MA in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding

 

The cost per unit is $250 or $750 for a three unit course.
This does not include books and other materials.

Course Descriptions

NCR 500 NCRP Skills: Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools (3)
Determining specific purpose and key issues when negotiating, resolving conflict,
and building peace. Effective application when reading, writing speaking, and listening.
Questioning information, conclusions, and points of view with clarity, accuracy, precision
and relevance. "Thinking beyond the box" with fairness and logic. [May also satisfy the
GWAR (Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement)]

NCR 503 Ethics of Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (3)
Examines individual group values and perspectives in relation to negotiation, conflict
resolution and peacebuilding processes, with special emphasis on analyzing third party
intervener's ethical responsibilities and dilemmas. Case studies used to examine and
formulate ethical approaches to critical issues.

NCR 504 Theories of Conflict (3)
Critical analysis of conflict theories and models among individuals, organizations and
governments; exploring causes, functions and effects. Perspectives from anthropology,
archaeology, biology, communications, economics, gender studies, geography, history,
mathematics, political science, psychology, psychiatry, sociobiology, and sociology.
Three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 507 Seminar: Research Design and Interpretation (3)
Considers various research methods to be used in negotiation, conflict resolution
and peacebuilding. Covers research design and the tools needed to conduct basic
independent research. Students develop a compelling research proposal addressing
questions of importance to them.

NCR 508 Communication and Conflict (3)
Prerequisite: NCR 504
Emphasizes human communication in context of conflict. Addresses challenges to effective communication caused by interpersonal, intrapersonal, intergroup or intragroup conflict, and role
of communication in resolving such conflicts. Concentrates on methods of communication most effective in dealing with differences.

NCR 522 Seminar: Negotiation Tactics (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504
Tactics used in negotiations among individuals, institutions, and societies. Planning and
conducting personal, corporate, labor, hostage, and diplomatic negotiations. Cross-cultural,
ethical, and historical dimensions. Three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 525 Mediation (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, and NCR 522
Theory and skills including requirements for certification under the California Dispute
Resolution Programs Act, especially agreement procedures, case development, consensus
building, issue framing and prioritizing, orientations toward conflict, and record keeping.
Three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 527 Arbitration (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, and NCR 522
Compulsory and noncompulsory arbitration of grievances in public, private, corporate, labor,
and international disputes. Case studies explore the arbitration role in unique settings. Three
hours of seminar per week.

NCR 529 Internship: Conflict Resolution (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 500, NCR 503, NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, and NCR 522
and either NCR 525, NCR 527, NCR 544
Students will work as interns in agencies in negotiation, conflict resolution, and/or
peacebuilding, and will consult weekly with a faculty supervisor. Total of 120 hours of agency internship experience required. An internship for the NCRP post-masters certificate may not be the same as the internship used by the student for NCR 529 as part of the NCRP MA degree program.

NCR 530 Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and either NCR 525, NCR 527, or NCR 544
Addresses emerging practice of conflict resolution in cyberspace. ODR utilizes online resources as
the “fourth party” collaborating with the traditional third party in resolving conflicts more efficiently and less expensively.

NCR 531 Marital and Family Mediation (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522 and either NCR 525, NCR 527, or NCR 544; MFT students may enroll with permission of the NCR Program Director and MFT Coordinator, without satisfying NCR prerequisites.
Separation problems in traditional and nontraditional relationships such as property division and child custody. Legal, tax, and financial aspects. The mediation process. Written and oral agreements. Three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 532 Dispute Resolution Clinical Studies (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and NCR 525
Advances skills and techniques of mediation and provides opportunity for students who have completed NCR 525 to mediate live client cases under faculty supervision. Students must be available to mediate six hours per week during normal business hours.

NCR 533 Labor Conflict (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and either NCR 525, NCR 527 or NCR 544
Case and historical studies in selected industries. Past, present, and pending court decisions
or national and state labor laws. Strategic planning for labor organizations. The process of negotiating a labor contract. Grievance and arbitration procedures. Three hours of seminar
per week.

NCR 535 Organizational Conflict (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and either NCR 525, NCR 527 or NCR 544
Origin and types of conflicts which arise within and between complex organizations. Positive and negative effects of organizational conflict. Exploiting, preventing, containing, escalating, and resolving conflict. Three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 536 Dispute Resolution for Sports (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and either NCR 525, NCR 527 or NCR 544
Examines sports law and dispute resolution utilizing particularly the processes of arbitration and mediation. Focuses on players, owners, agents and unions, as well as other areas of conflict such
as free agency and player attitude and disloyalty. Three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 537 International Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and either NCR 525, NCR 527 or NCR 544
Study of selected international conflicts involving complex issues such as culture, ethnicity, politics and religion. Considers common misconceptions concerning diplomacy. Encourages students to appreciate approaches to negotiation, conflict resolution and peacebuilding as vehicles for successful grassroots impact on peace efforts.

NCR 538 Seminar: Public Policy Conflict (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and either NCR 525, NCR 527 or NCR 544
Negotiated rulemaking, conciliation, and facilitation for resolving complex, multi-party disputes over complex public disputes such as immigration, prison siting, toxic waste disposal and zoning. Three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 540 Seminar: Community Conflict (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and either NCR 525, NCR 527 or NCR 544
The impact of system dynamics on conflict management in communities from neighborhoods to nations. Implications of system dynamics for specifying goals and planning interventions to achieve them, from pre-emptive to corrective. Implications for training and organization. Three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 541 Restorative Justice and Peacebuilding (3)
Prerequisites: Consent of the NCR Program Director (and CJA Chair concerning enrollment by
CJA students with senior standing).
Addresses respective needs of crime victims and offenders ignored by criminal justice system
and international community. Retribution abandoned in favor of restorative model based on
needs of victims, offenders and community, achieved through application of conflict resolution
and peacebuilding processes.

NCR 542 Collaborative Law (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, and NCR 522
Lawyers’ and clients’ cooperative voluntary conflict resolution process. Emphasizes shared belief
that it is in best interest of parties to avoid adversarial proceedings. Commitment to resolving differences with minimal conflict and working together to create shared solutions to the issues. Three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 543 Reducing School Violence Through Conflict Resolution (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and either NCR 525, NCR 527 or NCR 544
Practical strategies to teach students to be peacemakers to reduce violence in schools. Discusses how schools can create cooperative learning environment where students learn how to negotiate and mediate peer conflicts and teachers use academic controversies to enhance learning. Three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 544 Alternative Dispute Resolution Processes (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, and NCR 522
Surveys a variety of process choices in dispute resolution. Recognizing that litigation may not
be appropriate in many cases. Course examines alternatives such as negotiation, mini-trial, mediation, panel evaluation, summary jury trial, private judging, arbitration, and use of
special masters.

NCR 545 Intercultural Conflict Resolution (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and either NCR 525, NCR 527 or NCR 544
Presents overview of intercultural communication negotiation and conflict resolution. Emphasizes understanding of values of intercultural as well as interreligious diversity in our increasingly interdependent world, nation and local communities. Encourages awareness of cultural perspective and socialization. Three hours of seminar.

NCR 546 Conflict and the Media (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, NCR 522, and either NCR 525, NCR 527 or NCR 544
Examines the role of mass media in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and its influence on world's most intractable conflicts as well as support of peace initiatives. Considers how media can serve as part of the problem or part of the solution.

NCR 591 Seminar: NCR Capstone Course (3)
Prerequisites: All required and elective courses
Course is designed to enable students to demonstrate integration of knowledge of the field and critical and independent thinking. Preparation and delivery (oral and written) of culminating event under supervision of instructor. CR/NC grading. Repeatable for six units.

NCR 595 Seminar: Special Topics in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (1-3)
Study of a current topic in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding.
Repeatable for total of six units. One to three hours of seminar per week.

NCR 597 Directed Reading in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, and NCR 522
In consultation with a faculty member, completion of readings to prepare for further work in the field; or for orientation to a little known topic; or as background for writing a research, thesis, or project proposal. CR/NC grading. Repeatable for total of six units.

NCR 598 Directed Research in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, and NCR 522
Conduct of pilot studies, development of research instruments, or similar independent research
in preparation for the thesis, under the supervision of a faculty member in any area of Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding. CR/NC grading.

NCR 599 Thesis in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (1-3)
Prerequisites: NCR 504, NCR 507, NCR 508, and NCR 522
In consultation with a faculty member, writing of a master’s thesis in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding. Choice of area requires prior consent of advisor. CR/NC grading.

NCR 600 Graduate Continuation Course (0)
Graduate students who have completed their course work but not their thesis, or who have
other requirements remaining for the completion of their degree, may maintain continuous attendance by enrolling in this course. Signature of graduate program director required.