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About Us
RCDS forms a part of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. In fulfilment of its mission, the College runs one course a year, from January to December.
Each course is attended by a maximum of 88 Members, around one-third from UK and two-thirds from overseas. 75% are military officers of Colonel/Brigadier or equivalent rank. The remaining 25% are civil servants, diplomats, police officers and representatives from the private sector. All have been selected to attend the course on the strength of their potential to progress to a high position within their profession. Their average age is 46.
The main part of the curriculum focuses on defence and international security at the grand strategic level. These studies are set against a backdrop of international affairs and conducted over 4 terms:
Term One
The Future Strategic Context & Conflict Prevention
Aim: To examine the principal influences upon, and potential sources of, global instability and conflict, and how conflict might best be prevented or resolved.
Term Two
Aim: To examine from a strategic perspective, including through programmed visits, the impact of contemporary national and international issues on the current and future security, stability, and prosperity of the United Kingdom.
Term Three
Comtemporary International Issues
Aim: To examine from a strategic perspective, including on an overseas tour, the impact of contemporary national and international issues on the current and future stability, security and prosperity of key states and regions in the world.
Term Four
Leadership in the Strategic Environment
Aim: To enhance understanding of the nature, function and qualities of leadership required in the strategic environment to deliver effective performance across the public and private sectors, including in the international arena.
Options exist, primarily for UK Members and principally from the private sector and departments other than MOD, to attend Terms 1 and/or 4 only if circumstances preclude them attending the full course. An optional Master of Arts degree course in International Studies at King's College, London , based on the RCDS curriculum, is also run in parallel with attendance on the full course.
Term 2 of the College programme includes visits to Brussels (HQ NATO and the EU) and the UK Regional Tours .
Term 3 concludes in September/October with Course Members being subdivided into Overseas Tour groups, each visiting a region of the world. Each tour lasts 4 weeks.