CTC wins $65 million NCPACE contract;

TAMU-CT joins to offer shipboard education

Central Texas College (CTC) recently announced it was granted renewal of its Navy College Program Afloat College Education (NCPACE) contract allowing it to provide educational opportunities to sailors at sea. There are two contracts totaling $65 million during a five-year (one base year and four option years) period which enable CTC to continue to offer college degree programs to sailors aboard naval ships at sea.

The first contract is the instructor-led (IL) portion which provide for sailors on all ships with a crew size of 250 or more and officer berthing space. CTC will partner with Texas A&M University-Central Texas in this contract, which will provide upper level and graduate programs. Columbia College and St. Leo University will also be partners in the instructor-led program.  

“We are extremely excited that Texas A&M University-Central Texas will be one of the teaming partners on the instructor led contract,” said Dr. James R. Anderson, CTC chancellor. “Depending on enrollment demand, the university will have an opportunity to participate in offering for  the first time education services on a naval vessel leading to both  a bachelor and master degree.”

“The concept is the same as the Central Texas 2-Step,” according to Dr. Garry Ross, interim president of Texas A&M-Central Texas. “Students enter CTC and move to us as they complete their lower level courses.”

Dr. Anderson agreed the arrangement benefits all involved. “This partnership provides Texas A&M-Central Texas its first opportunity to serve sailors on naval vessels and provide sailors the opportunity to attend a prestigious, upper-level Texas university.”

The second contract is for Distance Learning (DL) programs provided for sailors on all ships, especially those with a crew size less than 250. CTC partners in the DL programs include Coastline Community College, Dallas TeleCollege, ECPI College of Technology, Governors State University, Saint Leo University, Thomas Edison State College, the University of Oklahoma and Vincennes University.

CTC offers several associate degree programs through NCPACE including criminal justice, applied management, computer and information sciences, homeland security, arts, science and general studies. Texas A&M-Central Texas will offer bachelor and master degree programs in these fields and more.

NCPACE gives sailors the opportunity for educational advancement whether at shore or at sea. All undergraduate courses are from institutions with Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges-Navy (SOCNAV) affiliation, providing sailors the opportunity to transfer credits and complete degrees more readily. CTC has partnered with the Navy to offer ship-board education through the NCPACE program since 1977. Its operating locations include San Diego, CA; Bremerton, WA; Pearl Harbor, HI; Yokosuka, Japan; Sasebo, Japan; Norfolk, VA; Groton, CT; and Mayport, FL for ships that deploy throughout the world.