Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) - Located at Vanderbilt University

Commander: Scott Karverath, CAPT, USN
1114 19th Ave South, Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37209
(615) 322-2671

The Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) unit at Vanderbilt serves students from Vanderbilt, Tennessee State, and Belmont Universities. The Naval Officer Education program provides challenging academic courses and experience-building events to prepare a select group of highly accomplished students for the opportunity to serve their country as a Navy or Marine Corps officer while receiving an education.

The primary focus of the NROTC program is to develop the most capable leaders possible by building upon a core of academic strength while providing essential military and leadership education. Students may participate in the NROTC unit, through the scholarship program, the college program, or the naval science program. Scholarship students take the prescribed naval science course each semester, participate weekly in a naval science lab, and engage in a four-week, summer training program after each academic year. The college program is identical to the scholarship program except for tuition financial benefit and that students only participate in summer training upon completion of their junior academic year. Any student may take any or all of the naval science courses without participating in the naval science lab or summer training; however, all courses are taught at the Vanderbilt campus.

Scholarship students receive tuition, fees, uniforms, $375 per semester for textbooks, and a monthly stipend beginning at $250 for freshmen and increasing to $400 for seniors. College program students are provided with uniforms, textbooks for naval science courses, and, upon commencement of their junior year, a monthly stipend of $350.

Scholarships

Students can earn scholarships in several ways. Four-year scholarships are determined by national competition among high school seniors and graduates. Based on the national ranking, students may be awarded a scholarship that covers full tuition. The application process begins as early as the spring semester of the student’s junior year of high school, but no later than early January of the year prior to admission. (College students who have completed less than 30 semester hours or less than 45 quarter hours of college credit may also apply for the national four year program.)

College program students can be nominated for three and two-year scholarships by the NROTC unit. These nominations are based on the students’ academic and military performance at the college level. Sophomores not enrolled in the college program are eligible to apply for the two-year NROTC scholarship program. This is a national competition and application is made through the NROTC unit. Those selected will attend a six week naval science program during the summer prior to joining the NROTC unit in their junior year.

Service obligation

At the beginning of their sophomore year, should they choose to continue with the NROTC program, Navy scholarship students incur a service obligation of five years active duty and three years inactive reserve to be served upon graduation or withdrawal from the program. Marines and Nurses incur a service obligation of four years of active duty and four years inactive reserve. College program students incur a three-year active duty and five-year inactive reserve commitment upon graduation or withdrawal from the program.

Summer training

Summer training of about four weeks is conducted aboard naval vessels and naval shore stations after each of the first three academic years. Scholarship students are normally required to participate each year. All scholarship and college program midshipmen are required to participate in summer training prior to their final academic year.

Course credit

During the four-year program, NROTC students are required to complete a maximum of eight courses (24 hours) of naval science. Academic credit awarded varies by school and is outlined below.

Courses

Naval Science