NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL OFFERS THREE NEW MASTER’S PROGRAMS IN ACQUISITION AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
by Rebecca Wright
The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is offering three new master’s degree programs for eligible Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW) personnel: Master of Science in Acquisition – Contract Management; Master of Science in Acquisition – Program Management; and Master of Science in Financial Management. Designed for flexibility, all three 24-month programs are offered remotely and part-time, allowing students to study from their duty station without career interruption.
The new programs are in addition to two that are already available—Master of Science in Systems and Program Management (MSSPM) and Master of Science in Systems Engineering (MSSE). When asked what encouraged the addition of the new programs, Uhura Smith, an acquisition training and education manager with the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC), stated the primary reason was “to promote the acquisition workforce,” while describing NPS as “a flagship of programs.”
The Master of Science in Acquisition – Contract Management (MSA-CM) degree program provides advanced education concepts, methodologies and analytical techniques necessary for successful management of acquisition and contracting within complex organizations while contributing to the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act certification in the contract management career field. The curriculum supports preparation for the National Contract Management Association professional certification examinations including the Certified Federal Contract Manager and the Certified Professional Contract Manager.
The Master of Science in Acquisition – Program Management (MSA-PM) degree program provides advanced education in concepts, methodologies and analytical techniques necessary for successful management of programs and projects within organizations. The curriculum is designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and abilities to manage and lead effectively in the federal government acquisition environment by focusing on leadership, problem solving and decision-making utilizing case studies, teaming exercises, hands-on applications, active participation and integrative exercises.
The application window for the MSA-CM and MSA-PM programs will begin on February 2, 2026. Visit USAASC’s Director, Acquisition Career Management (DACM) website for application details.
The Master of Science in Financial Management (MSFM) degree program delivers a core of defense-focused courses to equip students with essential skills and knowledge to effectively lead in financial analysis and management positions within the Department of Navy and Department of War. The program supports continuous financial management reform initiatives mandated by Congress and senior leaders, with a focus on efficient and effective expenditure of public funds.
The program is open for all acquisition functional areas to apply. Smith highly recommends the MSFM program to “those who have a financial management degree, [a degree] in economics or a degree in accounting.” She describes MSFM as being very competitive since there are a limited number of seats but is hopeful that future offerings will have additional seats allocated by the NPS.
The application period for the current MSFM program has closed, however, interested AAW members should monitor the DACM and NPS websites for future opportunities.
For more information, go to https://asc.army.mil/web/career-development/programs/civilian or https://nps.edu.
REBECCA WRIGHT is a writer and editor at the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center’s Director of Acquisition Career Management Office at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Before USAASC, she served as an explosive ordnance disposal technical writer at NSWC Indian Head. She has more than 15 years of experience writing and editing for the DOD and the U.S. Department of Justice.
