Irregular Warfare 301 (IW-301)

IW-301 Purpose:

Irregular Warfare 301 is built to educate practitioners on the form, functions, and features of IW campaigning with a focus on the development of a regionally based, integrated interagency IW campaign plan. This course reviews and expands on key concepts from baseline IWC online courses and includes detailed, IW perspectives on the interagency, cross-government planning, operational design, and the principles of IW campaigning.

IW-301 requires completion of a) self-paced eLearning modules with knowledge checks, b) development and submission of a regional, integrated interagency IW campaign plan, and c) an evaluation of the submitted IW campaign plan compared to an exemplar (provided after submission).

The time to complete IW-301 will vary greatly depending on students’ a) completion of previous IWC courses (i.e., IW-101, 110, 201), b) existing knowledge and practical experience with IW concepts in the global operating environment, and c) individual effort and level of detail put into the development of the integrated interagency IW campaign plan submission. Estimate between 8–16 hours to complete the entire course.

Course Sections & Topics:

Section 1: Introduction & Review

  • – Introduction to IW-301
  • – Reviewing IW Definitions
  • – The Evolution of IW Activities + Interagency Examples
  • – IW in the Homeland vs. Abroad
  • – IW on the Continuum of Competition
  • – IW Campaigning

Section 2: The IW Operational Environment

  • – Instruments of National Power
  • – IW Actors: China, Iran, TCOs, FTOs

Section 3: The Interagency’s Role in IW Campaigns

  • – Interagency Players in IW Campaigns
  • – Interagency Coordination, Challenges, and Opportunities
  • – Overcoming Interagency Challenges

Section 4: Operational Design for IW Campaign Planning

  • – Operational Design Basics
  • – How Interagency Partners Plan
  • – Model for Interagency Implementation

Section 5: IW Campaign Plans

  • – IW Campaign Plan for Latin America (Example)

Accessing the Course

IW-301 is hosted by the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) at the Naval Postgraduate School. To access IW-301, create a CHDS account using an official email address, e.g. .mil, .gov, .org, .us, .eu, or a country suffix if you are not a U.S. citizen, e.g., .fi (Finland), .lv (Latvia). After confirming your account via email, log in to your CHDS account and access IW-301 from the CHDS’ Self-Study Catalogue.

IW-401 Follow-on

The IWC has developed a 3 day long in-person / resident course for graduates of IW301 titled IW401 Integrated Interagency IW Campaign Design. IW401 develops practitioners who can lead the design of integrated, interagency irregular warfare campaign plans at the regional and operational level. Building directly on each student’s previously developed IW301 integrated interagency IW campaign plan, the IW401 course treats campaigning as the focal point, with interagency competence and design thinking as the disciplines that strengthen it through hands-on application. If interested in attending a IW401 pilot course to be held at JSOU at McDill AFB from 18-20 August 2026, please email curriculum@irregularwarfarecenter.org

REGISTER HERE