Army ROTC Courses

Unlike any other college course you can take.

Army ROTC is a college elective that teaches you the skills needed for a successful career. You'll combine classroom time with hands-on experience, and learn leadership and management skills. And because it's an elective, you can try it out for up to two years. Whatever you decide, the experience you'll gain in Army ROTC will give you the confidence you need to be a success in college and beyond.

ROTC cadet standing in front of a cannon.
Military Science Minor

A (23 credits) minor is available to qualified students.

  • Contracted cadets.
  • Final award of this minor is dependent on the receipt and acceptance after graduation from 葫芦影业 of a commission in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant.
  • Completion of Leadership Development and Assessment Course and completion of MSL 494. All 18 hours required for a minor in Military Science must be taken at 葫芦影业. Students transferring from another Army ROTC program to the program at SDSU may petition to the professor of military science for an exception to this policy.
  • There are no other electives applicable to this minor.
Military Science MinorCourse Description

Credits

MSL 301Adaptive Leadership4
MSL 302Leading in a Changing Environment 4
MSL 401Army Officer 4
MSL 402Company Grade Leadership4
MSL 494Leadership Development and Assessment Course4
HIST 460American Military History3
Total Credits 23

Course List

MSL 101 - Leadership and Personal Development

  • Make your first new peer group at college one committed to performing well and enjoying the experience. Increase self-confidence through team study and activities in basic drill, physical fitness, rappelling, leadership reaction course, first aid, making presentations and basic marksmanship. Learn fundamental concepts of leadership in a profession in both classroom and outdoor laboratory environments.

MSL 102 - Introduction to Tactical Leadership

  • Learn and apply principles of effective leadership. 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.

MSL 201 - Innovative Team Leadership

  • Learn/apply ethics-based leadership skills that develop individual abilities and contribute to the building of effective teams of people. Develop skills in oral presentations, writing concisely, planning of events, coordination of group efforts, advanced first aid, land navigation and basic military tactics. Learn fundamentals of ROTC's Leadership Assessment Program.

MSL 202 - Foundation of Tactical Leadership

  • Introduction to individual and team aspects of military tactics in small unit operations. Includes use of radio communications, making safety assessments, movement techniques, planning for team safety/security and methods of pre-execution checks. Practical exercises with upper division ROTC students. Learn techniques for training others as an aspect of continued leadership development.

MSL 301 - Adaptive Team Leadership

  • Series of practical opportunities to lead small groups, receive personal assessments and encouragement and lead again in situations of increasing complexity. Uses small unit defensive tactics and opportunities to plan and conduct training for lower division students both to develop such skills and as vehicles for practicing leadership.
    • Corequisite course MSL 301L.

MSL 301L - Adaptive Team Leadership

  • Lab Provides the student with practical experience to supplement and reinforce classroom instruction. Subjects include drill and ceremonies, physical training instruction techniques and leadership, which will complement the student's preparation for camp.
  • Corequisite course MSL 301.

MSL 302 Leadership in Changing Environment

  • Continues methodology of MSL 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.
    • Corequisite course MSL 302L.

MSL 302L - Leadership in Changing Environment Lab

  • Accompanies MSL 302.
    • Corequisite course MSL 302.

Advanced Course Physical Fitness

  • Required of students in MS 301, 302, 401 and 402, of which this program is an integral part. The Physical Fitness course has different roles for students at different levels in the program. Participate in and learn to plan and lead physical fitness programs. Develops the physical fitness required of an officer in the Army. Emphasis on the development of an individual fitness program and the role of exercise and fitness in one's life.

MSL 401 - Developing Adaptive Leaders

  • Introduces formal management skills including problem analysis, planning techniques and the delegation and control of activities, providing an understanding of the command and staff organization used in the modern army and creating a forum for discussing professional and ethical decisions faced by commissioned officers.
    • Corequisite course MSL 401L.

MSL 401L - Developing Adaptive Leaders Lab

  • Designed to accompany MSL 401L.
    • Corequisite course MSL 401.

MSL 402 - Leadership in a Complex World

  • Provides information for transition to active or reserve commissioned service, developing administrative controls essential in managing a military organization, introducing the management of financial and personal affairs and allowing time for discussion and analysis of the ethical decision-making process.
    • Corequisite course MSL 402L.

MSL 402L - Leadership in a Complex World Lab

  • Designed to accompany MSL 402.
    • Corequisite course MSL 402.