The certificate is interdisciplinary in nature, allowing students to select the courses that are the most useful and applicable to their chosen or planned profession. The program has three required components: a theory/research component, a law/policy/ethics component, and an applied component. The electives allow students to further customize their educational experience as they pursue the study of conflict and its resolution in the context of their specific discipline.

This graduate certificate will benefit anyone who encounters conflict on an interpersonal, family, organizational, inter-group, or community level. Participants in the program learn to analyze, address, and manage conflict professionally and effectively. The skills learned are extremely valuable in a variety of professions and include the ability to understand and effectively intervene in conflict situations. Students learn and practice superior communication skills and develop their abilities to work with and lead others.

Program participants have included individuals from a wide range of fields, including the following:

Education Health Care Child and Family Development Ministry Social Work Natural Sciences

Business Management Media Public Service Criminal Justice Communication

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Required Courses--16 hours total

Click on any course abbreviation below to view the description of the course. All course descriptions are taken directly from the Missouri State Graduate Course Catalog.

Theory/Research Core (6 hours)

COM 511 (3 hours): Communication, Community and Conflict

COM 521 (3 hours):Communication, Mediation and Negotiation

Application Core (1 hour)
This applied experience is negotiated with the program advisor and can be satisfied through independent study or internship credit, or through service learning opportunities.

Law/Policy/Ethics Core (3 hours)

A number of courses may fit this category depending upon the student’s major interest and focus. Possible courses include the following:

COM 513 (3 hours): Ethical Issues in Communication

RIL 500 (3 hours): Legal Environment for Business Managers

EAD 665 (3 hours): Legal and Ethical Contexts of Schooling

PHI 513 (3 hours): Health Care Ethics

PSY 661 (3 hours): Ethical and Professional Issues

PLS 517 (3 hours): Civil Rights and Liberties in the American Constitutional System

Electives (6 hours)
Students may select two courses that examine conflict in a particular context (e.g., within families, organizations, etc.). Possible courses includes the following:

COM 506 (3 hours):  Communication and the Family

COM 512 (3 hours): Communication and Diversity in the Workplace

COM 622 (3 hours):  Argumentation and Communication

COM 624 (3 hours): Theories of Interpersonal Communication

COM 632 (3 hours): Theories and Concepts of Small Group Communication OR

PSY 678 (3 hours): Group Processes

EAD 664 (3 hours): Human Relations and Collaborative Processes

EAD 761 (3 hours): Human Relations

PSY 618 (3 hours): Organizational Psychology OR

COM 636 (3 hours): Concepts and Analysis of Communication in Organizations

PSY 680 (3 hours):  Social Psychology

RIL 531 (3 hours): Labor Law and Employment Discrimination

SWK 641(3 hours): Family Health and Domestic Violence

 

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Course Descriptions

Listed below are the course descriptions for the courses in the Graduate Certificate program in Conflict and Dispute Resolution. These descriptions are taken directly from the Missouri State Graduate Course Catalog. This program is supported by the Department of Communication at Missouri State.

Theory/Research Core

COM 511 (3 hrs): Communication, Community, and Conflict
This course equips students to understand the dynamics of interpersonal conflict and its resolution in a variety of settings. Students will learn to analyze their own conflict styles and to develop self-regulation strategies for collaborative outcomes. The course covers conflict theory and research and applies these ideas to current community and organizational settings and diverse populations. Lectures/discussions by scholars, community leaders, and/or agency personnel who deal with conflict, as well as simulations of conflict situations will be provided.

COM 521 (3 hrs): Communication, Mediation, and Negotiation
This course explores the communicative foundation for understanding the processes of mediation and negotiation as methods for resolving conflict, with an emphasis on interpersonal and organizational conflict. The course covers theories and concepts pertaining to mediation and negotiation, particularly alternative dispute resolution, and provides students the opportunity to apply concepts through a variety of experiential activities.

Application Core

This applied experience is negotiated with the program advisor and can be satisfied through independent study or internship credit, or through service learning opportunities. COM 500 (detailed below) is one example of a course that would fulfill the Application Core requirement.

COM 500 (1 hr): Service Learning in Communication Graduate Study
Prerequisites: permission of instructor and concurrent registration for graduate credit in a communication, media, or journalism course designated as a service learning offering. This service component for an existing course incorporates community service with classroom instruction in communications to provide an integrative learning experience that addresses the practice of citizenship and promotes an awareness of and participation in public affairs. Includes 40 hours of service that benefits an external community organization, agency, or public service provider. Approved service placements and assignments will vary depending on the course topic and learning objectives; a list of approved placements and assignments is available from the instructor and the Citizenship and Service Learning Office. May be repeated, but no more than one hour of service learning credit may count toward the degree.

Law/Policy/Ethics Core

A number of courses may fit this category depending upon the student’s major interest and focus. Possible courses include the following:

COM 513 (3 hrs): Ethical Issues in Communication.
Ethical theories and justification models are studied and then related to ethical decision making in a variety of communication contexts, including interpersonal communication, group communication, organizational communication, and public communication. The course will examine the components of good ethical decision making in communication, as well as obstacles that can stand in the way of responsible choices

RIL 500 (3 hrs): Legal Environment for Business Managers
Prerequisite: permission of a director of a COBA Graduate Program. Exploration of contemporary legal and ethical issues encountered by business managers including issues related to torts, contracts and UCC sales, products liability, employment discrimination, debtor-creditor rights, environmental responsibility, intellectual property, ethics, and agency implications in various forms of business organizations. Legal dispute resolution mechanisms are also examined. Course is intended for students entering the MBA program who have not satisfied equivalent course work in this area, and this course will not be counted in the hours required for a COBA undergraduate or graduate degree.

EAD 665 (3 hrs): Legal and Ethical Contexts of Schooling
Explores the statutory and regulatory requirements as well as the ethical implications of policy initiatives inherent in the effective operation of a school.

PHI 513 (3 hrs): Health Care Ethics
Prerequisite: 60 hours or permission of instructor. An introduction to central ethical questions that arise in the health care context, and to the resources various ethical theories offer for resolving those questions. In addition to a brief overview of contemporary moral theory, the course will discuss issues such as euthanasia, informed consent, proxy decision making, experimental research on humans and health care allocation. Specific cases will be discussed and analyzed throughout the semester. This course does not count for general education.

PSY 661 (3 hrs): Ethical and Professional Issues
Prerequisites: admission to Psychology MS program or permission of instructor. An exploration of ethical issues, including values, professional responsibilities, and professional ethics codes. Issues are explored both from ethical and legal perspectives. Current professional issues, such as changing modes of assessment and intervention, are examined.

PLS 517 (3 hrs): Civil Rights and Liberties in the American Constitutional System
Prerequisite: PLS 101 and 50 hours or permission of instructor. A casebook examination of the constitutional rights of individuals, with emphasis given to the development and current constitutional interpretation of the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the 14th Amendment and the process of identifying the fundamental rights of race, gender, and privacy.

 Electives

Students may select two courses that examine conflict in a particular context (e.g., within families, groups, organizations, etc.). Possible courses includes the following:

COM 506 (3 hrs.): Family Communication
This course is intended to provide students with an in-depth examination of communication as it functions in family systems.

COM 512 (3 hrs.): Communication and Diversity in the Workplace
Exploration of current theory and research regarding communication and diversity in the workplace. Study of practical applications for the assessment and training of communication skills relative to culture, race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation and other diversity issues. Emphasis is placed on improving understanding of communication similarities and differences among diverse population groups. Includes readings, class discussions, observation, and/or class projects about assessment and training in communication skills in a diverse workplace.

COM 622 (3 hrs.): Argumentation as Communication
Argumentation as related to decision making, conflict resolution, and negotiation in business, industry, government, and education.

COM 624 (3 hrs.): Theories of Interpersonal Communication.
Topics include theories, concepts, models of interpersonal communication, interpersonal discourse, relationships, resolving conflicts, verbal message analysis, interpreting nonverbal messages.

COM 632 (3 hrs.): Theories and Concepts of Small Group Communication
Survey of theories and concepts related to communication in small groups. Topics include group development, leadership, cohesiveness, norms, roles, decision making, conflict, interaction analysis, and research approaches to small group communication.

PSY 678 (3 hrs.): Group Processes
Prerequisite: PSY 618 or permission. An in-depth consideration of the theory, research, applications, and problems in group processes in organizations. Topics include models and typologies of group performance, group decision making, group social influence and ecology, leadership, and team staffing and development.

EAD 664 (3 hrs.): Human Relations and Collaborative Processes.
Designed to develop skills in effective interpersonal skills, written and oral communication within a diverse cultural community.

EAD 761 (3 hrs.): Human Relations
Prerequisites: EAD 651 or permission. Designed to upgrade educational leaders in human relations skills. Major focus will be on effective group processing and dynamics, understanding learning styles and cultural diversity issues, and facilitating skills for school improvement

PSY 618 (3 hrs.): Organizational Psychology
Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission. A survey of the psychological principles, theory, and research related to behavior in organizations. Topics include work motivation, job satisfaction and performance, leadership and group processes, organizational design and development.

COM 636 (3 hrs.): Concepts and Analysis of Communication in Organizations
Advanced study of communication in organizations. Applications of traditional and contemporary theories of contemporary theories of communication and organizations in current research and practice. Particular attention is given to the symbolic nature of organizing and to the analysis of organizational culture.

PSY 680 (3 hrs.): Social Psychology
Advanced study of interactions and social cognition, including attitude change, person perception, and group dynamics.

RIL 531 (3 hrs.):  Labor Law and Employment Discrimination
Prerequisite: RIL 231 or RIL 500 or equivalent; undergraduate majors must be admitted to COBA. Legal, regulatory, and ethical issues related to employer-employee relationship, including employment-at-will doctrine, discrimination, and union contracts.

SWK 641 (3 hrs.): Family Health and Family Violence.
Enhances students' understanding of the theories, policies, practices and interventions related to family violence.

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Useful Forms

Certificate in Conflict and Dispute Resolution Information Interest Form
Graduate College Application
Plan of Study Form
Change of Certificate Plan of Study Request Form
Notification to Complete a Certificate Form

To earn the Certificate in Conflict and Dispute Resolution, you must complete following steps.

Step 1	Apply for admission into the Graduate College by completing a Graduate College Application. Your must have 3.00 GPA. You do not need to take the GRE. Students who do not meet normal admission standards may be considered for provisional admission. You should also complete a Certificate in Conflict and Dispute Resolution Information Interest Form and return it to The Center for Dispute Resolution.
Step 2	Set up an appointment with Dr. Charlene Berquist, the program director, so you can discuss your career goals and your program of study. You can reach Dr. Berquist at CharleneBerquist@MissouriState.edu or (417) 836-8831.
Step 3	Complete the Plan of Study Form for the Conflict and Dispute Resolution Certificate during your first semester in the program. This form lists the courses you will take to complete the certificate program. The form must be signed by Dr. Berquist and submitted to the Graduate College for final approval. If you need to change your plan of study, you must complete the Change of Certificate Plan of Study Request Form.
Step 4	Complete the required coursework for the certificate, maintaining a 3.0 GPA.
Step 5	During the first week of the semester in which you intend to graduate, submit the Notification to Complete a Certificate Program Form to Graduate College. This form is available on the Graduate College website.

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