU UET: The NTA conducts BHU UET to provide admissions to eligible students in different programs Banaras Hindu University (BHU) offers. BSc nautical science is one of the courses offered by BHU, for which the students need to qualify for the entrance test called BHU UET.
- JET: Jain University also conducts an entrance exam for the candidates opting for different UG courses. The candidates must go through a process of three stages to qualify for the examination. The students should qualify for the Objective type exam, Group Discussion, and Personal Interviews to get admission to the BSc Nautical Science program.
- CUET: The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts a Common University Entrance Test (CUET) annually to admit students in different UG and PG courses in different universities. The CUET marks are valid in several universities, and students can easily get admission if they qualify for the minimum cut-off of the examination.
Top Colleges for BSc Nautical Science
Numerous colleges in India provide BSc Nautical Science courses for students. However, a few colleges are considered better than others because of their education pattern, job scope, and fee structure. The list of top colleges is provided below: –
| College Name | City | Course Fees (Annually) |
| Hindustan Institute of Maritime Training. | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | INR 3.25 Lakhs. |
| Vels University. | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | INR 3.08 Lakhs. |
| Park Maritime Academy. | Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu | INR 1.77 Lakhs. |
| AMET University. | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | INR 3.20 Lakhs. |
| Mumbai University. | Mumbai, Maharashtra | INR 6.00 Lakhs. |
| Indian Maritime University. | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | INR 2.25 Lakhs. |
| Mangalore Marine College and Technology. | Mangalore, Karnataka | INR 2.2 Lakhs. |
| Maritime Engineering and Research Institute. | Mumbai, Maharashtra | INR 2.25 Lakhs. |
Related read: Marine Engineering Colleges in India
Skills Required for BSc Nautical Science
Certain skills are required to pursue nautical science upon graduation. A few important skills will be extremely helpful for the students pursuing this course:
- Listening actively: The students pursuing nautical science in their graduation need to understand the importance of this skill. Active listening is one of the most important skills required while opting for this three-year course.
- Critical thinking: Students with critical thinking will benefit from this course. BSc Nautical Science requires logical and spontaneous thinking during its lessons and teachings.
- Management skills: Great management skills are beneficial in this course. If the student lacks management skills, they can build it during their graduation to have the perfect skills for the job.
- Presence of mind: The course consists of heavy technical terms and other knowledgeable topics that are essential to understand. To understand these better and use them during the job, students need to focus and have a great presence of mind while studying.
- Great grasping power: This course consists of various important topics that are a little complicated. Students with great grasping power will be able to learn these topics in no time. This will help them get their desired jobs in the merchant navy.
- Physically Fit: You must be in excellent mental and physical health and free of any deficit that would interfere with the effective execution of tasks on the sea to be a fit for selection.
Other important skills required for the students to pursue BSc Nautical Science are: –
- Oral expressions
- Time management
- Oral comprehension
- Speech clarity
- Selective attention
- Operation monitoring
- Far vision
Jobs After BSc Nautical Science in India
After completing three years of graduate courses in Nautical Science, there are huge job opportunities in the merchant navy. The salary of the merchant navy depends upon the rank of that particular candidate. Below is the list of specialisations of the candidates in the merchant navy and related merchant navy salary per month: –
| Job profile | Job description | Average salary in INR |
| Deck officer | The role of a deck officer is vital while navigation, and they are also responsible for handling cargo deliveries, communication between the shore and the ship, etc. | 6.95 LPA |
| Nautical Surveyor | The role of a nautical surveyor is to survey the equipment on the ship. They are responsible for the inspection of the existing vessels along with the new ones. | 3.6 LPA |
| Marine Engineer | A marine engineer is a job usually for private organisations. They work in the designs and development of the latest marine vessels. | 11.7 LPA |
| Marine Superintendent | The responsibility of a Marine Superintendent is to ensure the safe working of all the vessels. They have the main job of planning and executing the shipyard repair work. | 34.5 LPA |
| Q&A Expert | Q&A experts with Chegg get to work with students from around the world and answer their queries on various topics. |
If you want to share your knowledge on different subjects and help other students, then why not become a Q&A expert at Chegg? You will earn an excellent amount for every answer you provide on the platforms. On top of that, the flexibility to work from anywhere and at any time is great. Sign up now, start creating your network with experts worldwide, and gain global academic exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
BSc in Nautical Science is a graduation course for students who are interested in navigation and want to pursue nautical science as a career option.
The best job to apply for after a BSc in nautical science is merchant navy officer. There are different posts in the merchant navy for which the students can apply according to their qualifications.
Students with a graduation degree in BSc nautical science have a bright future. They can apply for the posts available in the merchant navy, considered one of the most pursued career options.
Yes, students can join BSc nautical science after completing their 12th standard. Interested students need to score a minimum of 60% in their 12th exams and also qualify for the entrance exam conducted by the top universities of India.
To read more related articles, click here.
Got a question on this topic?