Grundmodul Militære Operationer

Students are introduced to relevant doctrinal and theoretical concepts and will use scenarios to explore, utilize and critically analyze these concepts.

The didactical framework is a blend of practical planning, focused on the three key skills of Factor Analysis, Centre-of-Gravity (COG) Analysis, and Operational Design, alongside lectures, syndicate discussions, and group learning activities.

Requirements

Students must possess a BA/professional BA, officer training on an equivalent level or another equivalent degree. Students enrolled in the MA in Military Studies must have completed the Introduction module before this module.

Learning Objectives

Knowledge

• Understand basic doctrine for warfare on the military-strategic and operational levels, including the distinction between the different levels of war.
• Understand concepts, theories, and debates from the academic/scholarly literature that are relevant for the conduct of joint operations on the military-strategic and operational level including operational art, operational concepts and planning.
• Understand the historical context of recent and emerging international operational concepts, doctrine, and campaigns, as well as Denmark’s role within them, based on the academic literature.
• Understand contemporary western military planning models.

Skills

• Analyze, critically assess, and reflect on recent and emerging doctrine, operational concepts, and campaigns on the operational and military-strategic level of war using academic concepts, theories, and models from the scholarly literature.
• Analyze and identify recent and emerging challenges facing Denmark at the operational and military-strategic level of war.
• Assess military planning models and their usefulness in contemporary and future campaign-specific problems and conditions. Participate in professional and interdisciplinary discussions on planning paradigms.

Competencies

• Respond to complex and unique future challenges on the operational and military-strategic level of war and pro-pose new solutions to said challenges.
• Utilize research about operational concepts, doctrine, and campaigns on the operational and military-strategic levels.
• Reflect on joint level operations. Reflect on traditional military planning practices.

Content

The module is divided into 7 elements that collectively will provide the students with the context and critical skills through which to understand military operations on the operational level:

Method of study and work

The course is based on a blended learning model.

There will be three presence modules:

• An introductory 12/12 seminar (Module 1) where the students will be introduced to the course, key operational level concepts and critical thinking.
• A five-day module (PM2) where the students will practice key skills of operational-level planning.
• A final five-day module (PM3), referred to as “Joint Warfare Studies”, where students will reflect on their experience with planning from the linked perspectives of the operating environment, operational art, and joint operations.

The main activities during the presence modules are scenario-based planning tasks (PM2) as well as lectures by the course conveners and/or practitioners and syndicate discussions where students critically engage with the course curriculum (PM1 and PM3).

During the distance learning periods, the students are expected to study and learn by reading the assigned curriculum thoroughly, watch the relevant video lectures, and engage with assigned questions and tasks. In these periods, the students will write individual papers and participate in online group discussions.

Students will play an active role in all elements of the course. Students will be given tasks where they lead their syndicates during planning and discussions; engage in teacher-led lectures; fully participate in all group activities; demonstrate willingness and ability to present their ideas; and work independently and in groups during distance learning periods.  

The course will primarily be administered & taught in English.

Key dates and times

All events and activities are mandatory except the JOPG Check-In highlighted in cursive (JOPG check-ins), which are optional.

Workload overview

The below table show the approximate workload in hours. Students are required to put in hours prior to and between presence periods. Students are encouraged to discuss and plan the workload with their direct primary leader before applying for the course (see also attendance policy below).

Table – Workload overview

Written tasks

Written tasks 1 and 2 are pass/no pass. All written tasks must be passed in due time in order to attend the exam. If a student receives a no pass evaluation, the student will be given the possibility to rewrite in order to obtain a pass. Written tasks 1 and 2 are to be written in English.

Exam

Format: Individual exam to be written in English.

Duration: The exam questions will be provided after the completion of the last presence module (4 weeks to complete and hand in).

Grading: The Danish seven-step scale for grading.

Censor: External.

Attendance policy

According to “MMS studieordning” physical presence at the presence modules is mandatory.

The presence modules cannot be performed online nor will they be recorded. The reason is that the planning elements – along with development of critical thinking skills – are key elements of the module and course. The syndicate work for planning elements cannot be performed in a blended presence/online mode.

Module 1:

If the student cannot attend Module 1, the student is expected to complete a 6-page essay including references and a bibliography. The course director will provide the question and assess the quality of the essay. If the student meets the expectations set out by the course director, they will be allowed to continue the course.

Module 2 & 3:

Failure to attend either module will result in non-completion of the course. 

If a student cannot attend one day of either module, the course director and relevant syndicate leader will determine if a critical skill or topic is missed and what course of action should be taken.

• If you cannot attend one day of any module please inform the course directors and your syndicate leader.
• If you cannot attend more than one day of any module please contact the MMS office directly for guidance per the above policy.

If you have questions about this policy please contact the MMS office.