The U.S. Naval War College (NWC) features a one-year graduate-level program that graduates about 600 resident and 1,000 distance learning students each year. Students earn Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) credit and either a diploma or a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies or Defense and Strategic Studies.
Established in 1884, NWC is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. More than 50,000 students have graduated since its first class of nine students in 1885, and about 300 of today’s active duty admirals, generals and senior executive service leaders are alumni. Since creating a program for international officers in 1956, the college has more than 4,500 international alumni from 137 countries worldwide. Approximately 10 percent of these alumni have gone on to become chief of their country’s respective navy.
To best support the Services and military student population, the resident JPME curriculum is taught so students can report at the beginning of any of the three trimesters to complete the curriculum. NWC graduation ceremonies are held three times a year in March, November and June.