Shaping Ship Design Excellence With The Marine Institute’s Unique MMD and NARC Programs
Behind every ship’s smooth lines and powerful machinery are intricate systems of engineering, naval architecture, and mechanical design working together to keep vessels operating smoothly on the water. At Memorial University’s Marine Institute in St. John’s, Newfoundland, two unique programs, the Marine Mechanical Design (MMD) and Naval Architecture (NARC) Diplomas of Technology, prepare students to master these complexities and drive the future of shipbuilding. These programs produce highly skilled graduates in exceptional demand across the marine industry.
As Jonathan Lee, Chair of Marine Mechanical Design, explains, “We are preparing our students for industry. We’re not just giving them a whole bunch of theory, we’re actually giving them practical experience and work and we tend to mimic industry very, very closely.”
As Jonathan Lee, Chair of Marine Mechanical Design, explains, “We are preparing our students for industry. We’re not just giving them a whole bunch of theory, we’re actually giving them practical experience and work and we tend to mimic industry very, very closely.”
An MMD student at Memorial Institute
Distinctive Programs Aligned with Industry Needs
Both programs have been designed to keep pace with Canada’s rapidly evolving maritime sector, offering comprehensive marine education and training to prepare students for these challenges.
Every instructor has significant real-world industry experience, ensuring practical, hands-on learning in small cohorts and project work that mirrors real-world maritime challenges.
Graduates of the MMD and NARC programs enjoy a broad range of career options, including shore-based ship management and operations careers in Canada and internationally. Mechanical designers and naval architects work at shipyards, engineering firms, and design consultancies in Canada and internationally. Many are recruited even before graduation, underscoring the programs’ reputation for producing workforce-ready talent.
Marine Mechanical Design (MMD): A North American Standout
The Marine Mechanical Design program is the only one of its kind in North America, preparing students in mechanical design, maintenance, and repair, covering propulsion, electrical, and structural components. Students quickly learn industry software, the same being used in real world work environments, like AutoCAD. When students graduate, they can expect their workplace setups to be very similar to what they had as students, making the transition into the industry a sensible and familiar process.
As Lee explains, “It’s not just about drafting and modeling. We’re training technologists. They need to know how to write reports professionally.” The capstone project begins in the second year, where students select a ship and design multiple piping systems, evolving from simple diagrams to detailed 3D engine room models with vendor information incorporated.
Current student Courtney Sweetapple finds the systems design course particularly valuable. She says, “That one is probably the most valuable because it brings the full picture of all the theoretical courses.”
Through the MMD courses and capstone project, students graduate with the confidence and skills to meet real-world design demands. Lee emphasizes the comprehensive experience: “Our students see the full life cycle of ship design, from conceptual diagrams to technical procurement and, finally, to detailed modeling.”
Both programs have been designed to keep pace with Canada’s rapidly evolving maritime sector, offering comprehensive marine education and training to prepare students for these challenges.
Every instructor has significant real-world industry experience, ensuring practical, hands-on learning in small cohorts and project work that mirrors real-world maritime challenges.
Graduates of the MMD and NARC programs enjoy a broad range of career options, including shore-based ship management and operations careers in Canada and internationally. Mechanical designers and naval architects work at shipyards, engineering firms, and design consultancies in Canada and internationally. Many are recruited even before graduation, underscoring the programs’ reputation for producing workforce-ready talent.
Marine Mechanical Design (MMD): A North American Standout
The Marine Mechanical Design program is the only one of its kind in North America, preparing students in mechanical design, maintenance, and repair, covering propulsion, electrical, and structural components. Students quickly learn industry software, the same being used in real world work environments, like AutoCAD. When students graduate, they can expect their workplace setups to be very similar to what they had as students, making the transition into the industry a sensible and familiar process.
As Lee explains, “It’s not just about drafting and modeling. We’re training technologists. They need to know how to write reports professionally.” The capstone project begins in the second year, where students select a ship and design multiple piping systems, evolving from simple diagrams to detailed 3D engine room models with vendor information incorporated.
Current student Courtney Sweetapple finds the systems design course particularly valuable. She says, “That one is probably the most valuable because it brings the full picture of all the theoretical courses.”
Through the MMD courses and capstone project, students graduate with the confidence and skills to meet real-world design demands. Lee emphasizes the comprehensive experience: “Our students see the full life cycle of ship design, from conceptual diagrams to technical procurement and, finally, to detailed modeling.”
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It's an intense program, but there's that laid back aspect with an opportunity to learn in an open environment. That's what makes Marine Institute very special. It's the best kept secret here in Newfoundland.
Naval Architecture (NARC) Program: Designing Canada’s Shipbuilding Future
Tracing back to the Institute’s origins as the Fisheries College in 1964, the Naval Architecture program equips students “to design, operate and maintain fleets,” explains Winston Pynn, "Here it’s almost closer to an apprentice type relationship between teachers and students. Even though we're part of the university, it still kind of has more of a college feel where the students are working on actual models or drawings. Instructors are acting more as consultants or engineering manager helping them out."
With the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) revitalizing the sector, NARC graduates are highly sought after. The NSS, launched in 2010, aims to renew Canada’s federal fleet by building vessels for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Transport Canada. Between 2012 and 2024, NSS contracts contributed nearly $39 billion to the economy and supported over 21,000 jobs annually.
The program’s curriculum emphasizes four core areas essential to shipbuilding: stability, ensuring vessels remain safe and upright; structure, encompassing engineering hulls and internal supports; space planning for optimal vessel layout; and powering, which involves designing propulsion systems with growing focus on sustainable technologies such as ammonia hybrids. NARC also prepares students to work with cutting-edge production technologies including CNC machining, which uses programmed computer control to automate highly precise machining operations, and artificial intelligence for optimized ship design and manufacturing.
Hands-on learning culminates in a rigorous final-year capstone project where students design a ship through iterative stages, refining it as they move forward in a structure known as the “design spiral.” Pynn explains, "By the end of May, they have a really good project that they can use for their portfolio, and we have industry, family, and schools come in for an open house. Then, they do a final presentation in front of an auditorium where again we have industry come in and we have people asking them questions about their design and they get a chance to get up there and show it off."
Preparing Graduates for Success: Building Canada's Marine Workforce
Small classes and accessible instructors define the student experience. Jonathan Lee reflects, “It's an intense program, but there's that laid back aspect with an opportunity to learn in an open environment. That's what makes Marine Institute very special. It's the best kept secret here in Newfoundland.” This supportive environment, combined with demanding coursework, helps students build strong work ethics and durable professional skills.
By combining experienced instructors, hands-on applied learning, and industry-aligned technology use, the Marine Institute’s NARC and MMD programs are preparing graduates to excel and adapt in the marine ship design and maintenance sectors.
For more program information and details on how to apply, visit the Naval Architecture (NARC) and Marine Mechanical Design MMD pages on the Marine Institute website.
Tracing back to the Institute’s origins as the Fisheries College in 1964, the Naval Architecture program equips students “to design, operate and maintain fleets,” explains Winston Pynn, "Here it’s almost closer to an apprentice type relationship between teachers and students. Even though we're part of the university, it still kind of has more of a college feel where the students are working on actual models or drawings. Instructors are acting more as consultants or engineering manager helping them out."
With the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) revitalizing the sector, NARC graduates are highly sought after. The NSS, launched in 2010, aims to renew Canada’s federal fleet by building vessels for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Transport Canada. Between 2012 and 2024, NSS contracts contributed nearly $39 billion to the economy and supported over 21,000 jobs annually.
The program’s curriculum emphasizes four core areas essential to shipbuilding: stability, ensuring vessels remain safe and upright; structure, encompassing engineering hulls and internal supports; space planning for optimal vessel layout; and powering, which involves designing propulsion systems with growing focus on sustainable technologies such as ammonia hybrids. NARC also prepares students to work with cutting-edge production technologies including CNC machining, which uses programmed computer control to automate highly precise machining operations, and artificial intelligence for optimized ship design and manufacturing.
Hands-on learning culminates in a rigorous final-year capstone project where students design a ship through iterative stages, refining it as they move forward in a structure known as the “design spiral.” Pynn explains, "By the end of May, they have a really good project that they can use for their portfolio, and we have industry, family, and schools come in for an open house. Then, they do a final presentation in front of an auditorium where again we have industry come in and we have people asking them questions about their design and they get a chance to get up there and show it off."
Preparing Graduates for Success: Building Canada's Marine Workforce
Small classes and accessible instructors define the student experience. Jonathan Lee reflects, “It's an intense program, but there's that laid back aspect with an opportunity to learn in an open environment. That's what makes Marine Institute very special. It's the best kept secret here in Newfoundland.” This supportive environment, combined with demanding coursework, helps students build strong work ethics and durable professional skills.
By combining experienced instructors, hands-on applied learning, and industry-aligned technology use, the Marine Institute’s NARC and MMD programs are preparing graduates to excel and adapt in the marine ship design and maintenance sectors.
For more program information and details on how to apply, visit the Naval Architecture (NARC) and Marine Mechanical Design MMD pages on the Marine Institute website.
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