Great Power Competition Certificate

With great power competition occupying central stage for American national security planners in ways unseen in a generation, and with the United States facing the unprecedented challenge of confronting two nuclear-armed “near-peer” competitors at the same time, there is an urgent need for better and broader understanding of the dynamics of great power competition.

This certificate program will provide students with an introduction to the historical and strategic context of great power competition between the United States, the Soviet Union/Russia, and the People’s Republic of China, including a robust exploration of:

• The development and nature of Soviet military policy, doctrine, strategy, and programs during the Cold War.
• The evolution of Russian policy and strategy in the post-Soviet environment, Moscow’s turn toward geopolitical revisionism vis-à-vis its neighbors, and issues of military reform, continuity and change in military policy.
• The expansion of China’s military power in recent years, with a focus not only upon its capabilities, but also upon Beijing’s objectives in Asia and the impact of the Chinese military buildup on the military and deterrence requirements of the United States and U.S. Allies.
• Exploration of the prospect and outcome of a military confrontation between China and Taiwan, including potential involvement of the United States.
• The causes of warfare through the lens of human evolution, psychological approaches, economic system, ideology, and the international system, applying such analysis to the study of the origins of particularly significant historical conflicts.
• The impact of geography on the physical and social environment in which politics, strategy, and war take place.
• The nature and challenges of national security policy leadership, including the components of good leadership, and the consequences of leadership failures.

This certificate could be completed in one year and consists of four courses (12 credit hours) to be chosen from among five options. No technical background or prerequisites beyond a bachelor’s degree are required.  Once completed, the courses could also be credited towards a DSS Master’s or Doctoral degree.