Coastal engineering is the study of the natural processes at the shoreline and within the coastal zone, resulting in purposeful engineering intervention in the coastal system. Coastal engineering encompasses many different interest areas, including flooding, pollutant transport, estuary recirculation and sediment transport.

For example: the momentum of waves moving into a surf zone creates long- and cross-shore currents that transport sand from one area of a beach to another. If more sand is moved away from a site than towards it, the shoreline begins to erode. This can be a serious problem, especially in beachfront areas that have been developed for residential and commercial use. A coastal engineer would study the processes of the waves causing the erosion, both outside and inside the surf zone, and then determine the best method or methods to stop the beach erosion and rebuild the shoreline. These methods could involve hard structures, like jetties, breakwaters, groins or seawalls, or soft structures, like beach nourishment.

Civil and environmental engineering students have the advantage of studying in a “living laboratory,” conducting research within a coastal environment and benefiting from the extensive local facilities available at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography.