Chair: Lieutenant Colonel Johnson (On location at UNC Charlotte)
Note: The ROTC Program at Davidson College is under the auspices of the Department of the Army which is responsible for making program decisions.
The Department of Military Studies—also known as the ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) Department—offers qualified students the opportunity to obtain a commission as an officer in the United States Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard while they are earning a college degree. ROTC helps students to build for their future in any career by developing confidence, responsibility, self-discipline and leadership abilities. This opportunity is open to both men and women. Students may pursue either a four-year or a two-year program of military studies instruction leading to a commission as an Army Second Lieutenant.
The Four-year Program is divided into two parts: the Basic Course and the Advanced Course.
The Basic Course is usually taken during the first and second years, and covers such subjects as management principles, national defense, military history, leadership development, and physical fitness training. Enrollment in the Basic Course can begin in any term in the first and second years. No military commitment is incurred for participation in the Basic Course. After completing the Basic Course, students who have demonstrated the potential to become officers and who have met the physical and scholastic standards for commissioning are eligible to enroll in the Advanced Course. Basic Course students (first- and second-year students) must complete Military Studies 101, 102, 201, and 202.
The Advanced Course is taken during the last two years. It includes instruction in organization and management, principles of training management, tactics, ethics and professionalism, further leadership development, and advanced physical fitness training. During the summer between their third and fourth years, Advanced Course students attend a fully-paid, six-week, Leadership Development and Assessment Course at Fort Lewis, WA. This course gives cadets the chance to put into practice the leadership theories and principles, and military skills learned in the classroom, and introduces them to how the Army functions in a field environment. Advanced Course students must complete Military Studies 301, 302, 401, and 402.
The Two-year Program is designed for juniors who did not take ROTC during the first two years of college. To enter the two-year program, students must attend a fully-paid, six-week, Leadership Training Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky, during the summer between the second and third years. After successfully completing the Leadership Training course, students who meet scholastic requirements may enroll in the Advanced Course. The Professor of Military Studies may waive any, or all, Basic Course and Basic Camp requirements for students who have had high school Junior ROTC experiences or prior military service.
ROTC students enroll in a military studies course each term. See the military studies advisor for specific details. Military Studies 301 is a credit course. All other military studies courses listed are non-credit courses. All cadets attend a leadership lab conducted on Tuesday afternoons. This lab reinforces classroom instruction and focuses on tactical leadership and basic skills.
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