The NROTC program at the University of California-Berkeley campus was one of the first six ROTC units in the nation. The UC Berkeley program has UC Davis, the California Maritime Academy and Stanford as its cross-town affiliates. The unit is comprised of four officers, two civilian staff members and between 60 and 70 midshipmen. The NROTC program seeks to prepare its graduates for a career as a Naval officer and its Navy-required courses include "Introduction to Naval Science," "Evolution of Warfare" and "Leadership and Ethics."
Established in 1945, the NROTC program at Cornell seeks to "develop officers with the integrity, knowledge, moral and physical courage to serve effectively as leaders of our sailors and Marines in the world's finest military." The program offers naval courses in "Small Boat Sailing" and "Sea Power and Maritime Affairs" and allows students to study abroad for one semester.
Texas A&M's ROTC unit was established in 1876 and continues to be a leader in NROTC education. The program offers the standard Navy-required courses and options, but also has specialized training for NROTC members. This specialized training includes the summer midshipmen cruises and the SEAL Platoon, which seeks to prepare NROTC students who wish to enter into the Navy SEAL program upon graduation.
Known as the "Old Ironsides Battalion," the NROTC unit at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has Harvard and Tufts as its cross-town affiliates. The program consists of the standard NROTC requirements and Navy option requirements and adheres to the physical fitness, swimming and sailing requirements set forth by the Navy. The program accepts applications from students that have received both two- and four-year NROTC scholarships and offers a variety of majors, from engineering to liberal arts.