As the undergraduate college of the Naval service, the Naval Academy prepares young men and women to become professional officers in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Naval Academy students are midshipmen on active duty in the U.S. Navy. They attend the academy for four years, graduating with bachelor of science degrees and reserve commissions as ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps. Naval Academy graduates serve at least five years as Navy or Marine Corps officers. Around the Yard... The scenic Naval Academy campus, known as the Yard, is located in historic Annapolis, Md., where the Severn River flows into the Chesapeake Bay. With its combination of early 20th-century and modern buildings, the Naval Academy is a blend of tradition and state-of-the-art technology that exemplifies today's Navy and Marine Corps. Throughout the Yard, tree-shaded monuments commemorate the bravery and heroism that are an inherent part of the academy's heritage. Buildings and walkways are named for Naval Academy graduates who have contributed to naval history and their nation. The Naval Academy also is the final resting place of Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones whose words, "I have not yet begun to fight," have inspired generations of U.S. Navy officers. His crypt is located beneath the Academy chapel, also known as the Cathedral of the Navy. A National Historic Site, the Naval Academy hosts about one million tourists every year from all over the United States and around the world. They come to enjoy the natural beauty of the Yard, to recall some of this country's naval history and to marvel at the traditions carried on in midshipmen parades and military formations. Tourists and midshipmen also appreciate downtown Annapolis, which lies outside the gates of the Academy. With its colonial charm and busy waterfront, Maryland's state capital provides a pleasant, diverse setting for one of America's premier colleges, the United States Naval Academy. History... Founded in 1845 by Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft, the Academy started as the Naval School on 10 acres of old Fort Severn in Annapolis. Since then, the development of the Naval Academy has reflected the history of the United States. As our country has changed culturally and technologically, so has the Naval Academy. In only a few decades, the Navy has moved from a fleet of sail and steam-powered ships to a high-tech fleet with nuclear-powered submarines and surface ships and supersonic aircraft. The Academy has changed, too, giving midshipmen the up-to-date academic and professional training they need to be effective naval officers in their assignments after graduation. In 1850 the Naval School became the United States Naval Academy. A new curriculum went into effect requiring midshipmen to study at the Academy for four years and to train aboard ships each summer. That format is the basis of a far more advanced and sophisticated curriculum at the Naval Academy today. As the U.S. Navy grew over the years, the academy expanded. The campus of 10 acres increased to 338. The original student body of 55 midshipmen grew to a brigade of 4,000 midshipmen. Modern granite buildings replaced the old wooden structures of Fort Severn and the Naval School.
The Naval Academy first accepted women as midshipmen in 1976, when Congress authorized the admission of women to all of the service academies. Women comprise about 15-17 percent of entering plebes-or freshmen-and they pursue the same academic and professional training as do their male classmates. Mission... The Naval Academy has a unique clarity of purpose, expressed in our official mission: "To develop midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government." This puts everyone-faculty, staff and midshipmen-on the same wavelength. It also encourages a sense of spirit and pride found at few other schools. Program... The moral, mental and physical elements of our program are equally important, all contributing to the qualities of an outstanding naval officer. Academics Every midshipman's academic program begins with a core curriculum that includes courses in engineering, science, mathematics, humanities and social science. This is designed to give you a broad-based education that will qualify you for practically any career field in the Navy or Marine Corps. At the same time, our majors program gives you the opportunity to develop a particular area of academic interest. For especially capable and highly motivated students, we offer challenging honors programs and opportunities to start work on postgraduate degrees while still at the Academy. Professional and leadership training We don't just tell you about life in the Navy and Marine Corps. After four years at the Naval Academy, the life and customs of the naval service become second nature. First, you learn to take orders from practically everyone, but before long, you acquire the responsibility for making decisions that can affect hundreds of other midshipmen. Your professional classroom studies are backed by many hours of practical experience in leadership and naval operations, including assignments with Navy and Marine Corps units during summer months. Moral education Moral and ethical development is a fundamental element of all aspects of the Naval Academy experience. As future officers in the Navy or Marine Corps, midshipmen will someday be responsible for the priceless lives of many men and women and multi-million dollar equipment. From Plebe Summer through graduation, the Naval Academy's Character Development Program is a four-year integrated continuum that focuses on the attributes of integrity, honor, and mutual respect. One of the goals of this program is to develop midshipmen who possess a clearer sense of their own moral beliefs and the ability to articulate them. Honor is emphasized through the Honor Concept of the Brigade of Midshipmen-a system which was originally formulated in 1951 and states "Midshipmen are persons of integrity, they stand for that which is right." These Naval Academy "words to live by" are based on the moral values of respect for human dignity, respect for honesty and respect for the property of others. Brigade Honor Committees composed of elected upperclass midshipmen are responsible for education and training in the Honor Concept. Midshipmen found in violation of the Honor Concept by their peers may be separated from the Naval Academy. Physical training
Profile of Midshipmen... It takes a special kind of young man or woman to handle the Naval Academy's demanding program, but that doesn't mean all midshipmen are alike. Midshipmen come from all 50 states, U.S. territories and several foreign countries. They have roots in cities, suburbs, farms and ranches, small towns and military bases. They have talents and hobbies of every kind and personalities that fit every description, and they represent the diverse ethnic and cultural heritages that, together, make the United States a great nation. Some characteristics seem to be common among Naval Academy midshipmen, however. The Class of 2011Profile shows that midshipmen are good students, leaders in their high schools and communities and participants in competitive sports. But other common qualities of midshipmen don't show up in statistics. The young men and women who choose the Naval Academy are looking for more than a college degree. They like the idea of being challenged mentally, physically and personally. They are people who don't want to settle for the ordinary, the routine or the easy. Midshipmen are also patriots. They want to serve their country in a meaningful way-in a profession that helped win this nation's independence more than 200 years ago. Finally, midshipmen are young people who look to the future. They look forward to the challenging Naval Academy program, as well as the opportunities open to them in the Navy and Marine Corps after graduation. Our Commitment... Setting apart the Naval Academy from almost every other college and university in the country is our commitment to the total development of our students. Some other colleges offer more majors in academics. Some put more emphasis on intercollegiate athletics. But nowhere else do you have a better opportunity to grow intellectually, personally and physically than at the Naval Academy. If you are chosen to enter the Naval Academy, we believe you can complete this tough, four-year program. In fact, we are committed to the principle of helping every midshipman succeed. We back up that commitment with...
Your Commitment... Becoming a midshipman at the Naval Academy is a big step. It's not like starting your freshman year at a civilian college. You make a commitment to live a military lifestyle. You take an oath of office, promising to be loyal to your country and to defend it if necessary. You agree to be honorable in everything you do and say. You're also expected to work harder than you've ever worked before and to push yourself beyond your old limits. This is how we prepare you for the challenging responsibilities of service as a naval officer and the opportunities of a lifetime in the Navy and Marine Corps. |
Congress
authorized the Naval Academy to begin awarding bachelor of science degrees
in 1933. The Academy later replaced a fixed curriculum taken by all midshipmen
with the present core curriculum plus 18 major fields of study, a wide
variety of elective courses and advanced study and research opportunities.
We
teach the importance of being physically fit and prepared for stress because
the duties of Navy and Marine Corps officers often require long, strenuous
hours in difficult situations. The physical requirements of Plebe Summer
training, four years of physical education and year-round athletics also
develop pride, teamwork and leadership.