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National Security Affairs Department

The National Security Affairs (NSA) department at U.S. Naval War College (NWC) is one of the nation's largest and most vibrant graduate teaching departments in the interdisciplinary field of national and international security studies. We provide professional education to mid- and senior-career students who are military and civilian national security professionals from the United States and more than 60 partner countries.

Chair, National Security Affairs Department

(401) 841-3540
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Graduate-Level Security Studies

The NSA department is one of three core departments at NWC and offers two courses that lead to the master's degree: national security decision making (NSDM) for senior-ranking students and theater security decision making (TSDM) for mid-ranking students. These eight-credit hour courses provide a broad interdisciplinary foundation in contemporary security studies including international relations, regional studies, foreign policy analysis and decision making.

National Security Decision Making Course

National Security Decision Making (NSDM) is designed to engage senior-rank students in the current and future complexities of a rapidly evolving national and international security environment. The course offers a broad interdisciplinary curriculum in contemporary security studies that encompasses a diverse spectrum of global and regional issues and perspectives, but with particular emphasis on U.S. decision making challenges and processes at the national strategic level.

NSDM Capstone Final Exercise (FX)

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National Security Affairs SLC Syllabus Cover

The NSDM course integrates concepts drawn from a number of disciplines including international relations, area studies, foreign policy analysis, leadership studies, and cognate fields. The course is designed to broaden strategic perspective while fostering critical thinking and analytic skills that will have lasting professional relevance long into the future.

More on NSDMDownload NSDM Syllabus

Theater Security Decision Making Course

Theater Security Decision Making (TSDM) is designed to engage intermediate-rank students in the complexities of today's national and international security environment with a strong emphasis on regional security issues. The course offers a broad interdisciplinary curriculum in contemporary security studies that encompasses a diverse spectrum of regional and global issues and perspectives, but with particular emphasis on U.S. decision making challenges and processes at the theater-strategic level of the geographic combatant commands.

TSDM Capstone Final Exercise (FX)

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National Security Affairs ILC Syllabus Cover

The TSDM course integrates concepts drawn from a number of disciplines including area studies, comparative politics, international relations, foreign policy analysis, decision making, management studies, and cognitive fields. The course is designed to develop strategic perspective while fostering critical thinking and analytical skills that that will have lasting professional relevance long into the future.

More on TSDMDownload TSDM Syllabus

Our Faculty

The department is first and foremost a teaching department where scholars and national security practitioners follow a curriculum that combines academic rigor with policy relevance. To further this, faculty participate in scholarly, policy and professional activities to ensure students have a learning experience that meets the needs of the Navy and the intent of the Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) system.

Here are recent selections of NSA faculty contributions to the broader national and international security discourse.

Select Faculty Books (Since 2016)

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Select Conferences (Organized and Chaired since 2016)

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See National Security Affairs Faculty

Faculty expertise spans multiple fields. To learn more, please use the link below to access the online directory.

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Featured Faculty

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James L Cook Profile Image

James L. Cook

Associate Professor | National Security Affairs

Jim Cook is a Professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He specializes in Strategy, Military Force Planning and the Middle East. A retired Army Air Defense Artillery officer, Professor Cook is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, and the Naval War College (College of Naval Command and Staff). He has served in a variety of command and staff assignments within the United States, Europe and the Middle East, most recently in Afghanistan. Professor Cook is an active participant in the Naval War College’s International Engagement program where he lectures on strategy and international security matters.

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David G. Smith Photo

David G. Smith

Associate Professor | National Security Affairs

David Smith, PhD earned his doctorate degree in sociology at the University of Maryland. He is the co-author of Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women. A former Navy pilot, Dr. Smith led diverse organizations culminating in command of a squadron in combat and flew more than 3,000 hours including combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a sociologist trained in military sociology and social psychology, he focuses his research in gender, work, and family issues including gender bias, dual career families, military families, military women, and retention of women. Dr. Smith is the author of numerous journal articles and book chapters—many on the topic of gender and the workplace.

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