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Conflict Resolution Institute

CRI Graduate Degree

Graduate Degree Program Overview

Internship & Practicum (Required)

Effective 7/1/2020: The Conflict Resolution Program is no longer accepting applications. Explore our other program offerings.

 For the most current and accurate information regarding degree requirements, graduation requirements, and course descriptions, please download our MA Student Handbook.

The Purpose of Obtaining Practical Experience

A maximum of 8 credits or about 13% of total degree credits (up to 5 for internships; 3 for Practicum) is allowed for these practical learning experiences. Actual work hours do not compare directly to individual traditional courses or the work involved.

These practical experiences provide opportunities for a student to:

  • acquire an understanding of the way conflict resolution theories are applied in practice
  • realize how practitioners of conflict resolution operate within different theoretical frameworks and under hidden assumptions about human behavior
  • become acquainted with varied, real world vocational settings for Conflict Resolution work: career paths, entry-level positions, organizations, services
  • become sensitized to the importance of Conflict Resolution work, the multiple modes of implementing it, and the varied settings where it applies
  • acquire valuable skills and basic knowledge of Conflict Resolution work
  • enhance marketability in the Conflict Resolution job market; evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses and career preferences within the field of Conflict Resolution

Internship Requirement

All candidates for the M.A. degree in Conflict Resolution must complete at least 100 hours in an internship position. The work, undertaken once a student is formally enrolled in the graduate program (i.e. prior work experience will not fulfill the requirement) must be approved in advance by the Graduate Director as relevant and worthwhile. The internship may be undertaken anytime during the student's graduate program enrollment, i.e. near the start of graduate school, at the mid-point, or near the end. Some students spread out the internship work over several months; others compress it into a shorter period of four weeks. In order to fulfill this requirement for the degree, several steps must be completed.

CRES 4981 Internship (0-5 credits)

A student wishing to enroll for credit may do so any quarter (whether it is the quarter of internship or not), and may repeatedly register for the same course designation over a different academic term for a maximum of 5 credits toward the degree. Registration for internship requires a special paper form that must be signed by the Graduate Director, and submitted by the student to the registrar. Once the internship has been completed, and documented by the student's report and supervisor's letter, a grade of "P" for "passing" is submitted to the registrar.

Practicum Requirement

All candidates for the M.A. degree in Conflict Resolution must complete a practicum. The work, undertaken once a student has completed most of the core curriculum courses plus the mediation workshop (mandatory completion) consists of a 15-week period--Spring term in addition to one week in early Summer--where students meet weekly with the professor to discuss the design, execution, and evaluation of conflict resolution interventions based on the cases they are assigned.

CRES 4971 Practicum (3 credits)

A student enrolls for practicum credit after completing most of the 6 core curriculum courses in Conflict Resolution plus the Mediation workshop, which must be completed prior to the Practicum experience. This prerequisite policy is firm. The practicum is offered each year in two terms: Spring and Summer. Students take a total of 3 credits (1-3 credits in Spring (a 10 week term) and/or 1-3 credits in Summer (5 weeks, ending around mid-July). A practicum is a culminating experience that allows students to understand how a dispute can be resolved or transformed through non-violent, collaborative means. It includes supervised practice, classroom, preparation for practice and classroom, and supporting activities. A letter grade (A-F) is assigned by the faculty supervisor(s) once all requirements have been met.