STARFLEET SCIENCE MANUAL
CHAPTER ONE
SCIENCE OFFICER QUALIFICATIONS
FIRST PUBLISHED
MARCH 2144
Starfleet Science Officers shall be appointed from standard commissioning sources and, at a minimum, must hold a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in a scientific field of study. Appointments and promotions within the officer designator of a science officer shall require as a prerequisite continued and higher education as follows.
Ensign
Lieutenant
Commander
Initial commissioning to the rank of Ensign requires a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in a scientific field of discipline
Promotion requires a Scientific Master's Degree or equivalent
Promotions of Science Officers to the rank fo Commander, and all subsequent ranks, requires a Doctoral degree or equivalent with a scientific based thesis
CHAPTER TWO
SCIENTIFIC SPECIALITY CODES
In addition to the standard 3000 Starfleet Science Officer designator, all science officers will be assigned an additional specialty code for use in determining assignment criteria and specific duties. Only one specialty code may be held although multiple codes may qualify.
Scientific Specialty Code Index

MPOD - Medical Personnel -
Other Duties Assigned
CHAPTER THREE
COMPUTER CLASSIFICATIONS
All Starfleet members shall be required to possess a basic knowledge of computer operations and will be assigned one of three computer classification ratings
A-Computer Classification Rating
B-Computer Classification Rating
Computer classification rating required for computer experts who are Science Officers holding a Computer Science specialty.
Standard computer classification rating required of all Starfleet Science Officers.
C-Computer Classification Rating
Minimum computer classification rating required for all Starfleet personnel.
CHAPTER FOUR
CONTINUED EDUCATION PROGRAM
In order to foster career advancement amongst Starfleet Science Officers, the Office of Scientific Administration shall oversee the Starfleet Sciences Continued Education Program where science officers may apply to pursue advanced scientific degrees. Applicants must have been accepted into an accredited scientific master's or doctoral degree program prior to entrance into the program. Once accepted, the officer will be transferred to inactive duty within the Office of Scientific Administration in order to pursue the degree program as a full-time student. Service performed on inactive duty will be rated for additional active-duty obligation at the rate of 1.5 years active service for each year spent on inactive duty within the Continued Education Program.
CHAPTER FIVE
SCIENTIFIC CREWMAN
The rating of Scientist's Mate is the established Crewman rating for all junior personnel attached to Starfleet Sciences in an enlisted capacity. Assignment to the rate of Scientist's Mate is dependent upon initial Starfleet entrance examination scores as well as performance in Starfleet Basic Training. Rating assignment preference exists for Starfleet recruits holding an Associate's Degrees (or higher) in a scientific discipline. The rating of Scientist's Mate may be pre-selected prior to entrance into Starfleet Basic Training.

