First Year Studies

Orientation to Strategic Leader Education
Course DE2300

This course is designed to prepare the student for education at the strategic leadership level. It serves to introduce the student to methods of learning used at the U.S. Army War College Department of Distance Education. It introduces the student to adult learning concepts, critical thinking skills, and graduate level writing skills. Mastery of these skills is essential for the student to successfully complete the two-year U.S. Army War College curriculum.
No Credit Hours

Strategic Leadership
Course DE2301

The Strategic Leadership course provides the doctrinal foundation of the Army War College curriculum. In this course, students examine the foundations of leadership at the strategic level with an emphasis on evaluating competencies and challenges and civil-military relations. Students also evaluate strategic decision making to include critical and creative thinking, and ethical decision making. Finally, students apply Strategic Leader competencies and decision making factors to a complex VUCA environment.
3 Credit Hours

National Security Policy and Strategy
Course DE2302

The National Security Policy and Strategy course is focused on American national security and foreign policy formulation. This course provides a theoretical framework for analyzing the international context for security issues. Students examine the interagency process for developing and implementing U.S. foreign and security policies, making the connections between the various external and domestic influences at play. Finally, students are introduced to a methodology for formulating and assessing national security strategies that employ all instruments of national power.
4 Credit Hours

War and Military Strategy
Course DE2303

This course examines the history and theory of war and military strategy, providing students with a strategic level understanding of the military element of power. The fundamental nature and evolving characteristics of varying levels of conflict provide students with insights about how war and conflict shape strategic thought and military practice. Studying classic and contemporary masters of strategic thought provides a foundation for examining war and formulating current and future military strategy.
4 Credit Hours

Regional Issues and Interests
Course DE2304

This course examines important global transnational challenges such as crime and the international drug trade, poverty and development, disease, migration, energy security, the environment, and fragile/failing states. These issues challenge the prosperity, political capacity and security of many regions and countries of the world. The course also examines the world's several regions and contributes to the regional strategic appraisal process, with each student focusing on one of the following in their regional elective: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Greater Middle East, and Russia/Eurasia.
3 Credit Hours

Strategic Leadership in a Global Environment
First Resident Course (FRC)
Course DE2306

The FRC is an opportunity for students to examine the relationships between strategic leadership, national security policy and strategy, war and military strategy, and regional issues and interests. A combination of guest lecturers, seminar discussions, exercises, agency visits in Washington, DC, a staff ride, and student oral briefings on interagency visits, and participation in a regional strategy formulation exercise creates a dynamic learning environment. Students have the opportunity to utilize the USAWC Library and AHEC for research and to participate in the Leadership Feedback and Physical Fitness Assessment programs.
3 Credit Hours