Starting in the fall semester of 2025, Texas A&M University will provide in-state tuition for all newly enrolled U.S. undergraduate students who choose a U.S. Coast Guard license program offered at its Galveston campus. This initiative aims to alleviate the national deficit of maritime experts in sectors vital for national security and economic well-being.
“Many of us are unaware of maritime endeavors. The banana you enjoyed this morning, the attire you donned, the device you’re currently holding — a maritime expert made that happen,” stated Col. Michael E. Fossum, vice president of Texas A&M, chief operating officer of the Galveston campus, and superintendent of the Texas A&M Maritime Academy. “Employers are practically banging on our door, eagerly seeking qualified employees. By lowering financial barriers to draw students from outside Texas, we move closer to fulfilling the demand.”
The in-state tuition rate is applicable to four specialized undergraduate degree programs in the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies, which incorporate civilian U.S. Coast Guard officer training by the Texas A&M Maritime Academy. Participants in these programs apply academic concepts in practical contexts during semesters at sea aboard the academy’s training vessel or with private enterprises, acquiring invaluable experience that frequently leads to job offers before graduation. Nearly 90% of alumni report securing employment immediately after graduating with lucrative positions in fields such as port and vessel operations, marine engineering, and offshore energy development.
The shortage of maritime labor has been characterized as a national economic and security emergency by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration. This issue is particularly pressing in Texas, the leading exporter in the nation, which depends on maritime sectors for 28% of its gross domestic product and estimates that around 80% of its port cargo is generated or consumed by Texans.
Introducing in-state tuition for U.S. Coast Guard degree programs is merely one strategy the university is employing to mitigate the shortage of maritime workers and bolster the blue economy. Over the last four years, Texas A&M has revamped its branch campus, Texas A&M University at Galveston, into a hands-on center for marine, maritime, and coastal education, innovation, and public service. In the past year, the campus acquired a new marine and maritime college, commenced preparations for a cutting-edge training vessel, and initiated construction on a modern engineering facility.
The Galveston campus is also the site of the Texas A&M Maritime Academy, the sole state maritime academy in the southern United States and a federally designated Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education. Collaborating with the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies, the academy prepares students to become civilian U.S. Coast Guard-licensed officers and partners with five other state maritime academies as the primary source of civilian officers for the maritime workforce. Additionally, the academy contributes to national security by commissioning active and reserve officers into the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard.
In total, the Galveston campus features the nation’s most extensive assemblage of coastal, marine, and maritime endeavors in education, research, and service. Investments in the blue economy align with the university’s sea-grant objective to enhance lives and livelihoods through education, discovery, and innovation in fields crucial to state and national prosperity.
The article Texas A&M Provides In-State Tuition For Civilian US Coast Guard Degree Programs originally appeared on Texas A&M Today.