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ASR Manual Chapter 4: Character Creation: Difference between revisions
ASR Manual Chapter 4: Character Creation (view source)
Revision as of 04:52, 14 October 2008
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== An Explanation of Star Fleet Academy == | == An Explanation of Star Fleet Academy == | ||
Star Fleet Academy provides a common point of reference and experience for nearly all of the serving officers in the Star Fleet Navy and Marine Corps. Its rigorous academic standards; moral, mental, and physical training; and professional development are intended to lay the ground for a career as an officer in the military forces of the United Federation of Planets. | Star Fleet Academy provides a common point of reference and experience for nearly all of the serving officers in the Star Fleet Navy and Marine Corps. Its rigorous academic standards; moral, mental, and physical training; and professional development are intended to lay the ground for a career as an officer in the military forces of the United Federation of Planets. NOTE: Because of the professional development program, it is not possible to graduate from Star Fleet Academy in less than 4 years. The Academy is, fundamentally, still an undergraduate college. Those with advanced degrees have either received additional training after the Academy or have pursued and alternate route to a Star Fleet commission. | ||
When one has reached the age of maturity and has completed the pre-requisite coursework in mathematics, science, and the humanities, he or she may apply seek appointment to Star Fleet Academy. The minimum age for humans is 16 years. Appointments to the Academy may be granted by Star Fleet officers at the rank of Captain (O-6) or higher. Appointments may also be made by high ranking planetary officials, ambassadors, and Federation Council members. After a candidate is sponsored, he or she is then eligible to take the Star Fleet Academy admissions examination. Given annually, this challenging, competitive exam screens out all but the top candidates. This highly competitive process takes tens of thousands of applicants for the 2,500 appointments and selects 400 beings who are offered admission. Acceptance rates for admissions offers are normally around 85 percent, giving an average orientation class size of 340. This corresponds to the Academy enrolling less than 1 percent of those who seek appointments. | When one has reached the age of maturity and has completed the pre-requisite coursework in mathematics, science, and the humanities, he or she may apply seek appointment to Star Fleet Academy. The minimum age for humans is 16 years. Appointments to the Academy may be granted by Star Fleet officers at the rank of Captain (O-6) or higher. Appointments may also be made by high ranking planetary officials, ambassadors, and Federation Council members. After a candidate is sponsored, he or she is then eligible to take the Star Fleet Academy admissions examination. Given annually, this challenging, competitive exam screens out all but the top candidates. This highly competitive process takes tens of thousands of applicants for the 2,500 appointments and selects 400 beings who are offered admission. Acceptance rates for admissions offers are normally around 85 percent, giving an average orientation class size of 340. This corresponds to the Academy enrolling less than 1 percent of those who seek appointments. | ||
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Some officers elect to pursue graduate training to earn advanced degrees. Medical degrees require an additional four years of instruction and 2-4 years of residency. Ensigns may apply to the Star Fleet Medical Academy or other accredited medical institutions. Counselors require advanced study in psychology and must attend additional training at Star Fleet Medical Academy or an appropriate institution for approximately 2 years. A law degree requires three years beyond the four spent at the Academy. Those completing or working on law degrees are assigned to the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps and are not assigned to individual starships. Master's degrees in various fields can take anywhere from one to three years to earn. Doctoral programs typically last between four and eight years. | Some officers elect to pursue graduate training to earn advanced degrees. Medical degrees require an additional four years of instruction and 2-4 years of residency. Ensigns may apply to the Star Fleet Medical Academy or other accredited medical institutions. Counselors require advanced study in psychology and must attend additional training at Star Fleet Medical Academy or an appropriate institution for approximately 2 years. A law degree requires three years beyond the four spent at the Academy. Those completing or working on law degrees are assigned to the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps and are not assigned to individual starships. Master's degrees in various fields can take anywhere from one to three years to earn. Doctoral programs typically last between four and eight years. | ||
== Alternative Routes to a Star Fleet Commission == | |||
While attending the Academy is, by far, the most common route to becoming a Star Fleet officer, there are three alternate route to a commission as a Star Fleet officer. One is to enroll in SFROTC (Star Fleet Reserved Officer Training Corps). Students at colleges and universities throughout the Federation can take core courses at their schools, spend summers in Academy training programs (including cadet cruises on starships), and, upon graduation, also be commissioned at the rank of ensign/second lieutenant. | |||
The second alternate route to a Star Fleet officer's commission is is OCS (Officer Candidate School). OCS is a special, intensive twelve week course that allows those who have already completed their baccalaureate or higher degree to become Star Fleet officers. The course covers engineering, military indoctrination, military history, navigation, damage control, leadership, personnel administration, military law, professional development, Federation history, physical fitness, and military training. The minimum age for a human candidate to enter OCS is 20 years of age, though many are older as they have completed at least their basic college degree. This age will, of course, vary with race, but should indicate an equivalent level of education and development to that given for humans. Many Star Fleet personnel that went through OCS are counselors and doctors. However, it is possible characters that enter Star Fleet via OCS to be commissioned into unrestricted line billets such as navigation, engineering, the various operations billets, etc. Line officers are eligible for command billets. | The second alternate route to a Star Fleet officer's commission is is OCS (Officer Candidate School). OCS is a special, intensive twelve week course that allows those who have already completed their baccalaureate or higher degree to become Star Fleet officers. The course covers engineering, military indoctrination, military history, navigation, damage control, leadership, personnel administration, military law, professional development, Federation history, physical fitness, and military training. The minimum age for a human candidate to enter OCS is 20 years of age, though many are older as they have completed at least their basic college degree. This age will, of course, vary with race, but should indicate an equivalent level of education and development to that given for humans. Many Star Fleet personnel that went through OCS are counselors and doctors. However, it is possible characters that enter Star Fleet via OCS to be commissioned into unrestricted line billets such as navigation, engineering, the various operations billets, etc. Line officers are eligible for command billets. | ||