QUANTICO, Va. — The U.S. Naval Community College officially began accepting applications for its Associate of Science in Uncrewed Systems program Monday, Mar. 27.

USNCC worked with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to provide a naval-relevant degree program focused on those who work with uncrewed systems for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

“The Department of the Navy is working to integrate uncrewed systems to work alongside crewed systems across all domains,” said USNCC’s President Randi R. Cosentino, Ed.D. “Our Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen maintain the competitive advantage when they better understand the systems with which they work. We’re excited to be a part of the lifelong learning process to help these men and women stay at the forefront of maritime advantage.”

This degree includes the Naval Studies Certificate, a five-course, fifteen-credit program based on naval sciences courses taught in the U.S. Naval Academy and Naval ROTC programs. These 15 credits are applied to the associate degree programs and count towards the required courses for the degree. The courses include Naval Ethics and Leadership; Modern Naval History; Naval Force Design and Concepts; Civilian and Military Organization, Policies, and American Government; and the certificate capstone course Introduction to Geopolitics. 

The Uncrewed Systems degree is completed completely online and has an established pathway to a four-year degree in Unmanned Systems Applications or Aeronautics with little to no loss of credit. Included in the degree is the Uncrewed Systems Technology Certificate.

“When our service members understand the equipment they are working with, they build trust in that equipment,” said Sgt. Maj. Michael Hensley, USNCC’s senior enlisted leader, about the Uncrewed Systems degree. “With new technology like uncrewed systems integrating with our forces, it is vital that our Marines, Sailors, and Coast Guardsmen have that trust in the systems they are working alongside.”

Active duty enlisted Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen and Coast Guard Reservists can fill out an application on the USNCC website, www.usncc.edu. The first courses will start in August 2023.  

The United States Naval Community College is the official community college for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. To get more information about the USNCC, go to www.usncc.edu. Click on the student interest form link to learn how to be a part of the USNCC Pilot II program.