Master of Defence Studies

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General Information

The Department of Defence Studies is a department of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities that is located at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, Ontario.

The Master of Defence Studies (MDS) is a professional degree granted by the Royal Military College (RMC) and is offered only to Canadian and foreign senior military officers and other government department employees selected to attend the residential Joint Command and Staff Programme (JCSP) at the Canadian Forces College (CFC) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

If you do not meet these selection criteria, your application to the MDS will not be considered. Please ensure that you meet these selection criteria before you submit your application.

Should you have any questions pertaining to your eligibility to apply to the MDS, please contact the Canadian Forces College Registrar’s office by emailing registrar@cfc.dnd.ca

Options

The Department offers courses in defence studies that are either specifically designed for the degree Master of Defence Studies (MDS) or fall within the framework of the MA in War Studies, MA(WS) and Master of Public Administration (MPA) degrees, depending on which professional military education programme an individual is undertaking at the Canadian Forces College.

The degree Master of Defence Studies (MDS) is offered to students of the Joint Command and Staff Programme (JCSP) concurrently with the JCSP. It is a professional one-year Master's Degree awarded by the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) and approved by the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is potentially offered to students of the National Security Programme (NSP). The programme leads to a Master of Public Administration awarded by RMC and approved by the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies.

Master of Defence Studies

The degree Master of Defence Studies investigates the relationships between the Profession of Arms and National Security policies. It includes military command, leadership and the conduct of major military operations and strategy including war fighting, peace support operations, and domestic operations for national security. The management of defence resources is also encompassed within defence studies. The degree covers both applied and theoretical topics. Since defence studies are inherently interdisciplinary, it draws upon defence management, economics, history, human resources management, international relations, peace studies, sociology, anthropology, strategic and security studies, warfare studies, and other academic disciplines. The degree is generally limited to competitively selected members of the profession, according to nationally and internationally recognized standards of professional competence.

Defence Studies (DS) credits may be acceptable toward other graduate programmes. Check each programme's section in the calendar.

Admission

Individuals admitted to the Canadian Forces College through professional selection are deemed to be students of RMC, and their work is assessed as part of a graduate programme. Graduate level Defence Studies courses are an integral aspect of professional programmes of study designed for both the third and fourth development periods (DP3 and DP4) for Canadian officers. All Defence Studies courses are offered at the Canadian Forces College as components of the Joint Command and Staff Programme (JCSP) and the National Security Programme (NSP).

Students wishing to read for the MDS degree along with the JCSP or the MPA degrees along with the NSP must apply for admission to RMC in accordance with the procedures outlined in the general regulations defined in the RMC Graduate Studies Calendar. Students applying to these graduate programmes will normally require a four-year Honours Bachelor's degree in Arts, Science or Engineering, or an equivalent from a recognized university with at least a "B-" average (70% or better) average.

The JCSP and NSP programmes are only available to military officers competitively selected for attendance or to civilians selected by their employer for attendance.

Information for non-JCSP students seeking details regarding admission to RMC as a graduate student can be found in the Admissions section of this calendar.

JCSP and NSP students will be briefed on their respective degree programmes at CFC.

Programme Requirements

Master of Defence Studies

The degree of Master of Defence Studies will be awarded to JCSP students who successfully complete a programme of studies comprised of either of the following patterns:

• Course Pattern (ten graduate credits)
• Directed Research Project Pattern (eight graduate credits plus a two credit directed research project)

All students are required to complete seven common graduate credits:

• DS520: Planning at the Operational Level (2 credits)
• DS545: Component Capabilities
• DS555: Leadership
• DS556: Command
• DS569: International Security and Canadian Foreign Policy (2 credits)

In addition to the seven common graduate credits, those in the Course Pattern are also required to complete three graduate credits, comprised of two one-credit courses selected from one of the following groups:

• DS548: Advanced Joint Warfighting and DS549: Advanced Topics in Campaign Design; or
• DS557: Institutional Policy Analysis and DS554: Advanced Topics in Institutional Policy Development; or
• DS567: Global Power and Institutions and DS568: Advanced Topics in International Security Studies.

And one of:

• DS534: Operational & Strategic Command Analysis
• DS535: Global Politics, Culture, and Conflict
• DS536: Case Studies in Canadian International Policy
• DS537: Captors and Captives
• DS538: Genocide, Conflict, and Justice
• DS539: Intelligence Studies: Historical, Theoretical, and Contemporary Dimensions
• DS543: War and Society
• Various War Studies and other Programme courses taken with permission of the Chair MDS.

In addition to the seven common graduate credits, those in the Directed Research Pattern are required to complete:

One of:

• DS534: Operational & Strategic Command Analysis
• DS535: Global Politics, Culture, and Conflict
• DS536: Case Studies in Canadian International Policy
• DS537: Captors and Captives
• DS538: Genocide, Conflict, and Justice
• DS539: Intelligence Studies: Historical, Theoretical, and Contemporary Dimensions
• DS543: War and Society
• DS548: Advanced Joint Warfighting
• DS557: Institutional Policy Analysis
• DS567: Global Power and Institutions
• Various War Studies (WS) and other Programme courses taken with permission of the Chair MDS

And:

• PR500: Directed Research Project

Non-Degree Courses

JCSP students who are not admitted to the MDS at the start of JCSP will take two non-credit courses to satisfy the professional military education requirements of JCSP. These courses are not eligible for any full or partial graduate course credit nor do these courses appear on RMC transcripts. Those who apply for MDS admission subsequent to commencing JCSP studies will be required to complete a minimum of two additional graduate credits.

JCSP and NSP Programme Descriptions

Joint Command and Staff Programme (JCSP)

The Joint Command and Staff Programme (JCSP) is for mid-level leaders and managers, available in two learning streams, both of which include the option of reading for a Master of Defence Studies, and designed to extend the knowledge base required by professional officers. It is intended primarily for Majors and Lieutenant-Commanders, and seeks to provide officers with the analytical and interpretive skills necessary for military success and quality leadership of the Canadian Forces. Students on the JCSP are competitively selected from among their peers, in accordance with exacting professional criteria. The curriculum emphasizes command and leadership, ethics, military operations across the spectrum of conflict, operational art, understanding of national security, defence management, and professional officership skills developed through individual and collective learning on common and elective courses as listed under the programme requirements.

National Security Programme (NSP)

The National Security Programme (NSP) is a ten-month residential programme, which offers courses designed to prepare senior officers at the Colonel and Captain(N) rank level or civilian equivalent for demanding command and leadership positions in a global environment. Students are competitively selected in accordance with professional standards and potential for advancement. The curriculum emphasizes strategic leadership, strategic management and war fighting in joint and combined operations at the operational and strategic levels. The nature of the modern military profession makes international standards for the conduct of operations an essential element of each course.

The professional NSP core courses are:

• NSP571: Canada and the Global Strategic and Security Environment
• NSP572: Canadian Government and Decision-making in a Strategic Context
• NSP575: Thinking, Making and Formulating Strategy in Security Contexts
• NSP581: Strategic Leadership
• NSP582: Institutional Strategy
• NSP591: Strategic Command: A Canadian Context
• NSP592: Pan-domain Operations
• NSP597: Regional Security Studies

In addition to the core courses listed above, there are a number of electives that may be taken in conjunction with the NSP core courses. This may include NSP elective defence studies courses, core MPA courses to meet degree requirements and elective MPA courses. the optional courses that could be offered are as follows:

• DS584: The Role of Culture in Whole-of-Government Approaches
• DS594: Strategic Art

Additional Defence Studies Credits

Students requiring additional DS courses to complete the requirements for the MDS are invited to register for the following courses related to their professional duties, under appropriate supervision assigned by the Department of Defence Studies.

The following courses may be available by arrangement with faculty of the Department of Defence Studies.

• DS501: Analysis of Contemporary Conflict
• DS503: Field Research on Contemporary Conflict
• DS505: Analysis of Defence Headquarters Issues
• DS507: Field Research on Defence Headquarters Issues
• DS509: Analysis of Doctrinal Questions
• DS511: Empirical Research on Doctrinal Questions
• DS513: Special Topics: Readings in Security Studies
• DS515: Independent Study
• DS519: Military Law in Comparative perspective

Course Descriptions

DS501 Analysis of Contemporary Conflict

Students learn techniques for conflict analysis from a reading package and apply those techniques to analyze a recent or contemporary conflict drawing on primary and secondary sources. Students provide an assessment and critique of the utility of various analytical tools for the purposes of the research problem they have chosen.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS503 Field Research on Contemporary Conflict

Drawing on primary and secondary sources, students map a conflict and identify researchable questions, consider ethical and safety issues, and deploy for a period of field research using Rapid Assessment Procedure (RAP) or a comparable technique. Research involving human subjects require prior approval by a university Research Ethics Board. Supervisors may request evidence of competence in analytical techniques before permitting the field research to proceed.

Corequisite:

DS501: Analysis of Contemporary Conflict is recommended as a companion course.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS505 Analysis of Defence Headquarters Issues

Students survey from a reading package analytical techniques drawing on various disciplines (organizational psychology, sociology, anthropology, and management science) appropriate to research in a complex headquarters environment. They then apply an appropriate technique to the study of a professional problem within a defence headquarters or similar organization. Students provide an assessment and critique of the utility of various analytical tools for the purposes of the research problem they have chosen.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS507 Field Research on Defence Headquarters Issues

Drawing on primary and secondary sources, students identify researchable questions related to the functioning of a headquarters or staff organization, consider ethical and safety issues, and deploy for a period of research in the organization using an appropriate research technique. Research involving human subjects require prior approval by a university Research Ethics Board and notification of the appropriate supervisors (including DHRRE). Supervisors may request evidence of competence in analytical techniques before permitting the research to proceed.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS509 Analysis of Doctrinal Questions

Students survey historical debates on questions of military or related security doctrine from a study package, and identify techniques for analysis and resolution of doctrinal differences. They then apply appropriate techniques to the analysis of a recent or evolving doctrinal debate. Students provide an assessment and critique of the utility of various analytical tools for the purposes of the research problem they have chosen.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS511 Empirical Research on Doctrinal Questions

Drawing on primary and secondary sources, students identify a question of military or security doctrine for which there is expected to be an empirical answer. They identify research and analytical techniques that will yield empirical data from which to answer the doctrinal question. These may include gaming, simulation, field experimentation, observation, or case comparison. Research involving human subjects require prior approval by a university Research Ethics Board and notification of the appropriate supervisors (including DHRRE). Supervisors may request evidence of competence in analytical techniques before permitting the research to proceed.

Corequisite:

DS509 Analysis of Doctrinal Questions is recommended as a companion course.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS513 Special Topics: Readings in Security Studies

This course offers students the opportunity to examine selected topics in the various fields of security studies. The emphasis will be on security and defence with particular attention to Canada and North America. In any one year, topics chosen will include some of the following: defence analysis and policy making; intelligence and national security; evolution of strategic thought; the privatization of security and the role of non-state actors; homeland security; human security; science, technology and security; terrorism and counterterrorism; environmental security. Students are welcome to suggest areas of personal interest. Course work includes a research paper of graduate seminar quality and/or presentations.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS515 Independent Study

This course provides an opportunity for students to design and execute an independent research project on a question that interests them in the general area of defence studies that is not covered by an existing course at CFC. 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 the submission of a research paper of graduate seminar quality. Only one independent study can be taken for credit toward a single degree. All independent study proposals must be approved by the Head of the Department of Defence Studies. Before approval is granted, students must have sought out and gained the support of a faculty member with the relevant expertise, agreed with that expert on an appropriate plan of study, finalized a topic and question for research, and established a legitimate procedure for assessment.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS518 World Order, Power Politics, and New Rivalries

The world is experiencing a resurgence of great power rivalry. The hierarchies of the past are constantly questioned, but neither the order that appeared in the aftermath of the Cold War seems able to resist indefinitely, nor the contours of a new international order or a reformed world governance seem a close reality. Hence the risk of an increase in tensions, or a multiplication of conflicts. The overall objective of this course is to enable students to develop the conceptual tools necessary for a sophisticated understanding of this rivalry, and then develop possible scenarios for the evolution of the world order and design strategies for Canada or for any other country in accordance with this new context. The course specifically aims 1) to put today's rivalries in a historical perspective by placing them in the succession of evolutions of the international system following a timeline from the era of imperial orders, to the era ushered by the apparition of the modern territorial state; 2) to master the concepts of power, hierarchy, polarity, identity, etc. whose use is necessary for a sophisticated analysis of current international rivalries; 3) to evaluate the chances of success of the various theses which structure the discussions on these rivalries and the possible evolutions of the world: either an international order which the United States and their allies qualify as liberal and which should be maintained under American leadership, or an international order that different powers like China, Russia, India and others wish to be multipolar, with more participation in the establishment of international norms and rules.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS519 Military Law in Comparative Perspective

Military law in Canada has evolved historically, legally, and organizationally to meet the specific needs of the Canadian Forces and reflect broader changes in Canadian society. This course examines the state of Canadian military law from the past to the present day, with particular emphasis on the balance between operational requirements and the primacy of civilian control in a parliamentary democracy.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS520 Planning at the Operational Level

This course will introduce and develop the knowledge and skills essential for understanding the operational level of conflict and for planning at the operational level using the Operational Planning Process (OPP) in the context of Canadian Armed Forces doctrine. The first module of this course will examine operational functions as they apply to modern operations, providing students with strong foundational knowledge of the operational level. It introduces students to current doctrine and provides insight into how commanders and staff exercise these key functions. The second module introduces students to the OPP. Using increasingly challenging tutorials, students will work in groups to analyze problems and develop operational designs through the application of the OPP. This module includes a significant amount of group and syndicate tutorial work. The third and fourth modules build upon the first two, advancing student knowledge, understanding and skills for planning joint operations across the spectrum of conflict at the operational level in both the domestic and expeditionary environments. These modules include Case Studies of recent CAF operations and require the students to demonstrate their understanding of the overall course content through two planning exercises. Assessment is carried out with tutorials, presentations, syndicate participation, discussions, exercise participation and a confirmatory exam.

Exclusion(s):

DS540, DS544

Seminar:

3 periods a week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

DS521 Leading Operational Art and Design

This course explores operational art and design theory to provide a cognitive advantage to leaders for addressing defence challenges in general, and more specifically organizational, operational and strategic challenges in the 21st century. The course will focus on equipping leaders with the fundamental notions found in the philosophy underlying operational art and design. Then, the course will assist leaders in translating these notions into practical applications and in enhancing their skills in setting the conditions for their team to generate novel insights, concepts or approaches with group facilitation techniques. Students will acquire these capabilities through reflection, seminar discussion and by facilitating their peers in small-scale exercises and case studies. The course will base assessment on written work, facilitation and participation. Course graduates will have the opportunity to further apply and develop their skills throughout the programme.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS522 Economics of National Security and Defence

This course examines the economic theories and applications of national security and defence issues in order to enable individuals to understand the economic processes that underlie various security and defence resource allocation decisions. The first part of the course examines the processes that underlie vario us security issues, their structural, motivational and informational aspects in order to permit an assessment of how nations allocate resources towards and within national security agencies. This will include looking at variety of security related issues such as homeland security, cyber and information security, and artificial intelligence. The second part of the course examines the processes that underlie defence issues in order to permit an assessment of how nations allocate resources to defence and the impact of those decisions on a nation's economy. The course is structured to examine both the s upply and demand components of security and defence issues.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (two terms)

Credit(s):

1

DS524 Theory and Practice of Operational Art

This course will provide students with an overview of operational art, the activity connecting tactical capabilities and effects with strategic goals in military operations. The course will begin with a discussion of operational art in theory and as a concept, and its development from a tacit practice to a formal body of thought grounded in theory, doctrine, and praxis. Students will then examine a range of historical schools of operational art in more depth, primarily drawn from the 19th century to the present, in seminar discussions. The course will conclude with the study of recent and emerging operating concepts and approaches to operational art, and the examination of their relevance to contemporary conflicts and threats. Students will have the opportunity in the written deliverable to explore operational art in the context of their choice

Seminar:

3 periods a week (two terms)

Credit(s):

1

DS525 Leading Design and Innovation for Security Purposes

In this course, students will acquire a comprehensive knowledge of how leaders can be empowered to address complex problems in collaboration with their teams by enhancing workshop structure and facilitation skills using prospective studies, system thinking and design thinking. This course uses an iterative project-based pedagogical approach at the operational and institutional levels. Students will develop their skills by experimenting with new tools to collaboratively generate new insights in each class. Activities in this course culminate in a briefing session to a senior leader. Students consolidate their skills by applying continuous feedback from their peers and the instructor and after-action reflections.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (two terms)

Credit(s):

1

DS526 Peace and Stability Operations: An Evolving Practice

This course explores the field operations deployed to conflict areas to mitigate or end violence and to help rebuild war-torn societies. Peace or peacekeeping operations have evolved considerably with new and expanded mandates and more robust mechanisms for international military, police and civilians. The course will compare the concepts and experiences of UN, NATO, and regional organizations. Successes and failures will be reviewed, and case studies will help get the "sense on the ground.”

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS527 Leading and Working in a Diverse Environment

This course will examine leading and working in a diverse and multicultural environment within three contexts: (1) domestic organizations (2) global or multinational organizations, and (3) military organizations. Diversity and multiculturalism add to the complexity of organizational environments by increasing the number of perspectives, interaction patterns, and approaches to leadership and management. The course explores many of the questions and challenges facing today's leaders.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS529 Political Philosophy: Insurrectional Ideologies

To analyze and understand some of the ideologies developed in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries rejecting the values of liberal democracy and promoting the violent overthrow of political systems built on this base through the analysis of their leading thinkers and theorists. The analyzed texts refer to insurrectional ideologies calling for the revolutionary replacement of liberal democracy. Through the discussion of these doctrinal texts the goal is also to develop an awareness of the complex relationship between individuals, groups, society, political ideas and armed violence.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS534 Operational & Strategic Command Analysis

This course provides a solid foundation in analyzing various challenges to military decision-making at the operational and strategic levels. The organizational, institutional, and societal dimensions of military decision-making are the main focus and are introduced through various historical and contemporary case studies. The case studies examine issues such as the impact of conventional mindsets in irregular warfare conflicts, the role of ideology and cognitive predispositions in military decision-making, institutional limits to military transformation, and resolving incompatibilities between political and military objectives.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS535 Global Politics, Culture, and Conflict

The role of culture in international relations is a theme that is worthy of being studied and taught due to its sensitive quality and the confusion associated with it. In fact, since the end of the Cold War, successive attempts were made to account for these relations from an academic perspective. From the controversial thesis of the clash of civilizations to the more nuanced constructivist contributions, the first module of this course will provide us with the opportunity to review the overall majority of these theoretical attempts. The second module seeks to look at a series of geocultural sets which are a priori separate, such as the West, the Arab-Moslem world, China, etc., in order to test the cultural hypothesis according to which cultural identity determines the behaviour of states. The ultimate goal of this course consists of developing a critical approach that lends itself to demonstrating the complexity of the main issue pertaining to the subject matter, as well as outlining the limitations of cultural determinism.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS536 Case Studies in Canadian International Policy

This course is designed to introduce participants to the study of Canada's international policy. It uses history as a lens to assess contemporary issues and struggles. The early sessions of the course use historical case studies to facilitate the discussion and analysis of issues brought up in the weekly readings as well as to explore linkages between previous Canadian experiences with contemporary international policy themes. Toward the end of the course, participants research, design, and present their own contemporary cases. To understand the context of the international policy decisions taken in Canada, this course considers both the domestic situation and politics abroad, with specific reference to the policies of Canada's most significant allies.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS537 Captors and Captives

This elective compares British, Canadian and Japanese captivity experiences, with emphasis on military, leadership, cultural, and legal dimensions. Historical illustrations highlight timeless dilemmas useful to understanding past and contemporary operations. Conduct will be through film, first-hand memoirs, prominent fictional works, case studies, and seminars.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS538 Genocide, Conflict, and Justice

This elective course provides students with interdisciplinary intellectual frameworks for understanding and analyzing the numerous, complex, and often emotional issues related to genocide, including legal, political, historical, psychological, and sociological debates surrounding the definition, causes, and processes of genocide specifically and mass atrocity more generally. An examination of several major cases of genocide will provide the foundation for a comprehensive analysis that emphasizes both international and national dynamics, and especially 1) the historical intersections of changing international relations, great power politics, development, modernity, and the interstate/ intrastate armed conflict; and 2) the relationship between ethnic inequality and violence, and the impact of nationalist population policies. Along with case studies, more general themes will be analyzed, namely the shifting roles of perpetrators, bystanders, witnesses and victims, emerging responses of the international community with respect to genocide prevention such as the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), existing domestic, international, and international criminal law, and the use of courts, tribunals, and alternative forms of justice in punishment and reconciliation, as well as lingering questions of historical/collective memory and genocide denial.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS539 Intelligence Studies: Historical, Theoretical, and Contemporary Dimensions

This course will address intelligence from the perspectives of history, theory, and current debates. It will assess the differing types of intelligence, and the differing ways in which intelligence is utilized, including the organizational entities responsible for intelligence. Although the general international context will be examined, particular emphasis will be placed upon the Canadian experience with intelligence in both military and civilian applications. It will conclude by examining current issues in intelligence in the contemporary security environment.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS540 Domestic and Expeditionary Operations

This course develops the advanced knowledge and skills for the planning and conduct of joint and combined operations across the spectrum of conflict at the operational level. The course is divided into three modules. The first module examines domestic operations, including a study of domestic threats. The second module examines expeditionary operations, involving a study of stability, peace support, and counter-insurgency operations. It includes consideration of the joint and multinational military forces available to the joint force commander to achieve effects across the spectrum of conflict, as well as the coordination required with Other Government Departments (OGD) and non-government organizations. The third module looks as issues of joint command and control and consideration of OGDs involved in domestic, continental and joint operations. Assessment is through student participation and two practical exercises.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS541 Leadership and Ethics

The course uses lectures, practical exercises, case studies, and small group discussions to explore leadership theory, professional ethics, cultural complexity, the profession of arms, critical thinking, and problem solving to enhance students' leadership effectiveness. Participants apply decision-making tools to resolve leadership scenarios, and subject matter experts provide evaluation and feedback based on experience and published research. Assessment is by participation in seminars and discussions, practical exercises and simulation and written essays.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS542 Command and Management

The course uses lectures, practical exercises, case studies, and small group discussions to explore the theory of command, the command environment, principle-based decision-making including negotiating and alternative perspectives, law of armed conflict, and Canadian Defence Management to enhance students' overall capacity to command. Participants apply decision-making tools to resolve command challenges, and subject matter experts provide evaluation and feedback based on experience and published research. Assessment is by participation in seminars and discussions, practical exercises and simulation and a written essay.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS543 War and Society

This course examines the shifts in the practice of warfare as a product of society. Topics to be addressed are Warfare and the Ancients, Early and Late Industrialism, Emergence of Operational Art and Into the Future - Informationalism. Assessment is by a participation in seminars and discussions, practical exercises and simulation and a written essay.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS544 Basic Joint Operational Planning

This course develops the basic knowledge and skills essential for the planning and conduct of joint and combined operations at the operational level. The first module consists of practical exercises during which students work in teams to produce operational designs and Concept of Operations (CONOP) documents for operations in the contemporary operating environment. The second module examines the significance of the operational functions in the conduct of contemporary warfare. Assessment is by oral presentations, synopses, tutorials and a course confirmatory exam.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS545 Component Capabilities

This course focuses on the functions and fundamentals of the Maritime, Land, Aerospace and Special Operations components which form the combat power in joint and combined operations. Study will look at the historic development of each of the CAF components, their characteristics and finally their role in joint and combined operations. Assessment is by oral presentations, case studies and course confirmatory activities involving five written synopses.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS548 Advanced Joint Warfighting

This course develops the advanced concepts, knowledge, and skills essential for the planning and conduct of joint and combined operations at the operational level in the context of the application of campaign planning for domestic and expeditionary operations. It builds upon the theory and background of each component and joint military planning concepts to introduce a wider variety of approaches to operational planning.

Prerequisites:

DS540, DS544, DS545

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS549 Advanced Topics in Campaign Design

This course introduces a range of more specialized topics related to the broad domain of campaign design and the conduct of joint and combined operations at the operational level for domestic and expeditionary operations. These topics (such as but not limited to: irregular warfare, targeting, and the cyber domain) will provide further depth to an appreciation of joint and combined operations. Assessment will be through seminar participation and a major independent research paper addressing a topic of the student's choice.

Prerequisites:

DS540, DS544, DS545

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS551 Modern Joint Air Campaigns

This course is designed to give students a detailed examination of modern joint campaigns, operations, and missions with a significant air power contribution. Particular types of joint air campaigns will be studied, ranging from kinetic air superiority and strategic bombardment to more non-kinetic ones such as airlift support to disaster relief efforts and Search-and-Rescue operations. Emphasis will be on Canadian joint air campaigns, though other international examples will be examined in order to cover a wide range of both kinetic and non-kinetic applications of air power in a joint environment.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS554 Advanced Topics in Institutional Policy Development

This course provides focused consideration of specific topics in policy development with a particular view on the interactions between the military institution and its parent society. Using a case study methodology, consideration will be given to how policies may be developed which effectively address often conflicting requirements arising from: government direction, societal expectations, and military professional perspectives. Topics to be addressed will focus on the development and implementation of various institutional policies such as the integration of women and minorities in the armed forces, the impact of new technologies on command culture and military capabilities, and the recruiting and integration challenges posed by the millennial generation. Assessment will be through seminar participation and a major independent research paper addressing a topic of the student's choice.

Prerequisites:

DS555

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS555 Leadership

The course uses lectures, practical exercises, case studies, and small group discussions to explore leadership theory, cultural complexity, the profession of arms, critical thinking, and problem solving to enhance students' leadership effectiveness. Participants apply decision-making tools to resolve leadership scenarios, and subject matter experts provide evaluation and feedback based on experience and published research. Assessment is by participation in seminars and discussions, practical exercises and simulation, and written essays.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS556 Command

The course uses lectures, case studies, and small group discussions to explore the theory of command, the command environment, decision-making, negotiating, and legal constraints in order to enhance students' overall capacity to command. Participants apply tools to resolve command challenges, and subject matter experts provide evaluation and feedback based on experience and published research. Assessment is by participation in seminars and discussions, practical exercises and simulation, and a written essay.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS557 Institutional Policy Analysis

This course provides an understanding of the methods used in the development of Defence programmes and policies through examination of the multiple perspectives that must be considered by those working at the institutional level within Defence. The theories and analytical methods addressed will draw on the domains of public administration, strategic resource management, military capability development, human resource management, future analyses, and change management with an emphasis on their applicability to defence and, in particular, the Canadian Forces. These methods will be used to conduct critical analyses of current or draft defence policies or programmes.

Prerequisites:

DS555

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS561 Command and Military Theory

This course will adapt the content of the Master of Defence Studies programme to the evolution in military theory and command concepts. The objective is to enable students to acquire a better overall understanding of command in relation to the modern military environment. In order to inform the students' appreciation of the complexity and challenges of command, it will use examples of theory and practice to understand foundational military thought, contemporary military theories and their application to command. This understanding will further inform the broad range of command responsibilities and required competencies in the contemporary security and defence environment.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS567 Global Power and Institutions

This course builds on "DS565: Security and International Affairs" material along with consideration of the national security activities of Canada, the United States, and other key countries and international institutions in order to provide a general analytical view of the global system, its evolution, its basic characteristics, and the strategic implications for international interactions. By applying conceptual and empirical tools, the course develops a more active understanding of the major problems and challenges of the contemporary international system. Assessment is by oral presentations, seminar participation, and an applied case study examining a contemporary challenge from a Canadian perspective.

Prerequisites:

DS565, DS566

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS568 Advanced Topics in International Security Studies

This course applies conceptual and theoretical tools to analyze specific issues, powers, regions, and institutions that form the strategic environment within which Canada's foreign and security policy are conducted. Emphasis is given to developing an understanding of the differing views that various stakeholders may hold on a particular issue. The initial portion of this course will examine how international relations theories can be used to analyze the dynamics of specific security topics. The second component will apply a case study methodology to examine selected issues which are currently of importance in the contemporary security context. Assessment will be through seminar participation and a major independent research paper addressing a topic of the student's choice.

Prerequisites:

DS565, DS566

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS569 International Security and Canadian Foreign Policy

This course analyses domestic and international factors affecting the development of Canada's security policies. The first module (SCO) provides the theoretical foundations for analyzing and understanding state power, strategic studies and international relations. The second module (GLO) examines the existing international structures managing global security-related issues, along with the influence of independent non-governmental organizations and non-state actors, and concludes with an overlook of US security-related policy making. The third module (CNS) introduces a strategy formulation model and examines the Government of Canada security management structure. The fourth module (CGS) looks at the Canadian government system, its political culture and the major players in the context of the national security interests. The fifth module (CNP) covers current Canadian foreign, defence, and international development policies and gives students the opportunity to discuss them in light of the contemporary security environment. The sixth module (CFD) reviews the process by which DND develops its force structure to meet the demands of national policy and the national strategy which flows from that policy. The final module (REG) looks at the evolution of the world's global security management construct, by using a regionalist model applied to specific regions. Assessment is carried out with presentations, class participation, discussions, and the writing of a persuasive essay.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (two terms)

Credit(s):

2

DS584 The Role of Culture in Whole-of-Government Approaches

This course is designed to allow senior decision makers, both military and civilian, to study the role of culture in contexts involving Whole-of-Government approaches, at the strategic and operational levels. The course will focus on those theories and concepts of culture that are the most applicable to contexts involving Whole-of-Government approaches, at the strategic and operational levels. The course will also examine the practical dimensions of leading and managing in multicultural contexts. Topics covered include anthropological, sociological and psychological understandings of cultural realities; culture and inter-agency collaboration in domestic and international contexts; and dealing with organizational and ethnic cultural otherness. Assessment is by essay, case study reports and participation in seminars and discussions.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS585 Gender Perspectives in Defence and Security Contexts

This interdisciplinary course examines gender perspectives within defence, military and international security contexts. The course will provide both theoretical and analytical frameworks related to gender, stereotypes, masculinity and femininity, and intersectionality, as well as practical applications of gendered perspectives in operations and case studies. The topics covered may include gender mainstreaming in the military realm, incorporating a gendered perspective in NATO operations, gender-based violence, and women, peace and security (WPS). Assessment includes participation in discussions, presentations and written essays.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

DS594 Strategic Art

This course is designed to examine military support to national and grand strategy. This course will focus on military support to strategy. The military instrument of power is normally employed for diplomatic purposes as part of a larger strategy. This has led to its use as a means to influence allies, neutral parties or adversaries in the attainment of non-military ends. Phenomena such as strategic coercion, nation building and even peace support operations need to be examined in this light to separate the political logic for engaging in such tasks from the military judgment of how such tasks ought to be conducted. This course will rely on historical and contemporary applications of a number of activities to illustrate the theme of the course.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

PR500 Research Project

The aim of the Individual Research Project is to develop the participants' ability to think critically and communicate effectively in writing. This aim is accomplished by requiring the students to prepare a properly documented, persuasive essay on a topic of military significance over the course of their year at the College. Students pursuing the MDS are required to produce a paper of between 14,000 and 20,000 words in length. Those pursuing either the MA WS or MPA will be required to meet the requirements of their respective programme. Credits: 1 or 2 depending on the degree programme

Credits:

2

NSP571 Canada and the Global Strategic and Security Environment

This course examines political, economic, and military elements of the global environment, and Canada’s presence therein, through the lenses of strategic studies and security studies. It considers foundational international relations theories and guiding concepts such as power and state strength in order to understand their applicability in contemporary global affairs and to frame Canada’s place in the world. The course examines Canada’s anchoring relationships with the United States and the United Nations and explores a variety of phenomena that impact upon Canada’s strategic outlook and its security.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

NSP572 Canadian Government and Decision-making in a Strategic Context

This course examines contemporary political systems, comparing their formal institutions and decision-making processes. Beginning with a strong focus on Canada, it examines the differing impacts of history, geography, religion, and ideology on how governments operate, and also considers the place of civil society in the political process. Finally, this course assesses the impact of differing domestic systems on the conduct of Canadian foreign, defence, and security policy.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

NSP575 Thinking, Making and Formulating Strategy in Security Contexts

This course examines the making of security strategies in Canada in the past, present and future with a particular emphasis on national and whole-of-government security strategies. This course equips students to contribute to strategy-making by experimenting with alternative proactive and reactive strategy-making approaches. Structurally, this course holds the majority of programme exercises; provides a common theme for the Professional Military Education (PME) required on the NSP; and establishes common connections among the courses and Experiential Learning Visits (ELVs) in the programme.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

NSP581 Strategic Leadership

Strategic Leadership is a course designed to equip students with the skills, perspectives, and frameworks needed to help an organization achieve its mission or realize its vision. This course examines ideas and concepts surrounding strategic level leadership and the role of strategic leaders. Topics include how leaders influence large complex organizations through the employment of strategic communication and negotiation. This course combines formal presentations, case studies and seminar discussions to enable participants to integrate theories, doctrine, and practical leadership experience.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

NSP582 Institutional Strategy

Institutional strategy describes the organization, staffing, training, equipping, and preparation of the institutions that support national security policy goals. The conduct of Canadian national security policy rests upon the ability of the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces to achieve national security strategic objectives. This course uses case studies, lectures, seminar discussions, exercises, and the study of current sources, trends, and projections to evaluate how the DND can generate the military capabilities to address Canada’s anticipated needs in the future security environment. Areas to examine include recruitment, retention, and promotion; training, education, and doctrine; procurement and readiness; service culture and operational culture; interoperability, coalitions, and alliances.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

NSP591 Strategic Command: A Canadian Context

This course examines the evolution and state of strategic command and civil-military relations in Canada, with a particular emphasis on contemporary concepts, trends, and issues. This course is designed for senior decision makers, both military and civilian, to study command and civil-military relations with a focus on decision-making across the federal government.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

NSP592 Pan-domain Operations

This course examines the concept of integrated pan-domain operations in the current and future defence and security environment. The course will focus on the processes and approaches involved in the formulation of strategic objectives and the resultant linkages among ends, ways and means, in joint, combined, and integrated (inter-agency) environments. The course also examines the relationship between contemporary theories of conflict and strategy formulation.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1

NSP597 Regional Security Studies

This course examines the role of regions in the international security system in which Canada operates. By comparing the different parameters that influence regional dynamics, students will study various factors such as geography, history, culture and institutions, as well as the role of actors comprising potential and established hegemons, major regional powers, and a host of other actors — both regional and non-regional, state and non-state. The course aims to complete this examination through an empirical understanding of the international context influencing Canada and its security policies. In this regard, the second objective of the course is to provide opportunities for experiential learning of the international security environment through visits to the central agencies and offices at the centre of Canadian government; selected US governmental departments and national and transnational organizations; selected countries; and significant international organizations through which Canada works multilaterally.

Seminar:

3 periods a week (one term)

Credit(s):

1