War Studies Program

• Eligibility: Rising college seniors and very recent graduates
• Location: Washington, DC
• Duration: 2-week program
• Stipend: Provides housing and some meals, plus $1,500 stipend

The Hertog War Studies Program is an intensive two-week program run by the Institute for the Study of War in Washington DC. The program aims to educate advanced undergraduate students about the theory, practice, organization, and control of war and military forces. Students will learn from and interact with distinguished senior leaders in the national security and military communities. This course bridges the civil-military divide and teaches students at the start of their careers how to assess military decision-making. It is not an international relations course about why wars occur.

The curriculum includes extensive and intensive reading on military theory, history, operations, and current conflicts. Studies of military history inform discussions of issues such as the introductions of new technology to warfare, whether political leaders should shape military decisions, and ethics in the conduct of war. Students participate in a battlefield staff-ride to Gettysburg to explore the relationships between terrain, timing, and decision-making in war. Alumni are eligible to participate in the War Studies Advanced Programs offered twice annually; previous topics include the American All-Volunteer Force, Civil-Military Relations in the United States, and Russian Hybrid Warfare.