Multiple Post-Graduate Degrees

[gcclarke]

Does anyone know if there is any regulation out there that would prohibit someone from perusing more than one degree under the post-graduate training program? CFAO 9-33 doesn't seem to indicate there is, but knowing the Byzantine nature of CF regulations, it might be covered off in some other policy.

There are a few of the post-grad programs that look interesting, so basically I'm wondering if taking, say, the Guided Weapons Systems program in the UK would later preclude me from the PhD Physics program at RMC.

 

[dapaterson]

It is possible to get multiple sponsored PG, but each will incur obligatory service.  And, to my knowledge, you generally can't begin another course that will incur obligatory service until you've completed the first set of obligatory service.

Your career manager should be able to provide some information on this.

There are also other options, including the Advnaced Degree part-time program (CMP instruction 18/04, DIN link http://hr3.ottawa-hull.mil.ca/docs/instruction/instructions/engraph/1804_admhrmil_e.asp).

However, when looking out to the future also consider occuaptional, CF common and environmental training that will come up in the future - those will also be considerable demands on your time, but are necessary for progression and promotion.

 

[gcclarke]

Thank you. I had assumed that was the case, with regards to not overlapping obligatory service. I also wasn't aware of the other program you mentioned, and I do notice that it is limited to officers who don't already have a Master's degree. So were someone to go this route, they'd have to start with that one.

 

[Blackadder1916]

It is possible to get multiple sponsored PG, but each will incur obligatory service.  And, to my knowledge, you generally can't begin another course that will incur obligatory service until you've completed the first set of obligatory service.

The experience related is only anecdotal so it may not be a reflection of current regulations, but I have known a few individuals (all medical officers) who commenced further subsdized education programs while still serving a period of obligatory service.  In a few cases, they had to wait until the accumulated obligations were finished before they could retire.  IIRC, their service while back in school did not count towards their obligation.  ROTP/RMC -> Masters immediately after bachelors -> MOTP/Med school -> started paying back schooling -> Med specialty residency -> more obligatory service

 

[gcclarke]

The experience related is only anecdotal so it may not be a reflection of current regulations, but I have known a few individuals (all medical officers) who commenced further subsdized education programs while still serving a period of obligatory service.  In a few cases, they had to wait until the accumulated obligations were finished before they could retire.  IIRC, their service while back in school did not count towards their obligation.  ROTP/RMC -> Masters immediately after bachelors -> MOTP/Med school -> started paying back schooling -> Med specialty residency -> more obligatory service

One quirk of the main post=grad training program is that the obligatory service also has to be served working for the organization that paid for the post grad. Or at least, the vast majority of the time. There are some situations where you can skirt some of that requirement. For example, us naval engineers are ineligible for the merit board to get selected as a head of department only during the first year of the payback time.

So it's not so much that you have to finish your obligatory service before you incur more, it's that you have to pay back the people who paid for your first post-grad before you can start the 2nd.

Assuming that the career manager would even let you do them back to back. I'd imagine in most cases you'd need to do at least one posting in between.

 

[gcclarke]

Hmmmm. Somewhat relevant information to this topic contained within the recently released 2010 Post-Graduate Training Program (Sponsored) Competition.

5. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT AN OFFER OF PGT WILL NOT NORMALLY BE MADE TO A MBR WHO IS JUDGED TO HAVE NOT MADE ACCEPTABLE PROGRESS IN HIS OR HER MILITARY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARY THE OPME PROGRAM, OR A MBR WHO HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBSIDIZED FOR EDUCATION AT THE PG LEVEL

So, the moral of the story appears to be that one should do the Post-Grad they most want first.

 

[SupersonicMax]

I've seen one guy start the Test Pilot School before his 5 years of RMC obligatory service was over.  TPS requires 7 years Obligatory Service.

 

[prima6]

There are ways you can incur additional obligatory service when you are serving out obligatory service as others have said.  I incurred obligatory service for post-grad while still serving obligatory service for my under-grad schooling.  Of course your current obligatory service isn't served while incurring additional obligatory service.  I had 58 months remaining when I began post-grad and 24 months later I had 106 months of obligatory service (2 months incurred for each subsidized month).