Second class year at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

What this year is like

Second class year brings the second, longer sailing period. Midshipmen who leave after starting second class year may be ordered to active duty.

These milestones are described, with sources, in the sections on this page.

Sea Year, second sailing period: This "takes place during junior year (second class year) and/or parts of your senior year (first class year)" and lasts about 245 to 270 days¹.
How the schedule works: official pages describe it differently. The Sea Year Schedule page describes three splits (A, B, C), each at sea in different trimesters¹. The About the Curriculum page describes the class divided into two halves². The Sea Year page was updated in August 2026 and the curriculum page in March 2025, so the Sea Year page is likely current. Confirm with USMMA.
Total sea time: "approximately one year at sea, regardless of their major"¹. An older release says each midshipman spends "a minimum of 300 days at sea"³.

USMMA’s public pages don’t publish privileges for this class year, so we don’t list any. Ask the academy.

Commitment point: If someone who has started second class year or later fails to complete the course of instruction, the Secretary of the Navy may order them to active duty for up to three years, unless a hardship waiver is granted⁴.

Official pages change. Confirm details with USMMA before you plan around them.