The Concentration Proposal
If you are pursuing a baccalaureate degree, you must prepare a proposal for faculty approval that
describes how you will fulfill the credit requirements for a concentration. You are expected to
submit the proposal once you have completed 60 credits and the writing requirement (6
credits in English composition).
Proposals are sent to faculty mid-month, every month. You should submit your proposal along with
the Concentration Proposal Review fee to your academic counselor at least two weeks before then
to allow for time to make any changes recommended by your counselor. The faculty requires a
minimum of two weeks to review proposals. Concentration proposals in the fields of Business,
History and Humanities, and Behavioral Sciences and Health Studies are reviewed by one faculty
member. Two faculty members review proposals in areas of Math, Science and Technology, and
proposals in Individualized and Liberal Studies are reviewed by at least two faculty members. There
must be unanimous approval among faculty reviewers in order for the proposal to be
accepted. Your counselor will notify you about the outcome of the review.
Be sure to plan ahead: Don’t delay. Submit your proposal once you have earned 60 credits
and have completed the six credit writing requirement. Faculty may require that you revise the
proposal – especially the essay – so you need to give yourself plenty of time to make the necessary
revisions. Until the proposal receives faculty approval, there is no guarantee that the
proposed credits can be applied toward the concentration so it is in your best interest to
receive approval as soon as possible.
The presentation of your concentration proposal is a major step in the process of earning a
bachelor’s degree at Charter Oak State College. The purpose of the proposal is to establish an
agreement with faculty for fulfillment of the concentration requirements for the degree. As
an external degree student, you do not have the opportunity to meet and discuss your degree
candidacy with faculty as you might on a conventional campus. The essay portion of the proposal is
the vehicle through which you communicate your concentration plan and explain its elements and
how they fit together.
Your counselor will help you decide ways to fulfill the credit requirements of the concentrations that
are described in this section, but you must write the essay portion of the proposal yourself. Your
counselor will review your essay once and may make recommendations for ways to improve the
essay before submitting it for faculty review; but he or she will not act as an editor. If you need help
with writing the essay, there are a number of resources on the Web that can help you. The
concentration proposal is assessed on both content and quality of presentation, including grammar
and punctuation.
When you are ready to propose a concentration, you will prepare the material according to the
following directions.
You may request approval for changes in your concentration at any time, at no additional cost, by
submitting the appropriate paperwork that is forwarded to faculty on the 15th of the month. If you
should have to withdraw from Charter Oak for more than one year, you will have to resubmit
your proposal for faculty review and pay a resubmission fee upon reinstatement into Charter
Oak.
Writing the Concentration Proposal Essay
The essay is the key element of the proposal. Faculty wants to be sure that Charter Oak State
College graduates can communicate their ideas in writing. It is through the essay that you convince
the faculty reviewers that you are an effective communicator and that your concentration is more
than a collection of assorted credits. The essay allows you to explain how the various credits in your
proposed concentration relate to one another and to your educational needs and personal and/or
professional goals. A carefully crafted essay will insure that your initiative, creativity and experience
and ability to communicate through writing are recognized and rewarded through acceptance of
your proposal.
The essay for Individualized Studies and Liberal Arts concentrations should be between 750 and
1500 words (3-5 pages) in length. The essay for other concentrations should be between 500 and
750 words (2-3 pages) in length. All essays should be typewritten, double-spaced, and should
address the following issues:
1. Your reason(s) for pursuing a degree;
2. The knowledge you have acquired or expect to acquire through your concentration;
3. How and why the credit in your concentration fit together to form a strong program or meet
the concentration outcomes; and
4. How this learning will be or has been useful to you in meeting your needs and goals.
A proper essay is well organized and grammatically correct with no typographical errors. It
is not merely a list of the subjects you wish to include in the concentration but, rather, a
discussion of why they fit together and make sense for your own needs and goals.
To help you with the process of composing the essay, we have provided examples of essays that
have been approved by faculty as well as examples of those that have been rejected. Be sure you
read, carefully, the faculty comments preceding each student essay. The concentration
proposal, which lists the credits addressed in the essay, follows each essay. (See Page 37)
Finally, we urge you to use the checklist below. Be sure you have addressed all the items before
submitting your essay.
Did you remember to discuss only the credits in your concentration instead of the
credits in your entire degree program?
Did you talk about what you learned or expect to learn instead of just listing the
subjects you have studied or plan to study?
Did you discuss how the learning will be or has been useful to you in meeting your goals
and needs?
Did you explain why you are pursuing a degree program?
Did you use correct spelling - and the appropriate words? (Don’t use “fancy” words;
they may not be the correct ones or the most effective ones to express your ideas.)
Did you accurately use the terminology of the field(s) included in your concentration?
Did you use complete sentences with subjects and predicates?
Did you use punctuation, such as the semi-colon, appropriately?
And finally:
Will your essay convince faculty that you can communicate well in writing?
ESSAY #1
FACULTY COMMENTS
The "abstract" is not required, but since this turned out to be a lengthy essay, the author
used it to reinforce the overview of his work. This brief introduction, before "justification," goes
directly to the idea of the validity of his discipline and informs the reader about the structure of the
essay.
The first five paragraphs lay out a world of ideas showing the values gained, before plunging
into specific courses in paragraph six ("justification," his boldface topic). In the sub-section
"Affect," the candidate placed each course in his personal realm of knowledge. He refers to
individual meaningful points in courses; his strategy is very strong in emphasizing ideas.
The essay ends strongly. It points to future career objectives that relate to what was studied.
Finally, a full summary reinforces the reader's sense that she has covered the appropriate ground.
Note that the language has been specific and sentences compact and focused, even though the
subject might have seduced the writer into "fluff" and an attempt to impress by overblown language.
STUDENT ESSAY
ABSTRACT
The intertwining relationships between communication and Bible literature/history are
detailed in this essay. A second emphasis describes how knowledge and experience in the two
disciplines was acquired. Theology, morality and societal standards are presented as relevant
influences on communication. Personal experiences demonstrating an interrelation between
communication and Bible literature/history are discussed. Past and present accomplishments are
listed along with future goals.




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

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My essay explains how an Individualized Studies program with a combined concentration of
Communication and Bible History/Literature is a valid discipline. I will demonstrate how the two
areas are interrelated and their relevance to society and myself. I thank Charter Oak State College
for considering my proposal.
JUSTIFICATION
Communicating is a passionate activity. Love, hate, war and peace are made possible by
communication. Although communication is amoral, communicators are not. This essay is not the
proper forum to discuss morality; however, a cursory look at some communication forms will
confirm a value system imposed by society.
The Ascent of Man author, Jacob Bronowski, showed that even before the Amorite ruler
Hammurapi wrote his famous law codes in 1700 BC, verbal rules were proclaimed and enforced.
Contracts, treaties, constitutions, creeds, declarations, and laws are written standards and values,
". . . of the people, by the people and for the people . . ." Why has so much writing and speaking
been spent on regulating what we write and say?
Whether proclaiming lies or withholding truth, we are responsible for what we say (or don't
say) and write (or don't write). To a degree, we are responsible for what we hear and read. Both
true and false information may have adverse affects. Wrong directions given by mistake may cause a
missed appointment. Defective "O" ring information, purposely withheld, increased profits but
caused the Space Shuttle's destruction. The truth about apartheid helped to topple a government
but liberated a people.
Can we trust information from others? Can others trust our information? The benchmark
of trust is truth, but to quote an infamous Roman magistrate, "What is truth?" To answer Pontius
Pilate's universal question, we must turn to the author of truth: The God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. The God of absolutes, black and white, right and wrong.
Of course, everyone doesn't believe as I, nor can they. However, my doctrine requires
inevitable accountability for every word said and written. Communicating is a spiritual affair with
eternal ramifications. I give great importance to communication's "how" (method, style, format
etc.), but I am more concerned with communication's "what" and "why".
A good communicator (whether Christian, Hindu, Islamic or atheist) is able to make
communicating a two way street by drawing ideas out from others. Proverbs says, "He who answers
before listening—that is his folly and shame. . . A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in
revealing his own mind." A good communicator has a long-range, person to person life view and
shows respect through active listening.
The majority of my courses presented for an Individualized Studies degree encompass how
to communicate. Knowing effective and logical ways to relay ideas is the foundation of good
communication. Through courses like Technical Writing, Writing for Publication, Power Writing
and Press Release Writing, I have a solid "form and technique" foundation. However, a foundation
is faulty if not begun with plumb line and a chief cornerstone (what and why). The Bible courses
presented for consideration are my plumb line and cornerstone.
AFFECT
As a non-traditional student, I had the privilege to experience two classroom types: formal
education and military training. My education and experiences have benefited my work and social
lives:
1) Work
I am in the twilight of my military career as a senior non-commissioned officer (NCO). My
duties involve several communication forms: photojournalism, public relations, recruiting, personnel
management and marketing. Recruiting and retention is my current assignment. As a recruiter, I am
the Army's public image. My responsibilities include: public speaking, marketing, media liaison,
prospecting and sales. Many military experiences have taught me more than any classroom could.
Other experiences compliment formal instruction. I will relate one "hands-on" experience as an
example:
I completed an online course (Power Writing) from COSC in May 1999. Power Writing has
sharpened my writing, editing and thinking skills. The material in Power Writing is relevant to me as
an information producer and consumer. Power Writing strengthened my effectiveness as a recruiter
and in public relations. One lesson in particular about media bias was personally meaningful.
A reading assignment from Language in Thought and Action by S.I. Hayakawa, explained
how "visual" reality is often skewed by biased or dishonest camera work. Through selective angles
and perspectives, cameras can portray an event contrary to factual context.
A few years ago, I experienced Hayakawa's example. One of our units was invited to march
in a parade and I went along to photograph the event and submit a story to the media. When the
unit arrived at the staging area, a small group of protesters (12) tried to stop us from marching.
Reporters descended on the scene and concentrated on close-up shots, giving a false perspective. I
switched to a wide-angle lens and took distant shots, giving a true perspective.
After the parade, I processed the prints and submitted the story to the media. The evening
news and morning papers ignored my story and ran their "biased" accounts. Power Writing
confirmed my experience!
2) Social
My most rewarding Bible course was Old Testament Wisdom Literature (OTWL). Many
secular writers and orators quote Psalms, Proverbs, Job and the Song of Solomon as valid wisdom
for today. One essential part of my OTWL course was learning about Near Eastern culture. To
properly understand OTLW, one must understand the Semites and their language.
Semitic language is weak in vowel structure and has only two temporal tenses for its verbs,
unlike the more complex Indo-European verbs. In sentence structure, Semitic languages are less
inclined to use subordinate clauses, that is, to synthesize and organize thought sharply. According to
European thought, Near Eastern literature seems poetic, symbolic and abstract.
James Fenimore Cooper's, The Last of the Mohicans, is helpful in understanding the clash
between European and non-European thought. Chingachgook and his son Uncas (Mohicans),
baffle Duncan and Munro (British officers). The officers are talkative and make "logical" decisions.
The Mohicans are quiet, contemplative and know what the other is thinking. Being in the
wilderness and out of their element, the officers submit to the Mohican's wisdom and learn . . .
Other than the deep theology gleaned from OTWL, I developed a deep respect for other
cultures and realized the "European-American" way isn't the way, but a way. I will explain how
OTWL enriched my social and management skills through another military experience:
Every career NCO is required to attend leadership schools. The schools stress three areas:
battlefield techniques, proper verbal/written communication and counseling. The first NCO school
I attended was a culture shock. I am from Vermont and serve in the Vermont National Guard.
Vermont's minority population is .05%. I hadn't worked or socialized closely with minorities due to
demographics. However, when I went to the NCO school, run by the active Army in Indianapolis,
I was in the minority! The class was 35% African-American, 30% Hispanic American, 10% Asian
American and 25% white. Cultural diversity was upon me! I actively sought out my classmates to
learn their backgrounds and views on life. We had many passionate conversations about politics,
social issues and "values". What I learned about other cultures and different "thought patterns"
from my OTWL class was invaluable to respecting and accepting my fellow soldiers. I went back to
Vermont a richer person than when I left!
One final thought on my experiences in Indiana. My studies in Bible and Church history
included Rome and its army. The Roman army reached its zenith when its ranks were dominated
with non-Romans (minorities). The non-Roman minorities served more for pride than for pay.
Rome owed its greatness to different cultures, as does America. I saw history repeat itself in
Indiana!
PRESENT
My combined learning experiences have enriched my past and continues to propel me today:

I am a successful recruiter due to mastering communication techniques.
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I am a 1st & 2nd grade Sunday school teacher.
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I substitute teach for public and private schools.
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I give motivational speeches to middle and high schools.
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I am proficient with the Career Direction Program developed by Career Training Concepts, Inc.,
and have given several presentations to high schools.
THE FUTURE
My heart yearns to teach. After retirement, I want to teach full-time. Once I receive my BS
from COSC, I will enroll in a post-baccalaureate teaching certificate program offered by the College
of St. Joseph in Rutland, VT. My next step is to enter into a MFA in Creative Non-Fiction Writing
at Norwich University.
CONCLUSION
Knowledge is progressive and learning is adaptive. I've had a diverse education and continue
to pursue knowledge through online and correspondence college courses. I've proved my
adaptability by learning through:
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Video Courses: The Ascent of Man
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Paper Based Correspondence: Technical Writing
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Online Courses: Power Writing
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Formal College Classroom: Writing for Publication
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Military Training: Press Release Writing
Through skills learned from my education, beginning with military training in 1973, I've left my
"fingerprint" on the hearts and minds of many people.
For Essay #1
Baccalaureate Concentration Proposal
Name: ____________________________________
Concentration: Individualized Studies
A minimum of 36 credits required with a minimum of 27 above the basic level
and a minimum of 15 at the upper level with a logical distribution from the liberal arts and professional
studies
Course Number and Title or Exam
Source: Institution,
Grade
Basic
Exam or Evaluation
HUM 152 The Ascent of Man
Number and
Level
of Credits
Adv
Upper
Morton College
A
3
008-120 Speech Communications
Moody Bible Institute
B
3
002-270 Church History
Moody Bible Institute
C
3
001-230 Bible Introduction
Moody Bible Institute
B
3
001-220 Romans
Moody Bible Institute
B
3
001-314 Old Testament Wisdom Literature
Moody Bible Institute
A
3
Ohio University
A
2.7
Moody Bible Institute
B
11 Publicity Release Writing
US Army ACE Eval
P
2
08 Advertising Media
US Army ACE Eval
P
3
07 Field Experience Marketing
US Army ACE Eval
P
3
10 Field Experience Management
US Army ACE Eval
P
3
COSC online
COM
P
3
ENG 305J Technical Writing
008-203 Writing—Publications
ENG 301 Power Writing
3
Subtotal
6
12
20
Total
38
Key to Grade Column: Grade received or ENR=Enrolled; COMP=Completed, but grade not
received yet; PROP=Proposed
ESSAY #2
FACULTY COMMENTS
The essay begins with the candidate's motivation in terms of career. The second paragraph
is very successful in using "fragmentation" as a strength rather than a weakness. Classes are included
in terms of the knowledge they conferred. Sentences are clear. The next paragraph, although it
comes in chronological order, is centered on field of study, not merely dates. The concluding
paragraph summarizes the learning in terms of the career skills of the candidate. Please note that
this essay is both brief and good, its organization driven by content. Extensive thought and revision
went into "discovering" this structure. More time went into eliminating vague and general claims
that would have lengthened the essay but not improved it.
STUDENT ESSAY
It is fourteen years since I started my undergraduate degree, and I am grateful that the
Charter Oak program recognizes the substantial number of credits I have already earned. The
completion of my degree will satisfy a long-standing, personal need for closure, and will provide a
secure underpinning to my career. Currently, I work as Assistant Director of Housing Development
for a non-profit agency in New Haven. It is my ambition to become executive director of such an
organization, then to make policy at a government or foundation post. So far, the lack of a
bachelor's degree has held me back. In the future, I will need a master's degree.
My undergraduate career shows a cohesion that belies its fragmented history. Preparing this
essay has led me to recognize that I have always explored issues surrounding situation: where does
a person fit best and how does she make a place for herself, in a physical setting of whatever size, in
a social network of whatever scale, in an abstract belief system of whatever origin? My earliest
classes in archaeology—literally digging for answers—exposed the inevitable determinism of
physical process. Classes in English history and literature showed how culture and topography can
be interdependent. My focus narrowed when I took a seminar called The History of Geographic
Thought at Columbia. Professor Kempton Webb introduced me to the chronology and dramatis
personae of the tradition, to the variety of academic schools within the discipline, and, most
important, to the idea that science, even the study of something so putatively quantifiable as the
physical world, is a social endeavor acutely susceptible to the influence of that which is human and
unquantifiable.
Several years after that first introduction to geography, I returned to school under markedly
different conditions as a geography major at Kent State University. My work there focused on the
practical rather than the philosophical. The curriculum covered the basic divisions in geography:
human versus physical, regional versus topical, and cartography, both manual and digital. Two
courses, economic and urban geography, especially captured my interest and provided me with
rudimentary concepts that I refer to today. I compare situations in New Haven County to the
models I studied in school, tracing palimpsests and Kondratief waves in the decay of local factories
and the growth of suburban malls.
As I design a low-income housing development in an affluent shoreline town, for residents
who will come from city and suburb, I participate in social engineering on a regional scale; I directly
alter the physical environment of an entire neighborhood; and I help to structure the private lives of
individuals. It is work that revisits the questions of situation and scale that I first identified as a
teenager. I want to devise a philosophy that will embrace this practical knowledge. With a college
degree, I look forward to refining my inquiry, both at work and in graduate school.
For Essay #2
Baccalaureate Concentration Proposal
Name:
Concentration: Geography
A minimum of 36 credits required with a minimum of 27 above the basic level
and a minimum of 15 at the upper level with a logical distribution from the liberal arts and professional
studies
Number and Level
of Credits
Source: Institution,
Exam or Evaluation
Grade
GEOG 22061 Human Geography
Kent State University
A
3
GEOG 21062 Physical Geography
Kent State University
B
3
GEOG 27064 Geog. Of U.S. & Canada
Kent State University
A
3
GEOG 49165 Computer Cartography
Kent State University
A
3
GEOG 49480 Field Study Geography
Kent State University
A
3
GEOG 49006 Spatial Program
Kent State University
B
3
GEOG 40996 Indiv Invest in Geog
Kent State University
B
3
GEOG 29160 Intro Maps & Map Analysis
Kent State University
B
3
GEOG 34070 Economic Geog.
Kent State University
B
3
GEOG 36065 Urban Geog.
Kent State University
A
3
GEOG W4080 Hist Geog Thought
Columbia University
A
3
ANT 470 Archeology Field Work
Calif. State Poly U
A
3
SDCS 470 Archeology Field Work
Calif. State Poly U
A
2
Course Number and Title or Exam
Basic
Subtotal
Adv
Upper
0
9
27
Total
36
Key to Grade Column: Grade received or ENR=Enrolled; COMP=Completed, but grade not
received yet; PROP=Proposed
ESSAY #3
FACULTY COMMENTS
A clearly stated degree objective begins the essay. The second and third paragraph address
the work completed, both telling us what was accomplished and how it developed mastery in the
field. The fourth and fifth paragraph place remaining courses in context, citing their content.
Because this essay is so brief, its concise and specific sentences and perfect grammar are very
important to its success.
STUDENT ESSAY
It is my goal to attend graduate studies in Geography at Central Connecticut State University
(CCSU). However, I must first obtain a four-year bachelor's degree. I have already obtained a
three-year bachelor's degree from the University of Waterloo in Canada, leaving me with one
additional year of study to complete. Since I am now living in Connecticut, I cannot finish this extra
year in Canada. Most Connecticut colleges will only grant a degree if the last two years of the degree
are completed at their campus. Charter Oak College has provided me with the opportunity to
pursue this degree in the most efficient manner.
The concentration I have chosen is geography. As my transcripts indicate, I have met the
core requirements for a general geography degree at the University of Waterloo. There I received a
ground in a variety of topics relating to geography. All the important aspects of geography, from
physical, human, economic, and environmental, were addressed. I gained an understanding of
human relationships with both built and natural environments.
The introductory courses in physical and human geography helped me to decide the area of
geography that most suited my interests. I knew then that physical geography was the direction I
would follow. The course in air photo analysis and remote sensing sparked an interest in maps and
compiling data on physical features. To gain an in-depth knowledge of human impact on
environments I took courses in field research, conservation/resource management, and urban
geography. Regional geography was addressed in the course on the Soviet Union.
The additional courses I undertook at Central Connecticut State University were to further
my interest in geographical information systems (GIS), which is the specific area of study I intend to
focus on in graduate school. Since geographic information systems are used by both state and local
governments, I chose a community and regional planning course to give me an idea of the planning
process and how GIS fits into it. The course in computer cartography not only exposed me to
several software packages, it also showed me the most effective method for presenting information
in map form.
I am currently completing Liberal Arts credits to meet Charter Oak's requirements. In the
spring I intend to take a computer course to refresh my skills and complete the remaining credits.
Once I have concluded my studies through Charter Oak College I will have rounded out my
bachelor's degree and prepared myself to confidently commence graduate school.
For Essay #3
Baccalaureate Concentration Proposal
Name:
Concentration:
Geography
A minimum of 36 credits required with a minimum of 27 above the basic level
and a minimum of 15 at the upper level with a logical distribution from the liberal arts and professional
studies
Course Number and Title or Exam
Source: Institution,
Grade
Number and
Level
of Credits
Basic
Exam or Evaluation
Adv
Upper
Intro Physical Geography
Univ. Waterloo ECE Evaluation
A
3
Intro Human Geography
Univ. Waterloo ECE Evaluation
A
3
Intro Air Photo Anal. & Remote Sensing
Univ. Waterloo ECE Evaluation
A
3
Economic & Urban Geography
Univ. Waterloo ECE Evaluation
A
3
The Nature of Geography
Univ. Waterloo ECE Evaluation
B
3
Conservation & Mgmnt
Univ. Waterloo ECE Evaluation
A
3
Soviet Union (Geography)
Univ. Waterloo ECE Evaluation
A
3
Applied Climatology
Univ. Waterloo ECE Evaluation
A
Field Research
Univ. Waterloo ECE Evaluation
B
3
GEOG 378 Intro Geography Info. Syst.
Central Conn. State Univ.
A
3
GEOG 441 Community & Regional Plan
Central Conn. State Univ.
A
3
GEOG 476 Computer Cartography
Central Conn. State Univ.
A
Subtotal
3
6
12
Total
36
Key to Grade Column: Grade received or ENR=Enrolled; COMP=Completed, but grade not
received yet; PROP=Proposed
3
18
ESSAY#4
FACULTY COMMENTS
The first paragraph focuses on the career and ends dramatically with the named
concentration. Boldface subtopic headings help by providing signposts for readers. The first two
topical headings outline the work involved in the field. Sentences show a nice balance of concrete
references with the overall concepts that make a field. The author is actually introducing his readers
into how to understand what he does conceptually. Good topic sentences like the one on paragraph
seven and eight are very helpful.
In "The Management of Finances," a transition word helps us. The main theme is restated
and connected to this segment, and specific points regarding the area are cited. The writing does
not lapse into technical jargon or nonsense, but remains specific and "plain English." Notably, this
essay covers subject matter carefully but without making sentences or paragraphs dependent on
citing the specific course name and number frequently: he writes by content of the discipline.
The formal "conclusion" is brief and succinct. Actually, the four-paragraph closing section
on "Engineering technology and Management Expertise" is also a career summary, helping place
education and experience in relation to each other. The author does not just "chop" us at the end of
a list of courses. He gathers life and thought together as a major career summary. He also well uses
the opportunity to cite endorsements of his work from other sources, indicating clearly where they
were gained.
STUDENT ESSAY
Individualized Studies: Naval Engineering Technology & Management
I desire to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree with a concentration in Individualized
Studies. It combines the technical aspects of shipboard machinery and the management of the
technicians that operate and perform maintenance on that equipment. This concentration plan
relies heavily on experiences I have gained as a naval engineer in the United States Coast Guard
(USCG). Accordingly, my focus is entitled Naval Engineering Technology and Management.
What does Naval Engineering involve?
In the USCG, as in the rest of the maritime industry, naval engineering involves all sizes and
types of machinery used for the propulsion of a ship and includes all the auxiliary systems that are
needed to keep a micro-society self-sufficient. Typically, systems to produce electricity, steam,
drinking water, ventilation, air conditioning, heat, and sewage abatement also fall into the realm of
this discipline.
Naval engineers are trained to operate and repair these systems while isolated from an
external support umbilical. The naval engineer's duties allow the ship to remain at sea for extended
periods of time. It is the responsibility of the chief naval engineer to manage the vessel's technical
personnel and equipment to ensure the missions' performance, and to do so within a limited budget.
The Management of Equipment
First of all, my focus in Naval Engineering Technology and Management relies heavily on
the principles to the understanding of the shipboard equipment operation, with emphasis on the
management of the equipment through its life cycle. Through my twenty-year association with the
USCG, I have consistently worked on and with the machinery that keeps the Unit operating.
The hard sciences provided the foundation needed to effectively understand how machinery
operates. For example, having completed courses in physics and chemistry, I was able to apply
some of these precepts in the understanding of an internal combustion engine's operation, the
transformation of potential energy in the form of petroleum fuel into kinetic (thermal) energy.
Additionally, the efficiency of each engine as it contributed to the entire propulsion system was
easier to comprehend after applying the fundamentals of courses in statistics and mathematics.
Knowledge of Internal Combustion Engines has been critical to me, as I have been tasked
with analyzing the engine's performance trends to better predict the most efficient scheduling of
heavy maintenance. Through a combination of resident technician courses and experience acquired
through the operation of this equipment, I obtained a fluent understanding of their intricacies. I
routinely oversaw the scheduling of two months of pier-side maintenance to the diesel propulsion
plant, sixty days in advance. This resulted in engines being consistently maintained in a condition to
support our Agency's motto: "Always Ready."
Because an average ship is equipped with more pumps than any other single piece of
equipment, understanding the principles of fluid dynamics is also essential. Centrally located energy
is easily transmitted through decks and walls through small pipes and hoses, and thus hydraulic
systems are fundamentally irreplaceable in a vibration prone environment. As a result, the
experience and training that I gained in the field of hydraulics provided me with the skills needed to
service a multitude of power transmission systems as well as both cooling and transfer systems.
Furthermore, my success in the management of machinery can be attributed to my ability to
forecast and schedule planned maintenance throughout its anticipated life cycle. Through
experience, I learned to balance the ship's schedule with the available resources to ensure that the
performance of maintenance continually occurs at the optimum time. An acquired understanding of
how the equipment is expected to operate during normal operation provided imperative. I balanced
this with an understanding of the dynamic environment and could recognize the impact of the
ocean's forces on the machinery. This insight aided me in predicting the machinery's continued
performance.
The Management of Finances
Secondly, I submit that my success as a naval engineer included a keen grasp of resource
management to maximize the maintenance performed within the financial constraints of available
funding. I maintained the operability of each vessel assigned, using a blend of commercial vendors
and in-house technicians. One of my greatest challenges involved balancing the productivity of the
in-house workforce with strict federal regulations governing commercially contracted assistance and
a limited budget. The balance is critical because in the absence of either resource, the endeavor
becomes too onerous on the only available resource and results in a severe degradation of the
overall operability of the vessel. Thus, proficiency in budget management was invaluable.
The Management of Naval Engineers
Thirdly, my knowledge and experience in personnel management has earned me the respect
of my peers and the admiration of my supervisors. One of my greatest challenges was ensuring that
the correct resource was applied at the correct time. The equipment operators, or technicians, are
the most critical resource because they influence the equipment's functionality and by doing so
directly impact its reliability. In the shipboard environment, impediments to properly applied
resources include workplace hazards like noise, heat stress & fatigue and level of operator
qualification.
My understanding of the principles of management has probably been the capstone to my
success as a naval engineer. As seniority in the organization increases, the naval engineer's value
becomes less dependent on technical acumen and more on the skills to manage personnel. Naval
engineering management is provided in the form of leadership at various levels of the organization.
In nearly all cases, new leadership situations require drawing from organizational knowledge and
relying heavily on good judgment. Through experience, I could recognize the basic and individual
needs of my subordinates and identify when it is within my power to provide for these needs. A
thorough understanding of organizational behavior has allowed me to recognize the environmental
changes that can be affected.
The ability to successfully manage young, entry-level personnel from diverse backgrounds,
ranging in age from 18 to 22, is vital. My experience and training in many of the more progressive
precepts of Human Relations has served me invaluably. Because the naval engineering environment
is so physically and emotionally demanding, the need to attract entry-level workers is essential.
Often my challenge was to encourage the workforce, whose modest pay scale and life style of
personal sacrifice required careful motivation and genuine encouragement. Further, the need to
retain these workers once they have been fully trained, is critical to grooming the mid-level managers
of the future and increases the training investment return. I would estimate that over 85% of those
entry-level technicians that I had influenced remained in the USCG beyond their initial enlistment.
As with any organization prone to the whims of social and political unrest on a national
level, effective naval engineering management requires the ability to overcome the challenges of
workplace problems created by such outside influences. Deployment schedule changes, budget cuts
personnel shortages and the hardships created by family separation, create management concerns
that require positive and effective action. I have often relied on the skills of problem management in the
performance of my duties as the Engineer Officer. Encouraging a personal balance in Work/Life
was a service-wide initiative that I applied, often making exceptions to rules based on family
situations.
Naval Engineering Technology & Management Experience
Finally, my focus in the Naval Engineering Technology & Management relied heavily on the
experiences gained as an engineer and leader. The USCG provided real life leadership opportunities.
After only eight years in the USCG and with only limited leadership training, I was given an
opportunity to manage a group of eight engineers and oversee the production of electricity on a
secluded island in the South Pacific for a one-year assignment. The tour resulted in 99% "on air"
time for the transmitting station we operated.
Twelve years later, in my last shipboard assignment, which ended in July 1997, I was
assigned as the chief naval engineer on a 378-foot ship. It was the second largest ship in the service,
with only eleven others like it in the country. I was responsible for the operation and maintenance
of the propulsion plant, all auxiliary systems, 53 subordinate engineers, and an annual budget of
nearly one-quarter of a million dollars. The operational commitments of the ship included several
two-month patrols in Alaska's Bering Sea, a patrol of the Hawaiian Islands & Guam, a South
American deployment, and a naval training exercise off San Diego.
During my shipboard assignment, I demonstrated superior management practices and the
Department I was responsible for, was cited as "Best in the Fleet," by Coast Guard Compliance
Inspectors, evaluating our ship for overall USCG program adherence.
I consider my cumulative experience and education to have been key factors in my success
as a Coast Guard naval engineer and officer. As further proof of this, I have been promoted to the
rank of Lieutenant Commander with those in my professional peer group, many of whom have
obtained graduate degrees. To quantify the success of my experience, I submit for your review the
Officer Evaluation Report (OER) I received from my supervisor, the ship's Commanding Officer
on 31 May 1997. It details the nature of my assigned responsibilities, much of which is
unfortunately cloaked in military acronyms, but nonetheless convey discernable successes on several
managerial fronts.
Conclusion
The naval engineering world encompasses the union of three major resources: Equipment,
Finances, and Personnel. My success in this environment has depended on the correct mixture of each
resource. I hope that I have adequately demonstrated how my training and experience have been
key in this success.
For Essay #4
Baccalaureate Concentration Proposal
Name
Concentration:
Individualized Studies
A minimum of 36 credits required with a minimum of 27 above the basic level
and a minimum of 15 at the upper level with a logical distribution from the liberal arts and
professional studies
Number and Level
of Credits
Source: Institution,
Exam or Evaluation
Grade
PHY 100 Survey of Physics
South Seattle C.C.
A
3.3
Mat 240 Elementary Statistics
South Seattle C.C.
B
3.3
Mat 124 Calculus with analytic geometry
South Seattle C.C.
C
3.3
USCG Rating 01 Internal Combustion
Engines
ACE Evaluation
A
6
Field Experience/marine propulsion
sys. Oper.
ACE Evaluation
P
3
USCG Rating 03 Hydraulics
ACE Evaluation
P
2
USCG Training Naval Science
ACE Evaluation
P
3
USCG Rating 07 Budget Administration
ACE Evaluation
P
3
USCG Rating 04 Principles of
Management
ACE Evaluation
P
3
USCG Inst 01 Organizational Behavior
ACE Evaluation
P
USCG Training 03 Human
Relations/Management
ACE Evaluation
P
3
USCG Rating 05 Management
Problems
ACE Evaluation
P
3
USCG Rating 06 Field Experience in
Management
ACE Evaluation
P
3
Course Number and Title or Exam
Basic
Subtotal
Adv
Upper
2
9.9
13
18
Total
40.9
Key to Grade Column: Grade received or ENR=Enrolled; COMP=Completed, but grade not
received yet; PROP=Proposed