Master's Degree in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Course Descriptions

First Semester: Intensive Overview of Negotiation & Conflict Resolution (8 credits)

NDR 707 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution - Foundations I (3 credits) and NDR 717 Foundations II (2 credits)The online modules present a broad introduction to the field and provide a strong foundation in a number of key concepts, including:

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): its origins, growth and future
  • The conflict specialist: three (3) major roles
  • Theories of communication and conflict
  • The conflict resolution continuum
  • Approaches to negotiation, including traditional, cooperative and win-win
  • The problem-solving approach to negotiation and its limitations
  • The importance of game theory
  • Psychological biases and barriers in addressing conflict
  • Private versus court-centered approaches to resolving conflict
  • The use of arbitration in business, international transactions and beyond
  • The increasing use of mediation in public, private and international conflict
  • The role of the facilitator
  • The relevance of systems and complexity in dealing with conflict
  • The importance of gaining comfort with the unexpected

NDR 727 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution - Residency (3 credits) This residential experience is an intense program building on the online module with presentations, skills development and case simulations, including:/p>

  • Skills exercises on elements such as active listening, questioning, acknowledgment and reframing
  • Negotiation scenarios and role plays, including video and feed back
  • Strategies and tactics in successful negotiations
  • Elements of conflict coaching
  • Facilitation training and group process simulations
  • Cross-cultural communication exercises
  • Demonstration activities on cognitive barriers and biases
  • Small group exercises illustrating a variety of conflict resolution techniques and processes

NDR 737 Online Dispute Resolution (2 credits) The Internet allows conflict specialists to contribute their expertise from anywhere at any time. This course examines what has been described as "the hottest area" in conflict resolution. It addresses the emerging practice of conflict resolution in cyberspace and provides hands-on training in the use of emerging technologies to supplement traditional dispute resolution approaches and the fast-growing use of Internet media to handle Internet-based disputes. No technology background is required.

NDR 747 Dynamics of Conflict Resolution (2 credits) This course addresses the nature, meaning and dynamics of conflict and the challenges of communication in interpersonal, inter-group and intra-group settings. Particular attention is paid to the thinking process that drives the practice of successful conflict resolution. The course draws lessons from a variety of disciplines, including psychology, sociology and communications. Among specific concepts examined are the relationships between power and conflict, and culture and conflict, as well as the sources of conflict and the nature of resolution and what constitutes a genuine resolution of a conflict. Features and tools of effective communication in conflict, including listening and constructive framing and the use of narratives, are considered in some detail.

NDR 757 Systems and Consulting for Conflict Specialists (2 credits) This course examines how an understanding of systems can help us understand conflict and effective management of conflict. It explores important characteristics of types of systems, such as emergence and self-organization, and demonstrates how our ability to deal effectively with difficult conflict can be enhanced by our appreciation of these characteristics. It also focuses on the ways that stakeholders can go beyond specific disputes or dispute resolution mechanisms, and instead take a broader look at the full range of organizational conflicts to determine how best to prevent or address the types of conflicts the organization experiences over time.

There is particular emphasis on different organizational contexts (e.g., private sector versus public sector, unionized versus non-unionized, as well as institutions such as universities and hospitals) and the role conflict specialists can play as consultants to organizations.

NDR 767 Culture, Gender, and Power Differences in Conflict (2 credits) This course takes an interdisciplinary look at issues related to the role of culture, gender and other factors in conflict analysis and resolution. The course provides an overview of relevant theories and research from social psychology, anthropology, sociology and other disciplines. Topics such as the meaning of culture and conflict from a cultural perspective, cross-cultural communication, stereotypes, and differences in attitudes toward racism, sexism and ethnicity will be discussed. The importance of differences and dynamics will be examined in detail.

NDR 777 Conflict Specialist Ally Roles: Advocate, Organizer, Strategist, Coach (2 credits) This course examines the range of roles for conflict specialists, with a focus on application of conflict/communication principles. In addition to the common skills required across the different ally roles, the course focuses on specific tasks and techniques involved in each particular role.

NDR 787 Mediation (Course includes on-campus residency, pre- and post-session readings and online discussion boards.) This course provides intensive training in mediation skills and techniques. The course explores the theory, law and practice of mediation. It examines the role of mediation in resolving a wide variety of disputes, such as in healthcare, commercial, family, public, workplace, and international settings. The course will include the discussion of several mediation models, their underlying theoretical premises, principles and skills, as well as current research involving mediation. Most of the work will be intensive skills development through role plays, case examples, demonstrations, simulations and small group sessions.

Specialization (3 credits online and 3 credits residential)

In the online and residential components, students will engage in advanced work in negotiation, mediation, and facilitation focused on applying skills in the specific context of the students' chosen area of concentration. Particular attention will be paid to what is special about the substantive area and how concepts learned to date apply in specific professional settings. In the residential session, there will be considerable group work on best practices in context with targeted role plays and other skills exercises focused on substantive areas of concentration.

Through discussion, case study, simulation, improvisation and facilitated dialogue, participants have the opportunity to integrate theories of chaos and complexity science with techniques for improving communication, collaboration and inter-professional teamwork within the context of actual scenarios. The specific areas of concentration are as follows:

NDR 770 / 797 Organizational Collaborative Practice and Conflict Resolution In today's competitive environment, organizations increasingly must cope with complexities, uncertainties, and conflict. The ability to build teams for collaborative work and to manage and learn from conflict effectively is critical in today's organization. Students will learn techniques and approaches for organizational team building, conflict management, and process facilitation and consulting.

NDR 771 / 772 Collaboration and Conflict Resolution in Healthcare Conflicts in Health Care occur on a daily basis, many of which involve poor clinical outcomes that may result in lawsuits, licensure disputes, credentialing and employment claims, and more simply, a general breakdown in trust of the Health Care system as a whole. There is a growing need for new approaches that address system complexity, consumer needs, clinician autonomy and quality of care. With a focus on practical application of process tools and systems design strategies, students will learn effective techniques that can be integrated into clinical settings and expand options for managing legal and ethical issues that arise within Health Care organizations.

NDR 773 / 774 International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Disputes increasingly occur with an international dimension, including conflicts involving states, corporations, peoples and political factions. With applications from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including international law, business, anthropology and political science, students will learn approaches to conflict in the context of globalization with a focus on the implications of growing interconnectedness as both a source and solution for disputes.

NDR 775 / 776 Collaborative Practice and Conflict Resolution in Education Diversity, change, and growth are all major issues in today's school, college and university settings. In areas from special needs to student services, and administration to campus life, conflict is an ever growing part of the landscape. Students will learn the skill sets necessary to engage conflict in a variety of educational organizational settings. Students will also learn how to collaborate with colleagues, students, parents and community members to assist and develop strategies to accommodate diverse learners so that they can succeed and fulfill their potential.

Practicum (4 credits)

NDR 778 Students select a practical field experience to further develop and apply their skills in a professional or organizational setting of their choice in consultation with the practicum advisor. Working with an on-site instructor/mentor in the student's home community, students will demonstrate their ability to apply theory to practice and analyze situations utilizing knowledge from previous course work.