Strategy and Defense Policy (SDP)
Next Course: August 12 - October 11, 2013
Dates include a Distance Learning phase (August 12 - September 6)
Resident phase (September 23 - October 11)
Application period: Closed
Admissions - 2013 Syllabus - Scholarships - Application Forms
The course is conducted in Spanish. There will be interpretation just for the cases in which the presenter is not fluent in Spanish. Fluency in Spanish is required for reading theoretical and conceptual materials and for conducting group discussions. Candidates who are not native speakers of Spanish will be interviewed telephonically prior to final selection.
» Course Director: Manuel Lora
» Overview
This is a six-week course, with a three on-line phase and three-week resident phase. The on-line learning system Blackboard and e-mail will be used during the on-line phase. It is expected that participants interact with their classmates and professors in asynchronous as well as synchronous sessions. Participants are required to read an average of 80 pages per week. In the resident phase the course is conducted in a combination of individual study, discussions of the literature, conferences and panels, case study and exercises, plus it is expected that the students read an average of 60 pages per day. At the end of the course each participant will receive an individual evaluation, with grade.
» Course Objectives
The purpose of this course is to offer participants the theoretical foundations and analytical tools to help them in developing and/or expanding their ability to become active participants in the processes of security and defense strategy and policy formulation, decision making, implementation, and control and oversight.
Using the international and hemispheric security and defense environment as a framework for reference, the course deals with the challenges faced by Latin American countries to provide security and to improve defense administration. Participants will analyze, at the political level, the links and the different perspectives in dealing with security challenges at global, regional and national levels. The curriculum also deals with concepts and theories that will allow for a better understanding of the national decision-making process, international cooperation, and the implementation of directives in response to priorities in the classical and non-traditional use of the armed forces in democratic societies.
» Candidate Profile and Requirements
Candidates must be professionally engaged in defense or security issues in their countries, coming from the following institutions/activities:
• Career officials from the ministries/secretaries of Security and Defense.
• Officials from other ministries/secretaries, from the legislative and judicial branches that interact with security and defense, including planning and control and oversight institutions.
• NGO and think-tank staffs involved in security/defense matters, educators, academic researchers, journalists and members of political parties.
• Police and active duty military officers with the Rank of Lieutenant Coronel and above.
The course is taught at the graduate level; therefore, it is required that candidates hold a university degree or equivalent practical experience. Military and police personnel must have completed a command and staff course or equivalent. Exceptions are evaluated in a case-by-case basis.
The course is conducted only in Spanish. Candidates who are not native speakers of Spanish will be interviewed telephonically prior to final selection.
Graduates form other CHDS courses are not eligible for admission.