Admission Requirements and Criteria

The Bachelor of Science in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis (SSDA)program is open only to students who are Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines assigned to USSOCOM and its subordinate commands and sub-unified commands (JSOC).

For the Army, the program is tailored to soldiers who have successfully completed one of the following: the U.S. Army’s Civil Affairs Qualification Course (38), Military Information Support Operations (37), Special Forces (18), or Warrant Officer (180) MOS courses, or related occupations.

Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in basic math and writing skills through prior college or training credit in these areas, or CLEP tests. Residential undergraduate students will be permitted to enroll in courses for this program only with written permission of the chair of the Department of Continuing Studies, undergraduate advisor, and major undergraduate department chair and/or dean.

Admission Process

To apply, submit the following no less than four weeks prior to your desired start date:

1. Complete the online application form.
2. Submit an essay outlining your experience, prior learning, and educational/career objectives to continuingstudies@norwich.edu .
3. Mail official military training transcripts (AARTS/SMARTS/CCAF).
4. Mail official transcripts from all courses taken at regionally accredited colleges.

Army/A.C.E. Registry Transcript Service (AARTS)

• Army Online Requests
• Army Transcript Information

Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART)

• Navy and Marine Transcript Requests

Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) Transcript Requests

• Air Force Transcript Requests

Mail transcripts to:

Norwich University
School of Graduate and Continuing Studies - ATTN: SSDA
PO Box 367
Northfield, VT 05663

Students entering the SSDA program may receive the equivalent of up to 60 semester credits for SOF courses, preparation in leadership and language study, or additional specialized military training as reviewed for credit by the American Council of Education or a similarly recognized organization.

Students may also transfer up to an additional 24 semester-credit hour equivalent from other accredited institutions of higher education for courses that meet specific course requirements in the SSDA program.

Students can complete the program in as few as 20 months with full-time, continuous enrollment. However, time to completion will vary depending upon a student’s full-time or part-time enrollment status and military deployment schedule.