Military Faculty Positions

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit my application through a web site (as for some other departments)?

Soon. D/EE&CS has tested the USMA's brand new web application system and found some bugs. While these are being fixed, we ask that you send your materials by email or surface mail. See How To Apply For The Military Faculty for details.

What are the prerequisites for selection?

To be considered for school to earn a Masters degree, you must be on a path to complete branch qualification as a Captain prior to school. Normally this means excellent performance in a Captain's Key Developmental Assignment (Command or equivalent).  If you're seeking a Ph.D., you must be very competitive for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.  Normally this means outstanding performance in your Major's branch-qualifying assignments.

What is a typical tour of duty for a EE&CS faculty member?

Exact duties vary a great deal, but the following is typical. From arrival in July until school starts in August, you'll engage our Faculty Development Workshop, where you'll learn the basics of teaching at the college level. The first year is often spent teaching in the Core Program.  Afterward, you're likely to spend the second summer supporting cadet military training as a trainer or staffer. In the second academic year, you may begin teaching courses in one of the majors - Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Information Technology. In other cases you may remain with the Core Program. The last summer is often spent on scholarly research or on projects directly supporting the field Army. These are coordinated by the officer through one of our Research Centers, either Information Technology and Operations or Photonics. By the final year, many military faculty have earned promotion to Assistant Professor based on demonstrated proficiency in teaching, scholarship, service, and faculty and cadet development. Assistant professors often serve as Course Directors responsible for all aspects a one or more courses, including leadership of other instructors.

When should I apply for a faculty position?

See How To Apply For The Military Faculty.

What functional areas (FA) slots are available in the department?

The EE&CS Department has the following coded positions:

• 01 (Branch immaterial).
• 24 (Telecommunication Systems Engineering).
• 25 (Signal Corps Branch)
• 40 (Space Operations).
• 47 (Academy Professor).
• 51 (Army Acquisition Corps).
• 53 (Information Systems Management).

Assignments at EE&CS are branch-qualifying for Majors in FA24, FA40, and FA53.

I was commissioned through ROTC, OCS, or directly.  Does this prevent me from serving on the faculty?

Absolutely not!  We are constantly on the lookout for qualified officers from all commissioning sources.

Why are there civilian faculty members at a Military Academy?

Simply put, West Point would be incomplete and unable to perform its mission without the service of civilian faculty members.  They provide an essential element of faculty excellence and diversity.  They exemplify dedicated civilian service to the Nation and the exceptionally high professional and personal standards of the community of educators and scholars.  Our civilian faculty members are every bit as much a part of the Army as our military ones.  Working side-by-side with these wonderful people is one of the best aspects of a military faculty tour.

What information / documentation is required for my application packet?

See How To Apply For The Military Faculty.

Where do I send the required information and documentation for my application packet?

See How To Apply For The Military Faculty.

How many letters of recommendation are required for my application packet?

There is no required number. Most successful applicants submit two or three.  Your letters ought to tell the "story of you."  What makes you as a person qualified to be a teacher, mentor, and leader of cadets and fellow faculty members?  This will include evidence of your military performance, academic ability to succeed in graduate studies, practical experience related to the Department's disciplines, ability to think through complex problems and speak and write about them clearly, and your character, initiative, and energy.  When selecting authors for your letters, it is better to ask a person who can speak from personal knowledge of you and your work than to ask someone who does not really know you, but whose name or position seems impressive.  Don't hesitate to provide your writers with guidance on the subject areas you'd like them to cover or  facts about things they have observed about you in the past.

How should letters be organized?

There is no formal outline, however, the following can be used as a guide:

• Time and circumstances where recommender has known the officer.
• Potential success in earning a graduate degree--MS or Ph.D. as applicable
• Potential to succeed as an instructor and role model.
• Personal qualifications, for example:
• Conceptual and analytical ability.
• Effectiveness in speaking and writing.
• Maturity.
• Teamwork.
• Initiative.
• Summary and conclusion.
• Contact information, in particular, a long-term email address such as AKO.

One or two pages is the recommended length.

If selected, what are my options for finding a graduate school?

We want you to seek admission at the highest quality school where you can succeed. For the most part, you will select courses and schools based on your academic interest, but you may receive some guidance on courses to take based on teaching needs.  If you require guidance, immediately contact the respective Teaching Program Director or the Department Deputy Head.

What are the low, medium, and high cost graduate schools?

The guidance changes from year-to-year.  We want you to apply for the best possible schools without regard to cost.  Our intent is that cost should be a tie-breaker, not a determining factor. As a safety measure, you are likely to be required to seek acceptance in at least one low cost school.

How am I reimbursed for for the application fees?

There is no direct reimbursement for application fees. When approved for Advanced Civil Schooling by HRC, you will receive an initial payment of $600 to defray the costs of application fees, testing fees, and books for your first semester.

What information / documentation is required in my Advanced Civil Schooling (ACS) packet?

The following information should be sent to the Faculty Recruiting Officer:

• DA Form 1618 (Application for Detail as Student Officer at a Civilian Educational Institution or Training with Industry)—completed and signed. Instructions for completing the DA Form 1618 are at enclosure 5.
• Letters of Acceptance with the required information and at least one from a low cost university.
• Undergraduate and graduate transcripts for all college level courses taken. If applying to NPS, AFIT, or Syracuse, submit two official transcripts.
• Official scores for GRE/GMAT (taken within 5 years).
• Any request for waivers, for example of the 17 year-or-service maximum prior to starting a Ph.D.

See the ACS website for more detailed information.

What information is required in a letter of acceptance from a potential graduate school?

Letters of acceptance must state the following:

• Name of officer being accepted.
• Statement stating acceptance to the school.
• Tuition cost (resident or non-resident) – must say resident status for universities that grant resident tuition to military students.
• Degree to be obtained (MA, MS, Ph.D., JD, LLM, etc.).
• Department and discipline to which admitted.
• Registration and class starts dates.
• Inclusive dates of the officer’s program of study (imperative that they be accurate).
• Expected graduation date.
• Length of academic program (i.e. 33 semester hours or 18 months or 3 semesters).
• Required prerequisites (if any) and if they can be taken concurrently with the program or must be taken prior to official acceptance into the graduate program.
• Tuition reduction agreement (if any).
• Point of contact at the institution.

It is usually a good idea to make sure that the school is aware of this requirement since most do not usually have all of this information in their acceptance letters. Another method is to write the letter yourself and ask school admissions officer to endorse it.

Can I come visit West Point and the EE&CS Department?

Yes! We're always happy to see potential faculty members. Contact the Faculty Recruiting Officer to arrange for office calls. See Directions to EE&CS.