Coast Guard Licensing Program

4/27/20 : COVID-19 Impact Update:  Credential Information for Graduating Seniors

Academic Completion via Distance Learning - If you are completing your academic requirements via distance learning, and passed your licensing exams, your credential has been pre-printed and is effective 5/2/2020. Ms. Christopher will be contacting you regarding arrangements for delivery of your credential packet, which includes your officer's credential, updated Medical Cert and program completion certificate(s). You will be eligible to receive your MMC as soon as final grades have been posted and you have been cleared by the Office of the Registrar.

Face to Face Instruction Required - If your program requires face to face (F2F) instruction to complete your program requirements, and you've passed your licensing exams, your credential will be requested as soon as a final date of instruction has been determined. Your MMC will be dated to mirror the final date of F2F instruction. Ms. Christopher will be contacting you as soon as final grades are posted and you have been cleared by the Office of the Registrar, regarding arrangements for delivery of your credential packet, which will include your officer's credential, updated Medical Cert and program completion certificate(s).

Outstanding USCG Exams - If you are completing your academic requirements this spring, and require USCG re-examination or re-tests, your credential will be requested as soon as the Licensing Office receives official notification of your exam scores, and you are academically complete.  Kindly be reminded that re-tests and re-examination appointments cannot be scheduled until the Regional Exam Centers re-open to the public. Your credential will be dated the day that you are program complete. Processing time for receipt of credentials is typically 3-4 weeks. Processing timelines may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Christopher will provide updates once your credential request is processed.

3/19/20: COVID-19 Impact Update: Due to ongoing COVID-19 safety and health concerns, beginning Thursday, 19 March, 2020, all USCG Regional Examination Centers (REC) and Monitoring Units (MU) will be closed to the public until further notice. The National Maritime Center (NMC) will closely monitor the situation and restore these services as soon as possible. All licensing exam appointments are cancelled, and must be re-scheduled through the Cal Maritime Licensing Office, once REC operations have resumed. It is anticipated that extensions will be granted to active exam cycles and Approval to Test letters for days lost due to the closure.

California State University Maritime Academy offers a variety of degrees grounded in the maritime tradition. Three majors are structured such that the student will receive a Bachelors' degree and USCG credential endorsed as a 3rd Mate or 3rd Assistant Engineer upon the successful and timely completion of the curriculum, to include application for and passing of the appropriate United States Coast Guard (USCG) licensing exams.

These USCG approved programs are reviewed and re-approved every five (5) years by the USCG and the Maritime Administration.  Each program approval specifies the US Code and IMO STCW Tables of Competence that each program meets.  These competencies are embedded within the curriculum and, each student, upon successful and timely completion of the program, to include application for and passing of the relevant USCG licensing exam will have demonstrated basic competency.

Cadets that plan to become a member of the US Merchant Marine must in enroll and complete all degree requirements in a license track academic program. The USCG Licensing Office ensures that all required Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping, (commonly referred to as STCW policies) established by the United States Coast Guard are implemented and executed by students in the Marine Engineering Technology, Marine Transportation, and Mechanical Engineering-License Track undergraduate programs. Students in each program must exhibit competence in all STCW competencies and complete the sea service requirements of our USCG program approval.  

Student records in all areas of the required STCW competencies, watchkeeping and seatime are assessed to ensure that the license candidate can qualify to test for his/her USCG 3rd Assistant Engineer (engineering officer) or 3rd Mate (deck officer) exam, which is administered by the USCG during the final semester of their senior year, in order to obtain a USCG license as a merchant marine officer upon graduation.

STCW Gap Closure