R 281841Z MAY 20
MARADMIN 315/20
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FY21 MARINE CORPS DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAMS (PHDP)//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/MCO 1300.8/YMD:20140918//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/DODI 1322.10/YMD:20080429//
REF/C/MSGID: WEB/10 U.S.C 2013/YMD:20110107//
NARR/REF A IS MCO 1300.8, THE 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//
POC/R. MEDINA/MAJ/USMC/MCU/PHDP-S EMAIL: MCU_PHDPS_APPLICATION@USMCU.EDU//
POC/C. C. WAKEMAN/MAJ/USMC/OAD/PHDP-T EMAIL: CLIFFORD.WAKEMAN@USMC.MIL//
POC/L. M. GONNELLA/MAJ/USMC/MMOA-3 EMAIL: SMBMMOAGRADEDU@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  This MARADMIN establishes the provisions for eligibility and selection to the Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Program (PHDP) and provides guidance for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) implementation.  Nested in the overarching program that provides a fully-funded education are two tracks: the Commandant of the Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Strategist Program (PHDP-S) Pilot and the Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Technical Program (PHDP-T) Pilot.  This MARADMIN is a solicitation for applications.  Applications are due no later than 2 August 2020.
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 and assist in developing defense and service strategies.  Furthermore, uniformed officers with doctorate level education provide deployable, highly-skilled support to senior leaders, as well as help generate national, defense, and service strategies in an increasingly complex world.
3.  Eligibility 
3.a.  PHDP-S
3.a.1.  Unrestricted officers: captains with two (2) years or more time in grade as of 1 January 2021, in-zone for major, major (selects), majors, lieutenant colonel (selects), and lieutenant colonels with less than 20 years commissioned service by 1 August 2021.
3.a.2.  Officers with no less than two-years time on station by the start of PhD coursework (roughly August 2021). 
3.a.3.  Hold at least a Secret Clearance and be eligible for a Top Secret or Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI).
3.a.4.  Earned master’s degree with a GPA of 3.5 or higher from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education in a discipline related to one of the specified doctoral fields of study listed in paragraph 5.a. Applicants may request a waiver on a case-by-case basis when a civilian institution’s doctoral program prerequisites differ from these minimum standards.
3.a.5.  Officers with a current Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  To be considered current, GRE must have been taken no earlier than 1 January 2016.  Competitive GRE scores are generally considered minimums of 153 verbal reasoning, 156 quantitative reasoning, and 4.0 analytical writing.
3.b.  PHDP-T
3.b.1.  Unrestricted active duty majors through lieutenant colonel.  Officers in-zone for major, major (selects), majors, and lieutenant colonel (selects) with less than 20 years commissioned service by 1 July 2021.
3.b.2.  Officers with no less than two-years time on station by the start of PhD coursework (roughly July 2021).
3.b.3.  Hold at least a Secret Clearance and be eligible for a Top Secret or Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI).
3.b.4.  Officers with an accredited Masters degree GPA of 3.5 or higher in a discipline related to one of the specified doctoral fields of study listed in paragraph 5.b.
3.b.5.  Officers with a current Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  To be considered current, GRE must have been taken no earlier than 1 January 2016.  Competitive GRE scores are generally considered minimums of 153 verbal reasoning, 156 quantitative reasoning, and 4.0 analytical writing.
3.b.6.  Current Graduate Education Program participants are eligible to apply.
3.b.7.  The specified doctoral fields of study for the PHDP-T are listed in paragraph 5.b.
4.  Ineligibility  
4.a.  Officers in the above zone.
4.b.  Officers with an approved separation or retirement date.
4.c.  Restricted officers.
4.d.  Officers currently in a Graduate Education Program or Advanced Civilian Schools Program (ACSP) utilization tour are not eligible to apply until they have completed at least 24-months of their assigned utilization tour.
4.e.  Officers in a required utilization tour incurred through education or training, other than GEP/ACSP, with a date of departure after 30 September 2021.
5.  Program Specifics
5.a.  PHDP-S.  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.  PHDP-S candidates are expected to complete the program within three academic years.  Candidate programs in the National Capital Region (NCR) include: American University (School of International Service and School of Public Affairs), George Mason University (School of Public Policy and Government) and Georgetown University.  Other schools in the NCR and beyond the NCR will be considered on a case-by-case basis by assessing any fiscal constraints and program timelines.  Schools and disciplines include programs related to the study of strategy, national security, military history, public policy, political science, and government. Those interested in Military History programs leading to a PhD would be encouraged to apply to The Ohio State University (OSU) and Texas A&M University (TAMU) as key professors at those graduate schools have expressed interest in the PHDP-S.
5.a.1.  Tuition.  PHDP-S tuition and required academic fees are paid by Education Command directly to the student's respective educational institution.  Optional student fees are the responsibility of the student.  Officers selected will contact the Commanding General, Education Command (CG, EDCOM) at MCU_Fiscal@usmcu.edu to obtain a third-party billing letter.  The email must contain the school's name and physical address; the students name; student identification number; student EDIPI; MARADMIN number showing the students selection; the name, phone number, and email address for the schools third party billing office.  CG, EDCOM will provide a third party billing letter with instructions for tuition payments to the student and the school's third party billing office.  It is the student's responsibility to ensure the school receives the letter and the tuition is paid. 
5.a.2.  Books.  In accordance with reference (c), students will receive a $500 book stipend per semester for up to four semesters 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. Reimbursement for parking fees and other discretionary fees is not authorized.
5.b.  PHDP-T.  The purpose of the technical program is to select up to two officers to participate in a fully-funded doctoral program with a technical focus.  This track selects officers to assess into a doctoral candidacy at the Naval Postgraduate School for approximately three years, for those with a GEP Masters degree, or approximately five years total for Masters and PhD.  Disciplines considered for officers matriculating in 2021 will include:  Operations Research, Modeling Virtual Environments and Simulation (MOVES), Information Sciences and Computer Science.  Officers will indicate their desired course of study in the application process, but final selection will be determined based on the needs of the Marine Corps.  
6.  Application Process
6.a.  The application templates for the PHDP-T can be found on the PHDP-T webpage on the main USMC Manpower and Reserve Affairs website at:  https:(slash)(slash)www.manpower.usmc.mil/webcenter/portal/OA3CEB/pages_cpibcclebupdates.
6.a.1.  Additional information and updates for the PHDP-T program will be posted at https:(slash)(slash)www.manpower.usmc.mil/webcenter/portal/OA3CEB/pages_page1.  
6.a.2.  Additional information and updates for the PHDP-S will be posted at https:(slash)(slash)www.usmcu.edu/Academic-Programs/Commandant-of-the-Marine-Corps-Strategist-Program.
6.b.  Send completed applications via e-mail to SMBMMOAGRADEDU@usmc.mil, subject titled “Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Program (PHDP) Application”.
6.c.  Applications are due NLT 2 August 2020.
6.d.  Applicants shall not apply to the Naval Postgraduate School or other institutions prior to being notified of their acceptance into the program.
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 commitment from the date of completed coursework for six years.  Should participants fail to meet the PhD coursework requirements, they will incur an active duty service obligation equal to three times the number of months of education completed during the first year of coursework or four years if the education received is greater than twelve months.  The service obligation will run concurrently with any other individual service obligation.   
7.b.  Upon successful completion of the degree program, participants will serve in at least one utilization tour prior to separation from the active duty Marine Corps, based on the needs of the Marine Corps.
8.  Selection 
8.a.  Officers will be pre-screened by elements of MCU and CD&I to determine whether the applicants are qualified to represent the Marine Corps.
8.b.  Officers recommended with confidence in the pre-screening will be forwarded to the Commandant's Education Board for final selection as a sub-board.
8.c.  Officers will be notified of PHDP selection results via MARADMIN immediately following the PhD selection portion of the Commandant’s Education Board in order to provide selectees sufficient time to apply to doctoral programs.
8.d.  Receipt of orders to either of the tracks is contingent upon official acceptance to an approved doctoral program.  Dir, MM is the final approval authority for all assignments to the PHDP.
8.e.  Marines pending screening by a promotion board may be selected contingent upon selection to the next rank.
9.  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. 
10.  Questions
10.a.  PHDP-S questions may be directed to MCU for program requirements via e-mail to mcu_PHDPS_application@usmcu.edu.
10.b.  PHDP-T questions may be directed to clifford.wakeman@usmc.mil.
10.c.  Application submission questions may be directed to MMOA-3 for the PHDP via email to SMBMMOAGRADEDU(at)usmc.mil, subject titled “Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Program (PHDP)”.
11.  This MARADMIN is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
12.  Release authorized by David A. Ottignon, Director, Manpower Management Division.//