What can you do with a navigation and maritime science degree?

Things to consider when choosing a career or considering further study after studying a navigation and maritime science degree
Winch with rope on sailing boat in the sea
Discover employment and further study opportunities that you could consider once you graduate with a navigation and maritime science degree, and learn how you can stand out to graduate employers.
The maritime sector in the UK is the largest in Europe and makes a huge contribution to the economy with a turnover of approximately £40 billion per annum. In the UK, this industry employs hundreds of thousands of people and there are a wide variety of opportunities for well-qualified graduates to enter this key industry. Depending on the degree pathway and your areas of interest, you may end up working within the merchant navy, for a shipping company, a port or harbour authority, for a superyacht company, a shipping broker or within the marine leisure industries.
We encourage you to:
  • undertake career planning and research
  • build your networks, meet employers and graduates
  • gain essential work experience during your course
  • attend career fairs and events
  • continually develop your skills and knowledge
  • get involved with relevant clubs and societies
  • visit the Careers Service for advice.

Knowledge and skills

Your degree will provide you with knowledge and skills that are valuable to all employers:
  • leadership and ability to inspire confidence in others
  • teamwork
  • problem-solving, self-reliance and decision-making
  • written and verbal communication
  • interpersonal skills and cultural awareness
  • flexibility and adaptability
  • organisation and workload management
  • professionalism.

Career options

15 months after graduating*

Careers icon job
95% of graduates in work or further study
Careers icon skilled work
89% said their current activity is meaningful
Researching your career options
You can find good, general graduate information on the Prospects, TargetJobs however the following sector websites are particularly helpful for researching marine and maritime careers:
Buying and selling
International Marine Directory – links to marine consultants, PR, yacht surveyors etc.
Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers
Marine business and shipping – include insurance and P&I
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK)
Maritime London – a useful members index which includes government departments, marine law firms, shipping links, bankers and financiers etc.
Maritime search and rescue
Maritime & Coastguard Agency
RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution)
Maritime sports, leisure and tourism
A huge and expanding field with opportunities from marina management and development through to instructor level and crewing:
UKSA – The United Kingdom Sailing Academy
British Marine Federation
Yachting and Boating World – includes a maritime directory of marinas, brokers, insurers etc.
Merchant shipping
Careers at Sea – information on Merchant Navy career options
Merchant Navy Training Board
Navigational interests
Institute of Navigation – information and jobs
Royal Institute of Navigation – members job forum
Technical and engineering operations
Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)
The Nautical Institute
Fisher Associates – port and shipping consultants
Employment opportunities
Your degree will open the door to many graduate jobs and careers both within and beyond the maritime sector. Sea-going careers that will be of particular interest to graduates of Navigation and Maritime Science include:
There are also opportunities within the wider maritime industry to use your skills and knowledge – bear in mind that further study or seafaring experience will be required for some of these roles.
  • Crew Management (Ship Management)
  • Harbour Master
  • Hydrographic Surveyor
  • Lecturer (Maritime Education)
  • Marine Pilot
  • (Assistant) Marine Superintendent
  • Maritime consultant
  • Maritime lawyer
  • Operations manager
  • Port management
  • Shipbroker
  • Vessel Manager
  • Vessel Traffic Services Officer
Employment
  • 2nd Officer Merchant Navy
  • 3d Officer Deck
  • Cadet Training Officer
  • Captain
  • Defence and Security Consultant
  • Ferry Skipper
  • Junior Cartographer
  • Radio Signals Specialist
  • Teacher
  • Yacht Captain
Employers
  • Apollo Marine
  • BMT
  • BP
  • Hanson Ship Management
  • Red Funnel
  • Tangerine Shipping Company Limited
  • UK Hydrographic Office
  • Ultimate Yacht Management
  • Windstar Cruises Incorporated
*Data is from the Graduate Outcomes Surveys of 2019/20 and 2021/22. Graduates were surveyed 15 months after graduating. Data displayed is for 13 UK-domiciled, first degree, full-time graduates who are working, studying or looking for work.

Further study

Some of the careers chosen by navigation graduates will require or benefit from further study, so this should be considered carefully. The University of Plymouth offers the following postgraduate study options that could be of interest:
You should consider the financial implications of further study as well as selecting a programme that suits your interests, learning style and future career direction. The following websites are a good starting point for exploring postgraduate options, but you may also benefit from talking to a Careers Consultant about your particular situation.
Some useful websites to help you find a suitable postgraduate programme:
It is also worth investigating what further study options the University has to offer as you may find the perfect course for yourself in an institution you already know. There are also sometimes financial benefits of staying on such as a fee discount to Alumni – find out your funding options .

Careers Service support
Accessing support from the Careers Service couldn’t be easier, come along to the Careers Service Helpdesk in the Student Hub or access our 24/7 online resources .
There is a wide range of support available from skills workshops to events, placements and internships advice, 1-2-1 appointments and help getting started with LinkedIn.
Our bite-sized Skills Workshops can give your career the boost it needs. Choose from a range of topics:
  • effective career planning
  • job hunting techniques
  • finding part-time work
  • CVs and interviews
  • mastering LinkedIn
  • and more.
Workshops are delivered by the Careers Service, however they are also an opportunity to learn from your peers, share experiences and ask questions. Visit myCareer to see the full range of activities and to book your place.

Connect with graduates
Build your network and job sector knowledge using LinkedIn’s alumni tool. This will allow you to see the career journeys of graduates from your programme, the qualifications they completed, the skills they developed and employers they worked for. You can then ‘connect’ with people of interest.
  • search LinkedIn for ‘University of Plymouth’
  • select ‘Alumni’
  • filter the results by subject, sector, company or location.
For more information about the alumni tool select the LinkedIn alumni tool guide. If you are looking for help to set up or learn how to make the most out of your LinkedIn profile, select the LinkedIn guide for students or come to one of our workshops .

Other advice and guidance
Gain work experience
Depending on the specialism chosen for your degree and whether you are sponsored or not, you may have the opportunity to spend a year at sea (or more) as part of your degree which will greatly boost your employability skills and your appeal to employers. Provided their performance placements meet employers’ expectations, many students do end up working for their sponsoring company on graduation
Plymouth is ideally situated offer you a myriad of additional opportunities to explore the maritime sector and develop extra skills by getting involved in maritime-related extra-curricular activities, all of which will help to develop relevant skills which will interest employers when you graduate.
Clubs and societies
If you have time, getting involved with sports and societies demonstrates that you are engaged and someone who seeks out opportunities to try new things and develop. Involvement with clubs and societies also help to improve your teamwork, communication and negotiation skills. Committee members develop leadership, diplomacy and organisational skills and will gain experience of meetings, handling funds, and society promotion
You may choose to join a society that is specifically linked to navigation and maritime science or take the opportunity to explore the huge range of clubs, societies and sports, all of which can help you to broaden your horizons and explore new interests.
Tutor and academic support
Your tutor and other academic staff are an excellent source of support for your career development. They will have experience and contacts across industry and academia, so do approach them for advice and insights into careers you are considering. Your tutor will ultimately be writing references for your employment or further study applications, therefore establishing a positive relationship with this person is invaluable.

Our Alumni

Student Hub

Where could your degree subject take you?

Architecture and built environment
Biological sciences
Business, economics, management, marketing, accounting and finance, and maritime and logistics
Chemistry
Computing
Creative arts: art, illustration and photography
Design: interior/product and furniture design, graphic design and game arts/digital design
Earth, geography and environment
Education and teaching
Engineering
Hospitality, tourism and events management
Humanities: anthropology, art history, English and history
Law, criminology and policing
Marine
Mathematical sciences
Media and filmmaking
Medicine, dentistry and biomedical sciences
Music
Nursing, midwifery and allied health professions
Performing arts: acting, drama and musical theatre
Psychology
Sociology, international relations and politics