1. (a) Authority.— Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy, the President of the Marine Corps University may, upon the recommendation of the directors and faculty of the Marine Corps University, confer appropriate degrees upon graduates who meet the degree requirements.

2. (b) Limitation.— A degree may not be conferred under this section unless—

   1. (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. (2) the Marine Corps University is accredited by the appropriate civilian academic accrediting agency or organization to award the degree, as determined by the Secretary of Education.

3. (c) Congressional Notification Requirements.—

   1. (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—

      1. (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
      2. (B) the subsequent recommendations and rationale of the Secretary of Education regarding the establishment of the degree granting authority.
   2. (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. (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 Marine Corps University to award any new or existing degree.
4. (d) Board of Advisors.— The Secretary of the Navy shall establish a board of advisors for the Marine Corps University. The Secretary shall ensure that the board is established so as to meet all requirements of the appropriate regional accrediting association.

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title IX, § 911(a)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2828; amended Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 532(a)–(b)(3)(A), (c)(1), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1104, 1105; Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, § 531(a), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1472; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title X, § 1084(d)(31), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2063; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 543(g)(1), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4462.)

Amendments 2008—Pub. L. 110–417 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to conferral of master of military studies, master of strategic studies, and master of operational studies degrees by Marine Corps University and establishment of a board of advisors.

2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–375, § 1084(d)(31)(A), substituted “Master of Military Studies” for “Authority” in heading.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–375, § 1084(d)(31)(B), substituted “Master of Strategic Studies” for “Marine Corps War College” in heading.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–375, § 1084(d)(31)(C), substituted “Master of Operational Studies” for “Command and Staff College of the Marine Corps University” in heading.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–375, § 1084(d)(31)(D), substituted “subsections (a), (b), and (c)” for “subsections (a) and (b)”.

2003—Subsecs. (c) to (e). Pub. L. 108–136 added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsecs. (c) and (d) as (d) and (e), respectively.

2001—Pub. L. 107–107, § 532(b)(3)(A), substituted “masters degrees; board of advisors” for “master of military studies” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–107, § 532(b)(1), substituted “upon graduates of the Command and Staff College who fulfill the requirements for that degree” for “upon graduates of the college who fulfill the requirements for the degree”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–107, § 532(a)(2), added subsec. (b). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–107, § 532(b)(2), substituted “subsections (a) and (b)” for “subsection (a)”.

Pub. L. 107–107, § 532(a)(1), redesignated subsec. (b) as (c).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107–107, § 532(c)(1), added subsec. (d).

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment Amendment 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 2161 of this title.

Effective Date of 2003 Amendment Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, § 531(b), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1472, provided that:

“The authority to confer the degree of master of operational studies under

section 7102(c) of title 10, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)) may not be exercised until the Secretary of Education determines, and certifies to the President of the Marine Corps University, that the requirements established by the Command and General Staff College of the Marine Corps University for that degree are in accordance with generally applicable requirements for a degree of master of arts.”

[Approval granted by Secretary of Education on Jan. 10, 2003, for Marine Corps University to award the Master’s degree in operational studies for successful completion of the School of Advanced Warfighting program.]

Effective Date of 2001 Amendment Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 532(d), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1105, provided that:

“The authority to confer the degree of master of strategic studies under

section 7102(b) of title 10, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)) may not be exercised until the Secretary of Education determines, and certifies to the President of the Marine Corps University, that the requirements established by the Marine Corps War College of the Marine Corps University for that degree are in accordance with generally applicable requirements for a degree of master of arts. Upon receipt of such a certification, the President of the University shall promptly transmit a copy of the certification to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.”

[Approval granted by Secretary of Education on Aug. 8, 2001, for Marine Corps University to award the Master’s degree for successful completion of the Marine Corps War College program in strategic studies.]

Effective Date Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title IX, § 911(b), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2828, provided that:

“The authority provided by

section 7102(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall become effective on the date on which the Secretary of Education determines that the requirements established by the Command and Staff College of the Marine Corps University for the degree of master of military studies are in accordance with generally applicable requirements for a degree of master of arts.”

[Approval granted by Secretary of Education on Mar. 22, 1995, for Marine Corps University to award the Master of Military Studies degree through its Command and Staff College.]

Board of Advisors for Marine Corps University Pub. L. 103–337,div. A, title IX, § 912, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2828, which authorized the Secretary of the Navy to establish a board of advisors for the Marine Corps University and to ensure that the board met all requirements of the appropriate regional accrediting association, was repealed and restated in subsec. (d) of this section by Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 532(c), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1105.