- What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
- The Five-Module Map at a Glance
- Q100: Rules of the Road, Inland and International
- Q150: Deck General
- Q151: Deck Safety
- Q152: Navigation General for the Near Coastal Route
- Q153: Navigation Problems, Chart Plot
- Scope Traps: Modules You Should Not Add to Your List
- Sequencing the Modules in Your Review Calendar
- Final-Week Checklist
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The full Near Coastal route is five modules: Q100, Q150, Q151, Q152 and Q153.
- Q154 Navigation Problems: Oceans belongs to the Oceans option and does not apply to Near Coastal.
- Q153 is specifically Chart Plot, not a catch-all for every navigation problem.
- Your NMC approval to test, not a general list, determines which modules you actually sit.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
This page is a compact reference for the National Master 200 NC (NM2N) route: the United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC) examination modules under the ONC05 scope for the Near Coastal credential. It condenses the module structure, the topic areas behind each module, and the common scoping mistakes that cause candidates to study the wrong material.
It is not a substitute for working through the published topic matrices or practicing with realistic questions. If you want the deeper walk-through of each content area, the NM2N Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 5 Content Areas goes module by module. If you want a full preparation plan, start with the NM2N Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
The Five-Module Map at a Glance
The full exam route for Near Coastal consists of five issuer-published modules. Think of them as five preparation groups rather than five equally weighted domains; the NMC publishes the modules and topic matrices, but this guide does not assign weights or percentages to them.
| Module | Title | Core Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Q100 | Rules of the Road: Inland and International | Navigation rules, lights, signals, right-of-way |
| Q150 | Deck General | General deck knowledge and vessel operations |
| Q151 | Deck Safety | Safety, emergency and preventive practices on deck |
| Q152 | Navigation General: Oceans or Near Coastal | Navigation theory applied to the Near Coastal route |
| Q153 | Navigation Problems: Chart Plot | Working chart-plotting problems |
The published guide reference for this scope is section 2.1.1.3 (printed page 17). When you review the official matrices, use that reference point to confirm you are reading the Near Coastal route and not an adjacent endorsement.
Q100: Rules of the Road, Inland and International
Q100 is the module most candidates describe as the one that rewards precision. It covers both the Inland and International rule sets, so you need to know not just each rule but where the two regimes diverge.
Q100 Must-Know Areas
Be able to apply rules to a situation, not merely recite them.
- Which rule set applies in a given body of water, and where each takes effect
- Vessel lights and shapes for different vessel types and operating conditions
- Sound and light signals, including maneuvering and warning signals
- Steering and sailing rules: overtaking, head-on and crossing situations
- Stand-on and give-way responsibilities and the actions each vessel must take
- Conduct in restricted visibility
A useful drill is to take a single scenario, such as two power-driven vessels meeting in a channel, and answer it under both rule sets. The differences you uncover are exactly the details that tend to show up in question stems.
Q150: Deck General
Q150 is the broad deck-knowledge module. It rewards candidates who have genuinely worked on deck, because the content is practical and operational rather than purely theoretical.
Q150 Must-Know Areas
Expect practical seamanship and vessel-handling knowledge.
- Vessel construction, terminology and basic stability concepts
- Mooring, anchoring and line handling
- Cargo and general operational considerations
- Equipment and routine shipboard procedures
- Responsibilities of the licensed officer in routine operations
Because Q150 is a general module, the best way to study it is to read the official topic matrix first and mark every heading you could not explain aloud to a junior deckhand. Those gaps are your study list.
Q151: Deck Safety
Q151 centers on safety on deck and the procedures that protect crew and vessel. It pairs naturally with Q150, and many candidates find the two modules overlap in vocabulary even though they are scoped separately.
Q151 Must-Know Areas
Safety content is about procedure, readiness and judgment.
- Emergency response and drills
- Lifesaving and firefighting equipment and its proper use
- Hazard recognition and preventive safety practices
- Pollution prevention and response responsibilities
- Safe work practices and the officer's duty to the crew
Q152: Navigation General for the Near Coastal Route
Q152's official title spans both Oceans and Near Coastal: Navigation General: Oceans or Near Coastal. For this credential you apply it to the Near Coastal route. Do not treat it as a second, separate navigation-general module; it is one module, and it is the theory counterpart to the plotting work in Q153.
Q152 Must-Know Areas
Study the concepts that support safe passage planning and position-keeping.
- Chart reading, symbols and publications used in navigation
- Aids to navigation and their characteristics
- Piloting methods and position fixing
- Compasses and heading corrections
- Tides, currents and their effect on a vessel's track
- Weather awareness as it relates to passage planning
Q152 and Q153 work as a pair. Q152 gives you the reasoning; Q153 tests whether you can carry that reasoning through to a worked plot. Candidates who study them together tend to find both easier.
Q153: Navigation Problems, Chart Plot
Q153 is specifically Chart Plot. It is not a generic placeholder for every kind of navigation problem, so keep your preparation focused on plotting skills.
Q153 Must-Know Skills
This module is a skills test. Reading about plotting is not enough.
- Laying off courses and determining positions on the chart
- Applying variation and deviation correctly in both directions
- Working set, drift, speed and time relationships
- Using the chart tools and scales accurately
- Checking your work for reasonableness before committing to an answer
Plotting accuracy comes from repetition. Work problems until the sequence of steps is automatic, then deliberately slow down on the correction steps, where sign errors are easiest to make.
Scope Traps: Modules You Should Not Add to Your List
Much of the confusion around this credential comes from adjacent modules that look related. Use this table to keep your scope clean.
| Item | Where It Belongs | Add to Near Coastal Full Route? |
|---|---|---|
| Q154 Navigation Problems: Oceans | Oceans option | No |
| Q152 (Oceans or Near Coastal) | One module, applied to Near Coastal here | Yes, once, as the navigation-general module |
| Q153 Chart Plot | Chart plotting specifically | Yes, but not as a stand-in for all navigation problems |
| Alternative Rules or Navigation General modules | Alternative paths | Never count together as simultaneous requirements |
| Raise-of-grade and route-extension modules (such as Q156) | Separate upgrades or extensions | No, they are not extra domains of the full original exam |
The number of groups on this page is not a universal count of examinations for every applicant. Your NMC approval to test determines the modules assigned to you, so always rely on that document over any summary, including this one.
Sequencing the Modules in Your Review Calendar
This is the only study-planning section in this article, and it is tied to how the five modules relate to one another rather than to a generic schedule.
Q100 Rules of the Road
- Learn both rule sets side by side and note the differences
- Start early because rule recall benefits from repeated exposure
Q150 and Q151 Deck Modules
- Work the general and safety topic matrices together, since vocabulary overlaps
- Flag any topic you cannot explain aloud
Q152 then Q153
- Cover Q152 theory first, then immediately practice Q153 plots that use it
- Finish with timed mixed practice across all five modules
Keep Rules of the Road in light rotation through the final weeks so it does not fade while you focus on plotting. For a realistic sense of how demanding the route is, see How Hard Is the NM2N Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Final-Week Checklist
- Confirm in your NMC approval to test exactly which modules you are assigned.
- Re-read the official topic matrix for each assigned module and check off every heading.
- Redo any Q153 plot where you made a correction-step error.
- Rehearse Q100 lights, signals and steering rules under both Inland and International rules.
- Take a full mixed practice set on the NM2N Exam Prep practice test site to confirm timing and recall.
- Review the logistics: NM2N Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling and NM2N Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Key Takeaway
Do not guess at scoring or cost. For what is and is not established about results, read NM2N Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass and NM2N Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown, and verify current figures directly with the NMC before you plan around them.
Frequently Asked Questions
The full ONC05 Near Coastal route lists five modules: Q100, Q150, Q151, Q152 and Q153. Your individual NMC approval to test determines which modules you are actually assigned, since upgrades and extensions use reduced sets.
No. Q154 belongs to the Oceans option and should not be added to the Near Coastal scope. For Near Coastal, the plotting module is Q153 Chart Plot.
No. Q152's official title spans Oceans or Near Coastal, but it is a single module. For this credential you apply it to the Near Coastal route rather than counting a second navigation-general module.
No. The sources reviewed do not establish a single overall question count, duration, domain percentages, current fees or a population pass rate, so this article does not state any. Check the NMC directly for current details, and see NM2N Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows for what can and cannot be said about results.
Start with What Is NM2N? for the overview, then explore NM2N Jobs for career context. For the financial picture, see Is the NM2N Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026.