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Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC)
- The Army ROTC Program at MIT
- MIT Army ROTC at-a-glance
- Army ROTC
- Four-Year Program
- Two-Year Program
- Scholarships
- Program of Instruction
- Extracurricular Events
- Opportunities in the US Army Reserve/Army National Guard
- Eligibility Criteria
- Application Procedure
http://web.mit.edu/armyrotc/
Building W59, Room 192
617-253-4471/4473
The Army ROTC Program at MIT[back to top]
Military training has existed at MIT ever since the Institute opened its doors in 1865. More than 12,000 officers have been commissioned from MIT, of whom more than 150 have reached the rank of general or admiral. Students who are United States citizens or who have applied for citizenship, are of good moral character, and are medically qualified for military service, may enroll in the program for PT credit and leadership training. Non-citizens who fulfill naturalization requirements for citizenship prior to graduation may enroll and participate in the four-year nonscholarship programs. Any full-time MIT student may participate in the programs for leadership training.
MIT Army ROTC at-a-glance:[back to top]
- Application is voluntary.
- Admission is selective.
- All admit men and women.
- Federal law and Department of Defense regulations presently exclude from the Armed Forces people who engage in homosexual conduct. (ROTC academic classes, however, are open to all students regardless of their sexual orientation.)
- Most students enter the program at the beginning of their freshman year. However, entry up to the beginning of the junior year is available.
- To be eligible for a commission as an officer in the Armed Forces, students must complete the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, including summer training, and earn their bachelor’s degree.
- Upon request by the student, any required summer employment financial aid contribution can be waived if summer training makes such employment impossible.
- Nonscholarship students may compete for full-tuition scholarships, which range from one to three years for the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
- Enrollment as a scholarship recipient beyond the freshman year generally creates an obligation of four years of active service in the Army, Navy, or Air Force, or in some cases, for alternative service in the National Guard or Reserve.
- Enrollment as a nonscholarship freshman or sophomore does not involve a military service obligation.
Military Science (MS) subjects are not included in a student’s grade point average, and the credits do not count toward a degree. However, these subjects can be applied toward the Physical Education Requirement, up to two points per year for a maximum of four points. In some cases, the ROTC programs may include departmentally approved subjects that provide academic credit.
Students who accept a contract to become an officer must maintain acceptable levels of academic performance and physical fitness. ROTC academic performance requirements may exceed Institute standards. Breach or willful evasion of the contract could lead to a period of enlisted service or to repayment of scholarship funds.
Specific information concerning benefits, ROTC training programs, career opportunities, and contractual obligations can be obtained from the program offices listed in this section.
Army ROTC[back to top]
The Army ROTC program at MIT is designed to enhance a student’s college education by integrating into the curriculum leadership & management theory with leadership practicum modules. Through coursework and in-class practical experience, students will develop decision-making, team-building, and time-management skills—leadership qualities that are essential to success in any field, including corporate or research careers. Students completing the ROTC program are awarded a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. Students may participate in the first two years of Army ROTC with no commitment to military service.
The Military Science and Leadership Program is a four-year program composed of the Basic Course (freshman and sophomore years) and the Advanced Course (junior and senior years).
Four-Year Program[back to top]
The four-year curriculum combines classroom and leadership laboratory work. Any MIT student is eligible to participate in the leadership development courses regardless of academic grade.
During the summer between their junior and senior years, students participate in a five-week Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC) at Fort Lewis, WA (near Seattle). Upon graduation from college and successful completion of LDAC, students are commissioned as officers in the US Army, US Army Reserves, or Army National Guard.
Two-Year Program[back to top]
The two-year program is designed for students who did not complete the first two years of the Army ROTC program. If students have at least one-and-a-half years remaining in their academic program at MIT or are interested in pursuing a graduate degree, they may be eligible to participate in the Advanced Course. Students may participate in a four-week training camp (the Leader’s Training Course) at Fort Knox, KY, in lieu of completing the Basic Course (freshman and sophomore years). Once students complete the Leader’s Training Course, they are eligible to receive the same benefits as members in the four-year program.
Scholarships[back to top]
Army ROTC scholarships are available on a competitive basis to qualified applicants. Two-, three-, and four-year scholarships are available each year, and are awarded on campus through the Professor of Military Science. High school seniors may apply for four-year scholarships in conjunction with their application to MIT. Scholarships pay full tuition and all mandatory fees at MIT, plus $1200 for books and supplies each year, and a tax-free stipend ranging from $300 to $500 per month. The scholarship is flexible, in that it can be used for either tuition or for room and board.
Program of Instruction[back to top]
The Army ROTC curriculum is designed to enhance a student’s college education by providing distinctive leadership and management training in conjunction with realistic experience. The program emphasizes leadership theory and practice, organizational management, public speaking, tactics, purpose and history of the military, and physical fitness.
Students enrolled in the first two years of the program attend one hour of class and three hours of physical fitness each week. Collegiate athletes who meet Army fitness standards are excused from physical fitness training while their sport is in season. In the final two years of the program, class and physical fitness total four hours per week. Students also participate in a monthly Leadership Lab that highlights a particular military activity. Finally, students participate in a field training exercise each term that includes small unit leadership training, military tactics, land navigation, rappelling, obstacle negotiation, and a helicopter orientation ride.
Extracurricular Events[back to top]
The ROTC program offers MIT students a wide spectrum of opportunities to participate in numerous challenging and rewarding extracurricular activities, such as high adventure training and field training exercises. Army Airborne, Air Assault, Mountain Warfare, and other military schooling and training programs are available on a voluntary basis to qualified cadets. Also, there are global summer internships available at national research laboratories, numerous Army bases, or the Pentagon. Finally, following graduation there are opportunities—primarily for students going on to law, medical, dental, or veterinary school—to defer the service obligation until completion of their graduate studies. Many graduate study opportunities are funded by the Army.
Opportunities in the US Army Reserve/Army National Guard[back to top]
Army ROTC offers opportunities to seek a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army National Guard or Army Reserve. This unique option provides the flexibility for newly commissioned officers to participate in the Army “part time” while pursuing an advanced degree or a full-time career.
Eligibility Criteria[back to top]
Enrollment in the freshman and sophomore ROTC courses is open to all MIT students. To be eligible for Army ROTC scholarships and/or enrollment in the junior- and senior-year ROTC courses, students must be citizens of the United States; physically and medically qualified in accordance with existing Army regulations; and enrolled at MIT, Harvard, Tufts, Wellesley, Endicott, Gordon, or Salem State as full-time students.
Application Procedure[back to top]
Students normally apply for the four-year program during their freshman year, but students may enroll in the course or apply for a campus-based scholarship each semester. Interested students can inquire about the Army ROTC program by visiting the Army ROTC office at MIT in Room W59-192, by calling 617.253.4471, or by visiting http://web.mit.edu/armyrotc/.
