Education and Training Requirements
High School
Ship's captains must have good communication and organizational skills, in addition to solid maritime knowledge. While in high school, take classes in English, business, math, science, computers, and, if offered, marine science.
Postsecondary Education
Most ship's captains have an associate's or bachelor's degree. Many receive their degrees from maritime colleges or academies. Undergraduate programs include marine transportation, maritime operations and technology, marine engineering, and logistics and intermodal transportation. Other areas that are typically covered are meteorology, electronic navigation, ship construction, and maritime law. Courses in communications, English, business management, computers, and math are also helpful for this type of work.
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