FY25 MARINE CORPS DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAMS SELECTION BOARD ANNOUNCEMENT

MARADMINS : 207/24

R 011743Z MAY 24
MARADMIN 207/24
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/FY25 MARINE CORPS DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAMS (PHDP) SELECTION BOARD ANNOUNCEMENT//
REF/A/MSGID: MCO/MPO/YMD: 20210510//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/DODI/YMD: 20080429//
REF/C/MSGID: WEB/U.S.C/YMD: 20110107//
REF/D/MSGID: MCO/CMC/YMD: 20210519//
NARR/REF A IS MCO 1300.8 W/CH 1, MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT POLICY. REF B IS DOD INSTRUCTION 1322.10, POLICY ON GRADUATE EDUCATION FOR MILITARY OFFICERS. REF C IS 10 U.S.C SECTION 2013, TRAINING AT NON-GOVERNMENT FACILITIES. REF D IS MCO 1524.2, MARINE CORPS DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAM POLICY//
POC/A. N. DOBSON/LTCOL/USMC/PP&O/PHDP-S/EMAIL: [email protected]//
POC/J. D. PARKER JR/LTCOL/USMC/CD&I/PHDP-T/EMAIL: [email protected]//
POC/C. G. SIEBEN/MAJ/USMC/MCU/EMAIL: [email protected]//
POC/J. L. GOSS/MAJ/USMC/MMOA-3/EMAIL: [email protected]//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This message establishes the provisions for eligibility and selection to the Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Program (PHDP) and provides guidance for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) PHDP Selection Board implementation. Nested in the overarching program are two fully-funded education tracks: the Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Strategist Program (PHDP-S) and the Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Technical Program (PHDP-T). This MARADMIN solicits for applications to both. Applications are due no later than 2359 on 3 June 2024. Following application submission, candidates will be contacted to schedule interviews as required.
1.a. Major milestone timeline (read in two columns):
NLT Date Milestones
03 June 2024 Applications due
21 June 2024 PHDP-S Interviews complete
25 June 2024 PHDP Board convenes
2. The purpose of the PHDP is to provide the Marine Corps a cohort of strategic and highly technical thinkers to support senior leader decision making, assist in developing defense and Service strategies, and to help inform long range concept and capability development areas. Furthermore, uniformed officers with doctorate-level education provide deployable, highly-skilled support to senior leaders, and help generate national, defense, and Service strategies in an increasingly complex world.
3. Eligibility
3.a. PHDP-S
3.a.1. Unrestricted active duty officers: majors (select), majors, and lieutenant colonels with less than 19 years commissioned service by 31 July 2026. This ensures that officers selected will have the career timing to complete a three-year education tour and six years of service obligation prior to the 28-year service limitations for lieutenant colonels.
3.a.2. Officers who will have no less than two years' time-on-station by the start of PHD coursework (estimated July 2025).
3.a.3. Hold at least a Secret clearance and be eligible for a Top Secret or Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance.
3.a.4. Earned a Master's degree with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher from an institution accredited by an accreditor recognized by the Department of Education in disciplines related to one of the specified doctoral fields of study listed in paragraph 5.a.1.
3.a.5. Officers with a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken no earlier than 1 January 2020. Competitive GRE scores are generally considered minimums of 153 verbal reasoning, 156 quantitative reasoning, and 4.0 analytical writing.
3.a.6. Applicants may request a waiver on a case-by-case basis when a civilian institution's doctoral program prerequisites differ from these minimum standards, however GREs help the board assess an applicant's competitiveness for acceptance to high quality PHD programs.
3.b. PHDP-T
3.b.1. Unrestricted active duty officers: career designated captains, majors, and lieutenant colonels with less than 19 years commissioned service by 31 July 2026. This ensures that officers selected will have the career timing to complete a three-year education tour and six years of service obligation prior to the 28-year service limitations for lieutenant colonels.
3.b.2. Officers who will have no less than two years' time-on-station by the start of PHD coursework (estimated July 2025).
3.b.3. Hold at least a Secret clearance and be eligible for a Top Secret or Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance.
3.b.4. Officers with an accredited master's degree GPA of 3.5 or higher in a discipline related to one of the specified doctoral fields of study as listed in the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Academic Programs and Degree guide.
3.b.5. Officers with a GRE taken no earlier than 1 January 2020. Competitive GRE scores are generally considered minimums of 158 verbal reasoning, 165 quantitative reasoning, and 4.5 analytical writing.
3.b.6. Current students completing coursework as Graduate Education Program (GEP) participants are eligible to apply.
3.b.7. The specified doctoral fields of study for the PHDP-T are listed in paragraph 5.b.1.
4. Ineligibility
4.a. Officers in the above-zone for promotion.
4.b. Officers with an approved separation or retirement date.
4.c. Restricted officers.
4.d. Officers currently in a GEP utilization tour are not eligible to apply unless they are scheduled to have completed at least 24-months of their assigned utilization tour by 30 September 2025.
4.e. Officers in a required utilization tour incurred through education or training, other than GEP, with a date of departure after 30 September 2025.
5. Program specifics
5.a. PHDP-S
5.a.1. The purpose of the strategist program is to select up to two officers to fill Marine Corps requirements for doctorates with a focus on strategic affairs. This track is designed for candidates to complete coursework within two academic years and a dissertation within one academic year. Traditionally, officers have been encouraged to attend universities in the NCR, however many officers have been accepted and successfully completed PHD programs at elite institutions outside of the NCR. As a result, the board will pay particular attention to an applicant's propensity for acceptance to similar institutions such as, but not limited to Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford. Primacy will be placed on an applicant's schools of preference and likelihood of acceptance.
5.a.2. This MARADMIN particularly solicits applicants interested in the following academic disciplines: strategy, security studies, geography, industrial/organizational psychology, economics, and public policy. Applicants interested in other strategy related disciplines will also be considered.
5.a.3. Service obligation and utilization. These officers will incur a total six-year active duty service obligation and serve two 36-month utilization tours in various Service, Joint, OSD, and higher level billets in the national security enterprise. Participants in the PHDP will not be eligible to screen on future Command Screening Boards until they have completed their two 36-month utilization tours.
5.a.4. Tuition. PHDP-S tuition and required academic fees are paid by Education Command (EDCOM) directly to the student's respective educational institution via third party billing. Optional student fees are the responsibility of the student; reimbursement for parking fees and other discretionary fees is not authorized. PHDP-S candidates are expected to be dissertation complete within three academic years. No more than one additional year to complete dissertation may be granted on a case-by-case basis by CG, EDCOM. Funding beyond four years may be borne by the individual student or require a waiver to be approved by CG, EDCOM.
5.a.5. Books. In accordance with reference (c) and (d), students will receive a $1,000 book stipend per academic year for up to two academic years while completing coursework. Students will receive a one-time $1,000 book stipend at the beginning of their dissertation phase. EDCOM will pay stipends directly to the student and in parallel with tuition payments.
5.b. PHDP-T
5.b.1. The purpose of the technical program is to select up to two officers per year to participate in a fully-funded doctoral program with a technical focus. This track selects officers to assess into a doctoral program at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) for approximately three years. Current assignment to NPS in a Master's program does not preclude eligibility for follow on assignment to the PHDP-T assuming all eligibility requirements have been met by established deadlines. Interested officers may visit NPS website at https:(slash)(slash)nps.edu/web/admissions/programs for details on the specified doctoral fields available; however, officers will indicate their desired course of study in the application process. Final selection will be determined based on the needs of the Marine Corps. Officers interested in doctoral programs outside of NPS may contact the PHDP-T POC for guidance.
5.b.2. Service Obligation and Utilization. These officers will incur a total six-year active duty service obligation and serve two 36-month utilization tours at various high-impact assignments throughout the Marine Corps, joint force, and interagency organizations.
5.b.3. Tuition. PHDP-T students assigned to Naval Postgraduate School are not subject to tuition and academic fees. Reimbursement for parking fees and other discretionary fees is not authorized.
5.b.4. Books. In accordance with reference (c) and (d), students will receive a $1,000 book stipend per academic year for up to two academic years while completing coursework. Students will receive an additional one-time $1,000 book stipend at the beginning of their dissertation phase. EDCOM will pay stipends directly to the student.
6. Application process
6.a. The application templates for the PHDP can be found on the Commandant's Education Board webpage on the main USMC Manpower and Reserve Affairs website under "Grad Ed Applications and Information" at: https:(slash)(slash)www.manpower.usmc.mil/wordpress/?active_marine=active-marines-home/manpower-management-division/mmoa/mmoa-3-homepage/commandants-education-board-cpib-ccleb
6.a.1. Additional information for the PHDP-T enrollment at NPS can be found at https:(slash)(slash)nps.edu/web/admissions/programs.
6.b. Applications must be submitted as a single PDF file titled "EDIPI_PHDS_Last Name" or "EDIPI_PHDT_Last Name".
6.b.1. File size should not exceed 8 MB.
6.b.2. Applications are due no later than 2359 on 3 June 2024 and should be submitted to [email protected].
6.c. Applicants shall not apply to NPS or other institutions prior to being notified of their acceptance into the program.
6.d. PHDP-S applicants should be prepared for an interview at Marine Corps University or via teleconference between 10-21 June. Applicants will be contacted individually to schedule. PHDP-T applicants will not require an interview.
7. Service requirements
7.a. All applicants must agree in writing to:
7.a.1. Not tender resignation or request separation or retirement while participating in the program or during period of service obligation.
7.a.2. An active duty service obligation of six years from the start of follow-on orders. Should participants fail to meet the PHDP coursework requirements or fail to complete their dissertation, they will incur an active duty service obligation equal to three times the number of months of funded education completed during the first year of coursework or two years of service obligation for every year of funded education if the education received is greater than twelve months. Failure to complete service obligation may result in recoupment of funds provided for education.
7.b. Upon successful completion of the degree program, participants will serve at least two 36-month utilization tours prior to separation from the active duty Marine Corps, based on the needs of the Marine Corps.
7.c. Participants in the PHDP will not be eligible to screen on future Command Screening Boards until they have completed their two 36-month utilization tours.
8. Professional Military Education Requirement. Officers successfully completing the PHDP track are considered Top Level School (TLS) complete; however, TLS credit will only be granted to those officers who have previously completed Intermediate Level School and Joint PME, Phase I. TLS completion via PHDP does not provide Joint PME, Phase II credit.
9. Questions
9.a. General PHDP questions may be directed to MCU for program requirements via email to [email protected].
9.b. PHDP-S questions may be directed to [email protected].
9.c. PHDP-T questions may be directed to [email protected].
9.d. Application submission questions may be directed to MMOA-3 for the PHDP via email to [email protected], subject titled "Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Program (PHDP)".
10. This MARADMIN is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
11. Release authorized by BGen Ryan S. Rideout, Director, Manpower Management Division.//