When it comes to expanding the study of warfare, professors may be fighting an uphill battle.
Arthur Waldron, who currently teaches "Strategy Policy and War," is looking to develop additional simulations in which students would employ strategic decision-making skills in military scenarios.
A group of professors, including Waldron - who has taught at Penn since 1998 - have also proposed more classes on warfare for undergraduates and are suggesting a graduate program in military strategy, both of which are still under discussion by University officials.
Waldron would not say which other professors are involved in the year-old proposal.
These moves are part of an attempt to expose students to the origins of warfare and violence during their general college education, he said. "We don't have courses telling people how to analyze warfare the way people analyze a math problem."
In addition, Waldron pointed to contemporary issues that justify these studies.
"Our country is embroiled in a war right now," he said. "Should we be fighting this war? Are there other wars we should fight? These are issues of the moment."
In general, departments present proposals for specified programs to the College Curriculum Committee - composed of faculty and University administrators - for review, and, after any changes are made, the entire University faculty votes on the plan, said Alice Kelly, College associate director of advising.
Other colleges, like Ohio State and Yale universities, have courses that cover various aspects of warfare. But, Waldron says, "none of those programs are complete."
"There's no American university of Penn's stature that currently offers the sort of program that I am proposing," he said. "I want to teach about how you use force to achieve ends."
Waldron said his proposed Master's program could give Penn a tremendous advantage.
"There's a big market there, especially for people who want to work in Washington," Waldron said. "Penn would be at the head of the pack."
Waldron also pointed to features unique to Penn that would give the University a boost in paving the way in this specialized field.
"We have some of the best people in the world working on computer and network security," he said. "We have people at Wharton who work on how to assess risk when making decisions."
Within the Penn community, individuals expressed mixed feelings about whether they should be jumping on this military bandwagon.
Political Science department Chairman Avery Goldstein, for example, said Penn already offers enough courses on warfare.
"I think [Waldron] is overstating the lack of courses on this topic," Goldstein said.
Others, like College senior Lauren Rosenello, who takes Waldron's class on Asia, say there's still room for more military-studies programs.
"Most of the other classes on warfare have been more focused on modern military action rather than strategy," Rosenello said.
