United States Military Academy

Academics

The Core Curriculum

Academics at West Point are tough, but with the amount of assistance available, cadets are set up for success. The overall curriculum contains classes in both science and the arts. Unlike most colleges and universities, the core curriculum is very extensive. In other words, during the first two years, there is not much flexibility in course selection. The core curriculum consists of thirty-six courses that the academy considers essential to the broad base of knowledge necessary for all graduates: a course in Information Technology for all but engineering majors; and a three-course core engineering sequence for those who do not major in engineering. This core curriculum, when combined with physical education training and military science, constitutes the Military Academy’s “professional major.” This broad base of classes serves several purposes. Cadets not only get a solid foundation before specializing in one area, but have also studied in all of the academic departments and have a sound basis for selecting one of ninety-nine majors. Besides their major or field of study, all students take what is called a five-course engineering sequence. This sequence strengthens the cadet’s engineering background and in a sense gives him or her a second major. The engineering sequences include electrical engineering, environmental engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, systems engineering, and computer science. All graduates receive a Bachelor of Science degree. The United States Military Academy introduced a “major with honors,” which contains a minimum of twelve courses, an individual research requirement, and requires a minimum academic program score cumulative (APSC) of 3.0 in the core curriculum and a 3.5 in the major.

I’ll never forget my first day of classes as a plebe (freshman). I was astonished to see that each of my classes had only about fifteen cadets in it, about half the size of my high school classes. The first thing each professor did was write his or her home phone number on the blackboard. ‘Call me at home anytime, day or night,’ each one said. The classroom experience at West Point is unlike any other. There simply are no crowded lecture halls or graduate assistants. Each class is taught by an instructor whose primary responsibility is to teach cadets. Each class has a maximum number of eighteen students. You just can’t get that kind of personal interaction at other universities—many of my friends at other schools had as many graduate assistants as they did professors. My professors taught every lesson, were available for additional help at all hours of the day or night, and even came out to support me at my athletic matches!

Resources

The resources available to cadets are very impressive. The library contains over 600,000 volumes of resources and 2,000 academic journals and newspapers. All cadets have desk-top computers in their room and full access to the Internet. In addition, the Center for Enhanced Performance assists cadets in achieving their potential in all aspects of academy life, offering classes, open to all students, in reading efficiency and student success.

One-on-one additional instruction is available to cadets from their instructors and is what sets the military academy apart from other schools.

Physical Education and Military Development

Part of the overall curriculum includes physical education and military development. The physical education curriculum spans the four years. Physical education classes are incorporated into the grade point average, which highlights the importance of physical fitness in the army. Cadets receive grades in each physical education class as well as the Army Physical Fitness Test and the Indoor Obstacle Course Test. The physical program is quite challenging, but rewarding and fun as well.

Military development is also part of the curriculum. Cadets are graded based on military performance within their cadet companies as well as their performance during summer training and military intersession. The heart of the military training takes place during the summer. During their first summer, new cadets are introduced to the academy through the rigors of Cadet Basic Training, a six-week experience that transforms the new class from civilians to cadets, and gives the upper two classes the opportunity to practice small unit leadership. During Cadet Basic Training—also called “Beast Barracks”—new cadets learn what it means to be a cadet as well as what it means to be a soldier.

The summer after plebe or freshman year, cadets participate in Cadet Field Training. At Camp Buckner, sophomores or “yearlings” complete seven weeks of advanced military training including weapons, tank, and aviation training. During this time, cadets are also introduced to the different branches of the army and how their focus contributes to its overall mission. They apply the skills they learned in the classroom as they practice tactical exercises in small units. Like Cadet Basic Training, upperclass cadets serve as the cadre for this training.

Camp Buckner is also a time for recreation and class bonding. During the summers before junior (“cow”) and senior (“firstie”) year, opportunities for cadets broaden significantly. During these summers, cadets must participate in either Cadet Troop Leader Training or Drill Cadet Leader Training. This involves being assigned to an active army unit for six weeks and acting as either platoon leaders or drill sergeants. For most cadets, it is their first experience in the regular army and it is both exciting and rewarding. A cadet must also serve as a leader or cadre member for either Cadet Basic Training or Cadet Field Training during one of these summers.

This leaves two periods open for cadets to participate in Individual Advanced Development (IADs). Some military IADs include Airborne School (parachuting), Air Assault School (rappelling out of helicopters), Combat Engineer Sapper School, Mountain Warfare School, and Special Forces Scuba School. There are also physical IADs such as training at the U.S. Olympic Center and Outward Bound. Very popular among cadets are academic IADs. These are similar to internships students at civilian colleges might participate in. Some academic IAD cadets participate, including duty with the Supreme Court, Crossroads to Africa, the Foreign Academy Exchange Program, NASA, and the National Laboratories.

Perhaps this is a curriculum unlike any you’ve ever seen. A cadets total QPA (quality point average) is based on fifty-five percent academics, thirty percent military, and fifteen percent physical. Cadets must be well rounded. The curriculum is meant to develop “enlightened military leaders of strong moral courage whose minds are creative, critical, and resourceful.” It was Thucydides who said “The Nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.”