University of Texas at El Paso Academic Catalog

Academic Catalog

Military Science

Return to: College of Liberal Arts

Courses offered by this department are designed to offer qualified students an opportunity to become a commissioned Army officer. The curriculum provides opportunities for leadership training and experience that are not duplicated in other college courses. Instruction encourages the development of resource management skills, self-assurance, confidence, personal discipline, executive abilities, personal responsibility, professional ethics, physical stamina, bearing, and other fundamental qualities required of an Army officer. These same qualities will enhance any civilian career.

The first two years (MS I and MS II) comprise the Basic Course which offers an introduction to Military and Confidence Building Skills, First Aid and Survival Skills, Land Navigation, and Leadership Assessment and Managerial Skills. Basic Courses are normally taken during the freshman and sophomore years without any military obligation. The second two years (MS III and MS IV) constitute the Advanced Course and are normally taken during the student's junior and senior years. All MS courses require a non-credit Leadership Lab. Additionally, Advanced Course students are required to satisfactorily complete selected courses in Written Communication, Human Behavior, Computer Literacy, Math Reasoning, and Military History prior to commissioning.

Eligibility

Basic Course

Enrollment in the Basic Course is open to all students at any academic level. Credit for all or part of the Basic Course can be granted by the Professor of Military Science (PMS) for participation in high school ROTC or for active military service of four (4) or more months with an Honorable discharge. This is done on a case-by-case basis.

Two-Year Program

Students who did not enroll in the Basic Course, or who cannot be given credit for the Basic Course by virtue of active military service or participation in Junior ROTC (high school), can qualify for the Advanced Course by attending a four-week summer training course (Cadet Initial Entry Training (CIET), located at Fort Knox, Kentucky). Applicants for this course should visit the Department of Military Science no later than January 1st to obtain application forms and schedule a physical examination. Students must have a minimum of four (4) semesters remaining prior to completion of a baccalaureate or advanced degree.

Advanced Course

Admission requires approval of the PMS based on medical fitness, physical fitness, an acceptable degree plan, a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and military qualification under one of the following plans:

  1. Prior military service
  2. Completion of the Basic Course requiring
    MS 1101
    MS 1103
    MS 2202
    MS 2204
  3. Completion of Cadet Initial Entry Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky
  4. Junior ROTC-advanced placement (approved on an individual basis by the PMS)

The student is required to sign a contract with the U.S. government to accept a commission in the Army or Army Reserve upon graduation.

Scholarships

Four-Year Scholarships

Army ROTC scholarships are available annually. They are awarded on a nationally competitive basis to high school graduates. Interested high school seniors should obtain application requests from their counselors and submit the request by January 1st. Application forms are also available at the Military Science Department. Students majoring in nursing can apply for dedicated nursing scholarships.

Three-Year Scholarships

The Professor of Military Science awards these scholarships to college freshmen. Freshmen, including those not enrolled in Military Science, can apply through the Military Science Department. Applications can be submitted from mid-November through mid-April. Nursing students can apply for a three-year dedicated nursing scholarship.

Two-Year Scholarships

The Professor of Military Science awards these scholarships to college sophomores or even incoming graduate students. Sophomores/graduate students who have not been in ROTC must attend Cadet Initial Entry Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky where they will receive the hands-on foundation of the basic ROTC course. Applications can be submitted from mid-November through the end of May.

Pay and Allowances

All contracted students enrolled in Army ROTC are furnished uniforms, textbooks, and equipment on a loan basis. All Advanced Course cadets are paid $450 per month during the junior year and $500 during the senior year, for a maximum of ten (10) months, excluding the five-week Cadet Leadership Course. The U.S. Government pays the tuition, required fees, textbooks, and cost of essential classroom supplies for Army ROTC scholarship students. Additionally, four-year and three-year ROTC scholarship recipients are paid $300 to $350 per month during the fall and spring semesters of their freshman and sophomore years.

Additional Programs

Qualified cadets can attend:

  • Airborne School
  • Air Assault School
  • Cadet Field Training
  • Drill Cadet Leader Training
  • Mounted Maneuver Training
  • Army Science Board
  • Northern Welfare Cadet Orientation
  • Combat Survival Training
  • United Officer Training
  • ROTC nurse summer training.

Additionally, Advanced Course cadets can attend training abroad in the Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP) program, Cadet Troop Leadership Training (CTLT), serving a two- to three-week tour with an active Army unit upon completion of the Cadet Leadership Course.

Commissions Offered

Upon successful completion of all Military Science studies and requirements for a baccalaureate degree, a cadet is awarded a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army or Army Reserve/National Guard and can be required to serve on active duty not to exceed three years (four years for ROTC scholarship students). Since UTEP offers a general Military Science curriculum, a commission in most branches of the Army is possible. Following graduation, newly commissioned officers are sent to a Basic Officer Leaders Course (BOLC) to qualify for a specific branch, and then complete a tour of active duty through a variety of challenging assignments. Reserve officers return to a local Reserve unit upon completion of BOLC. Active duty can be delayed for those students who wish to pursue graduate studies leading to a master's degree, a law degree, a medical degree, or others.

Chair

LTC  Jason E Albright

Professor

James Brogan
Contact Information: jmbrogan@utep.edu;
Education: MA, Webster University

Assistant Professor

Sean MacDonald
Contact Information: scmacdonald@utep.edu;
Education: BS, United States Military Academy

Instructors

Jorge Apodaca

MSG, Senior Military Science Instructor
Contact Information: jnapodaca2@utep.edu
915-747-6699

David Breton

SFC, Military Science Instructor
Contact Information: dbreton@utep.edu
915-747-6691

Kindall Johnson

Contractor, Military Science Instructor
Contact Information: kdjohnson3@utep.edu
915-747-6585

Timothy Turnipseed

Military History
Contact Information: tturnipseed@utep.edu

David G. Padron

SFC, Military Science Instructor
Contact Information: dgpadron@utep.edu
915-747-9960

Programs

Minor

The University of Texas at El Paso
College of Liberal Arts
Military Science Bldg Room 107
500 W University
El Paso, Texas 79968-0565

Phone: 915.747.5621

Email: milscience@utep.edu

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