Posted on Mar 19, 2018
For the Army, does it matter what academic discipline your degree is in?
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Let me introduce myself as this is my first post. My name is Quinton Shipley and I enlisted in 2017 as a 14 month senior for 11x and ship this summer. Now that is out of the way let me get to the point. I have gotten mixed answers on this. The answers I have been given from my recruiter and from my meeting with the Captain at the recruiters office. They both said without a doubt in their voice that your degree doesn't matter. So my question for you enlisted and officers is does it matter what your degree is (ex. History)? Confused on degree choices until I get this all figured out.
Officer
ROTC
Green to Gold
Enlisted-to-Officer
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 40
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PFC (Join to see) If you want to be an Infantry officer the degree may not matter; however, all people must engage in critical thinking to solve problems. Make sure your chosen degree provides enough exposure to resolve problems using people and tools (mechanical devices).
West Point uses the philosophy of Engineering as the basis for their degree. Looking back at my career I would advocate for STEM or Engineering degree to provide the background necessary to get into specialized branches that require high technical competence.
You spoke with enlisted recruiters, you need to talk to the Officer recruiters, this is the ROTC department in any University around your location, even if you don't plan on going to school there.
If you go to the Air Force & Navy ROTC, the first question they will ask if what degree you are pursuing? If you say anything but Engineering, they will become luke warm or even stop recruiting you.
Army ROTC, if you are in Engineering then Combat Engineer, Aviation, Signal, ADA become much more open to you. We can use almost any degree, but your GPA and performance need to be as high as you can make it. The Army will compare you to thousands of other officers and there are only a so many active duty slots in Infantry and the West Point graduates will get first choice over you.
So while the degree may not matter, your choice of degree will have an impact and start to limit your options.
West Point uses the philosophy of Engineering as the basis for their degree. Looking back at my career I would advocate for STEM or Engineering degree to provide the background necessary to get into specialized branches that require high technical competence.
You spoke with enlisted recruiters, you need to talk to the Officer recruiters, this is the ROTC department in any University around your location, even if you don't plan on going to school there.
If you go to the Air Force & Navy ROTC, the first question they will ask if what degree you are pursuing? If you say anything but Engineering, they will become luke warm or even stop recruiting you.
Army ROTC, if you are in Engineering then Combat Engineer, Aviation, Signal, ADA become much more open to you. We can use almost any degree, but your GPA and performance need to be as high as you can make it. The Army will compare you to thousands of other officers and there are only a so many active duty slots in Infantry and the West Point graduates will get first choice over you.
So while the degree may not matter, your choice of degree will have an impact and start to limit your options.
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COL Dana Hampton
Concur. STEM is critial to success in today's environment. My regret, not taking more of these type of courses over the years.
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A1C Ian Williams
Very good advice, sir MAJ Alvin B. By completing the degree, you should have more competency in a skill and also know how your brain learns in order to gain new competencies.
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The army is trying to steer towards STEM degrees for certain career fields especially for some of the functional areas, but for the most part your choice of degree doesn't matter as much as GPA in determining your branch choice and future career. The degree does not make the officer- it just shows the military that you posses of a certain level of independence and are capable committing to a course of instruction.
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CPT Enrique M.
Aerospace engineering or mechanical? You can switch to test piloting and apply engineering there. I have a friend of a family that graduated from a bs and ms in aerospace engineering and now he works for boeing after he retired from the military.
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Maj John Bell
A1C Ian Williams - I got a B.S. in Naval Architecture, (essentially a highly specialized mechanical engineer) and was required to take and pass the Licensed practical Engineer (LPE) Exam; roughly the Engineer's equivalent to the Bar Exam. I then became a Marine Infantry Officer.
If your military work experience does not build your curriculum vitae as an engineer, and/or you don't take continuing education within your academic field while on active duty; you are dead in the water as an engineer upon separation. I had job offers from Naval Architecture firms, but they were as "managing architect," the business end of Naval Architecture, and had zero to do with actual ship design and construction. I was told in no uncertain terms that if I wanted back in the practical application side of Naval Architecture I was looking at about 2-4 years of full-time college, probably at my own expense.
If your military work experience does not build your curriculum vitae as an engineer, and/or you don't take continuing education within your academic field while on active duty; you are dead in the water as an engineer upon separation. I had job offers from Naval Architecture firms, but they were as "managing architect," the business end of Naval Architecture, and had zero to do with actual ship design and construction. I was told in no uncertain terms that if I wanted back in the practical application side of Naval Architecture I was looking at about 2-4 years of full-time college, probably at my own expense.
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A1C Ian Williams
CPT Enrique M. - Thank you, sir those are good avenues for me to explore. I do want to experience test piloting and yes, aerospace engineering is the right path for me. Congratulations to your friend of the family.
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A1C Ian Williams
Thank you, sir for your response Maj John Bell The course work will be very welcome and I would be more than delighted to complete multiple degrees while also fulfilling my duties as an officer. Thank you for sharing your story and I will take to heart what you mean about being on the business end. Lucrative as that is, I do hope to also immerse myself fully in blueprints and contracting.
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