Master's Degree Programs

sa_applicant2023

USNA 2023
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Messages
102
Hey, incoming class of 2023 here.

One of the nicest benefits why I like the USNA is how they can offer advanced degrees such as an MBA, which is actually something I am looking to get when I get older. (note: this is obviously not the only reason why I am going) If I am given the opportunity to do so, I hopefully would like to advance to an O-4 in the service, before leaving and pursuing a federal service job.

Furthermore, I find it hard to answer my questions both online and on this forum. Does anyone have any experience with getting an MBA (or a masters in general) through specifically the Navy/Marine Corps? Because I am wondering what kind of additional commitment is required if you attend graduate school on behalf of the military, since I cannot find a solid answer. I would like to just get some sort of idea, so I can see how the next 10 years of my life can possibly go like.
 
Don't know about now, but when I went through Naval PG School, the additional commitment was 2 years for the first, plus a year for each additional year of school. I would suspect that'd be similar, so look to between three and five years after getting the degree for obligation.
 
Planning ahead is good and all, but realize you are on step 17 of that 176 step plan.

Focus on the next few steps for now. Get in, do well in class, pick a major, and excel in that...then...start looking at grad programs.
 
Take heed to what @raimius writes, above.

Get there, get through Plebe Summer (some don't), and then get through the academic (AC) year. After you repeat that a few times, your future plans may change dramatically.
 
Are all graduates of the Academies that reach 0-4 allowed to seek advanced degrees? If they do how much time does it add to your commitment and how does it work? Is it paid for my the Army? How difficult is it to get into Ivy league schools for advanced degrees after you reach 0-4. How is it different than earning a Marshall or Fulbright scholarship?
 
Are all graduates of the Academies that reach 0-4 allowed to seek advanced degrees? If they do how much time does it add to your commitment and how does it work? Is it paid for my the Army? How difficult is it to get into Ivy league schools for advanced degrees after you reach 0-4. How is it different than earning a Marshall or Fulbright scholarship?
Many/most officers Service Academy, OCS and ROTC are able to get advanced degrees as they move up from the Junior Officer positions and on into midgrade. Many do so at the Services own graduate schools like the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey CA but if not selected to student duty as their main billet, there are also opportunities to do so at night when stationed at places like the Pentagon. If it is Government funded (student duty), the time added to commitment is 2 yrs for the first yr and year for year after that.
NOTE: My son is currently at a European graduate school as an Olmsted Scholar for which there are 5 Navy, 5 Air Force, etc chosen every year and you first go to language school prior to attending classes taught in that language.
 
From what I read, if you want to go beyond a Major and eqivualent in the Navy, you are going to have to get a Masters Degree in something. Many go through on line Masters Programs while others are able to go to actual schools. The Missileers in the AF seem to have an advantage over most others. While they are stuck in the bunkers waiting for the launch command, they have plenty of time on their hands. Assuming they have access to the internet, they will have plenty of time to get an advanced degree.
 
if not selected to student duty as their main billet, there are also opportunities to do so at night when stationed at places like the Pentagon.

Very True.

My younger son is an Army Aviation Officer, He is currently working toward his Masters while on duty through a program from The University of Oklahoma. This is a combination online and classroom program, the university flys out a professor for the in class courses which last 7 days (8 hours on two weekend days and 5 hours each night of the week) plus some pre and post class work. He uses the available TA to cover some of the cost and pays the rest out of pocket, this does not add any extra service obligation. He will have his Masters close to the time he pins O3.

They do a good job of making things fit into a service member's schedule, son is not at a duty station such as the Pentagon or Headquarters, he is in an active flight company and is still able to make it work.
 
As I understand the process.....It varies service to service and from requirements to different requirements....in other words no easy answer for this. I can only speak to ROTC and the Army....almost never can you go directly into a graduate specialty from either ROTC or Regular Army Commissioning and that when you do you will owe them two years for every year you are in school. So if you went to Medical School out of ROTC or the Academy, you would own the Army 11 yrs active duty. 5 years for the ROTC or Academy, then the 6 yrs for the 3yrs in med school. And this is almost never given out until (in the Army) O-3 is attained or indicated (O-2's on the O-3 promotion list).
 
I can only speak to ROTC and the Army....almost never can you go directly into a graduate specialty from either ROTC or Regular Army Commissioning and that when you do you will owe them two years for every year you are in school.

This is only the case if you do a Gradso where you spend the two years at a university while still active duty and the Army pays for your entire Master's tuition. Anyone can start to pursue a masters as soon as they complete BOLC as long as they take classes while maintaining AD in their unit, they can take advantage of the TA the Army offers (Most still have to pay some out of pocket). Getting their masters this way will not result in any added service obligation. Your right that Med School and Law School is a different story.

5 years for the ROTC or Academy,

The service obligation for AROTC if the cadet had a scholarship and commissions active duty is 4 years AD/4 years IRR, WP grads have the 5 year obligation.
 
There are several ways to get degrees as an officer. You can win a graduate scholarship to a civilian school, and be assigned by your service to that program (full time student, with military pay), you can get a spot at the service's school (again, full time student with mil pay), you can use tuition assistance to help pay for a degree you take in your off time (most common method), you can just do it by yourself, or you can wait until a Professional Military Education school and take a few extra courses to get a degree.

Full-time student assignments are not terribly common (maybe 10%). Using TA while taking classes on your own time is the most common. PME related degrees are probably going to be a little more common on the AF side, since graduate degrees are not officially used for promotion below O-6 (currently, anyway).
 
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