PhD in Military and Strategic Studies

Candidacy Requirements

Doctoral students will normally complete 15 units of coursework consisting of:

• STST/HTST 655 Classics of Strategy
• POLI 685 Strategic Studies
• STST 647 21^st Century Security Issues
• STST 751 Reading Seminar
• STST 751 Reading Seminar

We also strongly recommend that PhD students also take STST 610 and 612.

Field of Study Examinations

Upon completion of STST/HTST 655, POLI 685, and STST 647, students will begin preparing for second component of candidacy: their Field of Study (FoS) examinations. Students have two major fields of study. One of these is Strategic Studies, based on a common reading list. The other is the student’s dissertation area, for which a specialized reading list will be created by the student’s supervisor and supervisory committee upon which the student will be examined.

Students will write two take-home FoS examinations, one each on these fields (72 hours each). If students pass their written FoS, they sit one oral examination that covers both fields.

To assist with their preparation for these examinations, students are required to take 3 units of course preparation in each field: STST 751 (Strategic Studies) and STST 753 (dissertation area).

The FoS process and the rest of the PhD degree (dissertation proposal and dissertation project) will be overseen by the student’s dissertation Supervisor and a Supervisory Committee comprised of the Supervisor and two other faculty with expertise in the student’s dissertation research area.

CMSS PhD Strategic Reading List 2024

Dissertation Proposal

The final component of candidacy is a dissertation proposal. The proposal sets out the student’s proposed research and will include:

1. A focused research question and the context for the proposed question.
2. The analytical or theoretical approaches to be used for the analysis.
3. The research methodology to be employed.
4. The contribution of the research to the relevant theoretical, empirical, and policy literatures.
5. A realistic completion schedule outlining the relevant phases of the research and writing of the doctoral dissertation.
6. The research proposal must also be properly cited and include a bibliography of no less than three pages that consists of works cited as well as other important primary and secondary work relevant to the student’s proposed dissertation research.

Normally, the dissertation proposal will be no longer than 3000 words, excluding citations, bibliography, and the dissertation completion schedule.

The dissertation proposal is approved by the student’s Supervisory Committee at a thesis proposal meeting.

Dissertation and Defence

Aside from the requirements present in the dissertation proposal, a dissertation should include:

1. A topic that is to some degree related to the individual’s professional experience, in most cases.
2. A relevant theoretical framework and methodology
3. A clear contribution to knowledge

While there is no maximum page limit for the dissertation, projects should not be excessively long in order for students to complete all degree requirements, including the dissertation, in four years. Recommended length is 300 pages.

The dissertation is defended in an oral defense in front of an Examination Committee comprised of the Supervisory Committee plus two additional examiners, one from outside the University of Calgary. The committee evaluates the written project and oral defense. The defense is presided over by a Neutral Chair who is appointed by the CMSS Graduate Program Director.

The Supervisory Committee must approve the submission of the dissertation for defense. If the committee so approves, a notice of the date and composition of the examining committee should be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies at least six weeks before the defense. The final copy of the thesis should be presented to the examiners, either in hard copy or electronically, at least three weeks before the defense.