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Report on UH, Manoa College of Social Sciences
Program on Conflict Resolution

The Program on Conflict Resolution is a division within the College of Social Sciences at the university.  It is the graduate component of education at the College's Matsunaga Institute for Peace.  Offering a graduate certificate in conflict resolution, this program develops skills that are in demand for those involved in facilitation, mediation, and collaborative practices.  However useful, it is not a substitute for law or teaching degrees, and it does not provide a graduate masters or PhD program.

Offices are located in Saunders Hall, 2424 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822.  The website is: www.peaceinstitute.hawaii.edu.

The graduate certificate program requires 15 credits of approved courses, and may include a practicum with the approval of an advisor.  Rather than the Plan A or B, there is a Capstone Paper at the end of the course of study.  Additionally, students must complete a skills assessment.  This certification is also available to those seeking other professional degrees. 

Core areas of instruction are:

 Negotiation
 International conflict resolution
 Mediation theory and practice
 Facilitation and organizational change
 Collaboration between sectors
 Conflict analysis/resolution

 Graduate students develop resources and knowledge in professional collaboration.  They learn communication techniques, and how to identify and employ objective criteria to evaluate proposals for dispute resolution.

Additionally, students gain the ability to implement ‘interest-based’ principles of negotiation, and to develop and test resolution options with appropriate criteria and interests taken into account.  These abilities would benefit parties involved with inter-community relations and those employed in cooperative institutions, particularly in non-profit management, leadership or supervision.  Keep in mind, the graduate program is a certification and not any type of licensure.

Conflict resolution is a way for people to avoid legal entanglements, expense, and a variety of difficulties from daily to life-or-death issues among unlimited numbers of people all over the globe.  Closely connected to peace-building, we can always use more individuals with this advanced training.