Military Science and Leadership, Minor

Military Science Program

A unit of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps was established at William & Mary on July 1, 1947, with an assigned mission to qualify students for positions of leadership and management in the United States Army and the civilian sector. By participating in the ROTC program a student may earn a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Active Army, the United States Army Reserve or the Army National Guard, while pursuing an academic degree. The program offers a general military science and leadership curriculum which enables a cadet to qualify for assignment into any one of the 16 branches of the Army. The Military Science and Leadership Department is a joint program with Christopher Newport University. Classroom courses are taught at the College of William & Mary, with field leadership training conducted at sites such as Ft. Eustis, Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Pickett, the Mariner’s Museum, and in Matoaka Woods at William &  Mary. There is also a Naval ROTC program hosted by Hampton University. 

Description of Courses

Note: No more than twelve of the Military Science credits count toward the 120 credits needed for graduation. The remaining credits will appear on the student’s official transcripts.

Basic Courses

The following Military Science Basic Courses are designed for freshmen and sophomores: MLSC 101 Leadership and Personal Development, MLSC 102 Introduction to Tactical Leadership, MLSC 201 Innovative Team Leadership and MLSC 202 Foundations of Tactical Leadership. The Basic Courses introduce freshmen and sophomores to the fundamentals of leadership and management while they learn about the opportunities and prospects of ROTC and commissioned service. Students complete these courses without service obligation (except Army scholarship students) while qualifying for the Advanced Program. All students must participate in the Leadership Laboratory (MLSC 103 MS I Leadership Lab and MLSC 203 MS II Leadership Lab) in the Basic Courses.

Advanced Courses

These courses are designed to prepare juniors and seniors who have agreed to seek a commission as officers in the United States Army. Freshmen and sophomores may not take the Advanced Courses.

Required Credits: 18

Declaration of Military Leadership minor must occur after declaring an academic major and should occur before the beginning of preregistration for the final semester of senior year classes to ensure timely filing with the Office of Registrar. Declaration of the Military Leadership minor involves completing the Declaration of Minor form, submitting the form with unofficial transcript to the Military Science Department Chair for signature and submission of the signed form to the Registrar.

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The interdisciplinary electives must be taken outside of departments or programs that contribute to a student’s major.  For example, a Government major cannot take interdisciplinary course work in Government; instead, that student would have to complete courses offered in Sociology, History, Philosophy, or American Studies.