Military Officer Education Program (AERO, MILSCI, & NAVSCI)

*For more information regarding course equivalencies please refer to the Course Equivalency section, under “How to Read a Course Description“, in the CoE Bulletin Website: https://bulletin.engin.umich.edu/courses/course-info/

AERO (Air Force Officer Education Program)

AERO 101. Air Force Today I
Prerequisite: none. (1 credit)
Examines the growth and development of the United States Air Force; covers Presidential, Secretary of Defense and JCS roles in the defense posture, and the national and U.S. military strategic concepts; studies the Air Force contribution to strategic offensive and defensive and General Purpose Forces and Air Force supporting forces. Compares the dynamics and interaction of all U.S. military forces in the General Purpose role and their cooperative efforts in the national security posture.

AERO 102. Air Force Today II
Prerequisite: AERO 101. (1 credit)
This course is a continuation of the study of the growth and development of the United States Air Force begun in AERO 101. The course relates the mission and responsibilities of the various Air Force major commands to the U.S. defense posture and the U.S. military strategy. Emphasis is placed on the Air Force contribution to General Purpose forces and the dynamics, interactions, and cooperative efforts of all the Services in the General Purpose role for the national security posture.

AERO 201 (UC 201). U.S. Aviation History & Its Development into Air Power
Prerequisite: AERO 102. (1 credit)
This course traces the development of aviation from the 18th century — a time of balloons and dirigibles — to the present, and examines how technology has affected the growth and development of air power. In addition, this course traces the use and development of air power through World War I and World War II, the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts, employment in relief missions and civic action programs in the late 1960s, and employment in military actions concluding with Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

AERO 202 (UC 202). U.S. Aviation History & Its Development into Air Power
Prerequisite: AERO 201. (1 credit)
Examines the development of aviation from the 18th century, from balloons and dirigibles, to the present, and how technology has affected growth and development of air power; traces use and development of air power through WW’s I and II, the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts, employment in relief missions and civic action programs in the late 1960s, and employment in military actions concluding with Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Continuation of AERO 201.

AERO 310 (UC 309). Air Force Leadership and Management
Prerequisite: AERO 202. (3 credits)
The concepts, principles, and techniques of leadership are presented within the framework of behavioral theories. Emphasis on the leader, group, situation, and their interaction as dynamic factors in an organizational environment. Historical overview of managerial development throughout recorded history with emphasis on the social and physical setting in which the manager operates. The curriculum includes effective communications, decision making, planning, and strategic management.

AERO 311. Management & Af Appl
Prerequisite: AERO 310. (3 credits)
An integrated management course emphasizing the concepts and skills required by the successful manager and leader. Organizational and personal values (ethics), management of change, organizational power, politics, and managerial strategy and tactics are discussed within the context of the military organization. Actual Air Force case studies are used throughout the course to enhance the learning and communication process (lecture and seminar).

AERO 410. National Security Forces in Contemporary American Society
Prerequisite: AERO 311. (3 credits)
Focuses on the Armed Forces as an integral element of society. Provides examination of a broad range of American civil-military relations, and the environmental context in which defense policy is formulated. Special themes include: societal attitudes toward the military; the role of the professional military leader-manager in a democratic society; the fundamental values and socialization processes associated with the Armed Services; the requisites for maintaining adequate national security forces; policy, economic, and social constraints on the national defense structure; the impact of technological and international developments on strategic preparedness; the manifold variables involved in the formulation and implementation of national security policy.

AERO 411. National Security Forces in Contemporary American Society
Prerequisite: AERO 410. (3 credits)
This course is a continuation of AERO 410 which examines the role of the military in contemporary American society. The course covers current issues affecting the military in the aftermath of the end of the Cold War and the lessons learned from the recent war in the Persian Gulf. Finally, AERO 411 prepares officer cadets for future active duty services by explaining what is expected of them as professional military officers and how to prepare for the transition into the Air Force. Instruction is conducted via lecture and discussion.

MILSCI (Army Officer Education Program)

MILSCI 101. Introduction to Officership
Prerequisite: none. (No credit granted to CoE Students)
Develops an understanding of the U.S. Army. Introduces the critical military leadership skills used by the Officer Corps of the Army. Topics include: customs and traditions of the service, organization of the Army, and the officer corps’ role in the service of the country. Students have the opportunity to participate in various military skills training such as rappelling, land navigation, orienteering, briefing techniques, and physical fitness classes. There is no obligation to the military associated with this class.

MILSCI 102. Introduction to Leadership
Prerequisite: none. (No credit granted to CoE Students)
Learn/apply principles of effective leading. Reinforce self-confidence through participation in physically and mentally challenging exercises with upper division ROTC students. Develop communication skills to improve individual performance and group interaction. Relate organizational ethical values to the effectiveness of a leader. Participation in a weekend exercise is optional, but highly encouraged.

MILSCI 201 (UC 203). Innovative Tactical Leadership
Prerequisite: none. (No credit granted to CoE Students)
The focus of this course is to develop the students’ basic understanding of military leadership. The course focuses on current military leadership theory and its organizational application. It includes discussions of leadership styles, principles of leadership, human behavior, principles of motivation, ethics, counseling, communications and the military problem solving process. It also incorporates leadership assessment training and discussions of how leadership influences the achievement of organizational goals.

MILSCI 202 (UC 204). Leadership in Changing Environments
Prerequisite: none. (1 credit)
Examines the challenges of leading in complex contemporary operational environments. Dimensions of the cross-cultural challenges of leadership in a constantly changing world are highlighted and applied to practical Army leadership tasks and situations.

MILSCI 301 (UC 301). Leading Small Organizations I
Prerequisite: permission of Chairman. (2 credits)
Series of practical opportunities to lead small groups, receive personal assessments and encouragement, and lead again in situations of increasing complexity. Uses small unit tactics and opportunities to plan and conduct training for lower division students both to develop such skills and as vehicles for practicing leading. Two hours and a required leadership lab, plus required participation in three one-hour sessions for physical fitness. Participation in one weekend exercise is also required.

MILSCI 302 (UC 302). Leading Small Organizations II
Prerequisite: MILSCI 301/UC 301; permission of Chairman. (2 credits)
Continues methodology of MILSCI 301/UC 301. Analyze tasks; prepare written or oral guidance for team members to accomplish tasks. Delegate tasks and supervise. Plan for and adapt to the unexpected in organizations under stress. Examine and apply lessons from leadership case studies. Examine importance of ethical decision making in setting a positive climate that enhances team performance. Two hours and a required leadership lab, plus required participation in three one-hour sessions for physical fitness. Participation in one weekend exercise is required.

MILSCI 401 (UC 401). Leadership and Management
Prerequisite: MILSCI 302/UC 302; permission of Chairman. (2 credits)
Plan, conduct, and evaluate activities of the ROTC cadet organization. Articulate goals and put plans into action to attain them. Assess organizational cohesion and develop strategies to improve it. Develop confidence in skills to lead people and manage resources. Learn/apply various Army policies and programs in this effort.

MILSCI 402 (UC 402). Military Professionalism and Professional Ethics
Prerequisite: MILSCI 401/UC 401. (2 credits)
MILSCI 402 is an interdisciplinary course that integrates history, political science, ethics and morality, law, leadership and management. The course helps prepare students to ethically lead and manage complex organizations by focusing on the moral, ethical, legal and regulatory aspects of being a commissioned officer in the US Army.

MILSCI 499. Independent Study-Directed Readings
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. (1-4 credits)
Directed reading or research in consultation with a member of the Army Officer Education faculty.

NAVSCI 101. Introduction to Naval Science
Prerequisite: none. (2 credits)
An introductory look at the organizational structure of the naval service. Attention is concentrated on leadership and management principles as they apply to the naval service and the shipboard organization. Additional subjects to be covered are military justice, and Navy policies and procedures.

NAVSCI 102 (UC 101). Seapower and Maritime Affairs
Prerequisite: none. (2 credits)
This course focuses on the historical role of sea power, emphasizing the U.S. Navy. Topics include: development of naval power and applications as an instrument of foreign policy; historical relationship of navies with their respective domestic, political, and economic environment; and the rise of U.S. as a maritime power.

NAVSCI 201 (NAVARCH 102). Introduction to Ship Systems
Prerequisite: none. (3 credits)
Types, structures and purposes of ships. Ship compartmentation, propulsion systems, auxiliary power systems, interior communications, and ship control. Elements of ship design to achieve safe operations, and ship stability characteristics. The course is taught in a lecture format with limited discussion. In addition to class sessions, there are several laboratory sessions which illustrate applications of the theories and concepts learned in the classroom.

NAVSCI 202 (EECS 250). Electronic Sensing Systems
Prerequisite: Prior or concurrent enrollment in Physics 240 (or 260) or EECS 230. (3 credits)
Introduction to properties and behavior of electromagnetic energy as it pertains to naval applications of communication, radar, and electro-optics. Additional topics include sound navigation and ranging (SONAR) tracking and guidance systems, and computer controlled systems. Several laboratory demonstrations will illustrate applications of the theories and concepts learned in the classroom.

NAVSCI 203 (UC 205). Leadership and Management
Prerequisite: NAVSCI 101 & 102 or Permission of Instructor. (3 credits)
This course is specifically designed to teach introductory-level leadership and management concepts and applications to sophomore-level university students. The course starts with a basic overview of leadership and management, and then moves into basic skills including professional reading, writing, briefings, problem solving, team building, situational leadership, morality, ethics, and communications. After the basic skills are covered, the curriculum explores leader-subordinate and peer relationships, while taking an in-depth look at professional and unprofessional relationships. The course emphasized ethics in leadership and management and explores subjects in power and influence, counseling, supervision, accountability, responsibility, and core values.

NAVSCI 301 (ASTRO 261). Navigation
Prerequisite: none. (3 credits)
The purpose of this course is to educate students in all aspects of marine navigation, from getting a vessel underway from port through open ocean navigation using both celestial and electronic means. The content of the course is divided into three major areas. The first section focuses on piloting, emphasizing the safe navigation of vessels in coastal waters. This section provides an introduction to navigational instruments and aids to navigation. The second section concerns celestial navigation, the ability to determine position through observation of celestial bodies. Students learn how to determine position based on the use of the sextant and various almanacs and mathematical tables. The third section of the course considers electronic navigation.

NAVSCI 302. Naval Operations
Prerequisite: NAVSCI 301. (3 credits)
A study of the international and inland rules of the nautical road, relative motion vector analysis, relative motion problems at sea, formation tactics, and ship employment. Also included is an introduction to naval operations and operations analysis, ship behavior and characteristics in maneuvering, applied aspects of shiphandling, seamanship, and afloat communications.

NAVSCI 310 (UC 310). Evolution of Warfare
Prerequisite: none. (3 credits)
Introduction to the history, development and innovations in warfare. The student acquires a general background and insight into the effect that society and technology has had on the evolution of warfare. There is a critical analysis of the changes in warfare, the changes in the views on war, and the thoughts and actions of military leaders and writers.

NAVSCI 402 (UC 403). Leadership and Ethics
Prerequisite: NAVSCI 203 or Permission of Instructor. (2 credits)
Exploration of Western moral traditions and ethical philosophy in topics to include military leadership, core values, and professional ethics. NAVSCI 410 (UC 410). Amphibious Warfare Prerequisite: none. I (3 credits)(Offered Fall of odd years) Exploration of the history, development, and techniques of amphibious operations to enable the student to acquire a general background in amphibious operations.