Redesigning Enlisted Professional Military Education for the 21st Century and Beyond

Abstract

This qualitative research study with phenomenological interviews was conducted to identify curriculum and instructional methods /theories, common to civilian universities of higher learning, that are missing from today’s Marine Corps Enlisted Professional Military Education (PME) programs. Through research, this study was able to identify multiple areas in need of improvement, specifically with regard to meaningful curriculum and contemporary instructional methods and educational theories. It was also discovered that the Marine Corps is actively working to close the gap between the quality of education found in universities and those found in Enlisted PME Programs. Through phenomenological interviews, this study was able to share some of the personal lived experiences career Staff Non-Commissioned Officers have had while attending Enlisted PME. These participant interviews serve as a testament to the quality of education they believe they are receiving. The interviews explore the practicality and time constraints associated with attending PME courses. The interviews also examine whether or not these programs are advantageous to Marines’ specific occupational specialties or if they are preparing them for the rigors of civilian institutions of higher learning.