Hertog War Studies Program

The Hertog War Studies Program is a intensive two-week program run by the Institute for the Study of War in Washington DC. The program aims to educate advanced undergraduate students about the theory, practice, organization, and control of war and military forces. Students will learn from and interact with distinguished senior leaders in the national security and military communities. This course bridges the civil-military divide and teaches students at the start of their careers how to assess military decision-making.

It is not an international relations course about why wars occur.

The curriculum includes extensive and intensive reading on military theory, history, operations, and current conflicts. Studies of military history inform discussions of issues such as the introductions of new technology to warfare, whether political leaders should shape military decisions, and ethics in the conduct of war. Students participate in a battlefield staff-ride to Gettysburg to explore the relationships between terrain, timing, and decision-making in war.

Alumni are eligible to participate in the War Studies Advanced Programs offered twice annually; previous topics include the American All-Volunteer Force, Civil-Military Relations in the United States, and Russian Hybrid Warfare.

The Hertog War Studies Program relies on students’ broad educational background. We will consider graduating seniors (
Class of 2026
), rising seniors (
Class of 2027
) and exceptional rising juniors (
Class of 2028
). Rising sophomores should consider other Hertog programs. Applicants should have a GPA of 3.7 or higher
.

War Studies is an interdisciplinary program, and we seek applicants from many disciplines, not just history, political science, or international relations. Successful past participants have also majored in philosophy, math, computer science, engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, literature, foreign languages, political theory, classics, and psychology.