ROTC Courses

The St. Mary’s University Army Reserve Officer Training Corps program offers a variety of courses.

Basic Course

For most ROTC students, called cadets, it takes a total of four years to complete ROTC. During the Basic Course, the first two years of ROTC, cadets tackle subjects like military history, first aid and customs of the Army. There is a constant emphasis on leadership development. While enrolled in the Basic Course, cadets normally do not have to make a commitment to serve in the Army. The final two years of ROTC, called the Advanced Course, is the first point at which most cadets must make a commitment to serve.

In both the Basic and Advanced Course, uniforms, textbooks and all required items of equipment are furnished at no extra cost. Additionally, there are merit-based scholarships available. These scholarships can go a long way towards financing the cost of getting a college education.

Basic Camp

For students who did not take ROTC during their first two years of college, a compressed version of the Basic Course is available each summer. This 31-day training session, called Basic Camp, gives students a condensed version of the subjects normally taught on campus during the first two years of ROTC. While in attendance at Basic Camp, students receive a salary, the full cost of their housing, transportation and meals provided by the Army.

It is important to note that students have no obligation to serve in the Army just because they decide to attend Basic Camp. However, successful completion of Basic Camp does give students the skills and credentials necessary for enrollment in the Advanced Course.

Advanced Course

To ensure that they become well-rounded leaders, cadets in the Advanced Course study subjects as diverse as math reasoning and human behavior. Practical experience at supervising others is gained at weekly training sessions called Leadership Labs. They gain insight into the multi-faceted challenges of leadership through a detailed study of military history and prepare themselves for the future with courses in computer literacy.

Pulling together all the elements they’ve learned, cadets attend the Advanced Camp, for a 32-day summer session between their junior and senior years. The training is tough and the hours are long at Advanced Camp but, with its completion, cadets move ever closer to their goal of becoming Army officers.

The reward for all the hard work comes on graduation day – when cadets leave their alma mater as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. Many of these newly commissioned officers will immediately begin service in the Army. Others will fulfill their military obligation as citizen-soldiers, through service in the Army National Guard or the Army Reserve.

Cross Enrollment Program

Through cross-enrollment agreements, students in the following San Antonio Area colleges and universities can participate fully in the St. Mary’s ROTC program.

University of the Incarnate Word
Our Lady of the Lake University
Trinity University
San Antonio College
St. Phillip’s College

These cross-enrollment agreements allow the benefits of the ROTC curriculum and scholarship opportunities to be extended to students of these institutions. Students from colleges that are members of the Alamo Colleges system generally may take an introductory ROTC course free of charge. These students are also encouraged to seek ROTC scholarships as an additional way to afford tuition in one of the San Antonio universities offering ROTC through St. Mary’s University.

• Learn More About ROTC

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  St. Mary’s Army ROTC offers students the opportunity to learn and grow in a variety of ways. Learn more about the St. Mary’s ROTC program by clicking on the link below.

  ROTC at St. Mary’s