A coastal engineering program may focus on developing skills and abilities that can help graduates find ecological solutions that are environmentally friendly. While studying issues such as rising sea levels and how changing climate alters marine habitats, students may learn how to unravel existing coastal puzzles.

The PhD is a doctoral degree, specifically called a "doctor of philosophy" degree. This is misleading because PhD holders are not necessarily philosophers (unless they earned their degree in philosophy!). That said, PhD recipients are able to engage in thought experiments, reason about problems, and solve problems in sophisticated ways.