Courses at Virginia Tech
Strategies for Modern Warfare
This course explores conventional military strategy and organization in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It includes discussion on the study and nature of war and strategy, the core operational and tactical elements of modern mid- and high-intensity land warfare, variation in combat effectiveness across regimes and military organizations, the role of strategic air power in compelling adversaries, and debates surrounding American strategy and operational planning in the 21st century.
National Security (Undergraduate)
This course provides an overview of key actors and concepts in national security, with a focus on the United States. It examines traditions, constraints, and offices in national security policymaking. In addition, it explores the role of economics and force as both sources of power and tools in the national security realm. The course concludes by analyzing the degree to which today's world is characterized by a return to great power competition.
Nuclear Strategy and Politics
This course explores the role that nuclear weapons play in world politics. The course is divided into four sections. Part One examines the basics of nuclear energy and weapons. Part Two discusses theoretical models and historical cases to explain past nuclear proliferation and nonproliferation. Part Three turns explores the role of nuclear strategy and ethics. Finally, in the last section, the course examines specific historical cases and nuclear force postures around the world.
Security Studies: Theories and Concepts
This course provides an overview of security studies as a field of studies in political science. Part One introduces the key methods and approaches used to understand security issues. In Part Two, the class explores major historical conflicts focusing on the role played by factors such as that the international system, regimes, technological developments, and individuals. Part Three considers prominent issues in security studies. In Part Four, we apply insights developed throughout the course to explore the security situation in key areas of the globe.
