Regional Security Studies (Middle East, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa) Certificate - Curriculum 246
Program Officer
Adam Arndt, CDR
Code 38, Glasgow Hall, Room 336
(831) 656-3781, DSN 756-3781
adam.arndt@nps.edu
Academic Associate
Tristan Mabry, Ph.D.
Code 38, Glasgow Hall, Room 343
(831) 656-7528, DSN 756-7528
tjmabry@nps.edu
Brief Overview
The Academic Certificate Program in Regional Security Studies (Middle East, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa) is designed to provide region-specific knowledge for select senior enlisted and regionally aligned force officers who will benefit from serious engagement with current academic and policy work on their region of specialization. The Certificate requires successful completion of a minimum of three graduate courses focusing on the region (12 credit hours), of which at least one course (4 credit hours) must be at the 4000-level. Each student’s required course work is developed individually under the direction of the cognizant Academic Associate, based on the relevant regional courses available during the quarter(s) when the student is in residence. Language maintenance courses at the Defense Language Institute may be taken simultaneously in conjunction with the Certificate Program, but do not count toward the Certificate.
Convenes
Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
Program Length
9 months
Subspecialty
2101L
Outcomes
Identities, Interests, and Politics: Grasp significant political, economic, historical, cultural, and religious drivers that shape national identities and interests.
Emerging Security Challenges: Know regional sources of political and social instability and understand the roots of ethnic conflict, insurgencies, and terrorism.
U.S. Regional Security Policy: Understand U.S. foreign policy objectives in a given region and be able to explain U.S. political, economic, and military strategy.
Economic Factors: Grasp the importance of underlying economic conditions on regional stability and conflict, as well as the tools of economic statecraft.
Required Courses
Course offerings in NSA vary from year to year. The following illustrate what a (minimum) acceptable combination of courses might look like. Many other combinations are possible.
Example 1 (Middle East concentration)
| NS3320 | US Foreign Policy in the Middle East | | 4 | 0 |
| NS3330 | Comparative Politics of the Middle East | | 4 | 0 |
| NS4315 | Security and Politics in Iran | | 4 | 0 |
Example 2 (South Asian concentration)
| NS3668 | Politics and Security in South Asia | | 4 | 0 |
| NS4056 | Special Topics: South Asia | | 4 | 0 |
| NS4667 | Political Economy and Security in South Asia | | 4 | 0 |
Example 3 (Sub-Saharan Africa concentration)
| NS3301 | African History and Cultures | | 4 | 0 |
| NS3311 | Government and Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa | | 4 | 0 |
| NS4328 | Government and Security in the Horn of Africa | | 4 | 0 |