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Field Studies Program

The Field Studies Program (FSP) aims to familiarize international students with American society, institutions, history, and goals, including the U.S. commitment to human rights. The program includes a variety of field trips and events, such as local and regional excursions, visits to universities and museums, and trips to national landmarks. These activities provide international military and civilian students attending formal courses in the U.S. under security assistance programs with a comprehensive understanding of American society.

Funding for the FSP is covered through tuition rate charges for international training programs, ensuring that students can participate in these enriching experiences without additional costs. The program is guided by DoD Directive 5410.17, which outlines its objectives and ensures that it meets its goals. Key objectives of the FSP include increasing awareness of human rights and placing academic experiences within the broader context of American society, helping students gain a deeper understanding of the United States and its values.

Field Studies Program (FSP) Topic Areas:

• Human Rights
• Law of War
• International Peace and Security
• U.S. Government Institutions
• Political Processes
• Judicial System
• Free Market System
• Media
• Education
• Health and Human Services
• Diversity and American Life

The International Graduate Programs Office sponsors a seminar covering these topics areas that is required to be taken in the first or second quarter of each student鈥檚 academic schedule. Seminar description is as follows:

1. IT1500 Informational Program Seminar for International Officers (4-0).
2. This class provides International students with an awareness and functional understanding of internationally recognized human rights and the American democratic way of life. Areas of emphasis introduced during the seminar include civil-military relations, human rights, relationships in a democratic society, and a comparative look at the U.S. free enterprise system. This is a graded course. 

What Activities and Events are Offered through the FSP?

Guest Speakers Students enrolled in IT1500 will meet with guest speakers from the community to learn about FSP topics. 

Social Events  IGPO offers a number of social events throughout the year that encourage the mingling of international military students and U.S. military and civilian personnel. The annual picnic is a fun family-friendly event for international students and their American sponsors. IGPO also holds two quarterly social events鈥攖he new student welcome reception and the international graduation dinner鈥攚hich are mandatory events for each quarter鈥檚 new arrivals and graduating students.

Day Trips  IT1500 students will take numerous local trips during the class meeting time to visit public institutions such as city hall, the elections office, the chamber of commerce, and others. IGPO also offers various local day trips scheduled on the weekends that are not part of IT1500 and are open to all international students. Participation in these weekend FSP trips is voluntary, and interested students can apply to participate. Some examples of weekend day trips are visits to an organic farm in Salinas, to a historic steam railroad in the Santa Cruz mountains, or to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Overnight Trips  Participation in all of IGPO鈥檚 overnight trips is on a voluntary basis, and international students apply to participate. IGPO offers three different overnight trips: a family-friendly two-night stay at Yosemite National Park; a one-night stay in our state鈥檚 capital, Sacramento; and the week-long trip to our nation鈥檚 capital, Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. Trip  The purpose of this trip is to provide opportunities for international students to achieve a deeper understanding and appreciation of the U.S. federal government and how governmental institutions affect U.S. citizens and nations throughout the world. The FSP trip to Washington, D.C. occurs twice a year, during the academic breaks between quarters. 

Who's Eligible to Participate?

International Military Students Due to the demanding nature of your academic schedule at NPS, the majority of IGPO鈥檚 FSP activities are scheduled for the weekends. Participation in these weekend FSP activities is voluntary but encouraged. One of IGPO鈥檚 required courses for international students, IT1500 Informational Program Seminar for International Officers, is another component of the Field Studies Program. For students enrolled in IT1500, the FSP trips and activities are mandatory and scheduled during the weekly class meeting time of Tuesday and Thursday 1500-1700.

Authorized International Dependents For some FSP activities, spouses or family members are allowed to accompany the international military student (IMS) on a space available basis. For family members to be eligible to participate, they must be authorized dependents included on the invitational travel order (ITO) of the international military student. Dependents may not take part in an FSP activity if the international student does not participate. Also, not every FSP activity is designed for dependent participation. Some activities are only for the international military student, others are open to only spouses, and many are open to families with children of all ages.

American Personnel U.S. civilian or military personnel officially assigned to NPS can participate in FSP activities as escort officers. U.S. escorts should be familiar with the FSP and should have sufficient information to be able to answer some IMS questions, and to be able to carry on a conversation on the topic at hand. They should have a basic knowledge of U.S. Government and history, particularly the Constitution, and of internationally recognized human rights. Escorts should also be accustomed to working with international military students.