The Naval Postgraduate School’s (NPS) School of International Graduate Studies (SIGS) has officially changed its name to the Graduate School of International and Defense Studies (IDS), effective Apr. 1, to better reflect the international and national security dimensions of their curricula and the school’s focus on defense-related research and education.
The newly-renamed IDS is comprised of the National Security Affairs Department, the International Graduate Programs Office, the Institute for Security Cooperation support, and the Center for Homeland Defense and Security.
“We are not simply another ‘international relations’ graduate school,” noted IDS Dean Dr. James Moltz. “Instead, we are a security-focused educational institution with unique expertise in such topics as Great Power Competition, homeland security, and regional security affairs.”
The name change should help the school better communicate its unique mission of defense studies, NPS officials said, while remaining relevant and appropriate to its current students.
“NPS has a long history of providing outstanding graduate education in internationally-relevant defense topics that profoundly impact our understanding of great power strategic dynamics,” said Dr. Scott Sigmund Gartner, NPS Provost and Academic Dean. “This change of name to the Graduate School of International and Defense Studies reflects a more accurate title for the school whose mission is to provide for the research and education needs for military officers of our allies and partners.”
The graduate school’s mission will remain the same, which is to “Provide high-quality graduate education and conduct research programs focused on international relations and regional security to meet the needs of the nation and our international partners, and to build partnership capacity.”
Moving forward, IDS will be looking to develop new partnerships on campus as well as with various combatant commands, including the United State Strategic Command, to bolster the school’s offerings in the areas of strategy and Great Power Competition (GPC).
“IDS is well positioned to help drive the development of new strategic concepts and new international relationships,” said Moltz. “The school is also developing inter-disciplinary programs to supplement its existing expertise.”
Further advancing IDS’ strategic education portfolio, the school has developed two curricula leading to a master’s of science degree in strategy. Uniquely NPS, the programs combine a focus on strategy and technology, working in cooperation with the university’s Space Systems Academic Group. One track focuses on strategy and space operations while another will focus on strategy and nuclear command, control, and communications.
“With the name change, IDS looks to further the mission of NPS,” said Gartner. “This adds to the goal of competing in Great Power Competition and further strengthening our relationships with our partners, making NPS a clear leader in defense education.”