Great Power Competition Certificate - Curriculum 255 (DL)

Program Officer

Adam Arndt, CDR

Code 38, Glasgow Hall, Room 336

[phone], DSN 756-3781

[e-mail]

Academic Associate

James (Clay) Moltz, Ph.D.

Code 38, Glasgow Hall - Room 394

[phone], DSN 756-1039

[e-mail]

Brief Overview

The Certificate Program in Great Power Competition (GPC) will provide students timely academic knowledge on the political and strategic challenges posed for the United States by the emergence of GPC with China and its re-emergence with Russia. Upon completion of the certificate, students will be able to analyze the factors shaping the new era of geopolitical competition among the major powers and potential U.S. responses across all dimensions of power, including diplomacy, economic competition, influence campaigns, and traditional military force. 

Students will take one, four-unit course per quarter for three consecutive quarters beginning in the Winter and Summer Quarters. During their first Quarter they will also take a one-unit introductory, GPC lecture series (NS 4000). Although students will normally take a course on Russia in Quarter 2, and on China in Quarter 3, the order of those quarters may be reversed, depending on factors such as faculty availability and the desires of the students’ sponsor.

Convenes

Those starting in Winter Quarter will complete the certificate in Summer, those starting in the Summer Quarter will complete the certificate in the Winter.

Program Length

3 quarters.

Outcomes

• To understand the nature of great power competition historically and its current manifestations.
• To understand the core motivations behind Chinese and Russian political, economic, and military policies, as well as the challenges they pose to the United States.
• To understand the tools China and Russia use to further their interests in various regions of the world outside their borders and in critical competitive domains, such as cyberspace.
• To understand the range of possible U.S. and allied responses to Chinese and Russian behavior.

Required Courses

Quarter 1

During Quarter 1, students will take both NS4000 and NS3005. 

Course Number	Title	Credits	Lecture Hours	Lab Hours
NS4000	Great Power Competition: Current Policy and Strategy		0	2
	-and-
NS3005	Great Power Conflict in Modern History		4	0

Quarter 2

Students will take either NS4642 or NS3661.

Course Number	Title	Credits	Lecture Hours	Lab Hours
NS4642	Chinese Foreign Policy		4	0
	-or-
NS3661	Politics in China		4	0

Quarter 3

Students will take either NS4425 or NS3401.

Course Number	Title	Credits	Lecture Hours	Lab Hours
NS4425	Russian Foreign Policy		4	0
	-or-
NS3401	Contemporary Politics of Russia		4	0