Department of Military Science
Located in Penfield Hall, Lower Level
The Department of Military Science has courses that can benefit students who are interested in sharpening their leadership and team-building skills and enhancing their self-discipline. While Mercer's Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program has a long history of commissioning officers into military service at graduation, the Department of Military Science offers a minor that requires no service obligation.
Four-Year Program
The ROTC four-year program is divided into the basic courses, which encompass the freshmen and sophomore years, and the advanced courses, which encompass the junior and senior years.
Two-Year Program
A two-year ROTC program is available for students who make the decision to join ROTC later, and this program requires attendance at a summer Leaders Training Course at Fort Knox, Ky., between the sophomore and junior years.
For Commissioning Credit
For students enrolled in the military science program for commissioning credit, the basic courses or the Leaders Training Course are prerequisites for the advanced courses. Military science courses include weekly leadership labs, physical training (for scholarship students, juniors and seniors), and one three- or four-day field training exercise per semester (for juniors and seniors). Students may elect to compete for two- and three-year United States Army scholarships.
Minor in Military Science
Participation in the commissioning portion of the ROTC program is not required for enrollment in military science courses. Any Mercer University student can complete the minor in military science with no service obligation. The military science minor – Military History – consists of the following courses, totaling 15 hours: MIL 301, 302, 401, 402 and HIS 330.
- Field training exercises, Leadership Training Course — Fort Knox, Ky; Warrior Forge — Fort Lewis, Wash.
- Airborne School — Fort Benning, Ga.
- Air Assault Course — Fort Campbell, Ky.