Nicholls State University has made history by being the first school in the state to offer a program on maritime management because industry needs have created a market for skilled workers. It is the program’s goal to prepare students for the workforce upon graduation and for current maritime firm employees to further their assessment of job related skills.
The College of Business Administration launched a new degree concentration that began this fall semester. The program is geared towards students who intend to pursue careers in the maritime industry. Non-degree seeking students also have the opportunity to take maritime management courses for a certificate program. The concentration is incorporated with the general four-year business management degree, and focuses on commercial, legal and financial issues in the industry.
Dr. Shaun Mauldin, Dean of the College of Business Administration and Professor of Accounting, said that the program is fully funded without any cost to the university, and courses will be taught by experts from the field. According to Mauldin, there are currently five projected courses which cover all aspects of maritime management:
Introduction to Maritime Management–A general introductory course
Admiralty Law-maritime procedures and regulations
Economics of Shipping-advanced maritime business
Maritime Accident Prevention-safety and risk management
Internships with regional maritime firms
The maritime management concentration’s main focus is on the oil and gas sector and related business.
“The program is unique in the state, for sure. While the community and technical colleges offer similar classes, they tend to address blue collar needs; nobody ever addresses white collar managerial needs,” Dr. Ken Chadwick, Professor of Management and Head of the Department of Management, Marketing and Business Administration, said.
“This is the very first four-year business program seeking to meet these workforce needs, such as with Blue Water international shipping. This is the only program we are aware of to focus intently on the aspects of management in the maritime industry, specifically in regards to the oil and gas sector.”
A certificate program for non-students exists for those who work for maritime related companies. Chadwick, who serves as the director of the program, said, “These individuals may or may not all ready have an undergraduate degree, or they may not be interested in pursuing one. The certificate programs allows workers in the industry to further their training and enhance their chance for promotion.”
Both non-students and current business majors at Nicholls are currently enrolled in the introductory course and Admiralty Law being offered for the first time this fall. Economics of Shipping and Maritime Accident Prevention shall be offered in the spring.The summer semester will begin maritime management internships with support from industry leaders.
Companies that are in association with the success of this program include: Aries Marine Corp., Bollinger Shipyards Inc., Candy Fleet LLC, Edison Chouest Offshore, Galliano Marine Services, Gordon “Bubba” Dove Jr. Foundation, Harvey Gulf International Marine LLC,L & M Botruc Rental Inc., Marine Systems Inc., Montco Offshore Inc., Morgan Stanley, Otto Candies LLC, Phelps Dunbar LLP, SEACOR Foundation and SEACOR Marine LLC.
For more information on the nationally acclaimed program, visit the Nicholls’ College of Business Administration webpage at http://www.nicholls.edu/business/. This page allows access to contact information for business leaders of the university, news regarding the department and detailed degree plans for the new maritime management concentration as well as all majors within the discipline of business administration.