Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is a recognized research university that operates under the United States Navy. This institution confers various academic degrees, including master's, engineer's, and doctoral degrees. Additionally, it provides opportunities for postdoctoral research fellowships through the National Research Council research associateship program. The majority of NPS students are active-duty officers from different branches of the U.S. Military, although U.S. Government civilian employees and foreign military personnel can also enroll through various programs. Most of the teaching staff at NPS are civilians. The university offers graduate programs through four graduate schools and 12 departments.

The school's history dates back to June 9, 1909, when Secretary of the Navy George von L. Meyer issued General Order No. 27, establishing a school focused on marine engineering in Annapolis, Maryland. Later, on October 31, 1912, Meyer signed Navy General Order No. 233, renaming the institution as the Postgraduate Department of the United States Naval Academy. During World War II, Fleet Admiral Ernest King, who served as the chief of naval operations and commander-in-chief of both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, initiated a review of graduate education within the Navy. In 1945, Congress passed legislation to formally recognize the school as a fully accredited institution capable of granting degrees. Two years later, Congress authorized the acquisition of a dedicated campus for the school.

Following a thorough assessment of 25 potential locations across the country, a post-war review team recommended the old Hotel Del Monte in Monterey as the new home for the Postgraduate School. Consequently, in December 1951, the Postgraduate School relocated across the nation to establish its current campus in Monterey.