Military Studies
Online Bachelor’s Degree from an Accredited Leader in Military Education
The Bachelor of Science in Military Studies offers solid preparation for careers in defense contracting, consulting, analysis, and other national security industries.
With a 35-year track record as one of America’s most military-friendly colleges, Excelsior College designed the military studies degree specifically for active-duty servicemembers and working adults who are employed in the civilian work force.
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See the course requirements for the Bachelor's in Military Studies degree.
- Core requirements
- Military History such as:
- HIS 131 Introduction to Military History
- HIS 231B U.S. Military History
- Military science/specialized evaluated military training (2 courses) such as:
- MIL 131 Military Science I: Application of Contemporary Tactics
- MIL 231B Military Science IB: Application to Contemporary Tactics
- MIL 132 Military Science II: Aligning Effective Teams with Organizational Objectives
- MIL 232B Military Science IIB: Aligning Effective Teams with Organizational Objectives
- selected MOS, Basic and Specialized trainings evaluated by Excelsior College or ACE
- Military Leadership (2 courses) such as:
- MIL 301 Great Military Leaders, evaluated military training (US Army Warrior Leaders Course)
- Crimes Against Humanity such as:
- CJ 328 Crimes Against Humanity
- World Politics/International Relations such as:
- POL 131 Introduction to World Politics and Conflict
- POL 350 Beyond War and Peace, International Relations
- HISX 340 World Conflicts Since 1900 exam
- POLX 170 Political Science exam
- Military Studies Capstone
- The military studies major requires the completion of the Excelsior College capstone course LA 498MIL Military Studies Capstone, with a grade of C or better.
- Emphasis area
Select one emphasis, minimum 9 upper level credits. The suitability of specific courses for an emphasis should be discussed with a School of Liberal Arts academic advisor.
- Military History and Politics such as:
- HIS 332 History of Foreign Affairs since 1898
- HIS 341 Contemporary European History and Politics
- HIS 352 U.S.-Vietnam War
- HIS 336 World War II
- POL 342/HIS 342 Contemporary Middle East History
- POL 350 Beyond War and Peace, International Relations
- HISX 340 World Conflicts Since 1900 exam
- Organizational Culture such as:
- PSY 365 Psychology of Diversity
- PSY 420 Human Motivation
- SOC 318 Sociology of the Workplace
- SOC 341/ECON 341 Globalization
- SOC 362 Genocide and Ethnic Conflict
- PHIX 310 Ethics: Theory and Practice exam
- Foreign Language and Culture such as: credit from the Defense Language Institute, college level foreign language courses or courses concentrated on a particular culture (can mix language and culture courses but all 9 credits must concentrate on the same geographic culture)
- SPAX 102 Spanish Language
- National Security Analysis such as:
- CJ 355 Analyzing Intelligence, Terrorism and National Security
- CJ 454 Terrorism in the 21st Century: Tactics, Weaponry and Responses
- CJ 456 Bioterrorism
Students can take up to 6 credits (double dip) between their undergraduate and graduate degrees at Excelsior College, provided they have completed 105 credits of their undergraduate degree. These graduate courses qualify under area IID of the Military Studies major towards the Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree(course descriptions on our website)
- MCJ 650 Terrorism and Counterterrorism
- MLS 665 Insecurities in the World
- MLS 685 Strategic Problem Solving
- Electives
Additional course and/or evaluated military training in Military Studies.
A longstanding partner with military colleges, training programs, and funding organizations, Excelsior has been recognized by GI Jobs, Military Advanced Education, Military Times Edge, and other publications. Our military studies degree stands out for:
- Flexible online courses that you can complete at your convenience, on a schedule that makes sense for you.
- Outstanding academics, with emphasis on practical knowledge and real-world applications.
- Experienced, highly qualified faculty with deep knowledge of defense-related industries.
- Generous credit-transfer policies that award academic credit for past college transcripts, military training, and professional education.
- Budget-friendly tuition and fees that take full advantage of military and veterans’ benefits. (Visit our Fees and Tuition page for details.)
- Responsive academic advisors who understand military students.
Build Your Career with a Military Studies Degree
Excelsior College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. (Learn more about the MSCHE accreditation and programs specialized accreditations on our accreditation page.)
Introduced in 2013, Excelsior’s military studies degree complements our broad range of programs designed for U.S. servicemembers and veterans. We currently serve more than 10,000 military students, and have granted degrees and certificates to more than 60,000 students with a military background.
