Overview

The Fundamentals of Engineering Acoustics curriculum is available to resident and Distance Learning students. It can be combined with SONAR System Applications and Underwater Acoustics academic certificate programs for partial fulfillment of requirements for Master of Science in Engineering Acoustics or Master of Engineering Acoustics degrees by Distance Learning students. Students typically take one course per quarter within a period of 4 quarters (12 months). The Distance Learning classes are usually timed to coincide with resident offerings. The course of studies is designed to improve the student's performance in operational, maintenance, research, engineering, and acquisition positions by providing them with a firm background in the fundamentals of physical acoustics and sonar engineering with emphasis on naval applications.

Courses Required

Eligibility

The following are eligible for this offering:

• Naval Officers
• Naval Enlisted
• Non-Naval Officers
• Non-Naval Enlisted
• DON Civilians
• DOD Civilians
• Defense Contractors
• International military personnel

Requirements for Entry

• Baccalaureate degree with mathematics through differential and integral calculus
• Calculus-based basic physics sequence
• Courses in the physical sciences and engineering are highly desirable

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, you will be able to:

• determine and solve equivalent electrical circuits for a broad range of mechanical oscillators;
• solve for normal modes and the driven steady-state response of the following wave systems for a variety of boundary conditions: transverse waves on strings; longitudinal, flexural, and torsional waves on bars; and transverse waves on membranes;
• identify nonideal behavior in experiments of mechanical oscillations and waves, and offer explanations for this behavior;
• model actual acoustic sources by using the radiation patterns, radiation impedances, and directivities of the standard sources of a pulsating line segment, sphere, and baffled circular piston;
• calculate the reflection and transmission of plane sound waves incident on the planar interface between two different acoustic mediums, and for the sound incident on a layer. Use the method of images for spherical waves incident on planar boundaries;
• calculate the effects of different attenuation mechanisms of sound in various gases and liquids;
• calculate the frequencies of Helmholtz resonators, as well as normal mode frequencies of sound in pipes and cavities;
• set up controlled acoustics experiments and gather reliable data. Do quantitative error analyses, and account for deviations of the experimental data from the theory;
• calculate the receiving and transmitting sensitivities of an underwater transducer by using the canonical electromechanical transduction equations;
• design an underwater piezoceramic transducer with specific desired characteristics;
• identify an appropriate underwater projector for use at very-low frequencies, where piezoceramic projectors are insufficient;
• calculate the signal-to-noise ratio of a hydrophone in the ocean and implement changes in the design to improve this ratio;
• experimentally calibrate a hydrophone by using reciprocity and measure the efficiency of an underwater sound projector.

Application Information

Applications are handled by the NPS Admissions Office. Please visit the admissions website or contact them at admissions@nps.edu.

Tuition & Service Obligation

For information regarding tuition, please contact the NPS Tuition office at tuition@nps.edu, or contact NPS Online Support at online@nps.edu.

For information regarding service obligation, please visit the Admissions Office’s Eligibility/Service Obligation page.