In responding to Sailors' needs for greater access to higher education, the Navy College Program (NCP) has developed an education partnership with Berkeley College to offer rating-related degrees via distance learning to Sailors everywhere. This partnership provides two Associate's and five Bachelor's degree programs related to each rating and makes maximum use of military professional training and experience to fulfill degree requirements.

This partnership with Berkeley College provides opportunities to take courses through distance learning so that Sailors anywhere will be able to pursue a degree and also allows Sailors to use their benefits under the Navy Tuition Assistance program to pay for the courses, in essence costing the Sailor little to no money for taking college courses. The goal of the Navy College Program Distance Learning Partnership with Berkeley College is to support both the Sailor's mobile lifestyle and educational goals with rate-related degree programs.