Courses of Instruction

Expand All Courses | Print this Page

Course Numbering System. Each subject is identified by a symbol made up of two parts. The first part is an abbreviation denoting the general field of study. The second part is a number denoting the particular subject. The first digit indicates the year in which the course is usually taken and, therefore, the level of instruction.

Credit. The unit of academic credit used at the Virginia Military Institute is the semester hour. In general a semester hour represents one hour of classroom work (lecture or recitation) or one period (two or three hours) of laboratory or supervised research or field work per week during a single semester. Thus a course that meets for three class hours and one laboratory period each week during one semester usually carries credit for four semester hours.

In the following course descriptions the figures on the title lines indicate, in order, the class hours per week, the laboratory or field work hours per week, and the semester hours credit. For example, the figures “3—2—4” mean that the class meets three times a week for one-hour classroom sessions and has two hours of laboratory, supervised research, or field work each week, and that the course carries four semester hours of credit.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Department of Physical Education
Department Head: Colonel Coale

Classes prior to 2016:

All cadets are required to take seven consecutive semesters of physical education classes and earn four semester credit hours (exclusive of any 3 credit hour course), to meet graduation requirements. New cadets do not take a physical education class first semester of their rat year. Second semester of their rat year, and first semester of the third class year, cadets will take either Swimming (PE 100 or 101), or Boxing (PE 102). Second semester of the third class year, and first semester of the second class year, cadets will take either Drug and Alcohol (PE 200), or Wrestling (PE 211). Second semester of the second class year, and first semester of the first class year, cadets will take either Principles of Physical Conditioning (PE 300), or a PE elective course. Second semester of the first class year cadets will take a PE elective course.

Class of 2016 and beyond:

All cadets are required to take seven semesters of physical education classes, and earn four semester credit hours (exclusive of any 3 credit hour course) to meet graduation requirements. New cadets are required to take Wellness Concepts (PE 105), and Boxing PE 102 during their fourth-class year. Third-class year cadets are required to take Swimming (PE 100 or 101), and Principles of Physical Education (PE 300). Cadets will take two PE Elective courses during their second-class year. Cadets will also take a PE elective during the first semester of their first-class year to complete their Physical Education requirements. There is no PE requirement (OPEN semester), for the second semester of the first-class year. To accommodate special circumstances that may arise, such as study abroad and medical/health issues, the OPEN semester may occur during the fall/spring of the second-class year, or the fall of the first class year.

PSYCHOLOGY

Department of Psychology
Department Head: Colonel Gire

Requirements for a major in psychology are specified in Psychology .

Note: A grade of C or higher is required in PS 201  for all upper level PS courses starting with the Class of 2014.

PHYSICS

Department of Physics and Astronomy
Department Head: Colonel Hodges

Requirements for a major in physics are specified in Physics and Astronomy .

SPANISH

Department of Modern Languages and Cultures
Department Head: Colonel Sunnen

All cadets who enter with two or more entrance units in a modern foreign language are given placement tests and are placed in appropriate courses on the basis of the test results combined with their previous high school language coursework, and after consultation with the department head of modern languages.

A single year of a foreign language shall count toward meeting graduation requirements only when the cadet is studying a second language or is taking a language as an elective.

Cadets must demonstrate proficiency in ML 101 in order to be admitted into ML 102. They must, similarly, demonstrate proficiency in ML 102 before enrolling in ML 201, and in ML 201 before enrolling in ML 202/204. Proficiency in ML 202/204 is a prerequisite for admission to 300-level courses. Completion of two 300-level courses or their equivalent is expected before enrollment in any 400 -level course. Once a cadet has completed work at the 202/204 level, he/she may not return to the elementary level course for credit.

Cadets who present four years of a high school language or demonstrate native or near-native language abilities may not enroll at the elementary level of that language. Such students will have the choice of enrolling either in the first semester intermediate level of that language or in the first semester elementary course of a different language.