Compendium of informational material for Secretary of the Navy's board to review postgraduate education of officers

Abstract

A history of the Naval Postgraduate School is essentially synonymous with the growth and development of its various curricula. Prior to World War I, a single curriculum in Marine Engineering was offered , Immediately after WWI, curricula in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering were added. Subsequently, curricula in Ordnance Engineering, Radio Engineering, Aerological Engineering, and Aeronautical Engineering were added as the Navy's need for officers with technical knowledge in these fields became evident. During WWII, a Communications curriculum was added to meet the need for trained communications officers in the naval establishment. Since the end of WWII, many new curricular programs have been added as the Navy's need for technically trained officers has broadened. Brief summaries of these developments as well as the more recent changes in the older curricular programs follow, It should be noted that prior to 1947, curricula at the Postgraduate School were primarily used to prepare officers for graduate work at civilian institutions. Since 1947, as physical facilities and staff have expanded, and as the use of civilian institutions became increasingly difficult because of uncertainties in admission quotas caused by increased enrollments, inflexible scheduling of courses, courses being required not pertinent to a desired curriculum, etc., an increasing number of curricula have been designed to terminate at the Postgraduate School with the award of a degree, when appropriate,