Profile of the U.S. Naval Academy

Mission
The Naval Academy has a unique clarity of purpose, expressed in our official mission:

"To develop midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to provide graduates who are dedicated to a career of Naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government."

This puts everyone --faculty, staff and midshipmen-- on the same wavelength. It also encourages a sense of spirit and pride found at few other schools.

Program
The moral, mental and physical elements of our program are equally important, all contributing to the qualities of an outstanding naval officer.

Academics
Every midshipman's academic program begins with a core curriculum that includes courses in engineering, science, mathematics, humanities and social science. This is designed to give a broad-based education so that a midshipman will qualify for practically any career field in the Navy or Marine Corps. At the same time, our majors program gives midshipmen the opportunity to develop particular areas of academic interest. For especially capable and highly motivated students, the academy offers challenging honors programs and opportunities to start work on postgraduate degrees while still at the academy.

Professional and Leadership Training
After four years at the Naval Academy, the life and customs of the naval service become second nature. First, they learn to take orders from practically everyone. But before long, they acquire the responsibility for making decisions that can affect hundreds of other midshipmen. Their professional classroom studies are backed by many hours of practical experience in leadership and naval operations, including assignments with Navy and Marine Corps units during summer months.

Moral Education
Moral-ethical development is a fundamental element of all aspects of the Naval Academy experience. As future officers in the Navy or Marine Corps, midshipmen will someday be responsible for the priceless lives of many men and women and multi-million dollar equipment. From plebe summer through graduation, the Naval Academy's four-year character development program focuses on the attributes of integrity, honor, and mutual respect. One of the goals of this program is to develop midshipmen who possess a clearer sense of their own moral beliefs and the ability to articulate them. Honor is emphasized by means of the Honor Concept--a system which was originally formulated in 1951 and states "midshipmen are persons of integrity: they stand for that which is right." These academy words to live by are based on the moral values of respect for human dignity, respect for honesty and respect for the property of others. Brigade honor committees composed of elected upperclass midshipmen are responsible for education and training in the Honor Concept. Midshipmen found in violation of the Honor Concept by their peers may be separated from the Naval Academy.

Physical Training
The Academy emphasizes the importance of being physically fit and prepared for stress because the duties of Navy and Marine Corps officers often require long, strenuous hours in difficult situations. The physical requirements of plebe summer training, four years of physical education and year-round athletics also develop pride, teamwork and leadership.

The Future
The classes now at the Naval Academy will produce many of the leaders of the Navy and Marine Corps for the next 30 years. In the course of their careers, the military and political circumstances of the world will take unexpected turns. Military force structures will change as new technology takes hold. Naval Academy graduates will meet these new challenges with courage, honor and integrity upholding cherished traditions, always leading to a new and better future.

The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association is a non-profit organization which plays a major role in supporting the Naval Academy through private gifts. In this capacity the Alumni Association provides a significant portion of the "value added" programs and opportunities at the Naval Academy.