International Summer Coursework
One of the many ways in which Columbia University’s M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Program prepares its students for success as conflict resolution practitioners is by providing real-world peacebuilding experiences through summer practicum courses, formerly known as the International Fieldwork Experience. Students have the opportunity to gain experience by working with and learning from professionals already in the field. Students have worked in-person in South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, Israel and Jordan, Uganda, and remotely in North America.
In Summer 2026, NECR will offer two international fieldwork courses in Colombia (led by Dr. Beth Fisher-Yoshida and Joan C. Lopez) and Japan (led by Dr. Katherine Alfredo & Dr. Josh Fisher), as well as a local fieldwork course in New York City (led by Dr. Peter Dixon).
See the above video on our work in Colombia to learn more about our approach to fieldwork.
Please note that these courses are open to Columbia University graduate students only.
NECR 5240: Practicum in Peacebuilding (Colombia)
**Applications for Summer 2026 are now open - Deadline to submit is 2/18/26. This is a fieldwork practicum course that explores peacebuilding through a social transformation lens. Students will explore some of the ways peacebuilding is experienced in Colombia, a country that has witnessed the longest internal violent conflict of the western hemisphere. Peacebuilding in Colombia has been approached in two fundamental ways: one of these ways is top-down and another way is the ongoing peacebuilding practices that happen at the community level. This is a type of peacebuilding that develops organically and creatively as conflicts escalate; in this case, communities come together to respond peacefully to the effects of war that disrupts their personal and social lives. This course explores these two approaches both theoretically and empirically. During this course, students will engage with peacebuilding actors in the field, listen to their stories, and collectively map out the dynamics leading and sustaining peacebuilding in their communities. NECR students will share the classrooms and field visits with students from the master’s program in peacebuilding at Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá, allowing participants to have a rich local experience and to exchange knowledge and practice through cross-cultural perspectives.
Course travel dates: arrival in Colombia on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 - departure from Colombia on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
NECR 5260: Clinic on Conflict and Collaboration in Natural Resource Management (Japan)
**Applications for Summer 2025 are now open - Deadline to submit is 2/19/25. This is a fieldwork clinic course that explores environmental sustainability through peacebuilding and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Students will explore how SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, & Strong Institutions) enables better social and environmental outcomes in work to pursue other related SDGs in the context of Japan. This course will be held in partnership with Hiroshima University and will take place on their campus and in adjacent field sites. During this course, students will engage with public, private, and civil society groups working on environmental management and sustainability. Students will share the classrooms and field visits with students from Hiroshima University, allowing participants to have a rich local experience and to exchange knowledge and practice through cross-cultural perspectives. Lectures and some field visits will be accompanied by local experts, peacebuilders, and Hiroshima University faculty.
Course travel dates: arrival in Japan on Sunday, July 26, 2026 - departure from Japan on Friday, August 7, 2026.
Read about a student's experience in the course: A Journey of Peace, Sustainability, and Learning in Hiroshima
NECR 5270: Social Justice and Conflict Resolution: Public Safety in NYC (New York City)
**Applications are not required, but seating is limited - Registration opens via Vergil on 03/03/26. This is an intensive fieldwork course in NYC with a focus on the role of social justice in conflict resolution analysis and practice. The seminar will explore the historical and theoretical intersections between the fields of social justice and conflict resolution. Using New York City as a living case study, the course will blend academic inquiry with experiential learning to offer students an in-depth understanding of how these fields intersect in theory and practice, emphasizing the unique challenges and opportunities present in NYC. Students will visit a selection NYC-based social justice organizations, enabling them to: observe firsthand the work of social justice organizations and movements; engage in discussions with activists, organizers, leaders and practitioners; and reflect on the interplay between theory and practice.
Course dates (in-person on Columbia Morningside campus & at various NYC fieldwork locations):
- Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 9:00am-5:00pm
- Monday, June 22, 2026 - Thursday, June 25, 2026 (MTWTh) from 12:00-5:00pm
- Friday, June 26, 2026, from 9:00am-5:00pm
Read about a student's experience in the course: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Student Drives Meaningful Change in NYC Safety
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