# Arizona State University wins federal contract to offer war and strategy degree to government leaders

By Katelyn Reinhart, ASU News
April 30, 2026

Arizona State University has been selected by the Department of Defense1 to offer a new master’s degree in war and strategy, using intensive seminars, war games and rigorous coursework to train our nation’s greatest minds in military and defense strategy.

Beginning this fall in Washington, D.C., the program will offer up to 24 degrees annually and will prepare active-duty military members or government civilians to strategize, advise on and lead national security efforts. Each learner must be nominated and selected by the Department of Defense to participate.

This master’s degree comes from the DoD's objective to provide a degree for the secretary of war’s Strategic Thinkers Program. The Strategic Thinkers Program was previously operated out of Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, until ASU — among other universities — submitted proposals to take up the new iteration of the program.

Incoming learners for the Strategic Thinkers Program will walk away with knowledge on how, when and why wars are fought, in addition to the new master’s degree in war and strategy from ASU’s School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership.

“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. “The new master’s in war and strategy is an exciting addition to our offerings, and demonstrates our commitment to the country we call home.”

Courses will include a variety of learning opportunities, including war games, through which students can attempt different strategies and operations while examining historical and contemporary decision-making in a simulated military conflict. Another component of the program is the “staff ride,” a training exercise that takes participants directly to the site of a historical war or conflict.

Ryan Shaw, managing director of strategic initiatives and senior university advisor at ASU, said ASU is a longstanding partner in U.S. military and defense efforts.

“It’s an honor to be selected, and we’re excited to deliver this program for the Department of War,” Shaw said. “This opportunity is directly aligned with our charter and our aspirations as a National Service University, and it’s a great complement to the work we’re already doing to support professional military education across the military services. We look forward to welcoming our first cohort of joint strategists in the fall.”

This story originally appeared on ASU News.

1 Also referred to as the Department of War.