Research & Strategic Studies Center (RSSC)

Curriculum of the Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies

In 2016, the Research and Strategic Studies Center (RSSC) signed an agreement about the establishment of a joint Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies with the Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences at the Lebanese University. The present curriculum is administered by the Joint Administration Board that is composed of six members, three from the Lebanese University and three from the Lebanese Armed Forces.

The Joint Research Curriculum in Strategic Studies has annually a number of students dividing equity between LAF Officers and civilian students selected under certain conditions; they complete their studies at the Research and Strategic Studies Center according to very high level curricula. Moreover, the Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Science of the Lebanese University shall ensure the specialized educational staff. Also, LAF Officers, holder of Ph.D Diploma, can be assigned to teach specialized subjects.

The Master's Degree in Strategic Studies is issued from the Lebanese University, bearing the signature of the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences and the signature of the Director of the Research and Strategic Studies Center as well as the legalization of the President of the Lebanese University and the LAF Commander-in-Chief.

The aim of the present certificate is to prepare the student for making a proper analysis and assessment in order to enable him/her to draw up and formulate a strategy that will address all the difficulties that the country will face.

Selection of students to follow the curriculum of Joint Master's Degree in Strategic Studies:

1. The Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences at the Lebanese University shall inform the Research & Strategic Studies Center (RSSC) at the Lebanese Army and the Joint Administration Board about the opening of applications for admission to the Joint Master's Degree in Strategic Studies in the month of October of each year, and shall circulate a special announcement thereof.
2. The Director of the Research & Strategic Studies Center at the Lebanese Army shall ensure that the date of admission of applications is circulated to the Lebanese Army Officers.
3. In addition to the general terms and conditions stipulated in the Lebanese University's rules and regulations, students' candidacy for admission to this Master’s Degree may be accepted in accordance with the following terms and conditions:
   • Holding a university degree in: Law, Political and Administrative Sciences, Business Administration, Economic Sciences, History, Geography, Social Sciences and Media. Holders of other certificates that are consistent with those mentioned in the present clause may be accepted, after having received the consent of the Joint Administration Board.
   • For the students: practicing a public function (in the third category and above or its equivalent in public institutions), or officers affiliated to any security institutions other than the Lebanese Army, with the rank of Major and above, or practicing a liberal profession for more than five /5/ years. Graduates of the Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences are exempt from the aforementioned terms and conditions.
   • For the officers: Holding the rank of Major and above.
   • Mastering a foreign language.
4. The Joint Administration Board shall study the files of students applying to the curriculum of the Joint Master's Degree in Strategic Studies, and shall conduct the tests deemed appropriate.

Selection of the professors:

1. The faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences is liable to provide the specialized educational staff properly in accordance with the Lebanese University’s rules and regulations.
2. Based on the Board’s proposal, the officers who hold a Doctorate Degree (in active service or retired), or who hold a postgraduate studies and a staff rank (in active service) may be assigned to teach specialized subjects. These officers have not the right to receive any compensation from the Lebanese University's budget.

Place and time of teaching:

1. Lessons are given at the Research & Strategic Studies Centre in the afternoon.
2. By a decision of the Joint Administration Board, the way of distributing lessons and of determining the timing of lectures shall be done by agreement between the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences and the Director of the Research & Strategic Studies Center.
3. The Research & Strategic Studies Center shall undertake the necessary measures to ensure the entrance of the students to the Center in order to pursue their studies and allow them to use the RSSC's library. Therefore, students shall comply with the procedures of the RSSC Center.
4. Teaching languages are the languages adopted at the Lebanese University.

Supervision of the thesis:

1. The thesis is supervised by a member of the university's educational staff properly according to the rules and regulations. Based on the Board's proposal, one of the specialized officers, who hold a Doctorate Degree in the specialty - be it in active service or retirement - can be admitted.
2. By a decision of the Rector of the Lebanese University, the members of the Examining Committee are appointed to discuss the thesis after the approval of its Council, provided that one of them is a Lebanese Army officer, and holder of a Doctorate Degree (be it in active service or retired) or holder of a Postgraduate Degree and a PSC (=Passed Staff College) title (in active service), and nominated by the Director of the Research & Strategic Studies Centre.
3. The supervisor or member of the discussion committee proposed by the Board shall not receive any compensation from the University's budget.

The certificate:

The Master's Degree in Strategic Studies shall be issued properly in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Lebanese University.

Curriculum of Joint Research Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies

Curriculum of Joint Research Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies
Courses	Doctors’ Names
Semester I
Theories in International Relations	Dr. Adnan Sayyed HUSSEIN
Methodology and Techniques of Scientific Research	Dr. Haitham FADLALLAH
Diplomacy Mediation and Negotiation Art   in English	Dr. Marie Line KARAM
Advanced Studies in the International Law and International Organizations - Cases' Study in English	Dr. Adel KHALIFEH Dr. Leila NICHOLAS
Strategy	Dr. Claude EL HAYEK
International Organizations	Dr. Marie-Thérèze AKL
Israeli Strategy (knowing your enemy)	Dr. Samer ABDALLAH
Semester II
Sovereignty International Security	B.G. P.S.C Dr. Hasan JOUNY
Strategic Leadership War	B.G. P.S.C Dr. Remon RAHAT
Political Geography and Geopolitics in English	Dr. Walid ARBID Dr. Jamal WAKIM
Information Strategy in English	Dr. Khouloud EL KHATIB Dr. Janane EL KHOURY
Strategy of Terrorism and Counter-terrorism	Dr. Souheil; HAMMAD
International Economy Management in English	B.G. Dr. Habib EL KAZZI
Semester III
Human International Law in English	Dr. Riyad SHAYYA Dr. Hady ASHAMI
Lebanese Constitution	Dr. Issam ISMAIL
Interaction among Civilizations Different Cultures in English	Dr. Antoine SEIF Dr. Ghada AWADA
Modern Wars in English	B.G. P.S.C Oliver HAKMEH  Dr. Sarwat AZZAHER
Strategies of Regional Countries	Maj. Dr. Bassel EL HAJJAR
Lebanese Political System: Crises and Solutions	Dr. Joseph ISSA
Strategy of Lebanese National Security	Dr. Claude EL HAYEK
Semester IV
Strategies of Major Countries in English	Dr. Amin LEBBOS Dr. Leila NICHOLAS
Lebanese National Defense and Security	Dr. Akl AKL
International Crises Management	Dr. Adel KHALIFEH
Cultural Economic Diplomacy  in English	Dr. Georges LABAKI Dr. KHAWLI
Decision- Making Lobbying	Dr. Lina OUAIDAT
Thesis