This is an applied, graduate course on formulating grand strategy, based on a real strategy development exercise run by the course convenor for the US Department of Defence. The course, first, examines the theory and concepts relevant to making strategy at the grand strategic level, including as related to the challenges of managing uncertainty, surprise, and intertemporal trade-offs; and building grand strategies that integrate the economic and nuclear spheres of statecraft. From week seven onward, the course applies this knowledge to an intensive strategy development exercise, in which students are charged with developing a US grand strategy for the Asia Pacific region. Students will develop grand strategies in small groups and then test their strategies in detailed, interactive simulation exercises against a range of long-term future scenarios. Each student will write an individual assessment of their team’s strategy as their final piece of assessment.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Understand the meaning and utility of the concept of grand strategy;
- Understand of the main types of grand strategies and how they are distinct in their structures and goals;
- Understand the challenges inherent in grand strategy development;
- Apply a formal grand strategic planning framework, the elements of which are relevant and transferable to a range of different environments in the public and private sectors;
- Design grand strategies that identify and address important trade-offs;
- Analyse and critique grand strategies through the use of simulations and war game exercises.
Indicative Assessment
- Weekly online journal of notes for class (10) [LO 1,2]
- Research Essay on the theory and practice of making grand strategy (40) [LO 1,2,3,6]
- Participation in the simulation exercises (10) [LO 2,4,5,6]
- Individual assessment of team strategy (40) [LO 2,3,4,5,6]
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Workload
120 hours over semester
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Prescribed Texts
None listed
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $4200 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $6000 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
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