Graduate Certificate in Conflict Management and Negotiation

In this course, students are introduced to the seminal theories and practices of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). They will explore conflict analysis, negotiation, and mediation strategies. Through a series of case studies, virtual role plays, and simulation exercises, students gain insight into the practice of ADR and will have the opportunity to develop some effective negotiation and mediation skills. Students will gain a greater understanding of the differences between principled and positional negotiation and mediation, including such professional concepts as fairness, integrity, trust, and confidentiality.

Through this course, students engage in a study of conflict, conflict resolution, and peace from psychological and social psychological perspectives. Students examine the concept of conflict and methods of addressing it, including management, resolution, and transformation; theories related to conflict resolution; approaches to conflict resolution, including negotiation and third-party interventions; and social psychological factors that influence conflict and conflict resolution. They also consider the influence of culture in conflict and conflict resolution; the role of ethics; intractable and international conflicts; the concept of peace; and how third-party approaches can contribute to the peace process. Students apply conflict resolution approaches to conflicts at all levels, from interpersonal to those involving whole nations.

Ethics is a foundational element of leadership. Leaders face increasingly complex social and political challenges as they seek to meet the needs of diverse constituents. Students in this course explore ethics and social justice related to economic disparity, power, and privilege. Students use demographic data, current social trends, and themes to understand, analyze, and address ethical and social justice issues that affect the delivery of human services in a global community.

Students in this course will be provided with an in-depth study of basic and applied research and theory on both group processes and group relations. Some topics that could be included: prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, social categorization, minority and majority influence, group decision-making, leadership, group structure, group socialization, bargaining and negotiation, intergroup conflict and cooperation, collective action and cognition, collective self and identity, social identity, language and identity, ethnic and cultural relations, and social dilemmas.