Requirements

Naval Science

As part of the NROTC program, midshipmen are required to take naval science courses taught by Cornell NROTC staff. Navy options take one course per semester for a total of eight. Marine options take six naval science courses, but supplement their classes with training specifically pertaining to the Marine Corps.

 Drill Lab

Every semester, the Cornell NROTC battalion meets on Wednesday afternoons for two hours. This time is used in a variety of ways, including hearing lectures from guest speakers from various military service communities, volunteering at community service projects, and preparing to become a junior officer in the fleet.

Course Requirements

Table 3-2 lists the naval science courses midshipmen are required to take during their time at Cornell to prepare themselves as future Naval and Marine Corps officers.

Table 3-1 lists the specified courses that midshipmen are required to take by Cornell University in addition to the naval science courses above. However, many of these specified courses will also coincide with your major or college graduation requirements (i.e. Cornell’s First-Year Writing Seminars will fulfill both the Navy’s “English” requirement and each college’s “English and/or Written expression” graduation requirement. 

Choosing Your Major

The NROTC program admits students of any major. However, majoring in a technical field is encouraged for Navy options and increases the chances of being awarded a scholarship. The most desired technical fields are listed as Tier 1 or 2 majors. For more information, please visit the Navy’s Major Selection Policy for a detailed list of Tier 1, 2, and 3 majors.

Study Abroad

The NROTC program allows students to study abroad as long as students can maintain a course plan to graduate within four years. There are two main avenues in which this can be done: Cornell’s own study abroad programs and the ROTC’s Project GO program. Cornell’s study abroad program provides a plethora of locations across the globe while also having flexible durations depending on your schedule. ROTC’s Project Go program is a study abroad program that all midshipmen are encouraged to take advantage of as it is a fully-funded opportunity to study overseas and obtain a cross-cultural experience. Recently, Cornell midshipmen have studied abroad in Denmark, France, Jordan, Spain, Scotland, and Australia.