Starfleet Academy
(Redirected from Starfleet Law Academy)
Facts
- Military academy for Starfleet officers
- Founded 2161 alongside the Federation
- Motto: "Ex Astris, Scientia" ("From the Stars, Knowledge")
- Main campus in San Francisco, United States of America, Earth
- Headquarters at the Presidio, training facilities south of Sausilito (Star Trek)
- Campus facilities
- Academy Central Union (TNG Novel: A Time to Be Born)
- Sarek Lecture Hall (TNG Novel: A Time to Be Born)
- Largest Academy lecture hall (TNG Novel: A Time to Be Born)
- Sarek Lecture Hall (TNG Novel: A Time to Be Born)
- Preparatory Center (TNG Novel: A Time to Be Born)
- Located in domed building within northeast quadrant (TNG Novel: A Time to Be Born)
- Academy Central Union (TNG Novel: A Time to Be Born)
- Annex campuses established on various Federation worlds
- Academy keeps both civilian and Starfleet instructors
Staff
General Operations
Entrance process
- No specific age requirement given the varying maturation rates of different species, but especially young entrants with respect to their species require approval by the Academy board
- See Wesley taking the entrance exam at age 15, "Coming of Age", for example
- Sponsorship by command-level officer optional, but provides waiving of certain requirements (VAN Novel: Reap the Whirlwind; TOS: "The Apple"; VOY: "Tattoo")
- Individuals who are not Federation citizens require sponsorship by a command-level officer (DS9: "Heart of Stone")
- Difference presumptive given that reference to sponsorship into Academy mentioned throughout 23rd, 24th century for Human officers, implying it aids in process for some but is required for non-Federation citizens
- Various preparatory institutes established on Federation worlds (VOY Novel: Mosaic)
- Such institutes offer general education oriented as early as age 12 (VOY Novel: Mosaic)
- Oriented towards Academy preparation, but provides a broad enough educational program that many enter their children in such courses with no plans of eventual Starfleet membership
- Top-performing students offered slots at Starfleet Academy upon graduation, waiving other requirements (VOY Novel: Mosaic)
- Such institutes offer general education oriented as early as age 12 (VOY Novel: Mosaic)
- Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program, six-week course, is offered every year to all qualifying applicants as preparation for entrance exam (DS9: "Facets"; TNG Novel: A Time to Be Born; possibly referenced in TNG: "Coming of Age")
- On-campus program held in Preparatory Center (TNG Novel: A Time to Be Born)
- Entrance exam offered annually at all campuses following completion of the program (TNG: "Coming of Age")
- Completion of the program not required to take the exam (TNG: "Coming of Age")
- If not passed, but the applicant's score is still above a certain threshold, it may be retaken the following year
- Standardly a four-year process from acceptance to graduation as Ensign, but this schedule can be delayed or accelerated by circumstance
- Those in training known alternatively as "cadet" or "midshipman"
Academy Experience
- Academy runs on a two-semester schedule
- Fall semester spans November to March
- Wesley taking entrance exam in June 2364, "Coming of Age"; judging by below Nog example this would potentially fit entry into Fall semester (if a bit early) were he to have passed
- Spring semester spans April to August
- Nog prepping for exam December 2371, "Facets", in Academy by April 2372, "Homefront"
- Cadets can begin training in either term
- Fall semester spans November to March
- All cadets given a copy of the Starfleet Survival Guide upon their entry (TOS Novel: Errand of Vengeance: Killing Blow)
- Training focused in specific service branch after first year
- Command track offers general training in all branches in addition to command-focused training at Starfleet Command School (VOY: "Parallax")
- Also includes courses in diplomacy in the event of first contact scenarios or other cases where a starship commanding officer will be required to represent the Federation
- Medical track includes both research and field training
- Science track focused on a particular field; program equivalent to an accelerated Masters program
- Also provides post-graduate study for doctoral research (DIS Novel: The Way to the Stars)
- Command track offers general training in all branches in addition to command-focused training at Starfleet Command School (VOY: "Parallax")
- On-campus residency required in first, second year, optional in third or fourth year (VOY Novel: Mosaic)
Courses
Extracurricular activities
- Academy includes various athletics teams
- Competes in various competitions and leagues with other educational facilities
- Teams include
- - 2283 - 2368: Track and field (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"; VOY: "Basics, Part II"; Star Trek: Nemesis)
- - 2324 - 2370 - : Parrises squares (TNG: "The First Duty"; VOY: "Tsunkatse")
- - c.2345 - : Boxing (VOY: "The Fight")
- - mid-24th century - 2376 - : 3D Polo (SCE Short Story: "Here There Be Monsters")
- - 2351 - : Wrestling (DS9: "Apocalypse Rising")
- - 2370 - : Velocity (VOY: "The Disease")
Graduation
- Graduation and commencement ceremony in mid-September (TNG: "The First Duty")
- Second smaller ceremony occurs in mid-May for those completing their program in the first semester
- Commencement ceremony includes a commencement speech from an invited speaker (Novel: Articles of the Federation)
- Graduates granted the rank of Ensign (Various)
- New ensigns usually receive first assignment within days if not weeks
Post-Graduation Programs
- Advanced Intelligence Training (SCE Short Story: "Home Fires")
- Required one-year program for Starfleet officers transferring into Starfleet Intelligence (SCE Short Story: "Home Fires")
- Name presumptive by analogy with Advanced Tactical Training
- Advanced Tactical Training (TNG: "Preemptive Strike"; TOS Novel: Ex Machina)
- One-year program giving high-level tactical instruction beyond the basic combat requirements needed for security service
- Program known to be held at main campus, Tellar annex campus (TOS: Ex Machina; DS9 Novel: "Ascendance")
- Includes field instruction, leading and directing teams, more advanced combat techniques, detailed briefings on foreign powers, starship operations and security
- Requirement before being allowed assignment as chief of security or chief tactical officer
- One-year program giving high-level tactical instruction beyond the basic combat requirements needed for security service
- Bridge Officer's Test (TNG: "Thine Own Self")
- Multi-stage test to demonstrate command suitability
- No officer outside the command track may take command of a starship outside an emergency situation without having passed this test
- Likely required to achieve Commander rank for those on starship duty
- Can be given by any command crew officer
Starfleet Law Academy
- Standardly a three-year program equivalent to civilian law school (VAN Novel: Open Secrets)
Starfleet Medical Academy
- Name via "Rivals"'
- Standardly a four-year program equivalent to civilian medical school, offered to those progressing along the medical branch
- Can also be entered directly by civilians from pre-med on approval of the Academy board
- McCoy known to have attended Ole Miss, seems not to have attended Starfleet Academy by "The Ultimate Computer"
- Entrants are granted the rank of lieutenant, junior grade upon graduation (DS9: "Emissary")
- Includes a one-year field residency
First Students
- Dates and identities of first members of various species at the Academy
- Human, Vulcan, Andorian, and Tellarite, as founding species, have no specific identified first members
- Kelpien: 2244 (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
- Antedean: By late 23rd century (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
- Halkan: Early 2280s (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
- Xenexian: 2354 (NF Novel: Stone and Anvil)
- Brikar: Before 2358 (TNG Novel: Worf's First Adventure)
- Third Brikar at the Academy by that point
- Klingon: 2358 (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint")
- Elaysian: 2366 (TTN Novel: Taking Wing)
- Ferengi: 2372 (DS9: "Heart of Stone")
- Cardassian: 2376 (TTN Novel: Taking Wing)
- Evoran: By 2380 (Novel: Articles of the Federation)