Strategic Studies Capstone is an integrative course in strategy designed to provide Defense & Strategic Studies majors with practical experience in addressing real, complex and ambiguous strategic issues. Students will work in small groups to solve such a problem for an external client organization focusing on the use of the military instrument of power or national security strategy. Student groups will determine stakeholder needs, define the client's problem, and conduct appropriate research to develop a viable solution or set of recommendations. Groups will meet regularly with their client, complete a final written report and provide a formal presentation with an oral defense to the faculty. Alternatively, select students may work with an interdisciplinary team from another academic department's capstone course to contribute analysis from the strategic studies perspective to the group's project. Capstone cadets will continue the work they began with their faculty advisors in the fall by revising their literature review and research methodology, then complete data collection, data analysis, final report writing and ultimately conduct an oral defense of their work before an interdisciplinary faculty board.
This is an experiential learning course in military strategy designed to provide Defense & Strategic Studies majors with practical experience in solving real, complex and ambiguous strategic problems. Students will work in small groups to solve such a problem for an external client organization focusing on the use of the military instrument of power. Student groups will determine stakeholder needs, define the client's problem and conduct appropriate research to develop a viable solution or set of recommendations. Groups will meet regularly with their client, complete a final written report and provide a formal presentation with an oral defense to the faculty. Alternatively, select students may work with an interdisciplinary team from another academic department's capstone course to contribute analysis from the strategic studies perspective to the group's project. Finally, students will prepare for and participate in the Gettysburg Staff Ride, which is a culminating intellectual experience that ties together the broad array of interdisciplinary subjects within the program and promotes life-long learning about the profession at arms.
This is an experiential learning course in military strategy designed to provide Defense & Strategic Studies majors with practical experience in solving real, complex and ambiguous strategic problems. Students will work in small groups to solve such a problem for an external client organization focusing on the use of the military instrument of power. Student groups will determine stakeholder needs, define the client's problem and conduct appropriate research to develop a viable solution or set of recommendations. Groups will meet regularly with their client, complete a final written report and provide a formal presentation with an oral defense to the faculty. Alternatively, select students may work with an interdisciplinary team from another academic department's capstone course to contribute analysis from the strategic studies perspective to the group's project. Finally, students will prepare for and participate in the Gettysburg Staff Ride, which is a culminating intellectual experience that ties together the broad array of interdisciplinary subjects within the program and promotes life-long learning about the profession at arms.
