The International Security Studies Program (ISSP) is dedicated to the teaching and research of a broad range of international security issues and is comprised of the following unique opportunities:
Lecture Series: ISSP brings senior-level civilian policymakers and military commanders to Fletcher to engage with students on the key security issues of the present day.
Events: Often co-sponsored with one of the US military services or commands, ISSP holds conferences devoted to critical defense-related issues.
Red Team: ISSP also holds a two-day simulation exercise twice per year focused on crisis decision-making.
Military Fellows: ISSP annually hosts a group of senior-level military fellows who represent each of the US military services. These officers, who hold the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel, are fully engaged with both the Fletcher students and faculty, providing unique insights and bringing vast real-world experiences to our classes and outside the classroom extracurricular activities.
Financial Support: ISSP provides support for graduate student research, including fellowships, scholarships, and publication opportunities. Through the Frank Rockwell Barnett Fellowship from the Sarah Scaife Foundation and Lynde and Henry Bradley Foundation, ISSP provides tuition assistance and research support to MALD and Ph.D. graduate students.
Curriculum: We offer a full schedule of courses and seminars at the graduate level as a distinct field of study within The Fletcher School’s multidisciplinary curriculum. Our course offerings encompass the security spectrum, offering theoretical and practical instruction, in the first place, on enduring core courses focused on the role of force in world politics; the foundations of strategy; the causes, conduct, and termination of war; decision-making and policy analysis; and crisis management. Our curriculum also reflects those new issues that emerged in the Post-Cold War and Post 9/11 security environment to include: peace operations; internal and transnational conflict involving armed groups; cybersecurity; the strategic dimensions of China’s rise; and WMD proliferation.
Mission
Our curriculum is geared towards developing graduates who can effectively analyze, discuss, and act on key challenges in the international security environment. The achievements of former students and military fellows attest to the success of the program. They have gone on to work in a variety of fields to include:
US Government
Foreign Governments
Non-Governmental Organizations
International/National Think Tanks
Global Consulting
International/National Journalism
Academia
Students Thank Prof. Schultz
Check out this student-produced film thanking Prof. Richard Shultz for his dedication to The Fletcher School and our students!