Arizona State University (ASU) has secured a federal contract from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to deliver a new master’s degree in war and strategy, aimed at preparing military officers and government officials for senior national security leadership roles.
The program, which will launch in Washington, D.C. this fall, will support up to 24 participants annually through the DoD’s Strategic Thinkers Program. Candidates will be nominated and selected by the Department of Defense and will include active-duty military personnel and civilian government leaders.
The initiative represents a significant partnership between higher education and the federal government as the United States seeks to strengthen strategic leadership capabilities amid an increasingly complex global security environment.
Previously administered through Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, the Strategic Thinkers Program entered a new competitive phase, with ASU ultimately selected to deliver the next iteration of the curriculum.
The new degree will be offered through ASU’s School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership and will focus on the historical, political, and strategic foundations of warfare and national security decision-making.
“Our curriculum is centered around the value of a civics education, including understanding the things we fight for as a nation,” said Richard Avramenko, Director of the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership.
Participants will undertake an intensive program combining academic coursework with practical training exercises. Learning experiences will include war-gaming simulations, where students evaluate competing military strategies and operational decisions, as well as “staff rides” that place participants at the sites of historic conflicts to examine leadership and decision-making in real-world contexts.
University leaders said the program aligns closely with ASU’s broader mission of supporting public service, workforce development, and national security initiatives.
Ryan Shaw, Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives and Senior University Advisor at ASU, said the university’s selection reflects its longstanding collaboration with the U.S. defense community.
“It is an honor to be selected, and we’re excited to deliver this program for the Department of Defense,” Shaw said. “This opportunity is directly aligned with our charter and our aspirations as a National Service University.”
The award further strengthens ASU’s growing role in professional military education and highlights the increasingly important role universities play in developing leadership pipelines for government, defense, and national security agencies.
As geopolitical competition intensifies and security challenges become more complex, programs such as the Strategic Thinkers Program are designed to equip future leaders with the analytical, historical, and strategic perspectives needed to advise policymakers and guide national security decision-making at the highest levels of government.
