I've heard that some nukes end up having crazy work schedules and I'm wondering if I will have plenty of time while in the navy to work towards getting a college degree in some kind of engineering related field. If it helps, I signed up as a submarine volunteer, and while I know that aircraft carriers sometimes bring college professors on their ships and submarines don't.
My question is: Will it be much harder to work on getting a college degree as a submariner than it would be if I chose aircraft carriers?
You can get college credits for courses aboard sub for external programs. VHS tapes and submit the assignments through your proctor (who mails them when you hit land).
Big-time credits for examinations; look at the www.excelsior.edu website under testing for credit.
It will be extremely difficult to get enough of the classes you need to get a Bachelor's degree on a carrier, particularly until you are fully qualified. As for the classes offered onboard, think mostly Composition and Algebra, perhaps a History course now and then. I have never known many nukes to use the courses offered aboard ship. Watch/Drill/Maintenance Schedules can be exhausting, and you will want to use your "personal" time to catch up on sleep, laundry, or poker.
However, I think that being on a submarine would make things even more difficult. Underway schedules are strenuous, and in-port working hours can stretch to 17-1800 (witnessed at PHNSY).
If you STAR reenlist and get the add-on shore duty, it is possible, no, easy to finish before your 8 years is up.
So can you do it? An AA, maybe, but it will be challenging no matter which you choose.
MMC(SW/AW)