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Marine Deck Technology

Certificate

63.5 Units

The Marine Deck Technology (MDT) program is a US Coast Guard-approved program that combines practical experience with classroom instruction in shipboard operations, navigation, maintenance and operations of deck equipment, marine mathematics, communications and human relations. During the second and third quarters, students gain shipboard experience on the college's training vessels. The academic program is followed by a 90-day at-sea internship aboard a commercial vessel.

Each graduate who completes the 63.5 unit program receives a certificate that the Coast Guard has approved in lieu of the written and practical examination requirements for following endorsements:

  • National Able Seafarer (AB)
    • Graduates may substitute the academic program for 1/3 of the sea time required for a National Able Seafarer Special, Limited, or Unlimited endorsement. They earn additional sea time during practicum courses and the 90-day at-sea internship.
  • National Lifeboat Operator
    • STCW Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (RFPNW)

Students are required to complete a US Coast Guard-approved STCW Basic Training course prior to the at-sea internship.

Get Started

College Application Steps

Visit our Enroll Now page to learn more about how to apply (the application is always free).

Additional Program Specific Steps

Steps to Enroll (or be added to the Waitlist)

  1. Attend a Seattle Maritime Academy Tour and Information Session or contact the department for more information.
  2. Complete the 5-Step Enrollment Process for Seattle Central College, which includes placement testing and transcript evaluations to ensure you meet the requirements.
  3. To apply to the program, please submit the following items via email to SMA.Central@seattlecolleges.edu OR in person to the front desk at Seattle Maritime Academy:
    • Seattle Central Student ID Number (ctcLink ID)
    • Copy of Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) (Need copies of both front and back)
    • Copy of Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate
    • Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) Reference # (include a copy of your MMC photo page and endorsement page if you have it, but having the Reference # is the only requirement at the time of application)
    • Optional: Copy of U.S. Passport

Only applications that include all of the above items can be considered for acceptance into the program. Admission is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. If the program is full, students with completed applications will be added to the waitlist in the order received.

Questions? Contact the Seattle Maritime Academy for more information.

Explore the Seattle Maritime Academy

We invite you to visit Seattle Central College’s Seattle Maritime Academy to explore our new, state-of-the-art facility that includes a computer lab, a collaborative workspace, classrooms, simulator labs and more.

Join us the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. in Ballard for a tour of our campus and information session that will give you:

  • Tips on how to get started and the college's and US Coast Guard's requirements to apply. 
  • An overview of what to expect once you are enrolled at Seattle Maritime Academy. 
  • Information about internships, certifications and more. 
  • A chance to get your questions answered.

To sign up, RSVP online or contact us at SMA.Central@seattlecolleges.edu.

If none of these times works for you, please call us at 206.934.2940 to schedule a one-on-one tour.

College Tuition

Learn more about the tuition and fees to attend college.

Save money at Central. Tuition and fees at a two-year college are significantly lower than a four-year college or university.

Financial Aid

It's time to apply for Financial Aid for next year by completing either the FAFSA or the WASFA.

Need help paying for college?

To apply for financial aid, including grants and scholarships you don’t have to pay back, visit our Paying for College page for details. Part-time and full-time students can qualify for financial aid funds.

Workforce Funding

This academic plan may be eligible for additional funding through Workforce Education. Students in this program may be eligible for:

  • Basic Food Employment And Training
  • Work First
  • Worker Retraining
  • Opportunity Grant

This is a cohort-based program and typically begins in Fall Quarter

Program Information

The Marine Deck Technology pathway can lead to various career opportunities.

Examples include:

Career titles and data are supplied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For current employment and wage estimates, please visit O*NET OnLine.

A Bachelor's degree or higher may be required for some careers listed above.

This certificate is for students focused on learning a skill or technology for immediate employment.

Credits earned in certificate programs are generally applicable toward an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) or Associate in Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) degree.

The Marine Deck Technology Program is a one-year certificate program. Applications may be submitted at any time and admission is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. This program is cohort-based and offered once a year starting in Fall Quarter.

Eligibility Requirements

63.5 Units

Applied Composition

Complete 1 course. 2.0 minimum grade. ENGL 105 recommended.

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
Applied Composition Choose a course 5

Core Requirements

Complete 21 courses. 2.0 minimum grade.

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
MGO 101 Introduction to Shop and Tools 2
MGO 103 Proficiency in Survival Craft 3
MGO 105 Leadership and Management 2
MGO 111 Seamanship 3
MGO 112 Marlinspike 2
MGO 119 Marine Mathematics 3
MTS 101 Engineering for Deck Ratings 2
MTS 201 Naval Architecture 2
MGO 123 Basic Piloting and Navigation 3
MGO 133 Seamanship Practicum 6
MGO 137 Electronic Navigation AIDS 2
MGO 140 Nautical Rules of the Road 2
MTS 100 Rating Forming part of a Navigation Watch 2
MTS 202 Stability 2
MTS 210 Marine Meteorology 2
MGO 120 Vessel Maintenance 3
MGO 124 Basic Vessel Handling 2
MGO 166 Navigation Practicum 6
MGO 200 At Sea Internship 5
MTS 223 Advanced Piloting and Navigation 3
MTS 284 Shipboard Pollution Prevention 2

License Seminar

Complete 1 course. 2.0 minimum grade.

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
MTS 294 License Seminar 2

Units

The sample schedule and quarterly to-do list below will help you explore courses and complete tasks on time. The sample schedule assumes a fall quarter start. Please work with your advisor to create a customized education plan that meets your goals.

Before you begin:

Quarter 1, 19 Units

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
MGO 101 Introduction to Shop and Tools 2
MGO 103 Proficiency in Survival Craft 3
MGO 105 Leadership and Management 2
MGO 111 Seamanship 3
MGO 112 Marlinspike 2
MGO 119 Marine Mathematics 3
MTS 101 Engineering for Deck Ratings 2
MTS 201 Naval Architecture 2

Quarter 2, 19 Units

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
MGO 123 Basic Piloting and Navigation 3
MGO 133 Seamanship Practicum 6
MGO 137 Electronic Navigation AIDS 2
MGO 140 Nautical Rules of the Road 2
MTS 100 Rating Forming part of a Navigation Watch 2
MTS 202 Stability 2
MTS 210 Marine Meteorology 2

Quarter 3, 26 Units

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
ENGL 105 Applied Composition 3
MGO 120 Vessel Maintenance 3
MGO 124 Basic Vessel Handling 2
MGO 166 Navigation Practicum 6
MGO 200 At Sea Internship 5
MTS 223 Advanced Piloting and Navigation 3
MTS 284 Shipboard Pollution Prevention 2
MTS 294 License Seminar 2

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Program data from ctcLink:

  • Academic Plan: MMOMDC45
  • Degree: CERT
  • Plan Transcript Description: Certificate - Marine Deck Technology
  • Academic Plan Currently Offered: Yes
  • Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP): 49.0309

To update degree or certificate information please start with how to make edits to academic program data.