ROUTINE 
R 271852Z JUN 22 MID200001890376U 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC 
TO NAVADMIN 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC 
BT 
UNCLAS 
 
NAVADMIN 141/22 
 
PASS TO OFFICE CODES: 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N2N6// 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N2N6// 
MSGID/NAVADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N2N6/JUN// 
 
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2023 GRADUATE SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES AT MASSACHUSETTS 
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION// 
 
REF/A/DOC/OPNAV/24OCT17// 
REF/B/DOC/OPNAV/17JAN20// 
 
NARR/REF A IS OPNAVINST 1520.31D, MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY-WOODS 
HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION JOINT MASTERS IN OCEANOGRAPHY PROGRAM.   
REF B IS OPNAVINST 1520.23C CHANGE TRANSMITTAL 3, GRADUATE EDUCATION.// 
 
POC/SAUNDERS/CIV/OPNAV N2N6IP4/TEL:  (703) 693-4160/EMAIL: 
michael.j.saunders1.civ@us.navy.mil.// 
 
RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN announces eligibility requirements and application 
procedures for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology (MIT)-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Joint Masters 
Degree in Oceanography Program.  Where information differs between this 
NAVADMIN and reference (a), this NAVADMIN takes precedence.  This world-class 
program offers deep knowledge of ocean processes, ocean vehicles and 
instrumentation, acoustics, and signal processing.  Furthermore, it seeks to 
enhance understanding and application of operational oceanography as it 
pertains to the Undersea Warfare domain. 
 
2.  Five quotas are available for the June 2023 program start.  Applications 
can be submitted online starting 1 July 2022 at  
https://gradapply.mit.edu/whoi/apply/login/?next=/whoi/_navy.   
The application fee is waived for all active duty applicants.  Applicants 
should contact Ms. Patricia Nesti (contact information below) prior to 
applying to receive an application fee waiver code.  MIT 
deadline for applications is 1 October 2022.  Program information and 
admission requirements can be found online at https://mit.whoi.edu/, within 
reference (a), and from the points of contact provided in this 
message.  Additionally, instructions to sign up for education program 
notification are available at https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/training-
education-qualifications/e-graduate-education-and-fellowship-programs. 
 
3.  Eligibility and program requirements for active duty officers in FY 2023 
include: 
    a.  Warfare qualified officers from any unrestricted line community. 
    b.  Warfare qualified officers in designator 1800. 
    c.  Midshipmen 1st Class at U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) or Naval Reserve 
    Officer Training Corps (NROTC) who will be commissioned in the spring of 
2023. 
    d.  Applicants must meet the academic eligibility requirements of MIT-
WHOI. 
    e.  Applicants must be available to report to MIT-WHOI at the beginning 
of June 2023 to start summer refresher coursework. 
 
4.  Service obligation requirements:  Per reference (b), officers selected 
for this program must execute an agreement to remain on active duty, for a 
period of three years after completion of or withdrawal from the program.   
For any officer participating in this program without first serving a tour in 
a permanent fleet billet (immediate graduate education), the service 
obligation for this program (81 months) will be served consecutively to their 
initial service obligation, not to exceed 10 years from the date of 
commissioning. 
 
5.  Selectees are eligible for the 6402P subspecialty code (Operational 
Oceanography) after fully satisfying the educational skill requirements. 
 
6.  Selectees may defer enrollment for up to one year to meet operational and 
detailing requirements. 
 
7.  Two fields of study are offered through the program.  The Applied Ocean 
Science and Engineering field of study is associated with the Mechanical 
Engineering Department at MIT and the Department of Applied Ocean Physics and 
Engineering Department at WHOI.  The Physical Oceanography field of study is 
associated with Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences at MIT and the 
Department of Physical Oceanography at WHOI.  Applicants must select the 
field for which they are applying during the application process. 
 
8.  Interested applicants should submit an online application directly to the 
MIT-WHOI Joint Program.  Graduate Record Examination (GRE) results are not a 
mandatory component of the application this year.  However, if applicants 
desire their results to be included in their application package, the results 
must be sent directly to the MIT-WHOI Joint Program.  If more than five 
applications are accepted by MIT-WHOI, a Navy selection board will be 
convened to select the five candidates. 
 
9.  Applicants must contact their detailer for counseling on the career 
impact 
of participation in the MIT-WHOI masters degree program.  An endorsement 
letter 
from the detailer is required. 
 
10.  A separate application package must be sent via encrypted email to Mr. 
Michael Saunders, OPNAV N2N6IP4, by 1 October 2022, at the email listed in 
paragraph 11.  This package must include: 
     a.  Commanding Officer endorsement 
     b.  Detailer endorsement letter (with the exception of USNA and NROTC 
     Midshipmen) 
     c.  Last three fitness reports 
     d.  Copy of GRE scores (not mandatory) 
     e.  Copies of all post-secondary education transcripts 
     f.  Copy of Statement of Objective essay from the MIT-WHOI application 
to include a statement on how they found out about the program. 
     g.  In lieu of fitness reports, USNA and NROTC Midshipmen may submit 
three letters of recommendation from professors and military faculty 
highlighting academic and military accomplishments and capabilities. 
 
11.  Overall Point of Contact (POC) is Mr. Michael Saunders, OPNAV N2N6IP4, 
(703) 693-4160 or michael.j.saunders1.civ@us.navy.mil.  For questions 
regarding the MIT application, POC is Ms. Patricia Nesti, Program 
Administrator, MIT-WHOI Joint Program, (617) 253-7544 or tnesti@mit.edu. 
 
12.  This message is canceled for record purposes on 31 March 2023. 
 
13.  Released by VADM Jeffrey E. Trussler, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations 
for Information Warfare, OPNAV N2N6.// 
 
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