The United States Naval Academy (USNA), commonly known as Annapolis or Navy, is a prestigious federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland, United States. USNA Diploma Sample, Situated on a scenic 338-acre campus at the confluence of the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay, it stands as a National Historic Landmark and the undergraduate college of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
Founded on October 10, 1845, as the Naval School under Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft, USNA addressed the need for formal officer training beyond shipboard apprenticeship. Bancroft selected the former Army post Fort Severn—a healthy, secluded site away from urban distractions—for its initial 10 acres, 50 midshipmen, and seven professors. The Somers mutiny of 1842 had highlighted deficiencies in midshipman education, spurring the institution’s creation. In 1850, it was renamed the United States Naval Academy, adopting a structured four-year curriculum with summer training cruises.
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The campus expanded dramatically over time, growing to its current size with granite buildings replacing early wooden structures. It relocated temporarily to Newport, Rhode Island, during the Civil War but returned in 1865. Today, USNA educates midshipmen—active-duty U.S. Navy personnel—for commissioned service as Ensigns in the Navy or Second Lieutenants in the Marine Corps. Graduates commit to at least five years of service.
In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, USNA ranks #3 among National Liberal Arts Colleges and #1 among Top Public Schools, excelling in engineering, retention (around 97%), and graduate outcomes. It enrolls approximately 4,400–4,500 midshipmen (fall 2024 figures), with a highly selective admissions process emphasizing academics, leadership, physical fitness, and congressional nominations.
The rigorous program blends a Bachelor of Science curriculum—strong in STEM, humanities, and naval sciences—with military discipline, moral development, and physical training. The mission: develop midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically, instilling duty, honor, and loyalty to produce leaders of character for naval service. Iconic traditions, Brigade parades, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, and the motto “Ex Scientia Tridens” (“From Knowledge, Sea Power”) define its legacy of forging officers ready to defend the nation.
