The U.S. Naval Academy is a public service academy that prepares students to become professional officers in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Founded in 1845, it adopted coeducation in 1976. It is a unique four-year program, leading to a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as an officer in the U.S. Navy, which hires all of its graduates. Its 338-acre campus is located in Annapolis, 30 miles from both Baltimore and Washington, DC.