Military Science

Contact: Mark Smith

The Department of Military Science offers students valuable training in leadership and management skills for success in any career field, whether civilian or military. The Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (SROTC) program offers interested students an opportunity to earn a commission as an officer (Second Lieutenant) in the United States Army, Army National Guard, or Army Reserve. The Army SROTC offers two programs: the Basic Program and the Advanced Program.

The Basic Program is designed for students with little or no prior military experience or college. The Basic Program focuses on customs and traditions of the army, military history, and the national defense system. There is a heavy emphasis on leadership development and introductory activities that enable students to have fun while they learn about the military.

For Basic Program students, the exercises present opportunities to have fun while learning about the military. The exercises include adventure training and confidence-building activities to help Basic Program students feel better about who they are and what they can accomplish.

There is no commitment for the Basic Program if a student is not attending college on a federal SROTC scholarship. Upon successful completion of the Basic Program, qualified students are eligible to compete for entry into the Advanced Program.

The Advanced Program, or Pre-commissioning Program, is the second tenet within the department’s curriculum and instruction. The Advanced Program’s curriculum focuses on instruction and practice in management, tactics, ethics, professionalism, communication skills, and leadership development. The department sponsors two off-campus field training exercises each year. Both field exercises are conducted in Joliet, Illinois. In addition, advanced course students are sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky for the Leadership Development Assessment Course. This course is a requirement for completion of the SROTC program.

In addition to the pre-commissioning training, the Department of Military Science provides students, both Basic and Advanced programs, opportunities to attend professional development training. Students may attend Airborne School, Fort Benning, Georgia, or Air Assault School, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The Department of Military Science offers a summer internship program for Advanced Program students to serve on active duty with a Regular Army unit during a portion of the summer. Internship locations include major military installations located throughout the United States, Germany, Korea, Alaska, and Hawaii.