AIM
The Flag Officers Course aims to prepare nominated Captains and Colonels to perform functions in high level Command, Direction or Staff positions in high echelons.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
- Provide information in order to improve and promote the reflection and discussion which enables the students to produce relevant knowledge at the conceptual, doctrinal and systemic levels in order to complement their career-long education;
- Develop the knowledge of Security and Sefence problems, especially in what concerns National Defence from a political-strategic perspective.
- Develop and refine communication, analysis, synthesis and argumentation skills in order to acquire a global and sustained prospective vision that, together with an interpersonal relationship dimension, may contribute to the quality of performances in top management positions and the highest level of the Armed Forces hierarchy.
COURSE STRUCTURE
The Flag Officers Course comprises a joint component education to be attended by the three branches officers and a specific education component for each branch;
The course includes a number of matters comprising three main scientific areas: Strategy, Administration and Military Operations;
The course is organized in accordance with the European Credits Trading System (ECTS). The total number of credits required to complete the course is 60 ECTS.
Study plan overview
| Curricular Units | Scientific Area | Type | Workload (hours) | ECTS | Remarks | ||||||||
| Total | Contact | ||||||||||||
| T | TP | PL | TC | S | E | OT | O | ||||||
| Strategy | E | Semester | 312,5 | 2 | 20 | 84 | 98 | 6 | 24 | 12,5 | |||
| Administration | AR | Semester | 275 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 52 | 76 | 6 | 24 | 11 | ||
| Military Operations | OM | Semester | 187,5 | 21 | 54 | 36 | 18 | 15 | 7,5 | ||||
| Maritime Military Sciences | CMN | Semester | 150 | 14 | 4 | 62 | 6 | optional | |||||
| Land Military Sciences | CMT | Semester | 150 | 11 | 49 | 20 | 6 | optional | |||||
| Air Military Sciences | CMA | Semester | 150 | 6 | 30 | 44 | 6 | optional | |||||
| Directed Discussion | CM | Semester | 125 | 32 | 5 | ||||||||
| Individual Research Work | CM | Annual | 450 | 64 | 18 | ||||||||
COURSE LENGHT
The course duration is one year, approximately 38 weeks including school holidays (34 weeks are allocated to the joint component education and the other 4 weeks to the specific education component.
QUALIFICATIONS CONFERRED BY THE COURSE
The Flag Officer Course Diploma is awarded to students who successfully conclude all syllabus units having achieved 60 ECTS correspondent to the academic year.
The course is a requirement for promotion to the rank of General Officer.
COURSE ADMISSION CONDITIONS
The Flag Officers Course is attended, on an exclusive basis, by appointed Permanent Staff Officers of the Armed Forces with the rank of Capitão-de-Mar-e- Guerra (a portuguese Navy captain post) or Colonel.
Officers from friendly countries may attend the course, under permission.