Peace and Conflict Studies, M.A. Transformative Peace and Conflict Concentration
Overview
We offer online classes that are asynchronous and do not require specific meeting times. It requires 33 credit hours to complete. The program focuses on social justice, environmental sustainability, and community engagement, and other important topics in peace and conflict studies.
Students learn multiple conflict prevention and intervention skills; these include mediation, negotiation, conflict transformation, violence intervention, and collaborative problem solving, which are useful in the work environment, communities, and personal relationships. Students explore nonviolent, respectful approaches to human relationships from interpersonal to intergroup settings.
Program values include:
- fostering interdisciplinary collaboration
- striving for positive peace
- maintaining patience in the long-term philosophy of conflict transformation
- building evidence-based skills in conflict management and resolution
- engaging actively in the community
- doggedly pursuing peace research and praxis
- maintaining critical pedagogy and scholarship
- empowering social and ecological sustainability
- honoring equity and justice
THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE
- Community engagement is fostered in Guilford County, North Carolina and around the globe.
- Students are educated in conflict management and peace-building, enabling them to gain a systematic perspective on the challenges facing individuals, families, organizations, communities, and social and political systems, learning peace-building, development, and conflict transformation skills and knowledge that’s applicable to multiple settings.
AFTER GRADUATION
- Upon program completion, graduates may work in multiple disciplines or lines of work, as enhancing sustainable peace and justice has many applications.
- A Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies opens the door to many career opportunities. Peace and Conflict Studies graduates work in community organizations, state and local governments, NGOs, educational settings, legal agencies, fundraising, health and human services, politics, with refugees, as professional mediators, and more.
APPLY TO PROGRAM
- Admission to the master’s program is on a rolling basis year-round.
- Submit official transcripts for all undergraduate work; three (3) letters of recommendations (preferably by someone capable of speaking about your academic work or academic potential. Please avoid strictly personal references); GRE is not required; write a 250-300 word personal statement explaining your personal goals and why you wish to study Peace and Conflict Studies.
- As part of the admission process, you may be called for a short personal interview, either in person, by telephone, or via Skype.
