Course Meeting Times
Lectures: 1 session / week, 2 hours / session
Course Requirements
The course requirements are a referenced and footnoted research paper of 25-35 pages on an approved topic related to U.S. defense politics for all graded students. Undergraduates are also required to take a mid-term examination.
Suggested paper topics are listed in the assignments section. These are only suggested topics. You are not required to pick from the list. You are required, though, to clear the topic with me. Think of topics on which you can do the research and produce a paper within the time limits of the semester. The papers are due on the last day of classes.
Grading
For both undergraduate and graduate students, class participation counts for 20% of the grade. Graduate students' papers will count for 80% of their remaining grade, while undergraduates will have the mid-term count for 30% and the term paper for 50%.
For Graduate Students
| ACTIVITIES | PERCENTAGES |
|---|---|
| Class Participation | 20% |
| Student Papers | 80% |
For Undergraduate Students
| ACTIVITIES | PERCENTAGES |
|---|---|
| Class Participation | 20% |
| Mid-term | 30% |
| Term Paper | 50% |
Calendar
| LEC # | TOPICS | KEY DATES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. Civil - Military Relations | |
| 2 | America's Security Strategy | |
| 3 | Who Fights America's Wars? | |
| 4 | The Military and National Politics | |
| 5 | The Political Economy of Defense | |
| 6 | Acquiring Weapons | |
| Mid-term Exam | ||
| 7 | Managing Defense | |
| 8 | Inter and Intra-service Politics | |
| 9 | Congress, Foreign Policy and Public Opinion | |
| 10 | Presidents, National Security and Public Opinion | |
| 11 | Cargo Cults, Homeland Defense, and Medicare | |
| 12 | Let'em Fight: Preparing for the Next War | Research paper due |