Program Overview
Cadets are trained to meet problems head-on and solve them quickly.
They learn how to adapt to rapidly changing situations and to take charge, traits sought after in a military career, and by civilian employers.
Program requirements
You must be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student taking at least 12 semester credits. See Admissions.
Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5
Courses
Each semester you will have a 3-credit classroom course for ROTC. Below is the breakdown and the structure through all four years of your college career.
BASIC COURSE - MS I and II (No military obligation required)
MS I Freshman Year
This year serves as the Cadet's introduction to the Army. These courses are open to all students at MSUB and there is no military obligation required for enrollment.
MS II Sophomore Year
The second year is an expansion of the topics taught in the first year of the program, with a new focus on hands-on leadership opportunities. As with the freshmen year, these courses are open to all MSUB students without obligation.
ADVANCED COURSE – MS III and IV (Military Obligation upon Commissioning)
MS III Junior Year
The third year marks the beginning of the Advanced Course. While any MSUB student may take the first two years with no military obligation, third and fourth year cadets must sign a contract to serve as an officer following graduation. The subjects covered include:
- Advanced Small Unit Tactics
- Advanced Land Navigation
- Advanced Practical Leadership Training
- Develop Students' Ability to Organize, Prepare, and Conduct Training
- Marksmanship
MS IV Senior Year
The final year of the ROTC Program is to prepare Cadets to become successful Lieutenants in The Army upon graduation. Senior Cadets apply for their branch choice of interest in the fall and receive branching results the following semester. Cadets are assigned battalion staff positions and are responsible for evaluating and counseling underclass cadets. Subjects covered:
- Command and Staff Operations
- Written and Oral Communication
- Role and Responsibilities of Armed Forces in American Society
- Military Justice System/International Military Law
- Preparation from Student to Officer
Planning & Leading
Training Labs
Each week cadets participate in a training lab that requires applying what they have learned in the classroom to real-world situations. These labs start on an individual level with subjects like Land Navigation and Individual Movement Techniques before moving on to fire team and squad level movement techniques, Special Teams, and full squad and platoon-level missions. These labs also serve to evaluate the MS-III cadets in 17 different leadership dimensions when they serve as Squad or Platoon Leader.
Physical Training
Cadets participate in Physical Training (PT) at least three days a week. Each semester you will enroll in MSL 106, a 1-credit class that meets at 0600 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week. PT plans are developed by MS-II and MS-III cadets. Since these PT sessions are just as much about leadership experience as they are about improving fitness levels, they are formal.
All cadets are expected to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) each semester. This test measures your fitness by through 2 minutes of pushups, 2 minutes of sit-ups, and a 2-mile run. You must also meet height and weight standards for the Army, or make progress towards those goals each semester.
FTX
Cadets attend a Field Training Exercise, commonly known as FTX. This training is mandatory for contracted Cadets. It is conducted once per semester and typically is placed on a weekend. Here, Cadets get to test, and strengthen what they have learned throughout the semester. Billings ROTC conducts Field training exercises with MSU and the University of Montana.
