Master of Arts in Military Studies | |
This graduate degree has recently been designed to allow students to choose an area of concentration in a field of study that best suits their professional aspirations and interests. This program ensures that students will learn about the "big picture" through exposure to strategic and operational perspectives, while allowing students to tailor graduate study to individual needs. The major ensures that you will learn about the "big picture" through exposure to six historical perspectives or concentrations in Air Warfare, Land Warfare, Naval Warfare, Joint Warfare, Asymmetrical Warfare, and Strategic Leadership. Graduates of this program typically go on to serve in government or military occupations, write articles and/or books, and/or pursue the doctorate in a related field. Degree Program Objectives
In addition to the institutional and degree level learning outcomes objectives, the Master of Arts in Military Studies also seeks the following specific learning outcomes of its graduates. With reference to each of the respective areas of military studies, graduates in this degree program will be able to: - Define, classify, and articulate the major trends, events, and people that have shaped military studies and evaluate them in context by comparison and contrast.
- Examine, analyze, and evaluate at least one specialized operational sub-discipline.
- Synthesize operational issues into a coherent and comprehensive paradigm of the human condition.
- Analyze data, information, and concepts pertinent to various methodologies of historical research.
- Create a research proposal in which data, information, and concepts can be evaluated and synthesized.
- Appraise different approaches to military studies in order to evaluate and propose a specific methodology for a particular project.
- Create a publication quality presentation for reporting current analysis and synthesis.
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Degree Program Requirements | Core Courses (12 semester hours) | | | | | | | | | |
| Major Courses (18 semester hours) | | | | |
Concentration in Air Warfare
Air Warfare students study the history, power, strategy, and great leaders of the war in the air. This concentration is structured to focus on areas such as strategic and/or tactical air power theory, air wars in previous wars, special operations, and other current topics related to the discipline. Most popular among students from the U.S. Air Force, this major is open to interested military or civilian student who seeks to know more of air philosophy, strategy, tactics, history, and contemporary issues.
Concentration Objectives
Upon completion of this concentration, the student will be able to: - Explain the advent of air power on the conduct of war and role in revolutionizing the battlefield by expanding the scale and scope of conflict from two to three dimensions.
- Discern and assess the effectiveness of strategic air power in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War and the Gulf conflict.
- Distinguish the evolving role of fighter aircraft in combat to include doctrine, weaponry, and airframe capabilities through actual combat examples involving various air forces in several wars and conflicts, including Desert Storm.
- Appraise the technology (airframes, weapons, and avionics), that influences current strategic concepts and aerial combat tactical doctrine.
- Assess the conventional and unconventional air warfare of the future in light of technological change and the information age, non-state military threats, rogue regimes, and clashes of culture between regions.
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Concentration Requirements (18 semester hours) AND choose one (1) of the following: |
Concentration in Land Warfare
The Land Warfare concentration offers a range of historical and contemporary courses that cover the leading land warfare campaigns and operational issues faced in war fighting from classical through modern times. Students may focus their course work on great events in time, such as land warfare or past wars or the present in our history, (2) the analysis of strategy and tactics used in various campaigns, (3) war fighting options other than total war, including future war, and (4) other combinations of courses leading to a unique concentration. Most popular among students from the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps, this major is open to any interested military or civilian student who seeks to know more of military philosophy, strategy, tactics, history, and contemporary issues.Concentration Objectives
Upon completion of this concentration, the student will be able to: - Discern war fighting from ancient times to the beginning of the 17th Century to the present with emphasis on technological advances in land warfare and their effects on strategy and tactics.
- Distinguish and apply the principles of war using actual campaigns from various historical periods.
- Evaluate the tactics applicable to today's exigencies of conflict and compare past styles of war fighting with the potential use against contemporary military and paramilitary forces.
- Use the case study approach to gain an appreciation of modern urban warfare by studying three urban conflicts [Stalingrad (1942/43), Hue City (1968), and Mogadishu (1992)] along with additional readings on urban warfare and potential in the 21st Century.
- Assess the conventional and unconventional land warfare of the future in light of technological change and the information age, non-state military threats, rogue regimes, and clashes of culture between regions.
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Concentration Requirements (18 semester hours) AND choose one (1) of the following: |
Concentration in Naval Warfare
The concentration in Naval Warfare degree is designed to emphasize historical, geo-strategic, and tactical issues associated with war at and below sea level. Through leading naval philosophers, strategists, leaders, and texts, naval warfare is analyzed for its crucial role in the maintenance of national security and geopolitical stability. Most popular among students from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, this major is open to any interested military or civilian student who seeks to know more of military philosophy, strategy, tactics, history, and contemporary issues. Concentration Objectives
Upon completion of this concentration, the student will be able to: - Discern the history of sea power from antiquity to the present by evaluating classical theories of naval warfare, as reflected by Mahan and Corbett in light of today's scenarios.
- Compare and contrast naval military philosophers and writings that have influenced the use of sea power and the conduct of naval warfare between nation states.
- Examine the critical importance of special operations and the art of special operations: naval/shore from use in World War II through its role in Korea, Vietnam, and other conflicts.
- Evaluate the naval component of joint warfare in the modern age and naval strengths and weaknesses in working in inter-agency, and inter-service environments through analysis of several modern military operations.
- Assess the conventional and unconventional naval warfare of the future in light of technological change and the information age, non-state military threats, rogue regimes, and clashes of culture between regions.
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Concentration Requirements (18 semester hours) AND choose one of the following: (3 semester hours) |
Concentration in Joint Warfare
This concentration is a study of modern joint warfare operations, leadership, and management. Students will learn of the theory, practice, planning, implementation, command and control, and overarching military philosophy that pervades today’s joint military environment. Going beyond the specific joint military community, students will also study coalition warfare and future war. The application of air, land, and sea power in joint operations can be analyzed as well as seen through past joint operations. Most popular among students from all military services and inter-governmental agencies, this major is open to any interested military or civilian student who seeks to know more of military philosophy, strategy, tactics, history, and contemporary issues. Concentration Objectives
Upon completion of this concentration, the student will be able to: - Examine the theory and practice of joint warfare in every major conflict since the mid-19th century with special emphasis on American joint warfare in the 1980s and 90s.
- Discern and assess the contemporary factors influencing planning for combined and joint operations at the strategic and operational levels of war.
- Evaluate the doctrinal and technical aspects of Joint Warfare command and control as well as operational differences among the services.
- Debate the varied dimensions of coalition warfare and combined operations in both a historical and contemporary perspective.
- Assess the conventional and unconventional joint warfare of the future in light of technological change and the information age, non-state military threats, rogue regimes, and clashes of culture between regions.
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Concentration Requirements (18 semester hours) AND choose one of the following: |
Concentration in Asymmetrical Warfare This concentration is designed to provide special operations professionals and interested students an intriguing exploration into asymmetrical warfare and the capabilities of special operations forces. Through research and analysis, students will gain an appreciation and insight into the nine special operations core tasks: Counterterrorism, Counter Proliferation, Special Reconnaissance, Direct Action, Unconventional Warfare, Information Operations, Psychological Operations, Foreign Internal Defense, and Civil Affairs Operations. Moreover, students will examine the units designated as Special Operation Forces such as Special Forces, Ranger, Special Operations Aviation, SEALS, and Air Force Combat Controllers. Emphasis is placed on the New Strategic Reality and the role these special units play in counterterrorism, irregular warfare, and counterinsurgency. Concentration Objectives
Upon completion of this concentration, the student will be able to: - Discriminate "unconventional operations" within the larger scope of high-intensity conventional warfare and debate how asymmetry is applied within the new strategic reality.
- Explain the application of special operations forces and their preparedness to deal with an adaptive, cunning, and typically asymmetric enemy.
- Analyze the history and missions of special operations forces and role within the asymmetric warfare environment.
- Analyze the origins and most common elements of insurgency and revolution using theories and frameworks and evaluate specific groups of insurgents, terrorists, and revolutionaries.
- Assess joint warfare and its future in light of technological advances, the information age, non-state military threats, rogue regimes, and clashes of culture between regions.
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Concentration Requirements (18 semester hours) AND choose one of the following: |
Concentration in Strategic Leadership
The Strategic Leadership concentration is designed for students who seek an understanding of the principles, theory, and practices of strategy and leadership from historical and contemporary perspectives. This program provides students with the opportunity to focus on strategic leadership lessons learned under military, civil-military, and government settings and conditions. With critical analytical thinking skills, students can apply the classic strategies, tactics, and teachings of the great military philosophers and leaders to key national strategic issues and international concerns that are relevant in modern times. Concentration Objectives
Upon completion of this concentration, the student will be able to: - Discern and assess the domestic and international contexts that shape the behavior of state and non-state actors, and affect the formulation of national security policies.
- Explain the history of strategic developments and geopolitical concerns that are influencing military planning and execution from the mid-20th Century through the modern era.
- Compare and contrast the defense policies of nations in Europe and Asia that have had to deal with enormous changes following the East bloc's collapse.
- Compose an analysis of the characteristics of leadership common to great military leaders and appraise the decision making skills that are inbred and/or learned by the great leaders.
- Assess the conventional and unconventional joint warfare of the future in light of technological change and the information age, non-state military threats, rogue regimes, and clashes of culture between regions
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Concentration Requirements (18 semester hours) AND choose one of the following: |
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| Electives (6 semester hours) | | | | | Student may select any graduate level courses to fulfill elective requirements. Recommend History, Military History or Military Studies courses that have not been used to fulfill core or concentration requirements. | | | | |
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| End of Program Requirement - Comprehensive Exam | | | | | TOTAL HOURS: 36 semester hours | | | | |
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