Air University's Air Command and Staff College begins offering an online master's degree program in June. For the first time ever, eligible officers will be able to enroll in an educational program that simultaneously fulfills Joint Professional Military Education and Air Force Intermediate Developmental Education requirements while allowing them to earn an accredited master's degree online.
The online program consists of 11 eight-week courses - a total of 33 semester hours - covering topics such as contemporary Air Force operations, national security, leadership, and joint warfare challenges and opportunities.
Because of the anticipated level of work required, students beginning the program may take only one course per term; however, they may be approved to take two courses per term after they have successfully completed their first four courses.
Each course requires from 10 to 15 hours of work per week.
A student working steadily through the program can earn his or her master's degree in less than 24 months. Students have the ability to schedule courses around deployments.
Initially, the program will have a capacity of 200 to 500 students and only be open to active-duty Air Force majors and major-selects who do not currently possess a master's degree or have not yet completed intermediate developmental education.
The program will open to Air National Guard and Air Force Reservists beginning in August 2007. As resources allow, the program will open to Air Force civilians in major-equivalent positions, sister-service majors and major-selects, as well as DoD civilians and other eligible federal agency civilians in major-equivalent positions.
The Online Master’s Degree will be a 33 semester-hour program. Upon successful completion, students are awarded their Master of Military Operational Art and Science Degree. The program will consist of eleven courses which explore areas of particular interest regarding modern USAF operations and leadership.
Students will participate in online seminars facilitated by credentialed faculty, where they will read, evaluate, and discuss course material. Course material will include streaming media, simulations, lesson-by-lesson activities, peer and self-assessments, instructor reviews, capstone essay examinations, and a research project on a topic in an area of concern for today’s Air Force.
Students will be able to complete this program within 24 months and it will satisfy the requirements for Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Phase I as well as Air Force intermediate level PME.
The program will be voluntary. Eligible officers may elect to take the ACSC Distance Learning, non-Master’s Degree PME course as they have done in the past. They may also choose to pursue a master’s degree from a civilian institution using tuition assistance, if they are qualified to do so.
Once the program opens, eligible students can enter the program during any of the six terms offered yearly. There is no tuition cost associated with the master's degree, however students will be responsible for purchasing any books they will need; this expense is estimated to range from $50 to $75 for each course. There is no active-duty service commitment associated with the program.
Applications for admission to the program will be accepted beginning April 2. Officers who are admitted into the program may begin registering for classes at the end of April. The first classes begin June 25. For more information about the ACSC online master's degree program and how to apply, visit the ACSC Web site at www.au.af.mil/au/dlmasters.asp.
Above information courtesy of USAF.
