United States Naval Community College

Eligible students can earn an AAS or certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, or a certificate in Foundations in Emerging Technology.

Bismarck State College (BSC) is proud to partner with the United States Naval Community College (USNCC) to deliver pioneering, fully online associate degrees and certificate programs in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies designed specifically for enlisted members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. This collaboration expands access to high-quality, naval-relevant education that enhances operational readiness and prepares service members for current and future mission demands.

USNCC works with accredited institutions through a consortium model to provide flexible, transferable education opportunities tailored to the unique needs of military learners. BSC offers career-focused, online coursework in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, giving service members practical, in-demand skills.

Application Details

Designed for enlisted service members*, BSC's programs focus on applying these computer and data science technologies to maritime operations while providing transferable preparation for later study.

Applications are live March 1.

*Applicants who wish to apply for this program must directly apply on the USNCC site: https://www.usncc.edu/s/enrollment

Program Degree Plans

The follows programs are offered for qualified applicants:

AAS in Naval Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist Certificate

Foundations in Emerging Technology Certificate

Payment/Funding

The USNCC funds collegiate-level coursework by covering the costs of tuition, mandatory fees, and required course materials. Your collegiate-level coursework will remain covered provided you maintain eligibility by USNCC policies. Remedial level coursework, including mandatory fees and course materials, will be at the expense of the student as those courses are not covered by the USNCC. You may see a bill on your Campus Connection for your USNCC funded courses as the charges are transferred to the USNCC Corporate account for billing. Please Note: You should never pay a bill at BSC for those courses that are covered by USNCC.

What are the eligibility requirements to participate?

Contact USNCC (https://www.usncc.edu/s/enrollment)

What is the format of the program?

Online Asynchronous

What careers does this program prepare me for?

Career opportunities exist as machine learning researcher, AI engineer, data mining and analysis, machine learning engineer, data scientist, business intelligence (BI) developer, and computer systems analyst.

Before being accepted to Bismarck State College, who do I reach out to for assistance?

Your BSC enrollment coach/admissions recruiter, Michael Cheeseman, can assist with questions before student acceptance. He can be reached via email at michael.cheeseman@bismarckstate.edu or call 701/224-2529.

My Campus Connection says I need to submit an official transcript to Bismarck State College. How do I do this?

Transcript policy: Bismarck State College reviews all prior transcripts from colleges reporting attendance through the National Student Clearinghouse. Transcripts will be required from all students reported on NSC as well as institutions self-identified. If a student has not attended an institution that reports enrollment, a letter confirming non-attendance must be obtained.

To be considered official, the transcript(s) must be received by BSC from the issuing institution in a sealed envelope or through a secure electronic transcript service like Parchment or National Student Clearing House.

If electronic delivery is not available, official transcripts may be mailed to:

Bismarck State College
Attn: Admissions PO Box 5587
Bismarck, ND 58506-5587

How do I know when I am accepted?

Students will be notified via email and physical mail regarding acceptance to Bismarck State College

Once accepted, what are the next steps?

A BSC advisor will reach out to you to be available to assist with class registration.

What will my primary form of communication be?

After acceptance and initial course registration, all communication should be done through your bismarckstate.edu email address.

What is the last day to drop my class?

If you need to withdraw, it is critical that you first contact your academic advisor prior to withdrawal for appropriate next steps. Important dates and deadlines can also be found here: https://bismarckstate.edu/academics/records/calendarsdeadlines/

Can I apply for FAFSA?

No, USNCC students are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

What if I get a bill from BSC?

There are no costs to service members for tuition, books, or fees. However, you may briefly see charges on your account in Campus Connection for USNCC funded courses as the system processes the credit. You should NEVER pay a bill at BSC for USNCC funded courses.

How do I order textbooks?

Steps to order texbooks online:

Go to bismarckstate.edu
Scroll to bottom of page, Under Quick Links, click on BSC Bookstore
Click on My Account in upper right-hand corner
First time, you will need to Create Account, Create Profile for Browsing and Shopping
If you are a returning customer, enter your username and password
On the top bar click Textbooks and the Order Textbooks
From here you will choose Term, Dept, Course/Section/Instructor
Ensure all selected courses are displayed for your term, then click View Your Materials
Here is where you will choose the options available and listed for your course, then Continue Checkout
Follow all on-screen prompts accordingly, then select payment options
If you haven’t done so…Log in with the University Store, or register a new account
Select Delivery Method and location. Click on save & continue to Payment Options
Select Payment Method, then click Submit Payment. A confirmation number will be displayed and emailed
Notifications are sent when the order is completed and available for pickup/shipping

Ordering directly from Campus Connection:

Go to Campus Connection - Log in and open your student home page.
Click on Manage Classes
Choose the Correct Term
Select Buy My Books at the top of the page
View Your Required Materials - You will be taken directly to the bookstore page showing all materials required for your courses.

Choose your purchase option:
You can: