NROTCUAINST 5400.1G
CHAPTER 7
ACADEMIC MATTERS
700. GENERAL. The NROTC Program is designed to operate within the established framework of the modern college or university and to be rigid only insofar as necessary to give all NROTC students a common background of Naval education and/or Marine Corps education.
a. To graduate within the prescribed time frame, NROTC students are expected to take 15 credits of academic courses per semester. This DOES NOT INCLUDE Navy, Marine or Army Laboratory Periods (ex. NS 100, NS 103, NS 105, NS 400, NS 403, MLS110, etc…).
b. In order to maintain full-time student status, NROTC students must take at least 12 credits per semester at The University of Arizona. In some cases, enrollment at Pima Community College may satisfy the 12 unit requirement but must be approved by the students Naval Science advisor prior to enrollment.
701. ACADEMIC MAJORS/CHANGES IN MAJOR
a. The major course of study a student chooses determines which college or school he will be enrolled. The Director of Admissions of the University determines from the high school transcript of previous work, or prior college work, which college or school the student is qualified to enter. A student choosing to qualify for a degree awarded by any of the schools or colleges and accepted for enrollment will enroll therein and will follow the prescribed major course of study and required Naval Science courses throughout the four years.
(1) Academic Majors. Although there are no specific restrictions on academic majors, the Professor of Naval Science will, with the assistance of the Marine Officer Instructor in the case of Marine Option midshipmen, carefully screen proposed majors and will guide students toward majors which are considered beneficial to the Navy or Marine Corps. Students who seek commissions in the Navy will be strongly encouraged to complete mathematics and science courses. Students in the STA-21N program will pursue only those majors approved by CNET.
(2) Changes in Major. Since the degree plans are ordinarily formulated just prior to the first semester of the freshman year, it is recognized that perceptions and individual desires may change and that some portions of the degree plan may need to be modified as the student progresses. There are provisions for such changes. However, once an academic major has been submitted by a midshipman and approved by the Professor of Naval Science, subsequent changes must be approved in advance of the change by the Professor of Naval Science. Counselors will notify the PNS as the situation dictates. Naval Reactors must approve changes in major for STA-21N candidates.
b. Each midshipman must seek qualified counsel to ensure that the academic and naval courses required to qualify for a commission are completed. This advising will be done by means of personal conferences between the midshipman and members of the NROTC Staff and University faculty members. Degree plans will be formulated which reflect all course requirements in the major field of study as well as all required Naval Science courses and electives.
c. Each student is personally responsible to ensure that his course of study for each semester includes those subjects necessary to fulfill University requirements as well as Naval ROTC requirements. It must be clearly understood that each student is required to obtain an academic degree and also complete the prescribed Naval Science and University courses before he can be commissioned. It is expected that each student will qualify for a University degree in the normal length of time.
d. Students entering the NROTC Program as freshman scholarship students are normally entitled up to a maximum of 40 months of governmentfunded benefits. Students entering the NROTC Program after the beginning of their freshman year and who are awarded scholarships, are entitled to a proportionate amount of government subsidized education. If progress toward a degree requires more than four years of college, any student may apply for extended benefits to be funded by the Navy but otherwise the individual must fund the additional semesters. Extended benefits require an academic record which reflects an above average GPA while carrying an above average course load. The Chief of Naval Education and Training is the approval authority for requests made by NROTC units.
e. After at least one semester, college program (nonscholarship) students who have excelled academically and within the NROTC battalion/company may be nominated for a two or three-year scholarship. Selections are made by the Chief of Naval Education and Training based on a selection board which considers nominees from all NROTC units. College Program students who seek to be nominated and selected for scholarship status should strive for academic excellence in all courses and should plan to meet the calculus and physics requirements early in their University studies.
702. SCHEDULING OF COURSES
a. Each midshipman will schedule a sufficient number of academic work hours each semester so that he will graduate in the normal length of time. No undergraduate student will schedule or drop to less than 12 hoursof credit,excluding the Naval Science courses, per semester without special permission from his Dean and the Professor of Naval Science. No undergraduate student will schedule more than 19 hours of credit in a given semester unless his curriculum requires it, previous academic performance indicates an ability to manage a larger workload, and his Dean and the Professor of Naval Science have approved the increased workload.
(1) Freshman and sophomore college program students desiring to carry less than 12 credit hours of work will submit a special request to the Professor of Naval Science via the NROTC Counselor and Unit Executive Officer prior to any action to reduce their course load to less than 12 semester hours.
(2) Scholarship students and advance standing college program students must carry a minimum of12 hours in order to receive any financial benefits. Those midshipmen who fail to register for 12 or more hours will not receive benefits for the semester. Midshipmen with less than 12 semester hours due to withdrawals, will be declared ineligible to receive financial benefits from the date of the withdrawal and will be required to defray all tuition and fee costs after that date.
(3) STA-21 students (including Nuclear Option) must carry a normal academic load at all times unless authorized otherwise. A normal academic load is considered to be at least 15 semester hours during regular sessions and 6 semester hours during summer sessions. Officer Candidates must carry enough credit hours to ensure graduation at the earliest possible date and, in any case, prior to their 31st birthday. The PNS may authorize a reduced academic load in individual circumstances as described in CNETINST P1533/3.
b. Before any course schedule change is made, a special request form must be submitted to the Professor of Naval Science via the student's NROTC Counselor. Counselors are authorized to approve changes routine in nature that do not affect student's graduation dates.
703. NAVAL SCIENCE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
a. Naval Science 101, "Introduction to Naval Science"; three semester hours; fall semester; freshman level. This course introduces the midshipman to the naval service through a historical overview, general discussions over the broad concepts of seapower and studies in the organizational structure of the U.S. Navy and its major components.
b. Naval Science 102, "Naval Ship Systems Engineering"; three semester hours; spring semester; senior level. Midshipmen learn the fundamentals of ship construction, stability, damage control and repair, basic thermodynamics and steam/nuclear propulsion systems.
c. Naval Science 201, "Naval Ship Systems Weapons"; three semester hours; spring semester; sophomore level. An introductory course in the theory and principles of operation of naval weapons systems including types of weapons, fire control problems and solutions, equipment and systems capabilities and limitations, theories of target acquisition, identification and tracking, trajectory principles and basic naval ordnance.
d. Naval Science 202, "Seapower and Maritime Affairs"; three semester hours; spring semester; freshman level. Seminar course based on the premise that the student must develop his knowledge and interest in seapower and maritime affairs. This course is oriented towards the general concept of seapower, the role of various warfare components of the Navy in supporting the Navy's mission, the implementation of seapower as an instrument of national policy, and a comparative study of U. S. and Soviet naval strategies.
e. Naval Science 301, "Navigation and Naval Operations"; three semester hours, fall semester; junior level. Studies and practical application of the theories and principles of marine navigation including tides and currents, piloting, dead reckoning, celestial and electronic navigation, and collision avoidance (Rules of the Road).
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NROTCUAINST 5400.1G
f. Naval Science 302, "Navigation and Naval Operations"; three semester hours; spring semester; junior level. A fundamental course in the basic principles of shipboard operating procedures and naval tactics and operations. Disciplines covered include theory of relative movement (maneuvering board), shipboard watch organization, deck evolutions, seamanship, shiphandling, internal and external communications, environmental factors affecting operations at sea and command and control functions.
g. Naval Science 401, "Leadership and Management"; three semester hours; fall semester; sophomore level. An introduction course to the basic concepts of management and organization; their application to operations and personnel management. Practical application at laboratory reinforces traditional management principles as practiced within the Department of the Navy.
h. Naval Science 402, "Leadership and Ethics"; three semester hours; spring semester; senior level. An examination of the duties of a Division Officer and the administrative aspects of naval leadership with emphasis on the Navy’s core values: honor, courage and commitment.
i. Naval Science 310, "Evolution of Warfare"; three semester hours; fall semester; junior/senior levels (not required for Navy Option midshipmen). This course is a study of the evolution of strategy, tactics, weapons and eadership from earliest times to the present. Also examined are the development of military policy and the impact of war on the political, social and economic structures of nations.
j. Naval Science 410, "Amphibious Warfare"; three semester hours; spring semester; junior/senior levels (not required for Navy Option midshipmen). A review of history and development of amphibious warfare, the principles and techniques of amphibious warfare and the application of these principles and techniques to selected examples from recent history.
704. NAVAL ROTC COURSE REQUIREMENTS
a. Navy Option Midshipmen
(1) Scholarship. Naval Science 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 401), 402, with eight semesters of laboratory, plus:
(a) Calculus (Differential and Integral), minimum six semester hours, by end of sophomore year.
(b) Physics (calculusbased), minimum six semester hours, by end of junior year.
(c) American Military History/National Security Policy, minimum three semester hours.
(d) Computer Science, minimum three semester hours.
(e) English, minimum six semester hours.
(2) Nursing Scholarship. Naval Science 101, 202, 401, 402, with eight semesters of laboratory, plus:
- English, minimum six semester hours.
(3) College Program. Naval Science 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 401, 402, with eight semesters of laboratory, plus:
(a) College Algebra or higher level mathematics, minimum six semester hours, by end of junior year.
(b) Physical Science, minimum six semester hours.
(c) Computer Science, minimum three semester hours.
(d) English, minimum six semester hours.
b. Marine Option Midshipmen
(1) Scholarship. Naval Science 101, 202, 310, 401, 402, 410, with eight semesters of laboratory, plus:
- American Military History/National Security Policy, minimum three semester hours.
(2) College Program. Naval Science 101, 202, 310, 401, 402, 410, with eight semesters of laboratory, plus:
- American Military History/National Security Policy, minimum three semester hours.
d. Academic Performance Assessment/Degree Plans
(1) General. Academic performance assessment is based on the student's progress towards an academic degree, evaluation of grades assigned for academic work, completion of NROTC program academic requirements, and achievement of a level of academic work commensurate with individual abilities.
(2) Degree Progress. Progress towards an academic degree is measured against an individual degree plan. The degree plan format shall be that prescribed by the Professor of Naval Science. The minimum requirements are that the degree plan contain semester course schedules in sufficient detail to determine estimated graduation date and, in comparison with transcripts and semester grade sheets, an assessment of the student's progress towards a degree.
(3) Procedures
(a) Initial Interview. The NROTC Counselor will conduct an initial interview with each student at the beginning of the academic term. The interview will include:
1 A discussion of the student's degree plan and program requirements checklist. A copy of the degree plan and any revisions should be placed in the Student's Performance File if not already present. Validate estimated date of commissioning.
2 Those students without degree plans will be instructed that it is their responsibility to complete, within a reasonable time, a plan containing all their degree requirements and the signature of their University advisor.
3 A review of past academic performance and the establishment of goals for the immediate academic term, including an estimate of term grades.
4 Student review and signature on aptitude and summer cruise evaluations.
5 Student review and signature on current OPMIS printout.
(b) Middle of Term Academic Review. A review of academic progress will be conducted in the middle of the term. The review will include a discussion of expected courses for the upcoming semester. All first semester students and students who have been placed on academic warning or probation will provide signed grade estimates for all courses.
(c) End of Term Academic Review. A review of academic progress will be conducted prior to the completion of finals. The review will include at least a general discussion of pre-registration for specific courses during the summer, between semesters and/or the forthcoming semester. At the advisor’s discretion, the End of Term Review may be combined with the next semester initial interview.
(d) Senior Year Audit. To ensure completeness of academic program requirements on degree plans, first semester seniors will request a records check at the Registrar's Office. The Registrar's audit will identify all deficiencies necessary for completion of degree requirements and graduation. Should deficiencies exist beyond the student's degree plan, midshipmen will notify their NROTC Counselor and initiate immediate steps to ensure graduation on schedule.
705. TEXTBOOKS AND COURSE MATERIALS
a. Midshipmen in the Scholarship Program will receive a textbook stipend to be applied towards required texts.
b. Midshipmen and Officer Candidates will be issued books for Naval Science classes (NS 101402/410).
c. Each midshipman shall be responsible for all texts and materials issued. Texts must be returned at the end of each semester. The cost of replacing lost or damaged items will be borne by the individual midshipman.
706. ACADEMIC LEAVE OF ABSENCE (LOA)
a. Voluntary Extensions of Time Required to Complete Undergraduate Degree. Midshipmen who are not on academic probation and who find that they will be unable to meet the requirements for their chosen degree within the specified minimum time may request a leave of absence (NOTE: Voluntary academic Leave of Absence ordinarily is not granted to students who are on academic probation). Under ordinary circumstances, such requests shall be for one semester only. Voluntary academic leave of absence is not normally approved for the semester immediately preceding degree completion and commissioning.
b. Graduate Study. Certain students may be granted special leave of absence for graduate study by the Chief of Naval Education and Training (CNET) under the following general parameters:
(1) Study is limited to the Master's degree.
(2) Study should be a logical progression of the undergraduate major in a field that will enhance the student's naval professional career.
(3) Study must not require more than 18 months to complete.
(4) Scholarship students must be under 25 years of age on 30 June of the year scheduled for commissioning (after completion of graduate study).
c. Failure to Complete Required Courses. Navy Option Scholarship students who fail to complete the calculus requirement by the end of their sophomore year or who do not complete the physics requirement by the end of the junior year will be placed in a Leave of Absence status pending completion of the requirement(s). Similarly, Navy Option College Program students who do not complete the mathematics requirement by the end of their junior year will be place on Leave of Absence. These Leave of Absence periods are normally limited to one semester.
d. Suspension of Scholarship/CollegeProgram Benefits. All scholarship students, and those College Program students in advance status, who are on Leave of Absence are not entitled to scholarship or subsistence benefits until the Leave of Absence is terminated and the student has resumed full membership in the Midshipman Battalion/Company.
e. Participation in the NROTC Program While in an LOA Status. Students on LOA may continue to take naval science courses and participate in other NROTC activities. Students on an aptitude LOA must participate. All students on LOA are required to continue taking lab. During the time a student is in a physical LOA status, to receive retroactive benefits after BUMED has deemed him/her physically qualified to remain in the program, the student must participate in the NROTC Program with the exception of physical activities. In addition, all graduating seniors and students on inaptitude LOA, are required to:
(1) Have height and weight data recorded by the Unit Command Fitness Leader (CFL) at the beginning of the semester.
(2) Participate in the regularly scheduled Battalion/Company Physical Fitness Readiness Test (PFT/PRT).
707. PASS/FAIL, SATISFACTORY/UNSATISFACTORY OPTION
a. Scholarship/Advanced Standing College Program Students. These midshipmen must carry all Naval Science courses and Navy specified college courses for letter grade and not on a pass/fail, satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading system.