Its primary goals are to identify, instruct, and commission young men and women for service as officers either in the United States Army Reserve or the Army National Guard with a local or hometown assignment, or the active U.S. Army with a world-wide assignment. Intermediate goals include providing students with those managerial skills necessary to organize and effectively run a student club, a small business, or an Army platoon. The Basic Course is designed to provide students with a fundamental leadership education. It is appropriate for all students, whether or not they are interested in an Army officer commission.
Classes normally meet two hours per week in the fall semester, and one hour per week in the spring.
ROTC classes fit into all degree programs as a Social Science, Western Civilization, or elective requirement. The curriculum continues where the Basic Course leaves off, and is focused on tactics and military leadership. The Basic Course is a prerequisite to the Advanced Course. However, for students who have already completed one or two years of study, and have not taken ROTC classes, NU offers accelerated programs to those interested in becoming an Army officer. The second program is for incoming juniors or graduate students.