Strategy may be studied at the bird’s-eye, industry level, or by examining the competitive actions exchanged between rivals. It is this exploration of “on the ground” interfirm rivalry, known as competitive dynamics, that anchors the six electives taught by Professor Ming-Jer Chen. Each of the second-year courses, from “Cases in Global Strategy Seminar” to “Disruption, Response, and Transformation,” builds on the macro topics and frameworks introduced in Darden’s first-year strategy program, with the aim of strengthening students’ “strategist tool kits” in preparation for their post-MBA careers. While each course is unique, all reflect a synthesis of the instructor’s Confucian teachings with his seminal work in the growing strategy subfield of competitive dynamics. This note describes the key concepts that span the six courses and describes how students may apply course learnings to their personal and professional journeys.