Security Studies offer fellows an intensive learning experience focused on the most difficult national security challenges the United States faces today. Each seminar will provide a practitioner’s view of national security, led by faculty who have direct experience forming and advising American policy.

We will consider grand strategy both in theory and in action. The first course, taught by Chairman Mike Gallagher and Aaron MacLean, will focus on how geopolitical realities are ignored by democracies only at great peril. The subsequent three courses will proceed via case study, focusing on historic events in the world’s most important theaters—from China’s emergence as a great power after the crisis of 1969 to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the parallels between the Yom Kippur War and the 10/7 Hamas attack on Israel. Each seminar will center around three key themes:

  1. Power, and how it interacts with conceptions of purpose,
  2. Geography, in the sense of geopolitics, but also of specific regional or national considerations, and
  3. Greatness, especially in the sense of the statesman’s political greatness.

Applicants can apply to all four seminars for a month-long learning experience or as many courses as fit their interests and schedule.

How do you think like a policymaker?

Summer 2024

Utopia vs. Reality in American Grand Strategy

Apply the insights of classical geopolitical analysis to America's actions today.

How China Confronts Crisis

Examine three major hinge-points in China’s history & how China responds to crisis.

A Return to Rivalry: U.S.-Russia Relations

Study the trajectory of U.S. policy towards Russia from the Soviet collapse to the invasion of Ukraine.

Kissinger & the Yom Kippur War

Learn how Henry Kissinger's strategy changed the future of the Middle East.

Past Courses

China Beyond Beijing

Study the fundamentals of the behavioral & cultural aspects of China’s government & military forces.

America’s Forgotten War & Confronting China Today

Study the Korean War and the lessons it offers for U.S.-China competition.

China at War: Past, Present, & Future

Examine China’s past and current use of force in the context of its strategic culture and traditions.

Russia: A Return to Rivalry

Examine U.S.-Russia relations since the end of the Cold War.

U.S. Defense Strategy & the China Challenge

Assess U.S. defense strategy to counter China’s rise.

Debating U.S.-China Strategic Competition

Explore contemporary views on U.S.-China strategic competition alongside a variety of prominent instructors.

Presidential Command & National Security Leadership

Analyze case studies to better understand presidential control over foreign policy and the meaning of executive power.

Nuclear Strategy & World Order

Explore the ways nuclear weapons have transformed the world we inhabit today.

The War in Iraq: A Study in Decision-Making

Examine key strategic decisions during one of the most dynamic confrontations of the late 20th and early 21st centuries: the U.S. and Iraq.

The Iranian Challenge

Consider the strategic options for dealing with Iran’s nuclear program.

Deadlines & Eligibility

 

Who Should Apply? Advanced undergraduates, recent graduates, and young professionals are all eligible to apply. Fellows may apply for, and participate in, multiple seminars.

Dates & Times: Summer courses meet in-person in Washington, DC for one week. See the individual course pages for full details.

Commitment: In-person courses meet for morning seminars, with afternoon guest speakers and some evening activities. Fellows are expected to attend all sessions and activities.

Housing, Stipend, & Course Materials: Our programs are provided at no charge to participants. Residential programs offer hotel or dormitory accommodations and a stipend to offset travel and living expenses. All fellows receive books and course materials.

Deadline: Applications open soon.

APPLICATION MATERIALS

  1. A CV OR RÉSUMÉ

  2. PERSONAL STATEMENT

    Describe, in 1,000 words, or less the political questions you find most interesting, your future ambitions, and how these relate to your preferred program(s).

  3. ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPT

    Unofficial; required only for currently enrolled students & recent graduates.

  4. ACADEMIC OR PROFESSIONAL WRITING SAMPLE

    12 pages maximum; double-spaced. Please send academic writing that best showcases your ability to invent and sustain a persuasive argument, no matter the subject-matter.

  5. RECOMMENDATION LETTER & REFERENCE

    Provide the name and contact information of a professor, mentor, or supervisor. (Letter not required for nominated applicants.)

Other Courses You Might Be Interested In

Statesmanship

Consider the statesman’s role in democracy & whether political greatness is still possible today.

Debating U.S.-China Strategic Competition

Explore contemporary views on U.S.-China strategic competition alongside a variety of prominent instructors.

Presidential Command & National Security Leadership

Analyze case studies to better understand presidential control over foreign policy and the meaning of executive power.

Nuclear Strategy & World Order

Explore the ways nuclear weapons have transformed the world we inhabit today.

America’s Forgotten War & Confronting China Today

Study the Korean War and the lessons it offers for U.S.-China competition.