The military science curriculum is a part of the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program that leads to a commission as a second lieutenant in the Active Army, Army Reserve, or National Guard. Enrollment is open to qualified men and women.
The Army ROTC program is divided into two parts: (1) two years of lower-division subjects, or Basic Course, during which the student incurs no military obligation unless they are a scholarship student; and (2) two years of upper-division work, or Advanced Course, for selected students. Students in the Basic Course must complete six lower-division military science courses before they can be considered for the Advanced Course. Freshmen and sophomores will be given priority in registering for lower-division military science courses.
Students who were unable to take the Basic Course may receive equivalent ROTC credit for these classes by attending a summer session at a designated Army installation. Attendees at off-campus summer sessions are given a travel allowance, are paid for their period of camp attendance, and receive a $5,000 bonus for contracting with ROTC.
Admission to the Advanced Course is limited to selected students who meet all academic and physical requirements. Enrollees must sign a contract with the U.S. Army agreeing to complete the course and to accept an officer’s commission, when offered. In return, students receive a tax-free stipend of $420 per month for each school month they are enrolled in the program. In addition, students may be eligible to join the National Guard or Reserve and receive pay for attending one weekend meeting a month. In addition to $420 per month stipend, cadets may compete for ROTC scholarships. The two, three, and four-year scholarships pay for tuition and fees directly to the University or a housing allowance of $10,000 per year, and an additional $1,200 for books, annually. Both the National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserves will offer similar scholarship incentives.
Students selected for the Advanced Course attend a thirty-day camp after their junior year of Advanced ROTC. They are given a travel allowance and are paid for their period of camp attendance.
Students may not major in military science. ROTC students must work toward a baccalaureate or graduate degree offered by another university department. After completion of the Advanced Course and upon obtaining a degree, a student is commissioned as a second lieutenant in one of the branches of the U.S. Army. Graduates are eligible for either active duty or part-time duty with the Army Reserve or National Guard. Students accepting ROTC scholarships incur a four-year active duty obligation.
The department offers a general military science curriculum designed to conform to the academic pattern of the UCSB campus. For the student who does not wish to make the military a career, military science courses and the ROTC program will provide general career preparation. The department’s lower-division curriculum provides valuable knowledge concerning the U.S. military. The MS 27 course can be used to satisfy the American History and Institutions, and Writing requirements. The department’s upper-division curriculum gives students both theoretical and practical leadership and management skills. Military Science units will be given credit as electives towards UCSB unit requirements.
All department instructors can advise students on academic matters, the ROTC program, and financial aid. In addition, the ROTC enrollment counselor is available for discussion of special options such as the two-year program or the scholarship program. Several publications, including brochures and fact sheets, are available in the department office or on their website.
Faculty
Lieutenant Colonel Eric J. Kunak, BA in History, California State University, Northridge and MA in Management and Leadership, Webster University.