# § 9453. Cadets: degree and commission on graduation
**(a)** The Superintendent of the Academy may, under such conditions as the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe, confer the degree of bachelor of science upon graduates of the Academy.
**(b)** Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a cadet who completes the prescribed course of instruction may, upon graduation, be appointed a second lieutenant in the Regular Air Force under section 531 of this title or a second lieutenant in the Space Force under section 531 or 20201 of this title.
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**Source Credit**: (Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 567, § 9353; Pub. L. 85–861, §§ 1(201), 33(a)(43), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1541, 1567; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 504(25), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2917; Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title V, § 542(d), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1743; renumbered § 9453, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 806(a)(3), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1832; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 923(d)(14), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3815; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1721(c)(5), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 667.)
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 9353(a) 9353(b) | 10:486a (less last sentence).10:506c(f) (1st sentence, less last 43 words). | May 25, 1933, ch. 37 (less last sentence); restated Aug. 9, 1946, ch. 932 (less last sentence); restated Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, § 13; restated Aug. 18, 1949, ch. 476 (less last sentence), 63 Stat. 615. |
| | | Aug. 7, 1947, ch. 512, § 506(f) (1st sentence, less last 43 words), 61 Stat. 892. |
In subsection (a), the last 27 words are substituted for 10:486a (last sentence). The words “rules and” and “from and after the date of the accrediting of said Academy” are omitted as surplusage. The word “conditions” is substituted for the word “regulations”.
In subsection (b), the words “except ” are inserted to reflect the authority to appoint graduates of one service academy as officers of another service.
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 9353(b) | 10 App.:1850c(e) (1st sentence). | July 20, 1956, ch. 646, § 203(e) (1st sentence), 70 Stat. 585. |
It is unnecessary to include a reference to , since that section does not derogate from the authority granted in this section.
The change reflects the opinion of the Judge Advocate General of the Air Force () that the words “from and after the date of the accrediting of said academies” in the source law for section 9353(a) ( (), as amended) were a condition precedent to the authority to grant degrees and should not have been omitted.
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2023—Subsec. (b). struck out “or in the equivalent grade in the Regular Space Force” after “Regular Air Force” and inserted before period at end “or a second lieutenant in the Space Force under section 531 or 20201 of this title”.
2021—Subsec. (b). inserted “or in the equivalent grade in the Regular Space Force” after “Regular Air Force”.
2018— renumbered as this section.
1997—Subsec. (a). substituted “The” for “After the date of the accrediting of the Academy, the”.
1980—Subsec. (b). inserted “under ” after “Regular Air Force”.
1958—Subsec. (a). , permitted conferring of degrees only after date of accrediting of Academy.
Subsec. (b). , struck out “except ” after “provision of law”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
Amendment by effective , with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see , set out as a note preceding .
### Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .
### Effective Date of 1958 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .