"We Help You Shape Your Future"
BSMarE Bacolod combines marine engineering study, simulator experience, and preparation for shipboard training.
The BSMarE program at VMA Global College is your pathway to becoming a licensed Marine Engineer — one of the most in-demand and highest-paying seafaring careers in the Philippines and worldwide. Offered in Bacolod City by the only maritime school in Negros Occidental with its own training facilities, VMA’s Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering is recognized by CHED under Government Recognition No. 291, Series of 2000, and fully accredited by MARINA. The program combines three years of intensive academic study with one year of hands-on shipboard training — producing world-class engine officers ready for immediate deployment.
Compare VMA’s Marine Transportation program and review maritime education guidance from MARINA.
(GR no. 291)
Certified
The Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE) is a four-year undergraduate degree that prepares students to become licensed Engine Officers and Officers-in-Charge of an Engine Watch (OICEW) on seagoing ships with main propulsion machinery of 750 kW or more. Unlike deck officers who navigate the ship, marine engineers are responsible for operating, maintaining, and managing all shipboard machinery — making them indispensable to every vessel at sea.
Essential information about the Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering.
Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE)
4 years (3 years iacademic + 1 year shipboard training)
Government Recognition No. 291, Series of 2000
MARINA-Accredited, ISO 21001:2018 Certified Institution
College of Maritime Studies
Capt. Daniel B. Estrabon, Ph.D., M.E.
C/E Geofrey G. Mesaya
Earl Carol Street, Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City, 6100
Upon completing the BSMarE program and passing the PRC Marine Engineering Licensure Examination, graduates will be certified as:
Marine engineers are among the highest-paid professionals in the Philippines seafaring sector. As a result, the BSMarE degree at VMA Bacolod is one of the most career-relevant investments a student can make.
📌 Note: The vision standard for Engine Candidates (20/50 correctable) is less strict than for Deck Candidates (20/40). This is intentional per STCW standards.
Qualified BSMarE students at VMA Bacolod are endorsed every semester for cadetship and scholarship opportunities through our active network of shipping company partners. The same companies that place our BSMT deck officers also recruit our engine officers — giving BSMarE graduates an equally strong pathway to employment. Our current partners include:
80% Deployment Rate Target
In addition, VMA’s Maritime Career and Placement Office (MCAP) conducts Cadetship Screening Tests every semester to match qualified BSMarE students with the right shipping company for their training year.
A Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering opens doors to a broad range of careers — not just at sea, but in industrial and commercial settings on land as well. This makes BSMarE one of the most versatile engineering degrees in the Philippines.
Engine Cadet
Fourth Engineer
Third Engineer
Second Engineer
Chief Engineer
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair — Naval Architecture Support
Ship Operations and Fleet Technical Management
Port Operations and Harbor Engineering
Ship Surveying, Inspection, and Classification
Offshore Oil and Gas Industry — Platform and Rig Engineering
Maritime Education and Training — Engine Department Faculty
Philippine Navy — Naval Engineering Officer
Philippine Coast Guard — Marine Engineering Division
Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)
Power Plants and Energy Companies
Manufacturing Plants and Industrial Facilities
Petroleum and Petrochemical Companies
Technical Superintendent roles in shipping management companies
Discover programs that prepare you for a future at sea, on land, and beyond. Join a community commited to excellence, service, and global impact.
BSMT (Marine Transportation) trains students to become Deck Officers who navigate and command ships. BSMarE (Marine Engineering) trains students to become Engine Officers who operate and maintain shipboard machinery. Both are 4-year programs at VMA Bacolod with one year of shipboard training.
Marine engineers are among the highest-paid professionals in the Philippines seafaring industry. Entry-level Fourth Engineers typically earn between USD 800–1,200 per month, while Chief Engineers can earn USD 5,000–9,000 or more depending on the vessel type and shipping company.
Yes. VMA’s BSMarE program is recognized by the Commission on Higher Education under Government Recognition No. 291, Series of 2000. The institution is also MARINA-accredited and ISO 21001:2018 certified.
Yes. VMA offers a one-semester Bridging Program for registered Mechanical Engineers (BSME graduates) who want to qualify as licensed Marine Engineers. The program has produced over 640 marine engineers since 2006. Visit the Bridging Program page for more details.
VMA Bacolod gives BSMarE students everything they need to pass the licensure exam, complete their cadetship, and land a job with an international shipping company. With a Full Mission Engine Room Simulator, 10 scholarship partners, and 52 years of maritime excellence, there is no better place in Negros Island to earn your marine engineering degree.
