Soldiers and stuff: an introduction to military terminology, classification of weapon systems, and other key aspects of warfare

How do modern governments organise their military capabilities and how are modern weapon systems used? You will learn more about this and the basic principles of the laws of war in this course.

What does the course lead to?

The course leads to knowledge and understanding of how modern governments organize military capabilities and how modern weapon systems are used and their effects.
Furthermore, the course leads to an understanding and account for how non-kinetic means of warfare are used and their effects, as well as for how basic principles of the laws of war are applied.

Other skills that you will gain through this course are the ability to
classify

• Different types of units, ranks and branches of the armed forces
• Different types of weapon systems, functions and effects
• Different types of non-kinetic means of warfare are used and their effects
• the principles of the laws of war that apply in different instances of the use of force in war.

Structure of the course

The course aims to provide opportunities for the student to develop a basic understanding of

• structures of military organisations;
• the functions and effects of weapon systems in modern warfare, and
• key aspects and rules of the
  the laws of war.

Central to the course is the acquisition of empirical knowledge about different areas of warfare. The course creates opportunities for the student to build up an understanding of how military organizations are structured in the form of hierarchical systems, units and branches. Furthermore, the student is given the opportunity to develop a basic understanding of the weapon systems and also non-kinetic means of warfare that exist in modern military organizations. The course also highlights how these are used in combat and what effects these have, as well as what relevant laws apply.

Through lectures, exercises and self-study, the student builds empirical knowledge about these three areas. The lectures are held by experts in each field and the student's knowledge is examined through a take-home exam.