Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
Transforming conflict on an interpersonal, community, and organizational scale.
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Conflict resolution skills are essential for forging and stewarding successful relationships between people, communities, and organizations. Columbia University’s Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution prepares students to analyze the root causes and dynamics of conflict and to transform disputes through reasoned and resourceful interventions. With courses led by some of the world’s premier scholar-practitioners in negotiation and conflict resolution, the program focuses on developing self-awareness, tenacity, and interpersonal competency; building common ground; opening lines of communication; ensuring representation and recognition; and building sustainable possibilities for resolution. Flexible program options meet the needs of young and mid-career professionals as well as career-changing professionals.
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Fast Facts
At a Glance
In This Master’s Program, You Will...
- Learn from the world’s premier scholar-practitioners in negotiation and conflict resolution.
- Practice negotiation and conflict resolution in a wide array of settings and contexts, providing an easier transfer of these skills.
- Join Columbia's robust academic and professional communities, and gain access to the internship, fieldwork, and career opportunities that these networks may bring.
- Understand the root causes and dynamics of conflict and how to work through disputes through reasoned and resourceful negotiation.
- Select one or more core areas of focus from options including: local and community dispute resolution; international development and peacebuilding; and conflict resolution within and between organizations.
- Have access to mentorship and career guidance from the highest levels of the program and across faculty, staff, and alumni.
- Complete an in-depth Capstone Project in which you will apply theoretical understanding and a research-supported pragmatic approach to transform real-world conflict.
Program Features Include…
- A dynamic curriculum encompassing pragmatic approaches to resolving conflicts in areas such as human resource management, community and labor organization, education and health administration, and law and business.
- An esteemed faculty of scholar-practitioners who bring practical experience into the classroom.
- A cross-program focus on constructive communication, ethical understanding, cultural awareness and sensitivity, and resolving conflicts in ways that are favorable to all parties.
- Access to a diverse alumni network, including those who are working in local, national, and international organizations.
- Exclusive events, some in conjunction with the Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity (AC4) and the Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (MD-ICCCR).
- Practical tools and theoretical frameworks to accelerate your career and achieve your professional goals.
| Program Option | Course Formats | Program Start-Time | Time Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Science (full‑time) | On-campus* |
Fall term |
3-4 terms |
| Master of Science (part‑time) | On-campus* |
Fall term |
6-7 terms |
| Master of Science (hybrid) | Online plus 3-week on-campus Intensive Study |
Spring term |
4 terms |
| Executive Education | On-campus |
2 weeks |
* Select courses are available online or in hybrid format.
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