Students in 海角直播鈥檚 MA Dispute Resolution program engage in a classroom exercise.

Graduate programs

Master鈥檚 in Dispute Resolution

Master the art of dispute resolution

Request Info

Program format

In person

Commitment

Full time or part time

Duration

Two-plus years

Overview

海角直播’s equips students with critical skills in negotiation, mediation, leadership coaching, and conflict engagement, preparing them to master the art of conflict resolution. Offered through the Human-Centered Interdisciplinary Studies department within the Simmons School of Education and Human Development, the program provides an interdisciplinary study of conflict theory rooted in the social and behavioral sciences. Students can specialize in areas such as organizational conflict, executive leadership coaching, and healthcare collaboration. 

Coursework integrates psychology, law, sociology, management, and public policy while emphasizing practical application through interactive role-plays and field-based experiences. The curriculum develops the ability to manage disputes across diverse contexts including business, education, healthcare, law, and beyond, helping professionals enhance collaboration, productivity, and leadership. Graduates gain versatile, marketable skills that can elevate existing careers or open new pathways in today’s conflict-driven global environment. 

Designed for the working professional, many students pursue the degree part-time, allowing them to not only maintain their careers, but elevate them.  

Specializations

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Explores topics such as arbitration and dispute resolution, conflict coaching and domestic relations.

Executive and Leadership Coaching

Explores topics such as educational coaching, executive coaching and coaching for individual and organizational effectiveness.

Healthcare Collaboration and Conflict

Explores topics such as conflict in healthcare settings and the role of healthcare leaders to manage change and culture.

Organizational Transformation and Conflict Management

Explores topics such as employment law, organizational change management and workplace conflict.

Thinking Grad School? Think 海角直播.

Envisioning a brighter future? Think grad school at 海角直播, where you join a lifelong family network and see immediate returns on your educational investment. Take your new big step at 海角直播.

Student success

Our graduates consistently secure positions across industries that demand a nuanced grasp of social and behavioral science. 海角直播 Simmons students become industry leaders in business, education, government, law and healthcare, addressing the evolving demands and human challenges of these fields.

This program prepares you to excel in the following areas and professions:

  • Human resources & talent management
  • Legal services & alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
  • Corporate leadership & organizational development
  • Healthcare administration
  • Business consulting & professional services
  • Labor relations
  • Nonprofit & community advocacy
  • Law enforcement & criminal justice

Top 20%

Best National Universities

U.S. News & World Report (2026)

Top 50

Private education graduate schools nationwide

Top 1%

海角直播 ranks No. 34 worldwide for alumni employment

Center for World University Rankings (2025)

Student stories

海角直播 Police Department Inspector Malcolm McGuire is a graduate of the Dispute Resolution program at 海角直播.

Malcolm McGuire 鈥14

鈥満＝侵辈's Dispute Resolution program honed my skills in conflict analysis, active listening, and effective communication, which are crucial in assessing and managing potential threats to the campus community and surrounding areas,鈥 said McGuire, Inspector-Threat Management, 海角直播 Police Department.

Melissa graduated from 海角直播 Simmons鈥 Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution program in 2024.

Melissa Franks-Kirkland 鈥24

鈥淒ispute Resolution's human-centered focus provides a modern and relevant approach to conflict engagement, while surrounding the participant with a network of diverse and thought-provoking perspectives,鈥 said Franks-Kirkland, Owner, Blue Magpie Consulting & Mediation.

Admissions

Deadlines and details

Key dates and admissions information to help plan your application with confidence.

International students

All the essential admission requirements international students need to know.

Application questions

Find answers to Simmons School of Education and Human Development application questions.

Additional links

Requirements

  1. Application
  2. Application fee
  3. Official transcripts
  4. English language proficiency documentation (if applicable)
  5. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale)

View all requirements

Ready to apply?

Get started here.

Tuition and financial aid

Tuition and costs

Explore the cost breakdown of tuition for graduate programs.

Financial aid

Find information on scholarships and financial support available at 海角直播.

Curriculum and learning

Featured courses

HDDR 6319

Psychology of Conflict

Explores the psychological context of negotiation and the impact of these conditions and behaviors on the outcome.

HDDR 6325

Neuroscience: The Role of the Brain in Emotion, Collaboration, and Conflict

Provides insight into the critical role that neuroscience plays in conflict, collaboration, and emotion.

HDDR 6364

International Conflict Management

Discusses the provocative topic of international relations and dispute resolution.

Outside the classroom

Research

Faculty and academic leaders of the M.A. in Dispute Resolution program conduct meaningful research and field-based studies to expand academic understanding of the field.

Faculty

Our distinguished faculty are industry leaders and subject matter experts, bringing real-world experience and industry insights to the classroom.

This is a carousel with rotating cards. Use the previous and next buttons to navigate, and Enter to activate cards.

John Potter

John Potter

Clinical Professor
Gary Clayton

Gary Clayton

Adjunct Instructor
Angela Mitakidas

Angela Mitakidis

Adjunct Instructor
Brenda McAdoo

Brenda McAdoo

Adjunct Instructor
Jennifer Parvin

Jennifer Parvin

Adjunct Instructor
Kate Montgomery

Kate Montgomery

Department Chair, Clinical Assistant Professor

Facilities

海角直播 Simmons students have access to state-of-the-art facilities where they can meet with industry experts, gain skills, and collaborate with leaders on campus.

Annette Caldwell Simmons Hall is home to the Simmons School of Education and Human Development.

Annette Caldwell Simmons Hall

Home to the Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Annette Caldwell Simmons Hall has classrooms, study spaces, and research labs including the Integrative Physiology Laboratory.

Harold Clark Simmons Hall is home to the Simmons School of Education and Human Development.

Harold Clark Simmons Hall

The three levels of Harold Clark Simmons Hall hold a teaching design lab, a student assessment lab, classrooms, the Department of Teaching and Learning, and the Budd Center for the Involvement of Communities in Education.

Request more info about this program

Request more info about the M.A. in Dispute Resolution

Frequently asked questions

海角直播's M.A. in Dispute Resolution equips students with sought-after skills such as negotiation, mediation, leadership coaching, and conflict engagement. Students become trained to master the art of dispute resolution, which they can apply to careers in law, business, education, government, healthcare and others. Graduates with an M.A. in Dispute also pursue doctoral and professional graduate degrees.

A identifies conflict mitigation as one of the top Skills on the Rise in the United States. 

Dispute resolution involves the processes used to resolve a disagreement between parties. Mediation is an approach to dispute resolution where a neutral third party facilitates communication and negotiation between opposed parties. Conflict management is a broader term than dispute resolution in that it establishes ongoing systems to dissuade conflict, rather than a responsive approach to a single situation. Conflict management emphasizes long-term relationships, communication skills and structural changes.

Yes, mediation and negotiation trainings are at the core of the . Dispute resolution training courses are required coursework for all students in the program, and students can specialize further through electives focused on alternative dispute resolution, healthcare settings, organizational conflict and others.

The M.A. in Dispute Resolution program at 海角直播 offers evening classes and part-time enrollment options, providing flexibility for working professionals. The program does not offer fully online courses at this time.

Yes, 海角直播's master’s degree program in dispute resolution includes field-based opportunities in a variety of settings that further enhance the skills of dispute resolution and conflict management.

Yes, the required course satisfies the Texas statutory requirement for being a court-connected mediator. Students can receive additional certifications through elective courses within the program’s Alternative Dispute Resolution and Executive and Leadership Coaching specializations.

No, you do not need a background in law or psychology to apply for 海角直播’s M.A. in Dispute Resolution. Admissions considers students with a variety of academic backgrounds. If a student is interested in pursuing a career in law or psychology in the future, an M.A. in Dispute Resolution teaches relevant skills for those professional paths.

For a complete breakdown of cost per term for graduate programs, visit the Simmons section of Student Financial Services' graduate tuition and fees. 海角直播 has financial aid options for graduate students.

Related programs