Master of Arts in Military History-Capstone Option

The course addresses the development of core research skills for advanced historical study. Through case studies analyses, the evaluation of different types of historical evidence, and the consideration of how valid research questions are formulated and applied, it is designed to refine the critical thinking, research, and writing skills that are fundamental to valid historical scholarship.

This course is the study of historical thought from its emergence in the classical world to the present. Students concentrate on how history has been interpreted, rather the facts of history themselves as well as contemplate the fundamental questions about the nature of history, and investigate the relationships between theory and evidence in historical writing. Emphasis is on the narratives historians have used to reconstruct the past, and the major historiographical schools of thought that have developed over time.

This course examines the military heritage of the United States from the colonial period to the present time. Through an in-depth study of the extensive literature in American military history, students assess the key individuals, military policies, postures, organizations, strategies, campaigns, tactics, and battles that define the American military experience.

This course examines the origin and development of military concepts and ideas by studying the wisdom of the great military thinkers of the past. Among the philosophers are Sun Tzu and Machiavelli, Clausewitz and Jomini, Mahan and Corbett, Douhet and Mitchell, T.E. Lawrence, and the counterinsurgency theorist and practitioner David Galula. Students compare and contrast these great thinkers to gain an understanding of the nature and conduct of war at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels.

This course is a global history of the Second World War. Emphasis is on the theaters of war and related events in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast and Southwest Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America in relation to their impact on the national and military objectives. In this context, students compare and contrast the economies, industry, society, and culture of the United States, Great Britain, Japan, and Germany as major participants during the war. The role of diplomacy and strategy, the impact of war upon society, and the fighting on land, at sea, and in the air are also examined in terms of modern warfare.

This course examines the Allied victory in Europe in World War II. Students assess how the American Army, trained for speed and mobility, performed during campaigns in Italy, France and Germany. The focus is on Eisenhower's generals and their decisions concerning amphibious invasions (e.g., Sicily, Salerno, Anzio and Omaha Beach), airdrops (e.g., Italy and Holland), the race across France and slogging through Italy (e.g., the Gothic siege line and the Huertgen Forest), as well as counter strokes such as Monte Cassino and the Ardennes Bulge.

This course is a comprehensive analysis of the fighting during World War II in the China-Burma-India Theater, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Aleutians, and the Philippines. Students assess the amphibious campaigns in the central Pacific theatre and evaluate the impact of one of the most massive movements of men and arms in history. Primary focus is on land warfare, its strategies, tactics, leaders and lessons learned.

This course is an in-depth study of the politics, political leadership, and diplomacy in Germany, Japan, and Italy during World War II. Topics address the factors that facilitated their rise to power; the key political structures, relations, and personalities; the inter-Axis relations among political elites versus the Allied powers; and the diplomatic efforts employed by the Axis powers as they postured against the Allies and the rest of the world during the war.

This course is an in-depth study of the politics, political leadership, and diplomacy that defined the Allied Powers of the United States, Great Britain, and Russia before, during, and after World War II. Students compare and contrast key political leaders in relation to the enormity of the war effort, including “lesser” political leaders at the time of Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt. Special emphasis includes political situations within occupied countries in light of the Allied Power contributions during the post war period.

This course is an analysis of the first major period of the German-Soviet war campaign. Students examine how the Wehrmacht invades Russia as the Nazis try to take over the Soviet Union in a matter of months. And why the thrust falls just barely short of Moscow when the snows put an end to the German attack in 1941. Students will develop an alternative history to include an interactive online war game simulating tactics and strategy on the Russian Front.

This course is an analysis of the second major period of the German-Soviet war, from Stalingrad's urban warfare beginning in the fall of 1942 to history's largest tank battle in the summer of 1943. Students will develop an alternative history to include an interactive online war game simulating tactics and strategy on the Russian Front.

This course is an analysis of the third major period of the German-Soviet war which began after the summer 1943 tank battle at Prokhorovka, swept across the Vistula and the Oder Rivers and finally ended with die gotterdammerung in Berlin. Students will develop an alternative history to include an interactive online war game simulating tactics and strategy on the Russian Front.

This course, when offered, is a one-time offering on an area of special interest that will vary each term. NOTE: Open to graduate students as an elective. Any substitution as a Concentration or Major course must have Dean Approval through your academic advisor.

This course is an opportunity for Military History students to pursue an independent research project or examine a specific area of history under the mentorship of a single professor. Students must complete 24 credits of study before taking this course. The course will typically involve a major research paper; there will be no examination. Students will submit a proposal prior to the start of the project, and a rough draft of the paper, both of which will count toward the final grade. Prerequisite: University approval and Upper Level standing. Prior to registering, students should first contact the professor with whom they wish to mentor their independent study, coordinate an agreement on the grading requirements, and then NOTIFY their academic advisor with the name of their professor.

This course is an opportunity for students to write a research proposal in their field of interest under the mentorship of a single professor who is an expert in the field. Students must contact their Academic Adviser at least thirty (30) days prior to registering for this course and must have completed all degree requirements excluding MILH699 – Master of Arts - Thesis. The Program Director will approve the statement of the topic so that the concept can be implemented into a complete syllabus with readings and activities to warrant academic credit. The selection of the professor depends upon the choice of topic and content area.

Preparation for the Master of Arts in Military History Capstone (Thesis) seminar begins on day one of a student's graduate program of study. The theories, research methods and analytical skills, and substantive knowledge obtained through their master's curriculum provide the basis for the thesis project. Students are required to develop primary and secondary source materials on the research topic and address the writing requirements as described in the syllabus and classroom assignments. The thesis proposal must provide a clear description of a question or problem and a proposed method of answering the question or solving the problem. Guidance on the format of the research seminar proposal and a sample proposal are contained in the APUS Thesis Manual. Students take the research seminar after all other course completions.