Skim through the latest Naval Academy course catalog, and a few courses are bound to leap off the pages. Midshipmen are being introduced to cutting-edge technology and preparing for literal sea changes in how we navigate the globe. New majors and courses are evolving in response to military priorities, and to teach midshipmen how to contend with new arenas of warfare.
Future Navy and Marine Corps officers have long come to the Academy to hone their expertise in science, technology, engineering and math. In more recent years, critical languages such as Arabic and leadership-specific courses have gained prominence. But amidst the usual offerings lie a few unexpected surprises. Whether it’s a new spin on 400-year-old texts or the next generation of cyber sciences, these classes will make you want to hit the books again, no matter how long ago you graduated. Keep reading to see how Naval Academy professors are getting midshipmen out of their seats and into the field, challenging them to shake up their perspectives and preparing them for the future technical needs of the Navy and Marine Corps.
Feature originally appeared in the U.S. Naval Academy alumni magazine, Shipmate.