Students of U.S. Naval War College’s (NWC) 2017 graduating class participate in a commencement ceremony at NWC in Newport, Rhode Island. The graduating class of 2017 included 423 resident students of the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, federal civilian employees and 105 international students. Additionally, 1,079 students completed coursework through NWC’s College of Distance Education programs. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jess Lewis/Released)

College of Naval Warfare

Prestige, professional development, and advancement.

The selective, residential program at the College of Naval Warfare attracts educated officers with outstanding career performance records. Services and federal agencies nominate senior military and civilian professionals for admission based on their potential for greater leadership responsibility.

U.S. Naval War College (NWC) graduates participate in a graduation ceremony in NWC’s Spruance Auditorium, Nov. 13.

College of Naval Warfare Program

Strategic and academic preparation

At our Newport campus, you’ll fulfill your Joint Professional Military Education Phase II credit requirement, and you can also earn a master’s degree. The 10-month program is split into three trimesters, spanning both classroom-style and real-world learning opportunities—and you’ll prepare for higher responsibilities as a senior officer or for executive-level civilian leadership.

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Core Curriculum

You will focus on four core subject areas: national security decision making, strategy and policy, joint military operations, and Leadership in the Profession of Arms.

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Elective Courses

Enrich your education with electives that fit your career interests. Choose from more than 120 courses, from Anthropology of War to Science, Technology, and Strategy.

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Academic Opportunities

Broaden your understanding of war (and peace) by pursuing group or independent research, and learn from military thought-leaders by attending our conferences and seminars.

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Incoming Students

Contact Information

Dean of Students Office

: (401) 856-5500
: DeanOfStudents@usnwc.edu

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Next Steps:
Prepare for your arrival at the College of Naval Warfare—and see what others have done after graduating.

Upcoming Events

New Student Orientation

February 10, 2025

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Featured Faculty

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Robert Dirga

Military Professor | Joint Military Operations Department

Cmdr. Dirga is a naval intelligence officer and former submarine officer with a career focus on the Asia-Pacific region. He has served on ships and staffs at every level of command within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility. His areas of concentration include Chinese and North Korean military and government analysis, operational intelligence, and operational and strategic planning.

Publications by this Professor

Bradley S. Hawksworth

Associate Professor | College of Distance Education

Brad Hawksworth was commissioned into the U.S. Navy via ROTC and served 24 years as a Surface Warfare Officer. He has deployed to the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Caribbean, Middle East, and Western Pacific. Ashore, he served as an instructor at Fleet Combat Training Center Atlantic and at Surface Warfare Officer School, and finished his career as the Officer in Charge of the Department of Naval Science at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 2020. He is a Doctoral Candidate in International Relations and holds an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership. He is currently a professor in the College of Distance Education.

Publications by this Professor