Program/Course Requirements

Completion requirement

In addition to Faculties of Graduate Studies and Arts requirements, the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies requires that all master's students complete core courses and areas of concentration courses.

MSS, thesis-based students will complete 21 units of coursework consisting of:

a) 12 units of core courses:

Complete ALL of the following Courses:

HTST655 - (STST 655)Classics Of Strategy
AND POLI685 - Strategic Studies
AND STST610 - Questions and Methods
AND STST612 - Questions and Methods II
AND STST647 - 21st Century Security Issues

b) 9 units of additional graduate courses which may include, but are not limited to:

Complete ANY of the following Courses:

ANTH641 - Seminar in Civil-Military Relations
OR HTST637 - Topics in Military History
OR HTST655 - (STST 655)Classics Of Strategy
OR POLI619 - War and Interpretation
OR POLI633 - US Security Policy
OR POLI643 - Law and Armed Conflict
OR POLI675 - Selected Topics in Advanced Comparative Politics
OR POLI681 - Advanced Analysis of International Relations
OR POLI687 - Advanced Studies in Canadian Arctic Security
OR POLI689 - Unconventional Warfare
OR STST609 - The Canadian Military in the Second World War
OR STST611 - Canadian Military Studies
OR STST613 - The Canadian Military in the First World War
OR STST649 - Special Topics in Military, Security and Strategic Studies
OR STST651 - Reading Seminar
OR STST653 - Research Seminar
OR STST663 - Wars - Causes & Aftermaths

With the approval of the Graduate Program Director, any graduate course pertinent to the student's studies may be taken. Also consult the program website https://arts.ucalgary.ca/centre-military-security-strategic-studies for a list of other recommended graduate courses.

MSS thesis-based students are required to present their supervisor with a formal thesis proposal normally no later than the end of their second term (usually, the end of the Winter Term of their first year for students who entered the program as thesis-based students; for students transferring from the course-based program, where at all possible the same general timeline should apply).

Additional Program Information

Completion requirement

Advanced Credit

The applicant must make advanced credit requests as part of the admission process. Credit will not be given for course work taken as part of another completed degree/diploma or for courses taken to bring the grade point average to the required level for admission.

Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade)

The Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies for our MSS thesis-based program will not permit the Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade) for any course offered by the CMSS and the other departments from which our students take courses.

Students may not choose the CG grade for a course taken extra to load.

The use of the CG grade will affect students' eligibility for internal awards.

Credit for Undergraduate Courses

With the approval of the Graduate Director, students enrolled in the thesis-based MSS program may apply to take one 500-level course for graduate credit but are required to complete additional requirements for the course.

Time Limit

Expected completion time is two years for the thesis-based MSS. Maximum completion time is four years.

Supervisory Assignments and Required Examinations

Completion requirement

Supervisory Assignments

An incoming student for the thesis-based program must have a proof of agreement to supervise from one or more faculty members in the student’s proposed area of thesis research. Admission will not be granted without proof that adequate supervision is available during the applicant’s studies. The selection of an eligible Permanent Supervisor is made by mutual agreement between the student, the faculty member, and the Graduate Program Director. A permanent Supervisor should normally be appointed by the end of April of the first year of registration. At the time of appointment, the Permanent Supervisor should be currently active in research in an area related to the student’s interest.

Thesis Examination

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Thesis Examination requirements, the program requires:

Scheduling of the Examination

All members of the Supervisory Committee must have reviewed the student's draft thesis document before an examination can be scheduled.

Composition of the Committee

The Internal Examiner may be internal to the home program.

Financial Assistance

Completion requirement

Financial assistance may be available to qualified students. For information on awards, see the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this Calendar.

Master of Strategic Studies (MSS) Thesis-based in Military and Strategic Studies

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