Mediation and Dispute-Resolution Degrees
Education for mediation and dispute resolution usually entails a 40-hr. basic course and a 20-hr. advanced training course. Advanced degrees are available in the form of 2-year master’s programs in dispute resolution/conflict management as well as 4-5-year doctoral programs. Additionally, colleges and universities offer certificate programs in dispute resolution/conflict management. Alternative forms of training include co-mediating with an experienced mediator or volunteering at a community mediation center.
Educational options are as follows:
- Basic training course – Usually 40 hours. Covers mediation strategies and techniques, the 5-stage mediation process, and how to mediate simple disputes.
- Advanced training course – Usually 20 hours. Covers many similar topics as the basic training, but more in-depth: e.g. “framing issues;” meeting facilitation skills; power imbalance; values and bias awareness; managing third parties/attorneys; cultural diversity; ethical dilemmas.
- Master’s – May be a concentration as part of a Master of Business Administration or a stand-alone degree by itself. Can include the study of statistics & psychometrics; negotiation; theories of conflict; organizational conflict; identity-based conflict; international mediation; technology and mediation; methods of resolutions; research methods for mediators; communication techniques; mental health & psychopathology in the workplace.
- Doctoral – Four to five years. A doctoral program may focus on the development of new approaches to conflict resolution or using systems theory and dynamic communications in real-world exercises. Alternatively, it can specialize on a particular application of mediation strategies, such as family; labor relations; healthcare conflict; and civil and commerical mediation.