Master of Arts
Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies
Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies is one of the two possible concentrations for the master's degree (36 credits) or a certificate (12 credits).
The Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies program introduces students to the field of conflict transformation and provides students with the academic and practical tools needed to address issues of peace and justice. Specifically, the program:
- Introduces theoretical tools for the analysis of conflict;
- Offers training in the methods of conflict resolution;
- Imparts ethical, moral, and philosophical insights into the process of creating peaceful social change;
- Provides opportunities for experiential learning through internships.
The program includes considerations of mediation, nonviolence, international social movements, non-governmental organizations, human rights, ethnic politics, international negotiation, post-conflict justice and reconciliation, and comparative social change.
Students concentrating in conflict resolution and peace studies receive a certificate of proficiency upon completion of four required courses:
- PLCR 531, Theories of Conflict
- PLCR 532, Theory and Practice of Conflict Resolution
- PLCR 533, Nonviolent Social Change
- Either PLCR 605, Internship, or PLCR 534, Community Organizing and Social Movements
- M.A. students in the Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies concentration must also complete a fifth course that has an international focus.
The certificate can also be earned in conjunction with another graduate program.