About ROTC

The Mission

The mission of the Cal Poly Military Science Department is to commission the future officer leadership of the U.S. Army and motivate young people to become better citizens. The program here began in the early 1950’s and has so far commissioned over 1,300 Officers into the United States Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard.  The program remains one of the top Army ROTC unit’s in the nation with our Cadet’s routinely receiving above average marks at the regional and national levels.  This performance is made possible by a high-caliber student body, a cadre with years of Army experience, convenient access to first-rate training areas, and outstanding support from the University, the program’s alumni, and a host of local organizations.  Cal Poly ROTC Cadet’s shoulder the added responsibility and commitment associated with the program but discover along the way an enhanced level of maturity and responsibility that no other college course can provide.

 

The Program

The program has been designed to meet the country's requirement for officer-leaders in the Army (Active Duty, National Guard and Reserves). It is therefore multifaceted with distinctive sub-elements to meet individual needs and requirements. For example, ROTC is traditionally a four-year program, but individuals with prior service, members of Reserve or National Guard units, participants of JROTC in high school, and Basic Camp attendees may receive advanced placement credit and complete the program in two years. Normally all students enroll in one Military Science course while also participating in our leadership laboratory and physical training each quarter. The physical fitness of all our Cadets is closely monitored. The program consists of two phases: the Basic Course (Lower Division), normally taken during the Freshman and Sophomore years or obtained through advanced placement credit, and the Advanced Course (Upper Division).  

 

The Basic Course

The Basic Course refers to first and second year courses, MSL 101, 102, 103, 201, 202, and 203 which are designed for new students who want to qualify for entry into the Advanced Course and for those students who may want to learn about Military Science without making an obligation. In addition to their academic requirements, Basic Course cadets may participate in a variety of extracurricular activities. Placement credit for the Basic Course may be granted to students who have completed initial entry training for the Armed Forces, three years of Junior ROTC in High School or ROTC Basic Camp. MSL 101, 102, and 103 concentrate on leadership, followership, team building and outdoor skills. MSL 201, 202, and 203 more thoroughly address the heritage, traditions, and organization of the United States Army as well as more advanced leadership styles and methods.

 

The Advanced Course

The Advanced Course consists of MSL 301, 302, 303, 401, 402, and 403. It is only open to students who have completed the Basic Course or earned placement credit through the means listed above. Students also attend a five-week Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, KY, during the summer between their MSIII (junior) and MSIV (senior) years. In addition to their academic requirements, Advanced Course Cadets provide the student leadership for the Battalion as a whole.

Completion of the Advanced Courses qualifies the Cadet to apply for a commission in the United States Army. Cadets are assigned positions in the active duty Army, Army National Guard, or Army Reserves based on academic merit, ROTC performance, and personal preference.  Cadets are made aware of their future assignment within the Army by the conclusion of Fall quarter of their final academic year. 

 

The Requirements

Once a student has been admitted to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo they must meet only a few basic requirements to participate in the ROTC Basic Course. However, to participate in the Advanced Course or earn an ROTC Scholarship, a student must meet the following criteria:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be at least 17 years old by October 1 of the year for which he or she is applying for scholarship and under age 31 by June 30 of the year of graduation
• Be able to complete all commissioning and graduation (degree requirements)
• Be physically fit and medically qualified
• Achieve minimum SAT/ACT scores of 1000/20 respectively.

 

The Benefits

Participation, enrollment, and contract into the Cal Poly Army ROTC program comes with the following benefits:

• Full tuition and fee scholarships (Resident and Non-Resident) or scholarships that pay $12,000 per year in room and board costs*
• $1,200 per year in book allowance*
• $420 per academic month in stipend*
• Priority Registration each quarter
• Army training opportunities like Airborne, Air Assault, and Mountain Warfare*
• Summer internships with organizations like the US Army Corps of Engineers, NASA, the National Security Agency*
• Official GPA credit for ROTC curriculum to include Basic and Advance Camp attendance
• Access to the ROTC Residential Learning Community (RLC)
• Access to the ROTC computer lab and student lounge resources

*Obligation required