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About the Department

It's the smartest college course you can take

The Department of Military Science, also called Army ROTC, trains and develops Cadets to be leaders – leaders in the Army and leaders in today’s world. Our department commissions officers into the active Army, Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.

Army ROTC classes are college elective courses that focus on leadership and management skills. The ROTC program consists of the Basic Course and the Advanced Course. Freshman and sophomore students comprise the Basic Course classes. These classes provide college students the opportunity to learn about and experience adventure training without incurring any military obligation. The Advanced Course prepares upperclassmen for commissioning as officers in the U.S. Army. Once Cadets complete the requirements for a bachelor’s or graduate degree and the ROTC program, they are commissioned as Second Lieutenants.

Cadets can apply for training opportunities throughout the world. Internships, Cadet Leader Course, Airborne School, Air Assault School, the Cultural Understanding and Language Program, Nurses Summer Training Program, Mountain Warfare Training and Northern Warfare Training provide life-long learning experiences key to developing leaders.

Army ROTC classes are offered to Dakota State University and Augustana University students in any major, to include graduate students. These students enroll at SDSU for Military Science classes and earn a commission through SDSU while earning their degrees at either Dakota State University or Augustana University.