Texas A&M University at Galveston (TAMUG) is an ocean-oriented branch campus of Texas A&M University offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students enrolled at Texas A&M University at Galveston, known affectionately as 'Sea Aggies', share the benefits of students attending Texas A&M University (TAMU) campus in the city of College Station. TAMUG is located on Pelican Island, offering benefits for its maritime focused majors.
The campus's academic programs are ocean-focused. It is the home of the Texas A&M Maritime Academy and has a Navy-option-only NROTC unit on campus. (Marine Corps-option NROTC cadets must attend the main campus in College Station.) It also hosts a Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program (AUP) unit, which provides a pathway to commission into the Coast Guard upon graduation, as they do not have an ROTC program.
History Texas A&M University at Galveston began in 1962 as a marine laboratory and as the home of the Texas Maritime Academy of Texas A&M University (which is now known as Texas A&M Maritime Academy). The federal government donated the first training ship, the Texas Clipper, to the Maritime Academy in 1965. In 1968, the campus was expanded with a donation by George P. Mitchell on Pelican Island. Land was donated again in 1993 with an additional , as well as on Teichman Road to house TEEX, the sailing and rowing teams. Since then, academics at Texas A&M at Galveston have been distinctively focused on the ocean; in the fields of marine biology, marine sciences and oceanography, administration, and engineering. Enrollment included 91 students in 1971.
Academics Texas A&M University at Galveston is categorized as a dedicated college of Texas A&M University. For example, Marine Engineering Technology is a degree offered by Texas A&M University at Galveston, whereas Ocean Engineering is offered at the Galveston Campus, but administered by the College of Engineering. In 2021 President M. Katherine Banks initiated a "Path Forward" plan to reorganize the university. Part of this plan is to rename the academic college on the Galveston Campus to avoid confusion.
Undergraduate programs Undergraduate science programs offered by TAMUG include Majors in marine biology, marine science, and others. For those wishing to pursue programs in liberal arts and social sciences, students can pursue the major in maritime studies. Engineering programs offered by Texas A&M University at Galveston include Ocean Engineering, Marine Engineering Technology and Computer Science.
The College of Engineering is also present on the Galveston Campus. Many freshmen are students in the Engineering at Galveston program, which allows College Station engineering freshmen to complete their required coursework at TAMUG. This coursework consists of two math, two natural science, and two engineering courses. Once completed, Engineering at Galveston students matriculate into their degree program through the Entry to a Major (ETAM) process (either in College Station, Galveston, or McAllen). After ETAM, students may pursue Ocean Engineering, Multidisciplinary Engineering Technology, and Computer Science in Galveston.
The Texas A&M Maritime Academy offers a unique program that trains licensed United States mariners as either third mates or third assistant engineers through the maritime transportation, marine engineering technology, or master of maritime administration and logistics license options.
Graduate programs Graduate programs at TAMUG are administered by the Departments of Marine Biology, Marine Sciences, and Maritime Administration. Programs include PhD or master's degrees (thesis or non-thesis).
In addition to the local graduate programs administered by the Galveston campus, many faculty hold joint graduate or joint appointments in other departments at Texas A&M University at College Station (TAMU). This allows graduate students to enroll in PhD programs at TAMU yet complete the PhD in residence on the Galveston campus with the appropriate faculty advisor.
3+2 Programs Undergraduate students who immediately know they wish to pursue some graduate school may benefit from a "3+2" program, which allows students to concurrently pursue undergraduate and master's degrees. The duration of the program is 5 years, and the student receives two Texas A&M University degrees (bachelor's and master's). These programs are a year less than usually needed to complete these degrees separately (6 years), which provides considerable added value to their educational careers. Multiple programs are currently offered at TAMUG in this fashion, including bachelor of ocean and coastal resources with a Master of Marine Resources Management in the Department of Marine Sciences, bachelor of maritime administration and a master of maritime administration and logistics in the Department of Maritime Administration, and Oceans and One Health, which provides a Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science.
Student life Enrollment at TAMUG increased from 551 in 1987 to more than 2000 students in 2012. Students originate from 49 different states and the District of Columbia. Science and engineering majors amount to 75% of the student body; 43% are women, and about 50% reported themselves to have been in the top 20% of their high school classes. About 57% plan to pursue a master's or PhD degree and about 65% receive some type of financial aid.
On-campus housing is available and may be required for some students. The campus offers volleyball courts, a gym, a pool, tennis courts, an indoor basketball court, a student center, and many other amenities. Changes and modernizations are happening fast, with recently added residential dormitories and a new Corps of Cadets dorm scheduled for completion in early 2016.
Texas A&M Maritime Academy The Texas A&M Maritime Academy' (TMA) is one of only seven United States maritime academies that train U.S. Merchant Marine officers, and the only one located on the Gulf of Mexico. The program provides an opportunity for cadets to learn how to maintain and operate unlimited-tonnage ocean-going vessels. Students sail aboard the TMA training ship and commercial ships during three summer cruises to gain practical experience in navigation, seamanship, and engineering operations. In addition, the cadets receive classroom instruction and hands-on training during the regular school semester. Training facilities include the training ship, simulators, diesel and steam labs, various small boats, davits, and other hands-on resources. At the culmination of their study, license option or strategic sealift officer program cadets are tested to become licensed as unlimited-tonnage third mates or third engineers (officers) in the U.S. Merchant Marine. This is per Title 46 Code of the Code of Federal Regulation Part 11. The academy also commissions reserve and active duty naval officers.
History On January 26, 1962, a long sought-after idea of a Texas-based maritime academy came to fruition when the Texas Governor Price Daniel and the president of Texas A&M, General Earl Rudder, signed the agreement authorizing the Texas Maritime Academy. General Rudder subsequently named retired Navy Captain Bennett M. Dodson as the first superintendent of the Texas Maritime Academy. Monday, September 17, 1962, was to be the opening day, and Captain Dodson had put the first class of 23 "Saltwater Aggies" under the guidance of the first Marine Corps company at College Station. This was to inspire maritime cadets with a sense of discipline and tradition at sea. Dodson is quoted saying, "I wanted my students to get Marine Corps discipline and knowledge of Naval tradition during their early college life." The maritime cadets were assigned to Dorm 11 as Company I, 3rd Brigade, (I-3). After their freshman year at the main campus in College Station, the cadets were then moved to Galveston to complete their maritime-related classes. The academy operated between the two campuses for eight years, up to 1971.
In the summer of 1963, as the fledgling academy awaited its own training vessel, some 50 A&M Cadets got underway aboard the Empire State IV with SUNY Maritime for their first official cruise. A&M President Rudder had promised TMA its own ship by the summer of 1965. In that year, the U.S. Maritime Administration announced it would donate the American Export Lines vessel Excalibur, but the vessel was sold, instead. In March, the academy acquired the luxury liner USS Queens, and in June she was refitted to become the USTS Texas Clipper, the academy's first training ship. May 26, 1966 marked the first license ceremony with 13 seniors and General Rudder gave the keynote address. Two days later, the graduating cadets were driven to College Station to attend the Aggie commencement and receive their diplomas. This back-to-back practice continued for 19 years until Galveston started holding its own ceremony.
Currently, cadets/midshipmen do the entire program at the Galveston campus, but participate in two march-ins at Kyle Field per year with the College Station Corps of Cadets. The license ceremony and commencement take place at the Galveston Island Convention Center (2015).
Superintendents Since the passage of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970, the position of superintendent a maritime academy is commissioned as a rear admiral (upper half) in the United States Maritime Service, which is under the United States Maritime Administration per Secretary of the Department of Transportation.
NameRank USMSFromToMilitary serviceMerchant Marine ServiceNotesBennett M. DodsonCPT, USN (ret)19621968CPT, USN (ret)UnknownJames D. CraikRADM, USCG (ret)19681971RADM, USCG (ret)UnknownJohn SmithRADM, USMS19711978RADM, USN (ret)UnknownKenneth G. HaynesRADM, USMS19781983UnknownUnknownWilliam H. ClaytonRADM, USMS19831984UnknownUnknownActingRalph G. DavisRADM, USMS19841988CDR, USNUnknownUSNA alumnusJames M. McCloyRADM, USMS19881989UnknownUnknownInterimWilliam E. EvansRADM, USMS19891996UnknownUnknownWilliam T. McMullenRADM, USMS19962000UnknownUnknownRichard LukensRADM, USMS20002004UnknownUnknownJames M. McCloyRADM, USMS20042007UnknownUnknownAllen B. WorleyRADM, USMS20072009UnknownUnknownWilliam W. PickavanceRADM, USMS20092012RADM, USN (ret)Deck Officer AGTAlumniRobert Smith IIIRADM, USMS20122017RADM, USN (ret)UnknownAlumniMichael RodriguezRADM, USMS20172019Naval Reserve OfficerCaptain AGTKings Point AlumniMichael E. FossumRADM, USMS2019presCOL, USAF (ret)UnknownAlumni (TAMU)
Programs Merchant Marine Licensing Program
This program includes both "deck cadets" pursuing a major in marine transportation or a master of maritime administration and logistics and "engine cadets" pursuing a major in marine engineering technology. License option cadets make up the majority of the Texas A&M Maritime Academy. These cadets participate in all functions of the Corps of Midshipman, along with various training activities, three summer training cruises, weekly maintenance, and in-port watch-standing activities during the semesters.
Strategic Sealift Officer Program
This program is made up of license option cadets who are additionally striving for a commission in the United States Navy Reserve as a naval officer with a 166x designator (strategic sealift officer - SSO). As another option, SSO program midshipman are eligible for an active-duty commission. These midshipman make up the second-most popular program within the academy and participate in both license program training activities and NROTC training activities and take additional naval science courses.
This program also offers the cadet a competitive-based student incentive payment of $8000 per year for up to four years.
Navy Reserve Officer Training Program