The Master of Arts in War Studies degree is designed for individuals aspiring to pursue and advance careers in both national security and professional military fields. This program is also suitable for defense and security professionals whose agencies or clients are involved in the development and conduct of and support for military strategy and operations in the air, land, sea, cyber, and space domains. The curriculum will focus on key war studies disciplines, such as: Nation-State and Non-Nation-State Conflict; Strategic and Security Studies; National Security and Emerging Threats; Great Power Competition: Military and Technological Dimensions; History of Military Strategies, Operations, and Tactics and the Evolution of Warfare. This degree will provide its students with the knowledge and skills necessary for professional success in defense and military-related careers, preparing them for roles across a variety of U.S. departments and agencies.
This new degree program will be open for enrollment beginning in Fall 2026.
Featured Faculty
Program Requirements (52 Credits)
All courses are four credits unless noted otherwise.
War Studies Requirements (16 Credits)
All of the following courses are required.
- IWP 628 Military Strategy: Theory and Practice
- IWP 657 U.S. Approaches to Irregular Warfare
- IWP 679 Defense Strategy, Planning and Budgeting
- IWP 684 Nuclear Strategy and Arms Control
War Studies Electives (16 Credits)
Students may apply any IWP course toward their elective requirements, selecting those that best align with their professional goals. However, IWP faculty recommend the courses listed below to best complete the student’s studies in War.
- IWP 601 National Security Policy Process
- IWP 616 U.S. National Security Strategy and Emerging Threats
- IWP 641 Political Warfare: Past, Present, and Future
- IWP 663 Cyber Statecraft
- IWPO 677 Chinese Military Thought and History
- IWP 678 Covert Action and National Security
- IWP 705 Maritime Strategy in Great Power Competition (2 credits)
Core Requirements (20 Credits)
All of the following courses are required.
- IWP 606 Ideas and Values in International Politics (2 credits)
- IWP 608 Sources of American Political Thought (2 credits)
- IWP 615 Western Moral and Political Thought (2 credits)
- IWP 620 Contemporary Politics and Diplomacy
- IWP 627 International Relations, Statecraft and Integrated Strategy
- IWP 634 Geography and Strategy (2 credits)
- IWP 642 Economics for Foreign Policy Makers (2 credits)
- IWP 799 Capstone Course (2 credits)
Additional Requirements
Candidates for this graduate degree are not required to pass a language proficiency examination, but may elect to do so in order to add an important skill to their academic credentials and marketability. Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the same language training opportunities made available to candidates in the Statecraft and International Affairs degree program.
Students in this program may be enrolled full-time (9 or more credit hours per semester) or part-time (less than 9 credit hours per semester) but must complete the degree in five calendar years or less. After successful completion of all coursework, each student will be required to pass a one-hour oral examination and a three-hour written comprehensive examination.
Alumni at Work
Below is a selection of organizations where graduates of IWP have worked:
- Amazon Web Services
- BAE Systems
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- General Dynamics
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
- Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Morgan Stanley
- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- National Intelligence University
- Naval Criminal Investigative Service
- Northrop Grumman
- Office of Naval Intelligence
- Office of the Director of National Intelligence
- Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy
- SAIC
- Stimson Center
- The Joint Staff
- Thomson Reuters Special Services
- U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency
- U.S. Department of Defense
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- U.S. House of Representatives
- U.S. Secret Service
- U.S. Senate
- United States Naval Academy
Alumni Testimonials
“IWP prepares you to have a seat at the table in the White House, the Department of Justice, CIA, Congress, and other agencies of the government.”
Aubrey Hodges (’24)
Senior Security Cooperation Consultant
“My IWP classes, coupled with my training as an FA52 officer, gave me a strategic view on how I execute my duties.”
MAJ Dillon Lynch (’23)
Please note: These are Dillon’s personal views and do not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Army.
“At IWP, you’re not only learning from individuals who did these things—you’re learning from the top individuals.”
Sierra Alwine (’23)
U.S. Army Second Lieutenant and Intelligence Analyst (CON) for the DOJ
Please note: These are Sierra’s personal views and do not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Army.
“All of the classes I took at IWP help with my work.”
Karissa Brauer (’13)
Intelligence Analyst with the U.S. Air Force
“Dr. Streusand’s Geography and Strategy and General Jajko’s Military Strategy courses both provided an opportunity to explore the Marine Corps’ operational and even strategic role as force projector throughout the world.”
Major Jeff Brewer (’14)
USMC Intelligence Officer
Please note: These are Jeff’s personal views and do not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Marine Corps.
“I kept all of my notes and I have them in my desk right now; I’ve carried them around the world with me… My experience learning at IWP has molded me into the leader I have become.”
Colonel Katie Crombe (’12)
Please note: These are Katie’s personal views and do not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Army.
“I’m proud of my time at IWP. I could have gone elsewhere, and I’m glad I didn’t. IWP has helped me immensely in my career.”
Michael Urena (’05)
Professional Staff Member, Senate Armed Services Committee
Program Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:- Demonstrate a thorough understanding of key terms, concepts, history, and theories related to international affairs, national security, and war.
- Integrate the various instruments of statecraft, with special consideration of geopolitical and economic factors, as they apply to U.S. defense strategy.
- Make an informed assessment of the statecraft of foreign powers as well as the main geopolitical and ideological currents that contribute to the political and military struggles of the modern era and their impact on U.S. and foreign behavior.
- Appreciate the principles of the American founding and the Western moral tradition as they apply to war, especially in relation to national security policy.