Age, Education and Service Record
Age
The age of your character will depend on several factors; these will include the species, prior education, Starfleet Academy Training. With regards to species, humans may enter Starfleet Academy, and enlist and will be accepted at the age of sixteen, enrolment for officer training will usually be at around seventeen to eighteen.
Many species with similar life spans to humans, Betazoids, Bajorans and Bolians for example, will probably enter around the same time as humans. Vulcans, who possesses longer life spans, may enter Starfleet Academy having been educated to a higher degree or having had previous vocations.
Education
Education takes time. Whilst on Earth, for humans compulsory education ends at sixteen, it is common to pursue a further two years of education, before entrance to University at the age of eighteen. If you intend for your character to possess qualifications in addition to their Starfleet Academy degree, it should be considered that all higher education is available post eighteen years of age and that an undergraduate degree MUST have been completed before a post graduate (masters degree or doctorate). Please note the following time limits:
- Undergraduate Degree (BA, BSc, BEng, LLB, BEd) 3 years full time
- Masters Degree (MA, MSc, MEng, LLM, MEd) 1 year, part time
- Doctorate: (PhD) 3 years full time (research based)
Starfleet Academy
Officer (General)
Starfleet Academy operates in a similar fashion to a university, in that it awards higher education qualifications, these include, but are not limited to Bachelor of Engineering (BEng), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB BS) in addition to professionally affiliated certificates of practice in legal medical and counselling fields. All officer cadets study for one bachelor’s degree.
Unlike most terran universities Starfleet Academy has a lower admission age, for humans this is sixteen at the youngest, although MOST human applicants are unsuccessful at this age, it is more common to enter at the age of seventeen or eighteen. Having gained additional life experience and/or qualifications.
Most Academy courses, with the exceptions of Intelligence, Law (JAG), Medicine and Psychology (Counselling) are four years in length. Therefore an Engineering officer for example, having been admitted to the Academy at the age of sixteen would graduate at the age of twenty.
A typical service record for this example would be as follows:
| General Academy Career Track | ||||
| Cadet 1st Year | 
|
General Studies Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2375 - 2376 |
| Cadet 2nd Year | 
|
Flight Control Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2376 - 2377 |
| Cadet 3rd Year | 
|
Flight Control Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2377 - 2378 |
| Cadet 4th Year | 
|
Flight Control Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2378 - 2379 |
| Ensign | 
|
Shuttle Pilot | USS Independence | 2379 - |
Upon admission ALL trainees undertake one year of ‘General Studies’, ‘General Studies’ is an essential element of Starfleet; as this covers orientation, rules and regulations, discipline, goals, Starfleet’s area of operation, general militaristic training and so on, and so fourth. In the subsequent years Cadets specialise in a single area.
Counselor (only)
Starfleet Counselors are specially trained to a high degree, the majority of counselors attend Starfleet Academy and study psychology. Like Medical Officers, Counselors study Counselling/psychology from their second year at Starfleet Academy and onwards.
A typical service record for this example would be as follows:
| Counselling Academy Career Track | ||||
| Cadet 1st Year | 
|
General Studies Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2375 - 2376 |
| Cadet 2nd Year | 
|
Counselling Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2376 - 2377 |
| Cadet 3rd Year | 
|
Counselling Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2377 - 2378 |
| Cadet 4th Year | 
|
Counselling Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2378 - 2379 |
| Ensign | 
|
Counselling Residency | SFA: Teaching Hospital | 2379 - 2380 |
| Ensign |
|
Counselor | USS Everest | 2380 |
Please note, that although at the completion of the 4th year of study attached to Starfleet Academy results in Graduation and attainment of the rank of Ensign, it does not equate to qualification to practice as a Counselor. Upon satisfactory completion of a second residency a counselling practice certificate is awarded, which entitles the holder to practice as a Counselor.
Currently there is no obligatory out of character training to represent the additional years of study.
Intelligence Officer (only)
Intelligence Officer/Analysts DO NOT train in the field of Intelligence as an Engineer, for example would train in the Engineering field. ALL intelligence Officers peruse a different specialisation (e.g. CONN; Security/Tactical; Marine; Engineering; Diplomatic; Operations; Science) for Years 2 – 4. Following completion of year 4, those recruited into Starfleet Intelligence undertake an additional year of study in the field of Intelligence within Starfleet Intelligence to qualify. It is relatively rare for an individual to be recruited by Starfleet Intelligence immediately following an Academy course, typically SFI recruit individuals following at least three to four years in the field. There are, however, occasional exceptions for example linguists are always in demand.
A typical service record for this example would be as follows:
| Intelligence Academy Career Track | ||||
| Cadet 1st Year | File:Y-C-1.png | General Studies Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2375 - 2376 |
| Cadet 2nd Year | File:Y-C-2.png | Security/Tactical Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2376 - 2377 |
| Cadet 3rd Year | File:Y-C-3.png | Security/Tactical Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2377 - 2378 |
| Cadet 4th Year | File:Y-C-4.png | Security/Tactical Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2378 - 2379 |
| Ensign | 
|
SFI Recruit | Starfleet Intelligence | 2379 - 2380 |
| Ensign |
|
Intelligence Analyst | Deep Space 5 | 2380 |
Judge Advocate General Representative (JAG) (only)
JAG Representatives DO NOT train in the field of law as an Engineer, for example would train in the Engineering field. ALL JAG Representatives peruse a different specialisation, usually, Diplomatic, however other fields are acceptable for Years 2 – 4. Following completion of year 4, those wishing to qualify as JAG Representatives undertake an additional year of study in law.
A typical service record for this example would be as follows:
| General Academy Career Track | ||||
| Cadet 1st Year |
|
General Studies Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2375 - 2376 |
| Cadet 2nd Year |
|
Flight Control Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2376 - 2377 |
| Cadet 3rd Year |
|
Flight Control Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2377 - 2378 |
| Cadet 4th Year |
|
Flight Control Cadet | Starfleet Academy | 2378 - 2379 |
| Ensign |
|
Advanced Studies: Law | USS Independence | 2379 - 2380 |
| Ensign |
|
JAG Officer | Starbase 223 | 2380 - |
2375 – 2376 Cadet 1st Year General Studies Cadet Starfleet Academy 2376 – 2377 Cadet 2nd Year Security/Tactical Cadet Starfleet Academy 2377 – 2378 Cadet 3rd Year Security/Tactical Cadet Starfleet Academy 2378 – 2379 Cadet 4th Year Security/Tactical Cadet Starfleet Academy 2379 – 2380 Cadet 5th Year Advanced Studies: Law Starfleet Academy 2380 - Ensign Diplomatic/JAG Officer U.S.S. Lancelot
Medical Officer (only)
Medical Officers (physicians) require additional in character training. Unlike the Intelligence/JAG fields Medical Officers undertake training in the Medical field from their second year at the Academy onwards. To train as a Medical Officer required the highest degree of initial education within Starfleet. All medical cadets train at the Starfleet Medical Academy in San Francisco.
A typical service record for this example would be as follows:
| Medical Academy Career Track | ||||
| Cadet 1st Year |
|
General Studies Cadet | Starfleet Medical Academy | 2375 - 2376 |
| Cadet 2nd Year |
|
Medical Cadet | Starfleet Medical Academy | 2376 - 2377 |
| Cadet 3rd Year |
|
Medical Cadet | Starfleet Medical Academy | 2377 - 2378 |
| Cadet 4th Year |
|
Medical Cadet | Starfleet Medical Academy | 2378 - 2379 |
| Ensign |
|
Medical Cadet/Medical Resident | Starfleet Medical Academy | 2379 - 2380 |
| Ensign |
|
Medical Resident | Starfleet Medical | 2380 - 2381 |
| Ensign |
|
Medical Resident | USS Venture | 2381 - 2382 |
| Lieutenant (JG) | 
|
Medical Officer | USS Hyperion | 2382 - 2383 |
Please note that although after the completion of the 5th Year at Starfleet Academy a Medical Cadet graduates – this is graduation as a Starfleet Officer, however it does not coincide with qualification as a physician, in order to qualify as a physician the newly graduated officer must complete two years as a Medical Resident, these may take place at any of the following: Starfleet Academy Teaching Hospital; Civilian Teaching Hospital; Starfleet Medical; any Starfleet Starbase; larger Starfleet Sickbays – usually Galaxy Class, Nebula Class, Sovereign Class, Ambassador Class, Olympic Class and Akira Class vessels. Following successful completion of the two further residencies, the Medical student is awarded their medical practice certificate. The academic medical degree is awarded at the completion of the 5th year at Starfleet Academy.
Alternatively, those characters who apply to Starfleet Academy holding an accredited academic Medical Degree, may undertake four years of Starfleet Academy, in the following form:
| Medical Academy Career Track | ||||
| Cadet 1st Year |
|
General Studies Cadet | Starfleet Medical Academy | 2375 - 2376 |
| Cadet 2nd Year |
|
Medical Resident | Starfleet Medical Academy | 2376 - 2377 |
| Cadet 3rd Year |
|
Medical Resident | Starfleet Medical Academy | 2377 - 2378 |
| Cadet 4th Year |
|
Medical Resident | Starfleet Medical Academy | 2378 - 2379 |
| Ensign |
|
Medical Resident | USS Galaxy | 2380 - |
With this option, the location of the Medical Residency is limited to Earth based facilities, as at this stage the character is still heavily attached to the Starfleet Medical Academy.
Currently there is no obligatory out of character training to represent the additional years of study.
Enlisted
Individuals may enlist in Starfleet Academy at any age post sixteen, providing they do not have a criminal record and can pass a basic aptitude test.
Following acceptance to Starfleet, a six month Basic Training course at Starfleet Academy is undertaken followed by a further six month cruise. Upon completion of the cruise the individual is promoted to the rate of Crewman and assigned to a vessel or facility.
A typical service record would take the following form: 2379 – 2380 Crewman Recruit Basic Training Starfleet Academy 2380 – 2380 Crewman Apprentice Training Cruise U.S.S. Telesto 2380 - Crewman Technician U.S.S. Falcon
Due to the minimal training, an individual can enlist at the age of sixteen and graduate at the age of seventeen. However those who undertake the Advanced NCO Training course at Starfleet Academy graduate with the rate of Petty Officer 1st Class and so will need to assemble a suitable previous history of their assignments within the fleet.
A typical service record would take the following form: 2368 – 2368 Crewman Recruit Basic Training Starfleet Academy 2368 – 2369 Crewman Apprentice Training Cruise U.S.S. Protostar 2369 – 2370 Crewman Laboratory Technician Starfleet Science 2370 – 2372 Petty Officer 3rd Class Scientist’s Mate U.S.S. Churchill 2372 – 2374 Petty Officer 3rd Class Scientist’s Mate U.S.S. Octavian 2374 – 2376 Petty Officer 2nd Class Scientist’s Mate Starbase 093 2376 – 2377 - Leave of Absence - 2377 – 2379 Petty Officer 2nd Class Scientist’s Mate U.S.S. Trevelyan 2379 – 2380 Petty Officer 1st Class Laboratory Supervisor Starfleet Science 2380 - Petty Officer 1st Class Scientist’s Mate U.S.S. Casey
