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Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110

§8591 Degree Granting Authority for Naval War College

Title 10 › Subtitle C — Navy and Marine Corps › PART III — EDUCATION AND TRAINING › CHAPTER 859 — PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION SCHOOLS › § 8591

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President of the Naval War College may award academic degrees to students who meet the college’s requirements, if the Secretary of the Navy sets rules and the faculty recommends the awards. A degree can only be given if the Secretary of Education recommends approval under the Federal Policy Governing Granting of Academic Degrees by Federal Agencies and if the Naval War College is accredited to award that degree by the proper civilian accrediting agency as the Secretary of Education decides. When asking to establish degree-awarding power, the Secretary of Defense must send the Senate and House Armed Services Committees a copy of the self‑assessment questionnaire when it is filed with the Department of Education’s National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, and must send the Secretary of Education’s recommendations and reasons. If the degree authority is changed or renamed, the Secretary of Defense must report the reason and any Education Department recommendation. If a civilian accreditor refuses to accredit the College for any new or existing degree, the Secretary of Defense must explain that action to those committees.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §8591

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Authority.—
Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy, the President of the Naval War College may, upon the recommendation of the faculty of the Naval War College components, confer appropriate degrees upon graduates who meet the degree requirements.
(b)Limitation.—
A degree may not be conferred under this section unless—
(1)the Secretary of Education has recommended approval of the degree in accordance with the Federal Policy Governing Granting of Academic Degrees by Federal Agencies; and
(2)the Naval War College is accredited by the appropriate civilian academic accrediting agency or organization to award the degree, as determined by the Secretary of Education.
(c)Congressional Notification Requirements.—
(1)When seeking to establish degree granting authority under this section, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives—
(A)a copy of the self assessment questionnaire required by the Federal Policy Governing Granting of Academic Degrees by Federal Agencies, at the time the assessment is submitted to the Department of Education’s National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity; and
(B)the subsequent recommendations and rationale of the Secretary of Education regarding the establishment of the degree granting authority.
(2)Upon any modification or redesignation of existing degree granting authority, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing the rationale for the proposed modification or redesignation and any subsequent recommendation of the Secretary of Education on the proposed modification or redesignation.
(3)The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing an explanation of any action by the appropriate academic accrediting agency or organization not to accredit the Naval War College to award any new or existing degree.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 7101 of this title as this section. 2008—Pub. L. 110–417 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “(a) Authority.—Upon the recommendation of the faculty of the Naval War College, the President of the college may confer the degree of master of arts in national security and strategic studies upon graduates of the college who fulfill the requirements for the degree. “(b)

Regulations

.—The authority provided by subsection (a) shall be exercised under

Regulations

prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy. “(c) Naval War College Defined.—In this section, the term ‘Naval War College’ means the College of Naval Warfare and the College of Naval Command and Staff.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of

Amendments

and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2008 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 110–417 applicable to any degree granting authority established, modified, or redesignated on or after Oct. 14, 2008, for an institution of professional military education referred to in such amendment, see section 543(j) of Pub. L. 110–417, set out as a note under section 2163 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 8591

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110