Military Technologies and Applied Sciences, Other.

Degree Overview

Military Technologies and Applied Sciences, Other (CIP 29.9999) is an advanced interdisciplinary frontier for specialists who operate at the convergence of engineering, physical science, and strategic defense. While traditional programs focus on specific branches or known platforms, this "Other" category is for "Defense Futurists." They study quantum sensing, hypersonic propulsion, autonomous swarm logic, and directed-energy physics. It is a path for "technological pioneers" who want to bridge the gap between theoretical laboratory science and the high-stakes reality of modern national security.

This field is ideal for "multidimensional innovators"—individuals who want to master how the laws of physics and the power of data can be synthesized into the next generation of global protective systems.

What Is an "Other" Military Technology Degree?

A degree in this category is a high-level STEM path that emphasizes applied physical sciences, systems integration, and technical foresight. You will study the "Technical Core"—calculus, electromagnetism, and mechanics—but your focus will be on experimental or non-traditional applications. Because this code houses niche programs, your studies might focus on Bio-Defense Engineering (detecting engineered pathogens), Undersea Acoustic Physics (submarine stealth), or High-Altitude Reconnaissance Tech. It prepares you to be a "Defense Science Architect" capable of leading teams that solve problems no single discipline can address.

Schools offer this degree to:

• Train "Interdisciplinary Systems Leads" who coordinate the interaction between software, sensors, and physical armor
• Develop experts in Applied Defense Physics, focusing on how lasers, microwaves, and kinetic energy can be used for protection
• Prepare professionals for Advanced Sensor Fusion, learning how to merge data from satellites, drones, and ground sensors into a single actionable map
• Study Operational Tech Integration, exploring how to take "lab-ready" technology and make it "battlefield-hardened"

What Will You Learn?

Students learn that "technology is the ultimate force multiplier." You focus on the scientific logic and engineering precision required to maintain a technological edge in a rapidly changing world.

Core Skills You’ll Build

Most students learn to:

• Master Systems Engineering Protocols—ensuring that a complex device (like a drone) works perfectly across its entire lifecycle
• Use "Signal Processing Analysis"—extracting clear data from noisy electronic environments or deep underwater
• Design Protective Architectures—using math and material science to build systems that can withstand extreme heat or impact
• Perform Vulnerability Testing—finding the weak points in a new technology before an adversary does
• Utilize Advanced Computational Modeling—simulating the flight of a hypersonic vehicle or the spread of an electronic signal
• Understand Rapid Prototyping—using 3D printing and modular design to build and test new defense tools in weeks rather than years

Topics You May Explore

Coursework is a rigorous blend of "hard" science and strategic implementation:

• Directed Energy and Laser Physics: The study of how light and microwaves can be focused to disable electronics or intercept projectiles.
• Autonomous Swarm Dynamics: Learning how to program hundreds of small robots to work together like a school of fish or a hive of bees.
• Ballistic and Kinetic Science: The math and physics of how objects move through the atmosphere and what happens at the moment of impact.
• Cryogenics and Superconductivity in Defense: Exploring how extreme cold can improve sensor sensitivity and energy storage.
• Marine and Aerospace Materials: Developing new "smart materials" that can change shape or self-heal after being damaged.
• Technical Ethics and Policy: Navigating the legal and moral implications of autonomous weapons and high-tech surveillance.

What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?

Graduates find roles as lead scientists, test engineers, and technical strategists in the defense, aerospace, and national security sectors.

Common job roles include:

• Defense Research Scientist: Leading the development of new sensors, engines, or protective coatings in a national laboratory.
• Systems Integration Engineer: Working for companies like Lockheed Martin or Northrop Grumman to make sure different high-tech parts work as one.
• Technical Project Manager: Overseeing the budget and development timeline for a new satellite or vehicle program.
• Test and Evaluation (T&E) Specialist: Designing the experiments that prove a new technology can survive the rigors of real-world use.
• Advanced Analyst (Tech-Intel): Examining foreign technological developments to understand their capabilities and limitations.
• Cyber-Physical Security Lead: Protecting the "hardware" of national infrastructure (like power grids) from digital and physical interference.

Where Can You Work?

These specialists are the "bridge-builders" of the defense industry:

• National Laboratories (Los Alamos, Sandia, Lincoln Lab): Doing the "heavy lifting" of defense research and development.
• Defense Prime Contractors: Working at the forefront of aerospace, naval, and land-based vehicle manufacturing.
• Intelligence Agencies (NRO, DIA): Focusing on the technical side of reconnaissance and global surveillance.
• DARPA and Space Agencies: Working on high-risk, "frontier" projects that re-define what is possible.
• High-Tech Private Firms: Applying military-grade engineering to autonomous delivery, satellite communications, or robotics.

How Much Can You Earn?

Because of the extreme technical difficulty and the requirement for high-level security clearances, salaries are among the highest in the engineering and science world.

• Senior Defense Systems Engineers: Median annual salary of approximately $118,000–$170,000+.
• Lead Research Scientists: Salaries typically range from $110,000 to $165,000.
• Technical Project Managers: Median annual salary of around $105,000–$155,000.
• Entry-Level Applied Science Leads: Often start between $82,000 and $105,000.

Is This Degree Hard?

The difficulty is in the extreme interdisciplinary demand. You must be proficient in high-level Physics, Calculus, and Computer Engineering all at once. It requires a highly analytical, inventive, and "resilient-precision" mindset—you must love the challenge of making things work when they shouldn't. It is a major that rewards those who are "Applied Visionaries" and who find purpose in ensuring that the most advanced science is used to provide the highest level of security.

Who Should Consider This Degree?

This degree may be a good fit if you:

• Love the "hard sciences" (Physics, Chemistry) but want to see them applied to tangible, high-stakes tools
• Are fascinated by how the "future of war" is being built through AI, lasers, and robotics
• Enjoy working in a lab where you can build, test, break, and re-design complex systems
• Want a career that allows you to work at the intersection of government service and high-tech innovation
• Believe that maintaining a technological edge is the best way to prevent future conflicts

How to Prepare in High School

• Take AP Physics C (both Mechanics and E&M) and AP Calculus BC; these are the essential tools of this field
• Take AP Computer Science and AP Chemistry; you need to understand both the "brains" and the "materials" of defense tech
• Join a Robotics, Rocketry, or Coding Club to practice the logic of systems engineering
• Learn CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software; being able to model a part in 3D is a standard professional skill
• Read about "Project Manhattan" or the history of the SR-71 Blackbird to see how interdisciplinary teams achieve scientific breakthroughs

The ability to apply integrated physical logic and technological mastery to the complexities of national security is the hallmark of a successful professional in this field.