Pusan National University will introduce three new majors in marine policy, marine finance, and marine AX in March 2027. This expansion adds marine policy, finance, and technology education to the existing international trade and logistics programs, increasing the overall enrollment capacity of the graduate school.
The university announced on September 22 that it has received internal approval to restructure the current International Graduate School into the International Marine Graduate School by March 2027.
A university official stated, "The internal approval has been completed, and existing majors will continue to operate as they are."
The graduate school plans to increase its annual enrollment from 55 master's and 11 doctoral students to 70 master's and 20 doctoral students, including those in cooperative programs. It added that there will be no separate quotas for each major, and students will be selected from the overall enrollment capacity.
The curriculum will be developed to further specialize the marine sector, which was previously covered broadly under the international logistics and port management major, into distinct areas of policy, finance, and technology. The graduate school noted that applicants who did not major in marine or fisheries studies or logistics at the undergraduate level will also be eligible to apply.
To incorporate field feedback into the curriculum draft, Pusan National University held an 'Education Innovation Forum' on September 21 at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center. Thirteen experts from relevant organizations, including the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Korea Maritime Promotion Corporation, the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), and the Busan Port Authority (BPA), attended the forum, which had around 50 participants, including faculty and students.
During the forum, the draft curriculum for the three new majors was presented, and discussions were held on the operational direction following expert debates. A survey was conducted among the attending experts to gather additional feedback.
Pusan National University plans to revise the curriculum and course draft by October 2, incorporating the advisory feedback. After further consultations by October 16, the final curriculum and courses are expected to be confirmed by October 30.
Recruitment for faculty positions is also underway. The graduate school indicated that it will primarily operate with existing faculty and newly hired instructors, but may utilize adjunct professors from other departments as needed.
Before the launch, the school must secure instructors for the new majors and finalize the course structure that integrates policy, finance, and technology. Differentiating from existing marine education programs is also a challenge. It is essential to connect the curriculum with the competencies students will acquire and the fields they can enter after graduation.
There is also work to translate the advice from field experts into actual educational content. Incorporating feedback from relevant organizations into the courses and addressing practical issues in the marine industry will support the goal of cultivating specialized talent.
Kim Seok-soo, Dean of the International Graduate School, stated, "The International Marine Graduate School, set to launch in March 2027, is expected to become a hub for training marine policy and marine business professionals needed in Busan, the marine capital of Korea."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.