Overview

The Master of Science in Acquisition: Cost Estimating is a 24-month, distance-learning graduate degree program designed to improve the accuracy, credibility, and strategic value of cost estimates across the Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agencies. Sponsored by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), the program equips students with the analytical skills, methodological tools, and policy insight needed to support high-stakes decision-making in defense and civilian acquisition environments.

This interdisciplinary curriculum prepares professionals for advanced roles in cost analysis, program management, scheduling, and acquisition planning. Emphasizing applied learning, the program covers all major domains of cost estimation—including shipbuilding, aircraft, software, space systems, and other complex systems.

Students take two courses per academic quarter over eight consecutive quarters, allowing them to maintain full-time employment while progressing through a rigorous, structured course of study. The program culminates in a two-quarter Capstone Project in which students apply their training to a real-world acquisition challenge, often in partnership with a government sponsor. The Capstone emphasizes interdisciplinary integration, stakeholder engagement, and the development of defensible, data-driven recommendations.

In addition to core instruction in cost estimation, the curriculum includes in-depth coverage of:

• Earned Value Management (EVM): Students learn to apply EVM principles to monitor and analyze program performance in accordance with DoD and ANSI/EIA-748 standards.
• Scheduling and Cost-Schedule Risk Integration: Coursework introduces critical path methods, Monte Carlo simulation, and integrated cost-schedule risk modeling to support forecasting and contingency planning.
• Technology Readiness and Program Risk: The curriculum covers Technology Readiness Assessments (TRAs) and systems engineering fundamentals to evaluate how technological maturity and integration risks impact cost and schedule outcomes.
• Agile Software Development Best Practices: Students examine how Agile and DevSecOps practices influence software cost estimation and lifecycle management, including case studies from government and industry.

Learning Format and Schedule

The program blends asynchronous online instruction with weekly live Zoom sessions, offering flexibility for working professionals while preserving the benefits of real-time discussion and peer interaction. Instructors pace weekly assignments and discussions to maintain academic momentum and encourage regular engagement.

Live classes are held once per week for three hours, scheduled as follows:

• Wednesdays, 2:00–5:00 PM ET for odd-numbered cohorts
• Thursdays, 2:00–5:00 PM ET for even-numbered cohorts

This format allows students to complete a rigorous graduate program without relocating or pausing their careers.

Why This Program Matters

Cost analysts are essential to the effective management of federal acquisition programs. They help leaders estimate total ownership costs, evaluate trade-offs, manage risk, and ensure taxpayer resources are allocated wisely. This program directly supports the federal government's increasing demand for highly qualified cost professionals.

A key driver behind this curriculum is the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, which elevated the role of cost estimating within DoD by establishing the Directorate of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE). This legislation mandated stronger oversight and significantly expanded the need for skilled cost estimators—an objective this program was specifically designed to meet.

This master’s is uniquely interdisciplinary, integrating coursework from the Operations Research, Defense Management, and Systems Engineering departments. No other graduate degree offers this combination of technical depth, policy relevance, and application to both defense and civilian programs.

Degree Requirements

To earn the Master of Science in Acquisition: Cost Estimating, students must complete:

1. A minimum of 40 graduate-level quarter-hours, including:
   • At least 15 quarter-hours at the 4000-level
   • A structured sequence of core courses in cost estimation and analysis, supported by studies in probability, statistics, defense acquisition, financial management, and systems engineering
     (Courses follow a curriculum matrix approved by the Chair, Department of Defense Management.)
2. A Capstone Project, demonstrating mastery of cost estimation techniques through real-world application. The Capstone and its associated quarter-hours contribute to the 40-unit requirement.

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will earn:

• Master of Science in Acquisition: Cost Estimating
• Certificate in Cost Estimating and Analysis
• Certificate in Advanced Acquisition Studies
• DAWIA fulfillment in the Business – Cost Estimating career field at both the Practitioner and Advanced levels (completion of a few additional DAU modules may be required)

In addition, the program offers a Project Management Professional (PMP) preparation course for students seeking certification following completion of the Acquisition certificate.

Join Us

If you are committed to strengthening the nation’s acquisition workforce and advancing your expertise in one of the most critical functions in federal program management, we invite you to apply to this unique and impactful graduate program.

Courses Required

Requirements for Entry

• Baccalaureate degree
• Strong Math background. Recent completion (within five years) of mathematics through single variable differential and integral calculus is evidence of a very strong Math Background
• For applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 2.7, a waiver will be considered depending on work experience

Application Information

Applications are handled by the NPS Admissions Office. Please visit the admissions website or contact them at admissions@nps.edu.

Tuition & Service Obligation

For information regarding tuition, please contact the NPS Tuition office at tuition@nps.edu, or contact this offering’s POC at gkmislic@nps.edu.

For information regarding service obligation, please visit the Admissions Office’s Eligibility/Service Obligation page.

Other Information

Points of Contact
Program Managers: Karen Mislick and Greg Mislick.

Tuition

$2,600 per course per quarter for all Federal Government and Department of Defense Industrial contractor students. Tuition must be paid by your command. A funding agreement between NPS and your command, using either the SF1144 or SF7600A/B, must be in place prior to the exchange of tuition funds; this signed agreement may require five weeks of lead time to complete. Personal checks and the GI Bill may not be used. Commands may pay ahead to meet fiscal year budget concerns as long as their students are funded before a quarter starts.

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