War Studies Programmes

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General information

Degrees offered

The Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) offers a Master of Arts in War Studies and a PhD in War Studies. The War Studies degrees can be completed full-time or, part-time. To facilitate completion of courses requirements, War Studies courses are also available on Internet.

The PhD in War Studies normally requires five years to complete. Students must register as full-time students for a period of two years to undertake course work and complete comprehensive examinations, followed by three years to research, write, and defend the dissertation.

The PhD in War Studies is awarded to students who successfully complete the programme of study, as discussed in the following sections. The three areas of research are:

• International Relations,
• Defence Policy and
• Military History.

PhD language requirement

The intent of the language requirement is for students to demonstrate their ability to understand (read and comprehend) material pertinent to their field of study in any second language. This level of performance can be documented in multiple ways, described below:

1. Canadian students with a public service language profile of CBB in their second official language are deemed to have met the requirement.
2. Students may present documentation of university-level course work completed (minimum grade of 70% in an undergraduate-level course or graduate-level course) in the second language, results from a recognized language exam (e.g., TOEFL) indicating proficiency (a grade equivalent to 70% or better), or other evaluations pertinent to their mastery of a second language that they feel demonstrated proficiency at the graduate level, for consideration by the Programme Chairs.
3. Students may request a language examination, which will comprise a text in the second language of the student’s choice (approximately 500-700 words) that must be translated into comprehensible, idiomatic English such that the meaning of the text is preserved. Students may use a standard translation dictionary in the appropriate language, and the examination should last no more than 2 hours. Arrangements for the examination (procuring a text, arranging for invigilation, and evaluation) are the responsibility of the Programme Chairs. The examination will be graded on a pass/fail basis by a person appointed by the Programme Chairs who is fluent in the language of the source text. Requests for such an examination should be made in writing to the Programme Chairs within the first year of PhD studies in the War Studies programme. Students who are unsuccessful on this exam will be permitted to re-sit the examination (a different text will be used for each attempt) as many times as necessary, with a minimum 3 month waiting period between attempts. Normally the language requirement should be fulfilled prior to the student attempting their Comprehensive/Field examinations and prior to their commencing work on the dissertation.

Once a student has passed their language requirement, the Programme Chair will inform the Associate Registrar for Graduate Studies, and the student’s transcript will be annotated.

Additional admission information

• Candidates are admitted under the General Admission Requirements. General information about admission to the RMC as a graduate student can be found at Admission to Graduate Studies.
• Entry to the PhD programme is competitive. Applicants must have completed Master's degree or equivalent. A thesis-route Master's degree is desirable but not a requirement for admission.
• Additional information, specific to admission into the war studies programmes, can be found at War Studies Graduate Studies Degree Programme.

Programme requirements

Master of Arts in War Studies

The Master of Arts in War Studies will be awarded to students who successfully complete a programme of studies comprised of either of the following patterns:

• Course Pattern - ten-graduate course credits
• Thesis Pattern - six graduate course credits plus a thesis.
• Directed Research Project (DRP) Pattern - eight graduate course credits plus a DRP (PR500)

The Master of Arts in War Studies, when pursued full-time normally requires four academic terms or two academic years to complete. No Master of Arts programme may exceed five years.

PhD in War Studies

The doctoral programme of study is comprised of the following:

• Six 600-level course credits (covering a major field of study and two minor fields of study);
• One additional 600-level methodology course (WS607);
• Three field examinations (covering a major field of study and two minor fields of study); (Students must register in CP600 course code every term until completion of examinations)
• Successful defence of a dissertation; (Students register in TH600 course code every term until defence and corrections are made to the dissertation)
• A second language requirement.

The PhD in War Studies normally requires five years to complete. Students must register as full-time students for a period of two years to undertake course work and complete comprehensive examinations, followed by three years to research, write and defend the dissertation.

Other acceptable courses

The following courses in Public Administration are acceptable for credit toward a Master of Arts in War Studies:

• MPA523: Defence Decision Making
• MPA539: Economics of Defence
• MPA549: Economics of National Security
• MPA565: Conflict Analysis and Management
• MPA591: Cyber Statecraft and National Security

Course descriptions

WS500 The Theories of War from the Eighteenth Century to the Present

This course is an in-depth study of the modern interpretations of warfare, including Clausewitz, Jomini, Hamley, Moltke, Schlieffen, and Foch. There will be coursework on geopolitical and maritime doctrines of war by Mackinder, Haushofer, Mahan, and Corbett. The course examines doctrines of armoured and air warfare such as Fuller, Hart, and Douhet. Developments of military technology since 1945 and their impact on strategic thinking, the theories of deterrence, revolutionary and guerrilla war, disarmament and arms controls, and the international law of war, are also examined.

Note:

A core course for the Master's programme and normally a core course for the PhD programme.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS501 Civil-Military Relations in Canada

The course examines the evolution and state of civil-military relations in Canada, with a particular emphasis on contemporary trends and issues. The course explores the mechanisms of civil control of the military to develop an understanding of the shared responsibility between civilian leaders and military officers. The evolution of civil-military relations in Canada is reviewed, as well as an examination of the complex structure of decision-making for defence issues. The last part is devoted to the unique relationship between the Canadian military, the government and society in a post 9/11 world.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS502 War, Politics and International Relations

This course examines the interlocking patterns of international politics and war. The traditional approach to international relations will be studied, as well as systems analysis. The topics considered will include existing international organizations, problems of disarmament, arms control and peacekeeping, and governmental cooperation in wartime.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS503 Leadership Principles and Theories

This course examines concepts and theories associated with leadership and performance. The perspective is primarily psychological but where appropriate, the coverage will include an integration of related topics from other academic disciplines. The course commences with historical approaches to leadership (e.g., trait and behavioural theories), and explores issues associated with defining and measuring leadership. Broad coverage of leadership theories ranges from situational and contingency approaches, to participative, management and relationship theories. There is particular emphasis on the transactional and transformational styles as they relate to military functioning and the course includes related concepts like management and command.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS504 Contemporary Warfare

An analytical look at selected aspects of modern warfare, studying the evolution of warfare in the Twentieth Century and the changing nature of military requirements of warfare.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS505 Psychology of Peace and Conflict

This course examines psychology’s contribution to understanding and improving human relations at interpersonal, intergroup, and international levels. Major theories and practices underlying peace, conflict, and violence will be studied. The objective for this course is to provide students with multifaceted approaches to explain the maintenance and emergence of peace and conflict.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS506 Civil and Military Relations Since 1815

This Seminar course examines the civil-military relationship of selected major Powers since 1815. Reading and discussion will probe the influence of political control over the size, disposition, and strategic use of armed forces, the influence of the military in making national policies, legal and constitutional questions arising out of the relationship of the armed forces to civil authority, and the bureaucratic structure of defence organizations and their relationship to the domestic and foreign policies of the governments they serve. In this, the changing economic, political, social and technological milieu, which affected the civil-military dynamic, will be an important consideration. Each year the course will be structured around a unifying theme. Some of these include the development of national strategy, the rise and fall of states, strategic studies and the problem of power and war planning in peacetime.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS507 Methodology

The course introduces the study of war in a multidisciplinary perspective. Various research methodologies and resources, including archival work, are introduced. Major trends and interpretations in the examination of war are explored, as are issues and problems of contemporary research.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS508 UN Peace and Humanitarian Operations: An Evolving Practice

This course explores the field operations that the United Nations and its agencies deploy to current and former war zones and disaster zones. It considers the evolution of their mandates, functions and activities. It surveys the partnerships between military, police and civilian actors and covers concepts like humanitarian space and the cluster approach. Cases of success and failure can help show the strengths and weaknesses of operations. New concepts and special topics can include the use of force, human security at the operational level, peacekeeping and humanitarian technology, and safety and security in the field. At the end of the course students will comprehend the changing nature of UN Peace and Humanitarian Operations.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS509 Evolution and Theory of International Peacekeeping

This course examines the evolution of international peacekeeping, and the theory of third-party intervention as a mechanism for conflict management. The evolution of interventions is traced from 19th century imperial policing and small wars to League of Nations Mandates, peace observation, and the UN system. Conflict resolution theory has some impact on peacekeeping after 1956, and new forms of post-colonial peacekeeping and stabilization missions characterize the Cold War period. These are examined from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS510 War in the Mediterranean, 1939-1945

This course examines the Mediterranean theatre of war, 1939-1945, from the tactical level to that of grand strategy. It analyzes in depth the campaigns conducted around, on and above the Mediterranean Ocean during the Second World War. Particular emphasis will be placed on land campaigns in North Africa, Crete, Sicily and Italy; however some seminars will address the issues of the Mediterranean theatre in alliance diplomacy as well as naval and air operations.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS511 Contemporary Peace and Stabilization Operations

This course considers peacekeeping and international stabilization operations since the 1980s, with a focus on operations mounted by the UN and regional organizations. The political, strategic and tactical dimensions of peacekeeping are considered, drawing on the academic disciplines of history, political science, and social psychology. The course reviews efforts to improve and reform the conduct of international peacekeeping in light of recent experience, and the normative biases of peace studies, conflict resolution, and strategic studies.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS512 Canadian Defence Studies: Historical and Contemporary Dimensions

This course is a study of the interaction of military, domestic and foreign politics in Canada since the colonial regimes. This course consists of specialized reading and the preparation of working papers for Seminar discussion.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS513 The Vietnam War

This course allows students to examine the US experience of the Vietnam War, chronologically and through a number of perspectives. Topics include the origins of the war and the subsequent US escalation, the role of Vietnam in the Cold War, media coverage, presidential decision-making, public opinion and domestic politics, and the fall of Saigon. The US combat infantryman's experience in Vietnam will be also be examined. Analysis will also be devoted to the Vietnamese experience. The War's legacy, as well as the debate about the parallels between the Vietnam War and the current US intervention in Iraq, will be discussed as well.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS514 Emotional Systems Involved in Warfare

This course explores how different evolved emotional systems contribute to the escalation and resolution of armed conflict in humans. Specifically, students will understand how emotions like disgust, fear and anxiety motivate and coordinate organized aggressive behavior by influencing our decisions, appraisals and physiological reactions. Conversely, they will also come to appreciate the role that emotions as compassion play in increasing ethical behavior on the battlefield.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS515 The United States and Small Wars

This course will examine the role of small wars in shaping both the American military and American power. Seminar topics will include political, military and public perceptions of small wars, the effect of small wars on the US military, the specialized skills and training that soldiers require to fight small wars, and the evolution of Special Forces and their role in prosecuting America's small wars. The 1940 USMC "Small Wars Manual" and 2007 "The U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual" will be core texts for this course.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS516 Modern Warfare and Technological Development

This course deals with an examination of the relationships that exist between technology and the military. Military doctrine, tactics, strategy, logistics and organization will be investigated to determine the influence and effect that technological growth and innovation exert in peace and war.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS517 Canadian Political Parties, Public Opinion, and Foreign Policy

Drawing upon both political history and political sociology, this course will explore the history, ideology, organization and social composition of parties to study how these factors influence the different parties' perspectives on Canadian foreign policy. The contours of Canadian public opinion and party positions will be explored in an effort to map the terrain that frames debate on Canadian foreign policy. Considerable emphasis will be on the comments of party activists, MPs, and leaders; the contents of party's manifestos and platforms in elections, and parties' voting patterns in Parliament.

Seminar:

3 hours per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS518 War, Revolution and Peace in Modern East Asia

This course examines in detail, the impact of war, revolution and peace on the modern transformation of China, Japan and Korea from the late eighteenth century to the present.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS519 Studies of Genocide

This course will explore the different disciplinary approaches to genocide, the different theories of genocide, the challenging methodological issues of genocide, and the scope and magnitude of genocide. Among the themes to be explored are the common features of genocide, the stages in genocide, and the backdrop of ethnic violence. The course will offer case studies of the most cited examples of genocide, drawing upon insights from the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, the Cambodian genocide and the Rwandan genocide, while also looking briefly at other examples to see how well they fit the analytical frameworks. The course will conclude on the issue of future prospects and prevention. Readings will draw from both analytical works and case studies.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS520 Maritime Strategy and Naval Policy

This course examines naval strategic theory and policy development in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Generally, the seminar will examine the nature of sea power, its use as an instrument of international relations in war and peace, and the effects of technological, social, economic and political change upon policy formulation by the major maritime powers.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS521 Gendered Dimensions of War

This course examines gender issues and gender relations in the context of conflict and war. Drawing on literature in anthropology, sociology, international relations, development studies and women's studies, this course analyzes the institution of war as a gendered phenomenon, the impact of war on gender relations and societal norms, what/who constitutes the warrior/war hero, and feminist approaches to peacekeeping and peacemaking.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS522 The Foreign Policies of Russia Since 1917

This course is a study of Russian foreign policies since the Revolution of 1917. The course will examine: Soviet relations with capitalist states, developing nations and members of the Socialist camps; the history of the Comintern and the Cominform; the role of the Communist Party in decision-making; the ideological formulation of foreign policy making as well as Soviet theories of international relations; and the changing constellation of international power since the end of the Cold War.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS523 Human Psychological Factors, Ergonomics, and Human Performance during Combat

This course examines the application of psychology to understanding the performance, decisions, and capabilities of humans during situations of warfare. It is designed to offer the graduate students an opportunity to study three main areas of research: a) human performance and stressors during combat; b) human factors and ergonomics of war; and, c) human resilience during and following war. The course allows the student sufficient scope for further research into the themes that relate to these areas.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS524 The Impact of Total War in the Twentieth Century

This course examines the military, political, social and economic influences of total war on European society in the twentieth century. Special consideration will be given to the development of machinery for the higher direction of total wars, the problems of peacetime diplomacy and military preparation, the relationship between domestic and foreign policies, and the difficulties faced by democratic and totalitarian states in waging total war. The major emphasis will be on Germany, Britain, Russia, and France, although reference will be made to other European countries and to the United States.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS526 Historical Evolution of Operational Art

The Historical Evolution of Operational Art will examine the practice of operational art in history — the pursuit of strategic objectives through the arrangement of tactical actions. It will look at how these concepts evolved since the eighteenth century by studying prominent military campaigns, which evidenced operational art. By the end of the course students will have gained an appreciation of the ability of military forces to achieve strategic goals, the role of joint and combined operations, the impact of conflict termination in shaping military plans, the theory, planning and execution of historical campaigns and operational art, and the ability to evaluate these operational approaches.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS527 Military Ethics

This course is devoted to the study of ethics in the military profession. Topics include ethical theory, ethical decision-making, the professional military ethic, just war theory, moral development, and ethical failure. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to apply ethical concepts to the Canadian military profession.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS529 Special Topics

This course affords students the opportunity to examine a specific topic in war and peace not available through other courses offered. Normally, this course is conducted as, a directed studies course (i.e., reading course) and involves individual research under the direction of the instructor and submission of research papers of graduate seminar quality.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS531 American Foreign Policy: 1776 to the Present

This course covers American foreign policy from the early days of the Republic to the present with an emphasis on the post-1968 period. In addition to examining trends and events, the course also considers the major intellectual debates about US foreign relations as well as the institutions and policies processes associated with US foreign policy.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS532 Wars and Warfare in Middle East and North Africa

This cross-listed MA and Ph.D. seminar focuses on the comparative study of political and military aspects of the selected interstate and intra state conflicts and wars in these regions. The political analysis addresses factors such as the causes of war, key actors, contending issues, regional and international context and environment. The military analysis investigates factors such as the tactical, operational and strategic evolution of warfare and conflict within the political settings. Finally, the comparative study extrapolates the distinctive and common patterns and trends in the regions’ conflicts.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS533 Studies in American Defence Policy

This course examines contemporary American defence policy from a strategic, political, economic and bureaucratic perspective. It begins with a discussion of various concepts and ideas about US defence policy, looks at the post-Cold War era and the War on Terrorism and moves on to consideration of the institutions and processes associated with the making and implementation of defence policy in the United States.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS534 Religion and Modern War

Religion has played a crucial role in many of the conflicts found in the history of humanity, in every part of the world. Wars and other kinds of hostilities have been started, conducted and ended for religious reasons. The term "religion" itself, however, is a problematic one, and scholars have had little success developing a comprehensive definition for a term used in so many contexts and situations. Yet it is also clear that without an understanding of the facets of religion and religious experience, our ability to understand any conflict with a religious element is severely undercut. This course begins by examining the nature of religion from social scientific and philosophical perspectives, giving students some of the key concepts and approaches required. In the remainder of the course, the role religion has played in specific historical conflicts is explored, illuminating the different ways in which religion has been used to identify the antagonists and justify their positions

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS535 Middle East/North African Security and Global/IR system

This cross-listed MA and Ph.D. seminar focuses on the study of the contemporary interlocking linkages between global/IR system and Middle East/North African security sub-system including resource scarcity, deterrence, arms control, power struggles, alliances and shifting security agenda. The first part of the course assesses the application of contending IR theories and methodologies to the study of region’s security environment using concepts such as structuralism, offensive and defensive realism, transnational forces, political economy and predatory/revisionist vs status quo forces. The second part focuses on the political history including the emergence of the regional system of nation states, endogenous instability factors and the evolving role played by key external actors including US, EU, Russia and China. Canadian foreign policy in the region can be also be considered. Last, but not least, the study focuses on the new waves of theorizing in the field of global politics on the interaction between regional security sub-system and the global politics.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS537 Intelligence Studies

This course will address intelligence from the perspective of history, theory and public policy. It will assess the different sources of intelligence, their power and limitations, the nature of assessment and acceptance, and the influence of intelligence on policy and action. It will address several cases studies of intelligence, varying by historical period and topic (including diplomatic and military issues, and matters of war and peace). It will consider such issues as intelligence and politics, intelligence failures, strategic surprise and deception. It will conclude by examining efforts to reform intelligence since the end of the cold war, ranging from ideas about a revolution in military intelligence, stemming from changes in information technology and precision-guided munitions, to arguments about the need to restructure western intelligence services to handle new threats, which emerged after 2001.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS538 Intelligence: Historical and Contemporary Dimensions

This course offers a comparative study of the organizations, which compose the Western intelligence community. Historical examinations facilitate an understanding of intelligence in national security policy. The contemporary dimension serves to explore those domestic processes and external factors, which drive national intelligence efforts.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS539 Signals Intelligence

This seminar investigates the history, nature and role of signals intelligence, a discipline that involves the collection and processing of data from various signals by many means, whether by monitoring patterns of communication networks ( traffic analysis) or reading the messages of foreign states ( communications intelligence ), especially through code-breaking. This seminar will assess the literature on the topic, and its influence on war and peace, from a multinational perspective, tracing the discipline from its infancy until the present day.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS540 The Development of Aerospace Power: Theory and Practice

This course will examine the development of air power and aerospace power with a particular focus on theories of air and aerospace power and their effect on the conduct of war throughout the century. Seminars will study the nature of air power and aerospace power, its use in war and peace, and the effects of technological, social, economic, and political change on the application of air and aerospace power. The course will develop a framework for understanding the interplay between strategy, military innovation, defence policy, and technology.

Seminar:

3 hours per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS541 Discourses of the Extreme: from the reactionaries to the end of the 2nd World War

This course aims to analyze discourses, ideologies and organizations that, since the beginning of the 19th century, have opposed themselves radically and violently to the world order and the social evolution that stem from the philosophy of the Enlightenment. Lectures, punctuated by text analysis and oral presentations, aim to examine the factors that motivated the emergence of such thinking, the nature of the numerous demands as well as their influence on society. The reactionaries' discourse (Burke, Maistre, Bonald) will be analyzed, as well as those of anti-egalitarians, anti-democrats and anti-state propagandists (Gobineau, Renan, Spencer). The appearance, at the end of the 19th century, of the anarchist movement (Proudhon, Bakounine, Kropotkine), of violent trade unionism (Sorel) as well as of proto-fascist ideology (Barrès, Psichari, Drumont) will also be studied in order to better understand the origin of large mass movements typical of the 20th century. Students will then reflect on the nature of the different political discourses of the extreme produced during the Interwar period (Maurras, Schmitt, Spengler, Drieu La Rochelle, and Strauss) in order to better understand the particularities of totalitarian systems. The main question that will be raised during this course is the place occupied by the anti-modern in the political and ideological history of the two last centuries. The studies of Isaiah Berlin, Zeev Sternhell, Albert O Hirschman and Antoine Compagnon will be presented and criticized in order to better understand their different hypotheses.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS542 The colonization and decolonization of Maghreb and West Africa: from colonial origins to single party states

The aim of this course is, through text analysis, lectures and oral presentations, to give the student a thorough knowledge of the history of the period extending from the colonization to the decolonization of Maghreb and West Africa, from the expeditions of Bugeaud, Faidherbe, Gallieni, Lyautey and Archinard, to independence and the establishment of single-party states. Beyond historical knowledge, basic concepts typical to the discursive analysis of colonial wars and asymmetrical wars will be studied. The reading of essays, newspapers, treaties, memories, pamphlets, novels, from France, Maghreb and West Africa, will help students to understand the arguments that justified colonization (Tocqueville, Bugeaud, Lyautey, etc.) as well as those who favoured rebellion and colonial wars (Fanon, Césaire, Senghor, Ben Bella, etc.). The goal is to understand the unwinding of colonization over a period of more than a century and a half, what compromises were made with local populations, as well as the mistakes and reciprocal misunderstandings that led to the wars of independence. The last part of this course will concentrate on the notion of a single party in order to understand how colonization ended, shortly after obtaining freedom, with the instalment of dictators (Boumediene, Bokassa, Houphouët-Boigny, Gnassingbé Eyadema, Ahmed Sékou Touré, etc...). At the end of the course, through a focus on a variety of literary and other texts students will have acquired an excellent knowledge of what is at stake in different countries that have suffered colonization and, above all, a greater ability to analyze complex subjects: asymmetrical wars, irreducible heterogeneity of certain values, justification of colonial practices, plurality of beliefs and dictatorial systems.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS543 First World War

This seminar examines select major campaigns and other aspects of the First World War such as political and social upheavals and mobilization issues. Students will gain knowledge of the military, social, political, and economic aspects of a catastrophic war that shattered four empires and brought to an end the era of European dominance in world history.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS544 The Theory and Practice of Strategy in the Classical World

This course will examine the formulation and implementation of strategy in the classical world. It will comprise a series of case studies of specific periods and conflicts, including China in the Warring States period, the Peloponnesian War, the Punic Wars and the wars of the Byzantine Empire. In addition to modern scholarship, students will read classic studies written by observers and participants such as Sun Tzu, Thucydides and Livy, which still remain among the most insightful analyses of these conflicts.

Seminar:

3 hours per week (one term)

Credit(s):

2

WS545 History of Canadian-American Relations, 1783-present

This course explores selected issues in the history of Canadian-American relations from the American Revolution to the 1990s. Topics to be explored include diplomatic and military relations, continental defence, the evolution of national and continental cultures and economies, the movement of peoples and ideas across the border, cross-border environmental issues, and how Canadians and Americans have viewed one another over time.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS546 Comparative Analysis of Secessionist Conflicts

This course covers the specific theme of secessionist movements in the World in a comparative perspective. The tensions between the principle of the intangibility of borders and the principle of the right of peoples to self-determination constitute a fundamental challenge of the twenty-first century and one of the main challenges of contemporary international conflicts. The course presents a review of contemporary secessionist movements with particular attention to the theories of self-determination, legal perspectives and international dimensions. The causes of the secessionist movements and the different solutions - federalism, autonomy, power sharing - implemented by the states where these movements originate will be addressed, as well as the results of secessionist conflicts, such as the creation of de facto states or partitions and their consequences.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS547 Military History of Canada's First Nations, 1500-present

This course explores selected issues in the military history of Canada's First Nations and Métis people from the 1500s to the late twentieth century. Topics to be explored include approaches to warfare and diplomacy in the pre-and post-Contact period, conflict and alliances with European colonial powers in North America in the period 1600-1867, conflict in the northwest in the late nineteenth century, participation in the World Wars, and the role of Native peoples in the Canadian Forces in the twentieth century.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS548 Russia’s Foreign and Security Policy

This course examines the Russian foreign and security policy since the collapse of the Soviet Union. After a period of relative decline in the 1990s, Russia as a “rising Great Power” is much more assertive in the international diplomatic arena. The Western countries seek Russia’s cooperation in arms control, Afghanistan, and Iran. At the same time, Russia remains a challenge for Western democracy promotion and conflict resolution in the post-Soviet space, as well as securing Caspian energy. Students should be able to place Russian foreign and security policy within historical, political, economic, and geostrategic contexts. There are three parts to the course: historical roots of Russian foreign and security policy, contemporary developments, and unique challenges Russia poses in the post-Soviet space, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS549 Aerospace Law and Policy

A comprehensive study of the international laws and policies regulating air, space, and cyber military operations. The first part of the course will review principles of public international law. Topics covered in the first part are the formation of international law, subjects of international law, the UN system, the use of force. The second part of the course will concentrate on the laws applicable to military air operations. Topics covered in the second part are the definition of national airspace, international airspace, the issue of Canadian northern sovereignty, the legal status of military aircraft, air operations ROE, UN air operations, reconnaissance flights, and interception of aircraft. The third part of the course will concentrate on military space operations. Topics studied in the third part are space law treaties, UNCOPUOS, remote sensing, US commercial regulations on remote sensing, the RADARSAT projects, the projection of force to, in, and from space, and the military/commercial interface. The fourth part of the course will cover the topic of information and cyber military operations.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS550 Great Powers in the Pacific: 1870 to the Present

This course will provide students with a detailed examination of the Far Eastern balance of power that existed between China, Japan, Russia, Britain and the United States from 1870 to present day. Military, economic, political, naval and social factors will be woven into a comprehensive analysis of the interrelated Far Eastern interests of these powers. Minor powers, such as France, Germany, and Holland, will also be discussed where appropriate, as will American involvement in Korea and Vietnam. The object of the course is to provide the historical context, which will allow a full understanding of the development of the Pacific region and its relationship with Western Powers.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS551 Evolution of Cold War Nuclear Strategy

This course will examine the evolution of nuclear strategy during the Cold War. It will concentrate mainly on strategic doctrine as it was developed by the two superpowers, the USA and the USSR. It will also consider doctrinal developments of the other Cold War nuclear powers' the Peoples' Republic of China, France and the United Kingdom. A central part of the course will involve students becoming knowledgeable about the core military technologies of the Cold War era, that is, strategic ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons. As part of this process, students will be introduced to some of the important analytical approaches in the development of Cold War strategy such as the theory of games, force exchange modelling and correlation of forces analysis.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS553 The Art of Testimony and the Experience of War

This seminar aims, through lectures and oral presentations, to study the testimony of war. An overview of the first theorists will examine testimonies, providing an image of war from those who have seen it. Testimonies will be studied according to the different ways in which war is talked about (narrative techniques, memories, coherence efforts, effect of reality). A comprehensive examination of discursive laws that question truth and plausibility will serve as a basis to study the testimony of war as a genre and confront modern theories questioning the finality of testimony as truth (Certeau, Bourdieux, Honneth, Ricoeur, and Mesnard). The student will gain a better understanding of testimonies themselves and their scope.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

EG555 La gloire et le bûcher: la représentation de l'héroïsme guerrier et du sacrifice sanglant dans l'Antiquité

Available in French Only

This seminar aims to study the representation of war and sacrifice in Antiquity and Late Antiquity. An overview of Greek and Latin historians, thinkers and poets of the period from the Persian wars to the establishment of the kingdom of the Francs will allow for an analysis of the morality of these heroes and their relationship to the sacred. War and sacrifice are topics that have been addressed from Herodotus to Gregory of Tours to promulgate the ethics of the warrior and of the act of sacrifice. The study of heroes from Antiquity will allow an approach to each of their representations as a pretext, a way of promulgating an ethic of violence and self-offering. By studying, which specific heroic acts the authors chose to emulate or condemn, students will acquire a better knowledge of the authors from Greek and Roman Antiquity and a more thorough understanding of the impact of this specific construction of wartime heroism and bloody sacrifices.

Seminar:

3 hours per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS556 War and the Environment

This course explores the complex inter-relationship between warfare and the natural environment from the 17th century to the present from a historical perspective. The course will use case studies from a number of world regions to analyze the environmental and ecological impact of military mobilization over time. In addition, students will assess the influence of environmental factors on the conduct of war. Particular attention will be devoted to the impact of technological change/industrialization, disease, peacetime preparations for war, the creation of militarized environments, and to changing understandings of the environment. Case studies include 17th and 18th century imperial wars in the Americas, the American Civil War, the World Wars, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War era.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS557 Advanced Directed Studies

In this course, the format and content vary to meet specific requirements of candidates. Normally, it involves extensive individual research under the direction of the instructor as well as submission of substantial research papers of graduate seminar quality.

Exclusion:

WS528

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS558 War, Gender and Literature

This course examines the experience of war through the lens of gender. Primary texts may include poetry, prose, drama, graphic novels, memoirs, letters, journalism, film, television, and other visual and digital media.

Note(s):

English Only

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS559 Aspects of International History 1919 - 1945

This course will examine selected topics in international history from the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 until the end of the Second World War. Although the fundamental connection between personality and policy will be emphasized, the seminars and course readings will integrate into this the diplomatic, economic, social, and strategic elements of modern international history by looking at such diverse issues as the inter-war search for stability in Europe and the Fast East, disarmament discussions, reparations and war debts, appeasement of, and the origins and course of the Second World War.

Seminar:

3 hours per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS561 Aspects of International History Since 1945

This course will examine selected topics in international history from the end of the Second World War until the recent past. Although the fundamental connection between personality and policy will be emphasized, the seminars and course readings will integrate into this the diplomatic, economic, social and strategic elements of modern international history by looking at such diverse issues as the origins and course of the Cold War, decolonization, alliance diplomacy, international organization, and the evolution of foreign policy and strategic doctrine.

Seminar:

3 hours per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS563 Topics in Literature and War

Topics will vary based on the interest s and research of the professor. Contact the Chair of the War Studies programme for information on each year's offering.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS564 Intelligence Methodologies and Operational Case Studies

This course examines the methodologies of intelligence operations, including issues of deception, human and technical intelligence gathering, counterintelligence, and more. Case studies will include the operations of a number of countries including the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany and Israel.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS565 Intelligence Methodologies and Operational Case Studies

Operational Art post-Cold War will examine the evolution of operational art - the arrangement of tactical actions and engagements in order to achieve strategic goals - since the end of the Cold War. The course will look at the emergence of new approaches to operational in wars fought by the US, NATO, and Russia among others, and will consider the emergency of a Canadian approach to operational art. By the end of the course, students will understand how operational art has adapted to multipolarity, counterinsurgency and stability operations, as well as deterrence missions and conventional warfare in the 21st century. Students will also be able to analyze how the major schools of operational art developed in the Cold War and its aftermath have influenced military thought and practice, and critique these earlier theories in light of military engagements in the decades since the end of the Cold War.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS566 The International Security Environment

This course brings diverse analytical methodologies to bear in evaluating the evolving international security environment. It will examine the ways by which both individual states and alliances assess security threats, devise policy, and implement this policy. The connection between the intelligence services (individually and by intra-service and extra-service cooperation) and the governmental decision-making apparatuses will be emphasized. In addition, through case study analysis, both intelligence successes and failures will be studied.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS567 British Military History from the Eighteenth Century to the Present

This seminar will be a trans-national examination of the military history of the British Empire and Commonwealth from 1870 to the end of the Cold War. It will look at how the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India, cooperated, or did not cooperate, on matters of foreign policy and defence. Topics to be explored will include imperial defence, army reform, the naval arms race of the Edwardian era, imperial policing, manpower, industrial mobilization, the two World Wars, and the Cold War. The course will impart to students a thorough understanding of British military history since the Cardwell reforms, as well as ability to analyze and write about the foreign and defence policy of the United Kingdom.

Exclusion(s):

WS525

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS568 Case Studies in Regional Analysis

This course takes a crisis-centred approach to introduce students to the May-Neustadt model of analysis (the Harvard model). This timeline technique is now widely used throughout the United States government. Regional case studies (for instance, Central America, South America, north, central or southern Africa, the Middle East, and south, south-east, or east Asia) will be chosen for each student to work through and present analysis based on open sources.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS569 Geopolitics of Energy

Geopolitics and energy and are closely linked. Energy is a critical factor influencing a country’s foreign, security and economic policies – both for import-dependent nations seeking to ensure sufficient, affordable, and reliable supply, and for energy exporters seeking to secure a market for their energy products. Energy can be a tool used by importing as well as by exporting countries to exercise and project their power. In this course, we will assess the profound transformations in the world energy landscape due to rapid technological developments and concerns about climate change. We will review global energy security and examine how key countries and regions view their energy challenges and strengths. We will evaluate how these considerations affect international relations and national strategies, and how geopolitical factors, such as the rise of nationalist movements and the weakening of the post-World War II global order, can shape energy security. Among the topics we will examine are the evolving nature of energy security, global energy outlooks, security considerations attached to different fuels and sources of energy, and key issues affecting energy geopolitics in different regions of the world.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS570 Great Powers and Intelligence

This course addresses three broad historical areas. First, it identifies the differing intelligence cultures within the so-called `Great' and `Super' Powers since 1815: France, Great Britain, Japan, Prussia/Germany, Russia, and the United States. Second, it addresses the utilization of intelligence within both these powers and any alliances in which they entered. Finally, it addresses the impact of intelligence on foreign policy formulation in war and peace over the past almost two hundred years.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS571 Political Economy of War and Conflict in the Middle East and North Africa

This course offers an in-depth examination of the political economy of war and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It explores the complex interplay between political, economic, and social factors that contribute to conflicts, their perpetuation, and potential resolution. By studying historical and contemporary cases, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the unique dynamics shaping conflicts in this crucial global region.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS574 Asymmetric Threats

The burgeoning literature on Asymmetric Warfare and the events of 9/11 have sparked wide interest in Asymmetric Warfare. This course offers an introduction to the topic with particular attention paid to the forms of asymmetric threats, primarily via Weapons of Mass Destruction (Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological), and threats to critical infrastructure through weapons of mass disruption. Discussion focuses on the theory and practice by first situating the discussion within the wider framework of strategic theory and literature, particularly that on terrorism and low-intensity war theory. The course proceeds through an extended review of the nature of chemical, biological and nuclear threats, and emerging threats to critical infrastructure. The central focus of the initial weeks of the course is the introduction and incorporation of some advanced qualitative analytical models. As well, control regimes (Arms Control), and consequence management are explored within the context of the various threats.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS582 The Profession of Arms

This course will examine the military profession from a multidisciplinary perspective. Students will study relevant theory and research from the disciplines of philosophy, psychology, sociology, politics and history. A significant portion of the course will be devoted to the study of ethics in the military profession. Specific topics will include: ethical decision processes, the professional military ethic, just war theory, moral development, ethical failure, military culture and ethos, diversity in the military, civil-military relations, the non-commissioned officer corps, and the general officer corps.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS584 Canadian Foreign Policy

This course examines the origins, evolution, context, and intellectual content of Canadian foreign policy and diplomatic practices.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS586 Special Operations

The objective of this course is to garner an appreciation of the principles, roles, and operations of Special Forces in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries. The course examines the evolution of British, American, German, French, Canadian and other Special Forces and studies operations conducted from WWI to the present by these various Special Forces units.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

WS588 The Second World War

This seminar examines the major campaigns of the Second World War. Issues of diplomacy, coalition warfare, national mobilization, campaign planning and battle will be examined from the perspectives of all the major powers. Particular emphasis will be placed on the war efforts of Great Britain, the United States, Germany, the Soviet Union, Japan, Italy, France, and Canada.

Seminar:

3 periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS589 Issues of National and International Security in International Relations: Theories and Practice Since 1945

This course will examine the changing way in which states have addressed international security issues since 1945. This will involve an examination of the primary theoretical approaches to explaining international relations. The theoretical discussion will be accompanied by study of the practical efforts that have been taken by states, such as the development of international organizations and laws, to deal with security issues and the changes that have occurred in the nature of the state system during that same time.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS591 Issues of International and National Security in International Relations: Changing Definitions

This course will focus on the changing definitions of security. This will include an examination of the development of international norms relating to intervention, the effect of non-state actors in the system, and the changes in the concept of national security at the state level that have occurred as a result.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS592 Canada and War

This seminar examines dimensions of Canada's war experience since 1860, with particular emphasis on any of the Boer War, the Great War, the Second World War, the Korean Conflict, and peace support operations, and post Cold War conflicts.

 

Exclusion(s):

WS590

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS593 The News Media and the Military

This course examines the relationship between the news media and the military within the broader context of the pervasive presence of mass media of communication in the political and cultural realms. A critical personal inventory of the students- habits as mass media consumers forms the basis for the course and for each class. The course studies the rhetoric of mass media communication from Plato to today before shifting focus to an investigation of the newsroom, the business and marketing pressures affecting its operation, and the constitutional and legal rights and responsibilities related to freedom of the press. Students will survey and examine in detail examples and case studies of the evolving relationship between the news media and the military in Canada and elsewhere. The aim of this course is to enable students to critically analyze various print and electronic news products, including their modes and styles of presentation, and to evaluate their relationship to the military.

Seminar:

3 hours per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS595 Armed Forces in Society

This course examines the relationship between Armed Forces and society in a contemporary and comparative perspective. Beginning with an analysis of the classic and recent literature on civil-military relations, the course looks at trends in the United States, Canada, Western Europe, the newly emerging democracies of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. It also examines the relationship among the military, government and civil society in Asia and the Middle East.

Seminar:

3 hours per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS597 Post-Cold War Nuclear Policy

This course will examine the role of nuclear weapons in the overall security policy of nuclear and near-nuclear states in the post-Cold War (Second Nuclear) era. The potential strategic uses of nuclear weapons in this era will be markedly different from those seen in the Cold War. Indeed, it is already clear that the central nuclear security paradigm of the Cold War (retaliatory deterrence) is no longer viable. An increase in the number of nuclear states; changes in delivery technology; changes in warhead technology and substantial changes in the overall security environment are examples of the new strategic imperatives that have combined to create novel nuclear security challenges for post-Cold War states. That this new strategic context will be shaped mainly by the strategic policy postures of old and new nuclear states and possibly non-state actors is the undeniable reality of the Second Nuclear Era. It is this interplay of nuclear strategy, nuclear weapon technology and changed perspectives on the utility of strategic nuclear war that is the central focus of this course. Examples of the issues that students will analyze in the course are the strategic implications of vertical and horizontal proliferation, the Nth + 1 country problem, the shift in the structure of deterrence, nuclear terrorism and the possible move to nuclear war-fighting strategies. As part of the analytical component of the course students will be introduced to strategic analytical methods such as nuclear pre-attack static indicators, strategic correlation of forces analysis, theory of games, conflict analysis and some force targeting models.

Seminar:

3 Periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

WS599 A Canadian Way of Air Warfare

This is a one-term course examining the development of air power philosophy, doctrine and practice in Canada in the past century. It looks both at the events of the First and Second World Wars as well as the Cold War; these are studied within the context of the broader Canadian military and security experience. The course is not limited to military events but also explores the creation of 'air mindedness' in both the Canadian military and Government of Canada as well as the general population. Major themes will include the employment of the RCAF and Canadian air forces in war and peace, civil military relations, alliance arrangements, force structure, procurement and the existence of a unique air force culture. Various methodological approaches will be employed including the use of artifacts, primary source documents, oral histories, and comparative studies between the RCAF and the air arms of other nations and other Canadian services.

Seminar:

3 Periods per week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

PR500 Directed Research Project

Students who choose the Directed Research Pattern must complete a directed research project (DRP), which demonstrates graduate-level ability to research, analyze, and write. The DRP will be 40-50 pages in length and should include some primary source research.

No equivalent for PhD Students

Credit(s):

2

TH500 Thesis/Dissertation

A thesis may be required for the Master's programme. The research must demonstrate the student's ability to carry out a significant research project.

Credit(s):

6

TH600 Thesis/Dissertation

A doctoral thesis is required for the PhD programme and must embody the results of original investigation conducted by the student on the approved topic of research, and must constitute a significant contribution to the furthering of existing knowledge in the field.

Credit(s):

6

CP600 Comprehensive Examination

The doctoral student will be required to pass a comprehensive examination, which may contain a number of both written and oral components. This examination is for the purpose of assessing a student's academic appreciation of the field of study and scholarly qualifications for the degree.

Credit(s):

1