Grand Strategy program welcomes diverse new cohort

The Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy has accepted 22 students — 19 Yale undergraduates and three Yale graduate students — into its 2025 cohort.

The students were chosen from more than 170 applicants, the highest number of applicants the program has ever received. They represent 11 different majors at Yale, including cognitive science, economics, philosophy, and urban studies, as well as the schools of the Environment, Management, and Public Health.

“The students selected represent the popularity of the program across the Yale campus and the diversity of topics explored in the class — from tackling climate change and housing policy to the future of U.S.-China relations,” said Michael Brenes, co-director of the Grand Strategy program.

Yale students apply for the year-long program in the fall and begin the course, “Studies in Grand Strategy,” in the spring semester. In the summer, students conduct a research project — often requiring trips abroad — and complete the program in the fall semester.

The course encourages understanding of historical and contemporary global and domestic challenges, while developing students’ capacity for strategic thinking and effective leadership in a variety of fields. It examines the relevance of grand strategy to a variety of issues including political stability, racial justice, economic development, immigration, health, climate sustainability, human rights, and technological advancement.

Students in the program also participate in a number of special events and private dinners with practitioners, including diplomats, politicians, military personnel, journalists and media experts, and social activists.