Starfleet Academy logo
Starfleet Academy is the primary training organization for Starfleet Officers. Consisting of a primary campus on Earth and several satellite schools around the Federation, Starfleet Academy prepares new officers for service within Starfleet. In addition to the primary location at Earth, satellite locations have been established at Andoria, Magna Roma. Tellar Prime, Betazed, and Ferenginar.
Admissions to Starfleet Academy is a rigorous series of tests, both academic and psychological. Prospective students can be tested at a variety of locations, including all Starfleet Academy campuses and satellite locations, including at least one testing center at Relva VII. Tests may include conflict resolution, disaster scenarios, and skills and knowledge testing. In cases where enrollment quotas have been filled, a testing group of four people will allow only one candidate to enroll at the Academy. In times of war, these restrictions are lifted as additional officers are needed as quickly as possible.
Enrollment in Starfleet Academy typically lasts four years, and covers all the basic skills that a Starfleet Officer would be expected to learn. These skills include the basics like mathematics, first aid, and zero-G operations, and introduction courses for the various branches. The first year is entirely filled with these basic skills, as well as subjects like basic Federation Law, Starfleet regulations, and other information essential to serving as an officer.
Entering the second year, Cadets begin to focus more and more on their chosen field, with more of these classes in the remaining years. By the time of graduation, Cadets are expected to be prepared for serve as junior officers, even if they have not finalized their specialization.
- First Year: Colloquially known as Freshmen, most first year cadets will take a similar course load, focusing primarily on an introduction to Starfleet, its values, and the general skills expected of every Starfleet officer. Some example classes include the history of the Federation and Starfleet, tricorder operations, and introductory courses for standard technologies.
- Second Year: Sometimes referred to as Sophomores. As with the first year, second year cadets will often take similar courses, with only one or two courses being geared toward a chosen field of study. Most second year cadets will take basic hand-to-hand training, first aid, and introductory damage control procedures. Engineering students will be introduced to at least one system and its requirements for maintenance. Security students will receive classes on security procedures, and science students will take at least one science-oriented elective.
- Third Year: May also be referred to as Juniors. Most third year cadets will receive basic instruction on Federation law, with an emphases on the Prime Directive. Engineering, Science, and Medical students will focus the bulk of their course load on their respective fields of study, while security, tactical, and flight operations will receive a more generalized course load with similar classes.
- Fourth Year: Often known as Seniors. By this point in training, most cadets are marginally prepared for service in Starfleet, Cadets above the 50th percentile will be placed aboard a starship for a "cadet cruise", while cadets below the 50th percentile will be required to take additional classes and may be expected to remain an additional year. In either case, cadets in their fourth year will be expected to complete their final courses in their chosen field of study. Almost all cadets will have chosen a specific field by this point, and courses will be specialized to those fields. The two exceptions are advanced tricorder operations and introduction to zero-gravity operations, which are required for all Cadets.
Additional training is available in Branch schools, and a cadet is expected to choose their branch by the end of their third year. Third and Fourth year cadets may be granted limited authority over first and second year cadets as a way to gain limited leadership experience.
Cadets who graduate from Starfleet Academy are granted ranks appropriate to the training they receive. In most cases, the rewarded rank is Ensign. but science and medical officers may earn Lieutenant Junior Grade or Lieutenant prior to deploying on a Starship, with the latter often requiring additional training at a dedicated Medical facility or prior training at a civilian institution.
A complete listing of the Starfleet Academy core curriculum is below, which spans all four years along with the chosen Branch courses.
Command Skills[]
Command skills represent a subset of skills related to the leadership of people or the command of starships in combat. These skills are taught mostly in higher level training though all cadets receive a base level instruction in these aspects of Starfleet service.
- Diplomacy
- Inspiration
- Starship Combat Tactics
Engineering[]
Engineers specialize in the manufacture, repair, or modification of starship systems or personal devices.
- Personal Device Engineering
- Starship Computer Systems
- Starship Defensive Systems
- Starship Offensive Systems
- Starship Power Systems
- Starship Propulsion Systems
- Transporter Systems
Operations[]
These skills are essential to operations on a starship or personal device. All cadets receive a baseline qualification on every system on a starship.
- Starship Computer Operation
- Starship Helm Operation
- Starship Sensor Operation
- Starship Tactical Systems Operation
- Transporter Operation
- Tricorder Operation
- Zero-G Operation
Medical[]
All cadets receive basic first aid training, but officers specializing in medical procedures and technology will receive more advanced training. All starfleet doctors have a general training in all of these fields but often specialize in one or two.
- Diagnostics
- Epidemiology
- Prosthetics
- Psychiatry
- Surgery
Science[]
An officer’s knowledge in the different disciplines of scientific pursuit. All cadets graduate with a basic understanding of scientific principles with science focused cadets receiving a more specific but still broad education in the sciences. From there the cadets often choose specialties and continue down that path until obtaining doctorates.
- Biological Sciences
- Biology
- Cybernetics
- Genetics
- Organic Chemistry
- Computer Sciences
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cryptography
- Machine Language
- Systems Design
- Physical Sciences
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Particle Physics
- Planetary Sciences
- Ecology
- Geology
- Oceanography
- Volcanology
- Social Sciences
- Archeology
- Linguistics
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Stellar Sciences
- Astrogation
- Astrophysics
- Orbital Dynamics
- Temporal Science
- Warp Theory
Security[]
Security skills are an officer's ability to utilize Starfleet combat training to address dangerous situations where force is required. Security procedures and federation laws are covered in detail for all cadets and security minded cadets are considered knowledgeable in all matters of the Starfleet codes by the time they graduate.
- Cover Principles
- Melee Combat (Armed)
- Melee Combat (Unarmed)
- Modern Heavy Weapons Marksmanship
- Modern Small Arms Marksmanship
- Small Unit Tactics
(note: These skills are copied from the Player's Handbook, which contains more detail and may be more up to date than the skills listed here)