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“We aim to prepare and educate the next generation of strategic leaders — military, civilian and academic — in Australia and the Asia–Pacific region by providing internationally-recognised graduate and undergraduate programs in strategic and defence studies.”

-Dr Andrew Carr, Convener, Master of Strategic Studies

With an Asia transformed by the rise of China and India, and a world preoccupied with security issues, the current century has been defined by global strategic challenges. At the Strategic & Defence Studies Centre (SDSC), you can acquire the analytical frameworks you need to understand the complexity of this contemporary strategic environment, and Australia’s place in it.

Our programs

The Centre’s programs allows students to investigate areas such as Asia’s strategic transformation the conduct of operations across the spectrum of conflict, including counter insurgency global security issues such as the use of terrorism by extremist group strategic policy options for Australia and the region the allocation of defence and intelligence resources in responding to these issues.

The SDSC offers two Masters programs:

Internships

Strategic studies internships are available to outstanding students, and offers the opportunity to undertake an internship with organisations such as the International Institute for Strategic Studies-Asia (Singapore); the Australian Strategic Policy Institute; the Chair of the Defence sub-committee for the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, Senator David Fawcett; or the Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence, the Hon David Feeney MP.

Class profile

At the Bell School, students are encouraged to actively participate in classes. The class sizes are usually small and intimate, which boosts the scope for discussions and debates amongst students. The classes comprise of students from diverse backgrounds, stimulating an environment of shared experiences. The Centre’s programs are designed to accommodate the needs of full-time professionals looking to advance their careers, with flexible scheduling for part-time study and intensive teaching sessions. Therefore, classes are usually held after work hours.

Additionally, the Centre has an active events schedule hosting various seminars, public lectures, book launches and networking events throughout each semester. High profile speakers and guests for recent events include Dennis Richardson AO (Secretary, Dept. of Defence), the Hon Marise Payne (Defence Minister), Ambassador Charles Ries, and US General (Retd) Jim Mattis.

The Centre’s programs allow students to investigate areas such as:

• Asia's strategic transformation
• The conduct of operations across the spectrum of conflict, including counter insurgency
• Global security issues such as the use of terrorism by extremist group
• Strategic policy options for Australia and the region
• The allocation of defence and intelligence resources in responding to these issues.

SDSC is uniquely positioned to strike the right balance between theory and practice as our teaching faculty includes leading academics and shapers of strategic policy, including:

• Professor Hugh White, the primary author of the 2000 Australian Defence White Paper who is leading the present debate about Australia and the United States’ China Choice;
• Professor Paul Dibb, the author of the Australian government’s 1986 Review of Australia’s Defence Capabilities, which formed the basis of the 1987 Defence White Paper;
• Professor Evelyn Goh, the author of The Struggle for Order: Hegemony, Hierarchy, and Transition in a Post-Cold War East Asia;
• Dr Stephan Fruehling, a member of the expert panel advising the and government on its upcoming Defence White Paper and author of Defence Planning and Uncertainty: Preparing for the next Asia-Pacific war.

Career scope

A Master of Strategic Studies will equip you with the professional skills to advance your career in defence policy, foreign affairs, security, intelligence academia and journalism. Graduates have gone on to positions with the Department of Defence, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and other foreign ministries, private security and defence companies, and to work in international corporations, non-government organisations and academia.

Our Master of Strategic Studies will prepare you with the necessary skills to advance your career in a wide range of professions such as:

• Consultancies
• Diplomatic / Foreign service
• Foreign affairs
• Government and public service
• Intergovernmental agencies
• International trade and business
• International development and aid
• Journalism
• Multinational corporations
• Private not for profit
• University teaching and research
• Think tanks, policy institutes, and research centres