Dear Class of 2021:

Congratulations on your selection to attend the College of International Security Affairs at the National Defense University!  Please read the welcome note from our acting Chancellor, Ambassador Erica Barks-Ruggles. For more information, visit the National Defense University's incoming student page. 

CISA students should report to on Monday, August 03 2020 for virtual student orientation. Here is the schedule for student orientation.

Army: Contact CISA Army Service Chair,  LTC Dave Oakley at david.p.oakley.mil@msc.ndu.edu prior to signing out of your closing command. Duty uniform is Class B.  Army students will meet with LTC Oakley during the first week of the academic year; schedule TBD. 

Air Force: Contact CISA Air Force Service Chair, Col Laurinda Reifsteck at l.m.reifsteck.mil@ndu.edu prior to signing out of your closing command. Uniform is short sleeve blue shirt.

All Sea Services: Contact CISA Sea Service Chair, CDR Randolph Chestang at randolph.chestang.mil@msc.ndu.edu.

DoD Civilians: Not required to sign-in until the first day of in-processing on Monday 03 August. Dress code for in-processing is business.

Non-DOD Civilians: Contact Sheila DeTurk, Director of Student Academic Affairs, for any additional information or concerns relating to reporting instructions at (202) 685-7784 or Sheila.deturk@ndu.edu.

All students should bring their own laptops. CISA suggests the following devices:

• Laptop not older than 2-3 years, OS Windows 7,8,10, OS X El Capitan or later
  • Please be aware that devices bought in foreign countries may not work on the NDU wireless network. If you are living outside the U.S., it is highly recommended that you wait to purchase a laptop until you arrive in the US.
• Tablets, such as iPads and Microsoft Surface devices.
  • Please note that assignment formatting functionality will be limited on tablet operating systems- such as the iPad's iOS Version 9.3.1, or Microsoft Windows RT 8 (used on many Surface tablets & other laptops). The Microsoft Office applications for tablets do not have full formatting functionality needed for student papers and the thesis.
  • On Windows RT 8, certain eBooks are not downloadable, since Adobe Digital Editions cannot be downloaded and installed using that operating system.
  • Tablets are acceptable for daily classroom use, but a laptop or desktop computer are needed for certain occasions, such as assignment submission.
  • Computers are available for use (CAC access only) in the NDU Library, located in Marshall Hall on the second floor.

Most modern tablets running either Android or Apple iOS will be able to connect to the campus wireless network.

NDU has a wireless network, and a secure enterprise wired network. Students will receive a wireless network account allowing their use of their devices throughout the school and library. Students can request accounts to access the wired enterprise network. The library’s .mil café is open to students who need access to restricted .mil domains.

Students should bring their relatively new laptop or tablet to the In-Processing in August. Word processing will be available through the Microsoft Office365 platform. NDU recommends student devices be loaded with Microsoft Office or Open Office to allow for offline work, however it should be noted that MS Office is strongly preferred. Students should also protect their personal devices with anti-virus software appropriate for their device.

More information about the NDU technology and computing environment is available on the NDU Incoming Students Web site.