Why do people choose naval architecture? What is the scope of naval architecture in India or abroad? I am thinking of doing it at CUSAT.

CUSAT offers a four year B.Tech program in Naval Architecture and Shipbuilding. My brother pursued this degree from CUSAT a few years back.

Naval Architecture deals with vessels, moving or stationary, that serve in a marine atmosphere. The vessels include ships plying in ocean or coastal areas, offshore rigs, underwater vehicles, submarines etc. Naval Architects perform mathematical calculations to ensure the sea worthiness of these vessels. For this purpose, softwares and programs are created and fed as algorithms to a machine. Most universities offer a secondary specialization alongside Naval Architecture. If you pursue your B.Tech in Naval Architecture and Shipbuilding, other than N.A. calculations, you will also work on shipbuilding techniques and practices. My brother also worked on a project on the preliminary design of a ship plying in a specific route required to carry cargo(s) at its maximum capacity(meeting the owner’s requirements).

As far as job prospects are concerned, as a Naval Architect, you can be employed by shipping companies, classification societies, consultancies, or research institutes. You can also work at shipyards or at offshore companies that manufacture maritime equipment like life-saving appliances or ship engines.

Indian organizations offer a limited salary in this field, usually ranging from 25,000 - 50,000 INR per month. Abroad, the salary usually ranges from 12 - 40 LPA. Your salary will depend upon your location and job profile. Offshore offers good packages which are way higher than shipbuilding. But because of changes in oil prices at present, only a few offshore companies hire freshers.  Depending on your job type and designation, you will get to travel sometimes/frequently for business, projects or some technical testing work.

You can go for this course at CUSAT. However, I would recommend you to first prioritize the top Indian and Foreign institutions offering this program and to keep CUSAT as a secondary choice.