Master in Navigation

The Master's program in Navigation at the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia runs for three semesters and is taught in English through the Faculty of Navigation and Naval Weapons, the oldest faculty at the Academy. Established originally to train officers for weapons systems operation and command of Polish Navy ships, the faculty has for the past fifteen years extended its work to civilian students preparing for officer duties on commercial vessels and other parts of the maritime industry. Four units make up the faculty: the Institute of Navigation and Maritime Hydrography, the Institute of Naval Weapons and Computer Science, the Department of Ship's Operation, and the Department of Hydroacoustics. Instruction is built around Poland's civilian and military regulations together with the recommendations of international maritime conventions, and the faculty offers two courses of study, navigation and computer science, with the second-cycle track in marine navigation available to students continuing from a first degree. Teaching facilities include a set of ship simulators and laboratories in radio navigation systems, electronic navigational charts, hydrometeorology, shipboard navigational aids, and ship manoeuvring and automated navigation systems, plus a planetarium. At master's level, students build on earlier navigation training with more advanced coursework, moving toward specialization in areas such as maritime traffic management, advanced instrumentation, and command-level decision-making. Graduates of maritime navigation master's programs generally pursue senior deck officer roles, fleet management positions, or further academic work connected to navigation and maritime hydrography, drawing on the combination of simulator-based training and theoretical study offered at the Gdynia faculty.