[1] The college prepares officers for future senior command and staff responsibilities requiring exceptional operational competence, sound military judgment, and strategic thinking.

By 1999, the college became an accredited JPME Phase-I institution, enrolling 16 students from all five branches of the Armed Forces and various government agencies.

The curriculum is designed to ensure officers "develop intellectual and technical approaches to warfighting and strategic thinking, hone military judgment, evaluate methodologies, expand academic expertise, and sharpen teaching skills through reading, research, writing, and participation in seminars.

[2]" In order to achieve this, the curriculum partners military competence with political, economic, social, and informational studies which converge to form a complete national strategy.

[7] Non-government agencies such as JP Morgan, the Council on Foreign Relations, the New York Stock Exchange, and J Walter Thompson also supplement the college's coursework.

Graduates are awarded a Master of Strategic Studies degree and JPME Phase II certification by the President of the Marine Corps University.