UMass Boston

Conflict Resolution Certificate

Turn conflicts into positive outcomes—and a career asset.

Request Info Apply

Description of the image

Request Info

Loading...

About the Program

Offered by the oldest conflict resolution program in the country, UMass Boston’s Conflict Resolution Certificate gives you the skills to turn conflict into collaboration in personal, community, and global settings. This 12-credit graduate certificate is made up of four 3-credit courses that can seamlessly count toward our 36-credit master’s degree if you choose to continue. You can complete the program on campus or fully online, with asynchronous options that fit your schedule. Through hands-on coursework and projects, you’ll gain expertise in mediation, dialogue facilitation, conflict management, and peace building.

Here’s your chance to:

  • Develop your mediation and facilitation expertise with certifications from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
  • Apply your skills in real time with Beacon-to-Beacon, offering conflict resolution training and interventions for the UMass Boston community.
  • Advance your expertise in conflict resolution and peace building through research and practical projects with the Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CPDD).

 

 

0
average annual salary for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023
0
months to complete the program
UMass Boston Survey Data, 2026
0
complete the online certificate for ~$9k (excluding fees)
UMass Boston Survey Data, 2026

graduate students on laptop with light illuminating from window

Career Possibilities

Apply the skills you gain toward careers in conflict resolution, peace building, and mediation. Participate in internships, fellowships, research projects, and paid opportunities, while competitive funding programs support hands-on experience and independent research. Sharpen practical skills, grow your professional network, and confidently pursue your career path.

Here’s where this degree can take you:

  • Health Care
  • Union/Labor Organizing
  • Family/Elder/Divorce Mediation
  • Education Leadership
  • Human Resources
  • Mediation
  • Counseling
  • Restorative Justice
  • United Nations Work
  • Local/State/Federal Government Work
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Opportunities
Example Employers of Program Graduates
UMass Boston Conflict Resolution Certificate alumni launch careers at nonprofits; courts; and local, state, and national government agencies, including:
Life Works logo
The Mediation Group logo=
Concord Technologies logo
United Communities Corp logo
Massachusetts Court System Seal
Torch Technologies logo
Massachusetts Government Seal

Student Stories

Andrew B.
The political and social polarization in our country motivated me to seek a conflict resolution graduate program that would help me understand conflict dynamics and how to move towards durable peace. I was impressed by UMass Boston's commitment to balancing academic theory with real-world applications. It was incredibly helpful to learn about the factors that make conflict resolution tools effective in different contexts & how to avoid pitfalls that may undermine their intended impact.
Andrew B.
Apostolos Koutropoulos, On-Line Program Manager, Applied Linguistics
What drew me into the certificate was the Bargaining course. I was getting into the mindset for contract bargaining and this seemed very relevant. Other coursework seemed interesting and applicable for dealing with conflict around the workplace. Plus, it was great to see the diversity of the Conflict Resolution student body. I learned a lot from classmates, in addition to learning from faculty.
Apostolos K., ‘24

Plan Your Education

How to Apply

Deadlines: 

  • Fall Deadline: June 15
  • Spring Deadline: November 1 (online/hybrid certificate only)

Application Fee: The nonrefundable application fee is $75. UMass Boston alumni and current students that plan to complete degree requirements prior to graduate enrollment can submit the application without paying the application fee.

Apply as a Graduate Student

Financing Your Education

Estimate Your Program Cost: Get a feel for your expected program costs using the Graduate Program Cost Calculator.

International: Please visit the International Graduate Applicants if applicable.

Apply for Financial Aid

Program Details

Conflict Resolution Certificate Application Requirements

Applicants must meet general graduate admission requirements in addition to the following program-specific requirements:

  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts (completed Bachelor’s degree required)
  • Writing sample - optional
  • Resume/cv
    1. Statement of purpose - Please supply one document including the answer to the following 2 questions. Be sure to answer each question:Describe one or more specific experiences you have had with conflict. What was your role? What were your rewards and frustrations? (500-750 words)
    2. How will you apply the skills, knowledge, and perspective acquired through the program in your current and/or future employment? (500-750 words)

Please visit the International Graduate Applicants if applicable.

Curriculum

This 12 credit graduate certificate degree can be completed in 1 year of full-time study (2 classes per semester) or part-time. The 12 credits will transfer to the Conflict Resolution master's program if you go on to apply and are accepted.

Students must attend 5 colloquia to complete program (4 are offered each semester). Online degree seeking students are exempt.

Required Courses:

  • CONRES 621 - Negotiation (M) 3 Credit(s)
  • CONRES 623 - Introductory Theory 3 Credit(s)

6 credits of electives: (most are 3 credits except the *court mediation internship is 6 credits)

Examples of electives:

  • Cross-Cultural Conflict
  • Conflict Resolution Systems for Organizations
  • Advanced Intervention
  • Dialogue and Facilitation
  • Peace, Conflict, and Education
  • Intervention in Environmental Disputes
  • Conflict in Workgroups
  • Immigration and Conflict
  • Conflict Engagement in Health care
  • Conflict Resolution and Democracy Development in Africa
  • Israeli-Palestine Conflict
  • Dealing with the Past
  • Graduate courses taken in other UMass Boston graduate departments or at other universities may be accepted for transfer credit with prior approval of the Graduate Program Director.

*CONRES 690 Court [Mediation] Internship: 40 hours of classroom training and 30 hours of district court mediation, mentoring, and evaluation, meeting all the requirements of the Guidelines for Implementation of Qualification Standards for Neutrals, adopted January 24, 2004, pursuant to Rule 8 of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Uniform Rules on Dispute Resolution. Students who successfully complete one of the mediation certificate options will receive a Certificate of Completion showing completion of the training and mentoring components of mediator qualifications according to those guidelines and M.G.L. Chapter 233 section 23 (Confidentiality Statute).

For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog.

Learning Outcomes

  • Gain a thorough grounding in the theory of conflict and its resolution.
  • Explore the social, psychological, political, structural, and cultural factors which give rise to conflict and shape its course.
  • Understand the effects of different types of conflict on people and the relationships among them.
  • Develop skills in the practice, design, and evaluation of a variety of conflict management and resolution applications relevant to a broad range of contexts and group sizes. These skills include nonviolent, collaborative resolution methods, such as mediation, facilitation, negotiation, dialogue, organizational change, and consensual decision making.

Graduation Criteria

Complete 12 credits, including two core courses (3 credits each) plus 6 elective credits (most are 3 credits except the court mediation internship is 6 credits).

Attend 5 colloquium (4 are offered each semester).

Statute of limitations: Three years.

Contact

Graduate Program Director Karen Ross
karen.ross@umb.edu
(617) 287-7489

Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance
conresglobal@umb.edu

BEST Boston 2025 - woman standing in dress attire holding microphone with another attendee in another member in checkered porkpie hat and white casual business shirt (no tie) looks on

Turn Learning Into Professional Experience

Start building your professional network through internships, jobs, and research opportunities. All incoming students are automatically enrolled in two email digests, one focused on internships, fellowships, and events, and the other sharing job openings, helping you tap into the community’s network right away. Competitive funding programs help you gain experience that strengthens your career readiness. Students also have access to initiatives like Beacon2Beacon, a mediation team serving the UMass Boston community, where you can apply conflict resolution skills in real situations.

Learn About Beacon to Beacon

Program Faculty

Alessia Contu, Professor, Management

Alessia Contu

Professor

Edward Carberry, Department Chairman, Management

Edward Carberry

Associate Professor

Janice Goldman, Senior Lecturer III, Management

Janice Goldman

Senior Lecturer III

Jared Poole, Assistant Professor, Management

Jared Poole

Assistant Professor

Kathryn Archard, Senior Lecturer II, Management

Kathryn Archard

Senior Lecturer II

J. Keith Motley, Professor, Management

Keith Motley

Professor

Marc Lavine, Associate Professor, Management

Marc Lavine

Associate Professor

Maureen Scully, Professor of Management & Sherry H. Penney Chair in Leadership, Management

Maureen Scully

Professor

Mohsin Habib, Associate Professor, Management

Mohsin Habib

Department Chair

Pacey Foster, Associate Professor, Management

Pacey Foster

Associate Professor

Vesela Veleva, Management, Grad Prog Dir/Lecturer

Vesela Veleva

Senior Lecturer II

1 / 8 1 / 8

Related Programs

Next Steps

Visit UMass Boston Start Your Application

Professional Licensure Disclosure

SARA Logo

SARA Compliance, Disclosure & Dispute Resolution
UMass Boston programs are designed to meet the requirements for licensure or certification in Massachusetts. Please contact your state licensing or certification board to determine whether the program meets the requirements for licensure or certification in other states.

 

 

Learn More about SARA