Starfleet Academy Training Courses
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This article was supplied by Starwind RPG.
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All Starfleet officers must attend Starfleet Academy and complete a minimum four year training program, however some courses may last much longer.
Most students enter the Academy at age 18. The Academy adds four years to that, plus one year for each Cadet Cruise taken (if any). Those who wish to pursue a career in command can add two more years of specialised command training. The Academy consists of two primary campuses, one at San Francisco, Earth, the other on Starbase 1, in orbit around Earth. However there are other affiliated campuses spread across the Federation. There are several other training sites in sector 001, including a flight training area near Saturn's orbit.
All students who apply must have a certain level of learning prior to admission. This includes being able to speak, read, and write Federation Standard, and having good mathematics skill. However, Starfleet Academy is very selective, and only has a limited number of spaces available for prospective Cadets. Students may wish to have already studied a variety of subjects in order to increase their chances of acceptance. All students who apply to the Starfleet Marine Academy must pass a high level of physical requirements. Students who show great promise, upon acceptance to the academy, are made Red Squad cadets, the best of the best.
After admission, Cadets begin the standard four-year program to train for their roles in Starfleet. During the first two years at the Academy, Cadets gain a solid background in the skills important to all Starfleet officers in the Academy's General Studies program.
In order to be considered for positions aboard prestigious vessels, like the Enterprise, skills should be much higher. Honors graduates have very high skill levels. They are among the first considered for positions aboard those vessels. The class Valedictorian and Salutatorian each may choose their station assignment, making these graduates the most highly prized.
Academy Courses and Course Structures
General Studies
All Cadets are required to take a core set of courses used to teach a number of skills. All Cadets are required to take these courses, regardless of their fields of study. If any of these courses are in a cadet's Major or Minor field of study, the higher requirement takes precedence.
The skills obtained from these core courses are as follows:
- Administration
- Weapons: Phasers
- Unarmed Combat (or specialized unarmed combat type)
- Computer Operation
- Computer Programming
- Electronics Operations: Sensors
- Electronics Operations: Transporters
- First Aid
- History: Federation
- Language: (Federation Standard)
- Language: (any non-native)
- Law: Federation
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Pilot: Shuttlecraft
- Starfleet Protocol
- Vacc Suit Operations
- Xenobiology: General
- Xenology: General
- Zero-G Operations
The fields to Major and Minor in are:
- Communications
- Counseling
- Engineering
- Helm/Navigation
- Intelligence
- Judge Advocate General
- Marines (Trained at Starfleet Marine Academy)
- Medicine
- Operations
- Science
- Security
At the end of the second year of Academy training, Cadets should choose a Major and Minor course of study from the above list. Following is the list of the skills taught within each field.
Communication
Communications Majors provide both audio and video communications with personnel on ship and on planets, and provide an interface with Starfleet Command through the subspace radio on board.
Generally, Cadets who Major in Communications will Minor in Security. Those Cadets are working towards becoming Tactical Officers on board a Starship. Some Cadets interested in Command may also Minor in Helm/Navigation. Those Cadets will also want to attend Command School.
Training includes:
- Diplomacy
- Electronics Operations: Communications
- Electronics Operations: Security
- Electronics: Communications
- Electronics: Computers
- Electronics: Sensors
- General Services: (specialty)
- Language: Federation Standard
- Language: (Non-Native)
- Psychology: (Terran)
- Starfleet Protocol
- Xenobiology: General
- Xenology: General
- Xenology: (specialty)
- Counselling
Counselors act as general overseers of the crew's mental well- being. They give advice and guidance for personal problems that crewmembers may have. If necessary, they can provide psychiatric and psychological treatment and care. Counselors can also refer clients to other medical personnel for more conventional treatments. They work closely with the Chief Medical Officer. They may have several more Language, Psychology, and Xenology skills than the requirements below. Counselors do not have to choose a Minor.
Training includes:
- Diagnosis: (Terran)
- Diagnosis: (native or non-Terran)
- Diagnosis: (non-native -and- non-Terran)
- Diplomacy
- Electronics Operations: Life Support
- Electronics Operations: Medical
- Language: (non-native)
- Physiology: (Terran)
- Physiology: (native or non-Terran)
- Psychology: (Terran)
- Psychology: (native or non-Terran)
- Psychology: (non-native -and- non-Terran)
- Xenobiology: General
- Xenology: General
- Xenology: (non-native)
- Xenophysiology (non-native -and- non-Terran)
Engineering
Engineering personnel provide the necessary repair and upkeep of equipment aboard ship. It is suggested that prospective Engineers select one (or more) Engineering skills to specialize in.
Note that Starfleet Engineers, at first, are primarily concerned with the various electronics systems throughout the ship. This is due to the Federation's heavy use of electronic equipment for almost every function. The only non-electronic equipment aboard most ships are the Warp drives and Impulse engines. However, Engineers can specialize in any Engineering or Mechanic field, because Starfleet encourages research and development of newer and better systems.
Cadets Majoring in Engineering usually take Helm /Navigation as their Minor. Some smaller ships may use the Engineer as a back-up commander. Those Engineers may Minor in Operations, and will want to go to Command School.
Training includes:
- Armoury: Phasers
- Armoury: Photon Torpedoes
- Armoury: Starship Phasers
- Electronics: Communications
- Electronics: Computers
- Electronics: Deflector Shields
- Electronics: Life Support
- Electronics: (specialty)
- Electronics: Sensors
- Electronics: Transporters
- Engineer: (specialty)
- Engineer: Impulse Drives
- Engineer: Warp Drives
- Mechanic: (specialty)
- Mechanic: Impulse Drives
- Mechanic: Warp Drives
- Subspace Mechanics
Helm and Navigation personnel provide the ship with pilots and co-pilots. They also provide the ship with experienced Shuttlecraft and Runabout pilots and co-pilots.
Generally, Cadets who Major in Helm/Navigation are Cadets who eventually wish to become Commanders themselves. Those cadets will also wish to attend Command School.
Appropriate Minors include Communications, Operations, and Engineering.
Training includes:
- Astronomy
- Astrogation: Warp Drive
- Astrophysics
- Electronics Operations: Communications
- Electronics Operations: Deflector Shields
- Electronics Operations: Photon Torpedoes
- Electronics Operations: Starship Phasers
- Electronics: Computers
- Electronics: Deflectors
- Gunner: Photon Torpedoes
- Gunner: Starship Phasers
- Leadership
- Pilot: Runabout
- Pilot: Starship
- Strategy: Space
- Subspace Mechanics
- Tactics: Space
Intelligence
This is the major for Cadets that wish to join the Starfleet Intelligence Service (SFI). Intelligence Cadets study a program which will prepare them for a variety of positions within SFI including field operations, intelligence analysis, SIGINT collection, and many others. Cadets are encouraged to choose a government or organization as a specialty to study during their time at the Academy. Some examples include the Cardassian Union, the Dominion and the Borg.
Intelligence Cadets usually take courses in Communications, Operations or Security , but any other division can be taken as a Minor.
Training includes:
- Cryptanalysis
- Electronics Operations: Communications
- Electronics Operations: Security Systems
- Electronics: Communications
- Electronics: Sensors
- Intelligence Analysis
- Interrogation
- Language: (specialty)
- Pilot: Runabout
- Psychology: (specialty)
- SIGINT Collection/Jamming
- Starfleet Protocol
- Strategy: Space
- Survival: (specialty)
- Tactics: Small Units
- Unarmed Combat
- Weapons: Phaser
- Xenology: (specialty)
Judge Advocate General
This Major is for cadets who wish to join the Starfleet Judge Advocate General's Corps. The fleet's JAGs are responsible for the investigation, prosecution, and defense of the men and women enlisted in Starfleet. In addition, they practice interplanetary, operation, labor, contract, environmental, tort, and administrative law. In addition, Starfleet Judge Advocates assist in the development and ratification of treaties and act as legal advisors to members of the admiralty. Each JAG officer is responsible for a certain group of individuals, or sphere of influence, in Starfleet.
Each cadet will obtain an interplanetary law degree during their time in the Academy. Starfleet Judge Advocates uphold and protect the rights of Starfleet personnel and the virtues of the Federation and Starfleet Charters. Newly commissioned judge advocates receive immediate responsibility in handling significant legal issues. They encounter a diversified, challenging and rewarding law practice stationed throughout the Federation.
Cadets Majoring in JAG usually take Operations as their Minor.
Training includes:
- Administration
- Diplomacy
- History: Federation
- Law: Federation: (general)
- Law: Federation: Administrative
- Law: Federation: Claims
- Law: Federation: Contracts
- Law: Federation: Criminal
- Law: Federation: Interplanetary
- Law: Federation: Operational
- Law: (non-Federation)
- Language: (non-native)
- Psychology: (Terran)
- Psychology: (native or non-Terran)
- Starfleet Protocol
- Xenology: General
- Xenology: (non-native)
Medicine
Medical personnel provide day-to-day medical care to the people aboard ship, and treat injuries just like any other doctor.
Medical Cadets do not usually Minor in any other field, but are required to take four elective skills, which may be any science or medical skill. More than two specialization fields are encouraged by Starfleet, but not required. Ship's Doctors should consider taking at least one Medicine: (other race) skill for most of the races that they would normally come in contact with during normal ship's operations. Each racial skill must be learned separately.
Medical Cadets have generally completed medical studies on their respective homeworlds, and thus generally start their Academy training at age 25. They go through a different type of training program than do any other type of Cadet. The Academy medical training lasts eight years, but does not include an internship.
- Biology (or Xenobiology: (specialty))
- Biochemistry (or Xenobiochemistry: (specialty))
- Diagnosis: (Terran)
- Diagnosis: (native or non-Terran)
- Diagnosis: (non-native -and- non-Terran)
- Diplomacy
- Electronics Operations: Life Support
- Electronics Operations: Medical
- Electronics Operations: Sensors
- Physician: (Terran)
- Physician: (native or non-Terran)
- Physician: (non-native -and- non-Terran)
- Physiology: (Terran)
- Physiology: (native or non-Terran)
- Psychology: (Terran)
- Psychology: (native or non-Terran)
- Psychology: (non-native -and- non-Terran)
- Xenophysiology: (non-native -and- non-Terran)
Operations
This is the Major for Cadets who wish to pursue advancement in the command line fields of Starfleet.
Operations Majors provide an interface between the day-to-day normal activities of the crew on board ship and the command personnel. Operations personnel study a program designed to give them a working knowledge of all other divisions in Starfleet. Ops Officers are frequently trained to become commanders themselves. The Ops Cadet usually takes courses in both Communications and Helm/Navigation, but can take any other division as a Minor.
Training includes:
- Administration
- Astrogation: Warp Drive
- Astrophysics
- Electronics Operations: Communications
- Electronics Operations: Photon Torpedoes
- Electronics Operations: Starship Phasers
- Electronics Operations: Security Systems
- Electronics: Communications
- Electronics: Computers
- Electronics: Sensors
- Gunner: Photon Torpedoes
- Gunner: Starship Phasers
- Pilot: Runabout
- Pilot: Starship
- Strategy: Space
- Tactics: Small Units
- Tactics: Space
Sciences
Science personnel provide the investigative research for ships and transmit that information back to Starfleet Command. Science personnel are also useful on landing parties and at Starbases.
Starfleet requires the Sciences Cadet to study at least two additional specializations. They may be from any science field, though they are usually non-Medical. If Sciences is chosen as a Minor, no specializations are needed.
Note that in the Trek era, "Sciences" are not limited merely to the so-called "hard" sciences. Social sciences are also considered important by Starfleet. Good examples of this kind of science officer in action are in the TOS episode "Who Mourns For Adonis", where we saw Carolyn Palamas acting as the "Archaeology & Anthropology" officer in the landing party. Another example was Marla McGivers, the Ship's Historian (and Khan's intended) from "Space Seed". Within these rather broad limitations, any science skills can be chosen for fields of specialization.
Training includes:
- Astronomy
- Astrophysics
- Biology
- Biochemistry (or Xenobiochemistry: (specialty))
- Botany (or Xenobotany: (specialty))
- Chemistry
- Comparative Archaeology: (race)
- Ecology (or Xenoecology: (specialty))
- Genetics (or Xenogenetics: (specialty))
- Geology
- Physics
- Physiology: (Terran)
- Physiology: (specialty)
- Subspace Mechanics
- Xenobiology: General
- Xenology: General
- Zoology (or Xenology: (specialty))
Security
Security forces provide basic police duties on ship, as well as protective duties to landing parties. Some Security personnel will take additional training as Starfleet Marines.
The Normal Minor field for Security is Communications. The Security Officer (also called the Tactical Officer) is usually expected to operate the ship's communications systems.
Training includes:
- Weapons: Phaser
- Unarmed Combat
- Diplomacy
- Electronics Operations: Phaser Cannons
- Electronics Operations: Security Systems
- Gunner: Phaser Cannon
- Federation Martial Arts: (Anbo-Jytsu)
- Vehicle training
- Small weapons combat
- Psychology: (Terran)
- Survival: (choose)
- Tactics
- Tactics: Small Units
Cadet Cruise
After completing classwork at the Academy, Cadets are usually sent on a one-year cruise in space, where their performance is evaluated by officers in the field. During that cruise, the officer-in-training carries the rank of Cadet (Cdt) or Officer Cadet (OCdt) for the Marines. This rank is considered to be one below Ensign, but still an officer's grade and rank. Sometimes, due to extremely good performance of duties, a Cadet will be promoted to Acting Ensign (with an increase in pay and rank) in the field.
Cadet Cruise Assignments may include:
- Special Assignment
- Starship Division
- Exploration Division
- Military Division
- Colonization Division
- Marines Division
- Starbase Division
Command School
Cadets who want to become Department Heads or Top Command personnel are usually required to attend Command School for two years following their Cadet Cruise. At Command School, they will obtain the following skills important for holding positions of responsibility and authority over other officers.
Department Heads are defined as the persons holding the following positions:
- Chief Engineer
- Chief Medical Officer
- Tactical Officer
- Chief Science Officer
- Chief of Conn
Top Command personnel are:
- Captain
- First Officer
- Chief of Operations
Training includes:
- Administration
- Astrogation: Warp Drive
- Computer Operations
- Computer Programming
- Diplomacy
- Electronics Operations: Sensors
- General Services: (specialty)
- History: Federation
- Law: Federation
- Leadership
- Psychology: (non-native -and- non-Terran)
- Strategy: Space
- Tactics: Small Units
- Tactics: Space
- Teaching
- Xenology: (Romulan or Borg)
Non-Commissioned Personnel
Non-Commissioned personnel (NCP) join Starfleet for a career, but do not aspire to achieve commissioned rank. They fill the jobs of the day-to-day operations of the ship. They usually join Starfleet at age 18 and go through a shorter education than Cadets. They may choose a career in one of these fields: Engineering, Science, Security, or Services.
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