Optional twelve-week refresher quarter

• Highly recommended for those who either:
• Lack a technical undergraduate degree with above-average performance
• Have been away from an academic environment for an extended period of time
• A recommended series of refresher courses is found in the first-year matrix

Course requirements

• Core courses - specific courses required of all students
• One is taken in the second year - MV-4460, Management of Modeling and Simulation Development
• The rest are found in the first year matirix under Quarters 1 through 4
• Concentration Blocks - a concentration block is a three-course sequence that provides specialization within the broad category of M&S topics
• Must take two Group A concentration blocks and two Group B concentration blocks
• Typical 24-month degree program
  • First-year matrix - first year core courses and two concentration block courses
  • Second-year matrix - one core course, two thesis-related electives and concentration block courses

Service-specific course requirements

• USN students who have not attained Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Phase 1 certification must take the JPME concentration block as one of their two Group B blocks
• Details including a complete description of the requirements for completing Phase I Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) and course descriptions can be found in the academic policy manual.
• http://www.nps.edu/Academics/GeneralCatalog/
• http://www.nps.edu/Academics/GeneralCatalog/459.htm 
• USMC students must take MV3331 Principles of Systems Acquisition and Program Management (currently part of the core course requirements)
• USA (Army) students must take the Systems Engineering block as one of their two Group B blocks

Thesis requirement

• An acceptable thesis is also required for the degree

Approvals

• The student's thesis advisor, the Program Officer and the MOVES Academic Committee Chair must approve the study program and the thesis topic