OCEANOGRAPHIC EDUCATION OF THE NAVAL OFFICER 



In this discussion we will be talking about three general areas 

 of oceanographic education for Naval officers. First we will discuss 

 the undergraduate preparation of young men who seek a commission 

 in the line of the regular Navy. Secondly we will discuss the graduate 

 education of our specialists - the officers in the newly created Special 

 Duty Officer category in Oceanography/Hydrography. Thirdly we will 

 discuss the graduate education of our subspecialists in oceanography. 

 The subspecialists are officers w^ho must maintain expertise in their 

 primary specialty of naval warfare and command at sea by operational 

 tours of duty at sea. These officers are needed in billets that are 

 closely associated with the specialty, but which may not require the 

 degree of technical expertise possessed by special duty officers. 



Two innovations will be proposed as we go along - not new ideas 

 necessarily, but ideas which now seem ready for adoption. The first 

 of these is the not very startling notion that specialists and sub- 

 specialists may each need a different kind of graduate education. 



The second is the somewhat more bold proposal that the Navy 

 will benefit by identifying billets in operating units of the Fleet for 

 the oceanographic subspecialist. 



Let us first look therefore at the undergraduate education 

 of our line officers today. The two principal sources are the 

 Naval ROTC and the Naval Academy. 



The Regular Naval ROTC student is required to complete one 

 year of college mathematics (calculus level), one year of college 

 physics or chemistry, and a course in computer science, all of 

 which are useful but minimum prerequisites for later work in 

 oceanography. He does not study oceanography as a part of the 

 required curriculum, although he may take a major in this field. 



At the Naval Academy, oceanography is no longer part of the 

 core curriculum for the midshipmen. However a science major in 

 oceanography, and an engineering major in ocean engineering are 

 offered among the Z7 majors approved for the class graduating in 

 1972, with the oceanography major available beginning with the 

 class of 1971. 



The oceanography major is built on a good background of science, 

 mathematics and engineering, and offers courses which introduce the 

 student to physical, chemical, geological and biological oceanography, 

 along with three electives which allow a student to continue this flexible 



