DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
2000
NAVY PENTAGON
W
ASHINGTON DC 20350-2000
OPNAVINST 1520.31D
N127
24 Oct 2017
OPNAV INSTRUCTION 1520.31D
From: Chief of Naval Operations
Subj: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY/WOODS HOLE
OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION JOINT MASTER'S IN OCEANOGRAPHY
PROGRAM
1. Purpose. To announce the policy and procedural guidance governing selection and
assignment of naval officers for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)/Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Joint Master's Degree in Oceanography Program. Key
changes in this revision include establishing the number of annual quotas available, broadening
the scope of the program to include officers from all unrestricted line communities, and
extending eligibility to officers below the rank of lieutenant.
2. Cancellation. OPNAVINST 1520.31C.
3. Background. Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) letter of 14 July 1984 (NOTAL) directed the
establishment of an MIT/WHOI joint master’s degree program in oceanography as part of a
major reinvigoration of Navy efforts in oceanography. This program continues to serve as an
effective cross-pollination between the Navy and the civilian ocean research community and has
exposed Navy officers to new tactics, ocean research equipment, and oceanographic theories.
4. Scope and Applicability. Four to six quotas will be available, annually, for officers to enter
the program each June. Participants will be selected from the oceanography restricted line
community (1800) and any unrestricted line (URL) community based on projected 6402P
(oceanography operational sciences) subspecialty requirements within each community. Upon
completion of the program, URL officers will retain their URL warfare specialty designation.
All graduates will be awarded the 6402P subspecialty code. Newly commissioned officers from
the United States Naval Academy (USNA) and the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps
(NROTC) may also compete, subject to the needs and requirements of the Navy. Specific
eligibility will be detailed in the MIT/WHOI naval administrative message (NAVADMIN)
issued each year. All applicants for this program must submit a formal MITWHOI Joint
Program entrance application and be accepted by the MIT/WHOI Joint Program in the same
manner as prescribed for other students. Participation is contingent upon academic acceptance
by the MIT/WHOI Joint Program.
