Politico-Military Masters Programs

[jroberts1187]

I was doing some research on military grad school programs and found some Navy PMM programs. I'm not an officer yet but i believe that it is useful to have at least some idea as to what is available in the future. I was wondering if the program is available to Marine officers since the Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Does anybody have any gouge on these programs in general?

 

[Pags]

Each service will have its own graduate education programs that can change/vary year to year, openings and applications will usually be solicited via message traffic. Each service also values graduate education differently. When the time comes, you may find that there is a different professional cost associated with an education program.

 

[vxc961]

Yup, Marines have them too. I think you'll get a lot of advice online that says "worry about being a good junior officer first", but I disagree (not completely). If it's something you're really interested in, you should look into it now. They're often pretty competitive, and you'll probably have to do some career planning to get there and to fit them in. So, you need to be a good junior officer, BUT you may have to fill certain wickets too. Plus, you sort of have to double qualify: you have to get past the Navy (or Marines), AND the school has to accept you.

You're pretty specific about PMM programs, which I think are detailed in NAVADMIN messages. Snoop around for MARADMIN messages on the same subject; they'll list references on the message, which you can then reference further. Pretty much any program is going to require a "payback" in terms of years of service, but there are many other ones (besides PMM) in which the Navy pays for your graduate degree. I think being a Company Officer at the Naval Academy is one. They send you to University of Maryland for a year, then you're a Company Officer at USNA, then they've got you for Dept. Head (or whatever's at that level in the Marines). Also, a ton of people go the "cushy shore job" route and get it on their own time, either at their own expense or using the GI Bill. In any case, I personally think you're smart to ask for personal anecdotes on places like this, look up the actual references so you know the requirements and level of competition, and sketch out your career, always remembering that things might not work out the way you planned in the military...but they always work out!

 

[Pags]

Also, a ton of people go the "cushy shore job" route and get it on their own time, either at their own expense or using the GI Bill. In any case, I personally think you're smart to ask for personal anecdotes on places like this, look up the actual references so you know the requirements and level of competition, and sketch out your career, always remembering that things might not work out the way you planned in the military...but they always work out!

With a masters being required for promotion these days, pretty much everyone gets one at one time or another. Just about every aviator I've known has done a masters during a production (non-cushy) shore tour. The surface community seems to count just doing a masters program as pretty competitive, but they also have a lot more time in their pipeline. While aviation requires a masters at some point, the brown shoes don't treat non-production shore tours as competitively. Basically, it's expected of aviation JOs to get their masters on their own time.

 

[zippy]

I was doing some research on military grad school programs and found some Navy PMM programs. I'm not an officer yet but i believe that it is useful to have at least some idea as to what is available in the future. I was wondering if the program is available to Marine officers since the Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Does anybody have any gouge on these programs in general?

The Naval War College does a distance education version of its JPME (Command and Staff) program at major fleet concentration points. Classes run a night a week for 3hrs for the academic year and are taught by a NWC instructor. It's not uncommon to have civilians, reservist and members of other services in these classes so that's a possibility if your stationed near a place where it's offered and are willing to commute a day a week to class (there were guys who drove 3hrs to make it to class in mine).

After you complete the 3 core classes for JPME, and have been accepted into the NWC graduate program (you apply after your first class) you can tack on a few electives and get a Masters in National Secuity and Strategic Studies.

Minus the cost of the electives (which you can get TA to cover 2/3 of the cost), the program is free and doesn't incur an additional commitment.

 

[Pags]

The Naval War College does a distance education version of its JPME (Command and Staff) program at major fleet concentration points. Classes run a night a week for 3hrs for the academic year and are taught by a NWC instructor. It's not uncommon to have civilians, reservist and members of other services in these classes so that's a possibility if your stationed near a place where it's offered and are willing to commute a day a week to class (there were guys who drove 3hrs to make it to class in mine).

After you complete the 3 core classes for JPME, and have been accepted into the NWC graduate program (you apply after your first class) you can tack on a few electives and get a Masters in National Secuity and Strategic Studies.

Minus the cost of the electives (which you can get TA to cover 2/3 of the cost), the program is free and doesn't incur an additional commitment.

To the OP, in general, the military doesn't care about the strength/reputation of your Masters so the path described above would net you the same general career gain as would a Masters from Harvard.

It's up to you to decide if you just want a Masters the easiest way possible or if you want to get a Masters from a prestigious University to use in civilian career.

 

[BackOrdered]

To the OP, in general, the military doesn't care about the strength/reputation of your Masters so the path described above would net you the same general career gain as would a Masters from Harvard.

It's up to you to decide if you just want a Masters the easiest way possible or if you want to get a Masters from a prestigious University to use in civilian career.

Unless you are Staff Corps.

 

[azguy]

For guys interested in PolMil Affairs, I'd recommend looking at the OLA jobs. Working on the Hill in a suit for a few years is a great deal too.

 

[Pags]

Unless you are Staff Corps.

Which specialty?

 

[BackOrdered]

Which specialty?

Supply since all the high end post grad programs require screening.

 

[Pags]

Supply since all the high end post grad programs require screening.

All the high end programs require screening of some sort, but that doesn't mean that a community necessarily values sending someone to one of these programs. Does going to a high end program giveaway chop a leg up on the competition? In aviation, an FRS or WTI billet is far better for a JO then a poly-mil masters.

 

[BackOrdered]

All the high end programs require screening of some sort, but that doesn't mean that a community necessarily values sending someone to one of these programs. Does going to a high end program giveaway chop a leg up on the competition? In aviation, an FRS or WTI billet is far better for a JO then a poly-mil masters.

Yes.

At O-3 and beyond, our advanced masters programs send chops to as far off as Harvard for MBAs or Kansas U for a Petroleum Masters (where you can make big bucks for big fuel corporations when you get out) follow by experience tours. They are flag screened, highly competitive and make you look like a rock star on promotion boards. At O-2 and below we have internship billets with all sorts of colleges and executive level training programs, again highly competitive. Supply greatly values further education.

 

[vxc961]

I was an assistant recorder on the...2008(?) line CDR board. Back then I heard "Master's degree will break you out", but I'd say at best it was a tie breaker. I know things have changed, but it was all about movement "up and to the right", and breaking out from the pack just as you come in zone (with hard tough jobs). Not to discourage anybody, but it was certainly NOT a silver bullet to O-5 (again, several years ago).

 

[BackOrdered]

I was an assistant recorder on the...2008(?) line CDR board. Back then I heard "Master's degree will break you out", but I'd say at best it was a tie breaker. I know things have changed, but it was all about movement "up and to the right", and breaking out from the pack just as you come in zone (with hard tough jobs). Not to discourage anybody, but it was certainly NOT a silver bullet to O-5 (again, several years ago).

Now, at least in Supply, a relevant Masters is a required milestone for O-5, earning you a sub-specialty code that opens up some choice billets. I have yet to meet an O-5 without one.

Part of it maybe degree inflation, but the education is very relevant to the follow on billets.

 

[Pags]

Yes.

At O-3 and beyond, our advanced masters programs send chops to as far off as Harvard for MBAs or Kansas U for a Petroleum Masters (where you can make big bucks for big fuel corporations when you get out) follow by experience tours. They are flag screened, highly competitive and make you look like a rock star on promotion boards. At O-2 and below we have internship billets with all sorts of colleges and executive level training programs, again highly competitive. Supply greatly values further education.

Very cool that the Chops value quality education so highly. Since you mention it, I remember the ASO on the LHD was trying to go to the petroleum program.