UA Little Rock’s Graduate Certificate in Conflict Management is interdisciplinary, with core courses covering a range of topics and elective course options across multiple disciplines (including applied communication, business, public administration, and education). These courses are taught by expert faculty and national specialists. The certificate program requires 18 hours of graduate coursework: 9 hours of core courses and 9 hours of electives. These courses are taught by expert faculty and national specialists. Students can complete the program across three semesters or at their own pace.

Conflict management and civil dialogue are important in any profession that involves working with people. Educators, social workers, human resource professionals, health care professionals, and leaders in public, private, nonprofit, and religious organizations are among those whose responsibilities include managing conflict. This program prepares students to analyze, apply, and engage in constructive conflict management practices, including negotiation, conflict consulting, crisis communication, mediation, listening and civil dialogue, and more. This program offers critical tools for anyone going into an organizational environment, working with teams, or those entering leadership positions.

Flexible Format

Our certificate program is offered as both a main campus program (CMGT-GC, shown as “Conflict Management – GC” in the application portal) and as a fully online program (CMOL-GC, shown as “Conflict Management Online – GC in the application portal). Courses in the main campus program are offered in person, online via Zoom, and fully asynchronous online (where you complete assignments and watch lectures/readings on your own time with no required synchronous or Zoom sessions). Zoom classes are offered on weekday evenings or weekends and class times are listed in the US Central Time Zone. Courses in the fully online program for the CMOL online campus program are only offered asynchronously. 

Although we offer both a main campus and online version of this program, please note that all core courses and many electives are offered in online formats and not in person. The course list below will list which courses are available to main campus and/or online campus students. If you live in the United States, but outside of Arkansas, please apply for the fully online campus program. 

For international students, please note that the flexible format of our program means many courses are offered online and therefore may not fulfil the in-person requirements for F-1 visas. However, students can take our main campus certificate program alongside another main campus master’s program, such as the M.A. in Mass Communication or Public Administration, that may fulfill these requirements.

Our certificate program can be taken concurrently/alongside anotherUA Little Rock M.A. programs, such as the Masters in Applied Communication Program or the Masters in Public Administration Program. Or, if you complete this certificate program first and then apply and are accepted to the online Masters in Applied Communication Program, many (up to 18 hours) of your coursework hours will transfer into that 33-hour M.A. program. 

NOTE: If you plan to concurrently complete this certificate alongside another graduate program, you must apply to the campus that matches your primary graduate program (for example, both the M.A. in ACOM and MPA programs are only offered via the main campus, so students would need to apply to the main campus conflict management certificate as well – CMGT-GC).

Learning Objectives

At the end of this graduate program, students will gain a thorough grounding in the theory of conflict; understand the causes and effects of different types of conflict on people and communities; and develop skills in the practice, design and evaluation of a variety of conflict management applications that can be used in a broad range of contexts and group sizes.

By the end of this program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a variety of effective conflict management skills
  • Self-assess their own conflict management skill growth
  • Create best practice recommendations for a variety of conflict management situations

Admission Materials

  • A 300-500 word Statement of Purpose – a professional statement that addresses how you see this program as a good match for your goals.
  • Contact information (address, email, phone number) for two academic or professional references (no letters should be sent).
  • Resume/Curriculum Vitae
  • Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities*.
  • Graduate School Application Payment ($40 one-time payment)*.
  • Please contact Dr. Bailey Blackburn ([email protected]) if you have questions and/or if you desire to arrange a Zoom or in person meeting to discuss the program and your goals or the overall application process.
  • Apply to our program. Please note that our program will be listed as both a main campus program (CMGT-GC, shown as “Conflict Management – GC” in the application portal) and as a fully online program (CMOL-GC, shown as “Conflict Management Online – GC in the application portal). If you live outside of Arkansas, please apply to the fully online campus program, unless you are also pursuing our M.A. program. If you plan to concurrently complete a main campus M.A. program alongside this certificate, please apply to the main campus program. You can find step-by-step instructions on how to complete your application here.
    • *If you are applying to this certificate program after already being accepted into another UA Little Rock Graduate Program, please email Dr. Bailey Blackburn ([email protected]) so you do not have to resubmit transcripts or pay the application fee again.

Regular Admission

Applicants will be considered for regular admission if they have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or better on a previous baccalaureate or graduate degree, or if they have achieved a GPA of 3.0 or better on their last 60 hours of coursework.

Conditional Admission

Applicants will be considered for conditional admission if they have achieved a GPA between 2.7 and 2.99 on a previous baccalaureate or graduate degree, or if they have achieved a GPA between 2.7 and 2.99 on their last 60 hours of coursework. Conditionally admitted students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better in their first 9 hours of coursework in order to remain in the program. View information on special conditional admission.

Curriculum

The graduate certificate requires 18 credit hours for completion.

Required Conflict Management Courses (9 hours)

  • Conflict Analysis & Intervention, COMM 72373 (ACOM 7323) – This course introduces students to psychological and communication theories of conflict as well as conflict management approaches. The focus is on using in-class activities to better understand the factors and dynamics of conflict resolution and develop effective conflict-management skills. Students also learn conflict consulting and lead a consulting project at the end of this course. This course is offered fully asynchronously online in the fall of each year and is available for both online and main campus certificate students.
  • Negotiation, COMM 72473 (ACOM 7324) – This course provides an examination of the nature of conflict and presentation of theories and techniques of negotiation as a method of resolving or managing conflict. Students will analyze cases of negotiation at many levels and engage in negotiation simulations including topics such as buying and selling, contracts, group decision making, plea bargaining, and organizational creation. Emphasis is placed on solving problems through negotiation and consideration of the role-playing scenarios. This course is offered fully asynchronously online in the summer and is available for both online and main campus certificate students.
  • Mediation, PADM/COMM 72973 (ACOM 7329) – This course focuses on mediation theory and practice. We will explore mediation as a process of resolving different types of conflicts.  The course will explain and initiate development of the skills necessary to effectively participate in mediation.  Primary attention will be given to collaborative, problem-solving mediation techniques. Simulated mediation (role-plays) will deal with a range of dispute subject matter and address mediation within the role of law and justice, the role of lawyers in mediation, and overcoming barriers to agreement. This course is offered fully asynchronously online in the spring and is available for both online and main campus certificate students.

Elective Conflict Management Courses (Choose 3 courses)

Students must take at least one Process course and one Context course. The third course can be from either category.

  • Process Electives:
    • Listening & Civil Dialogue COMM 53073 (ACOM 5330)  – This course is designed to introduce students to perspectives on dialogue and deliberation with an emphasis on creating and maintaining ethical communication practices which value the worth of another person while being willing to interrupt narratives which can lead to interactive conflicts. Students will learn (a) interpersonal skills to depolarize their own thinking, (b) interpersonal skills to help difficult interactions go more smoothly, and (c) intergroup skills to use when working in groups to bridge differences. This course is offered each fall, and is offered in a variety of formats, including fully asynchronous online, synchronously over zoom, and in-person. This course is available for both online and main campus certificate students
    • Communication Training & Pedagogy COMM 75273 (ACOM 7352)  – Students in this course will learn to develop and deliver  a training project. Students will learn to prepare, facilitate, and assess the effectiveness of a workshop on a specific communication or conflict topic, using best practices in experiential learning. This course is offered synchronously online via Zoom in the summer and is only available to main campus certificate students. 
    • Team Development MGMT 71173 (MGMT 7312)  – This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the factors which influence team effectiveness. Current research and theory regarding group and team performance will be examined, and the application of organizational theory to managerial practice will be explored. This course is offered fully asynchronously online in the Fall of each year and select summer semesters. This course is available for both online and main campus certificate students.
    • Managing Public Disputes PADM 74103 (PADM 7341) – This course teaches knowledge and skills necessary for effective management of multi-party public policy disputes and for collaborative problem solving in the public sector by examining public issues and policy conflicts; exploring effective methods for analyzing and framing public issues; and identifying step-by-step procedures for engaging in dialogue and deliberation, managing public policy disputes, and solving problems collaboratively.  Numerous case studies and real-world examples are discussed and analyzed. In addition to written assignments, the course requires active participation in class discussion, role-plays, and in-class small group exercises. This course is offered in person in the fall and is only available to main campus certificate students.
  • Context Electives:
    • Family Communication COMM 52373 (ACOM 5323)  – This course examines long-term relationships within a family context from a speech communication perspective, primarily examining behaviors that occur in a functional families. Topics include family rules and roles, conflict styles and familial conflict management approaches, power, and decision-making. Focus is on using major family communication theories and concepts to help students analyze the communication system of a family and identify communication patterns, problems, and dilemmas in the families. This course is offered fully asynchronously online in select spring and summer semesters and is available for both online and main campus certificate students.
    • Interpersonal Communication COMM 70073 (ACOM 7300)  – This course details concepts of human interaction as basis for developing interpersonal communication skills. This course provides an overview of the framework for personal growth in one-to-one interactions, small group dynamics, leadership roles, and other interpersonal relationships. This course is offered synchronously online via Zoom in the spring and is only available to main campus certificate students. 
    • Organizational Culture & Communication Analysis COMM 72273 (ACOM 7322) – This course explores the concept of organizational culture and its relationship to effective and ineffective organizational communication. Students develop an understanding of a model for analyzing organizational culture and communication and apply this model to a case analysis. This course is offered synchronously online via Zoom in the spring and is only available to main campus certificate students.
    • Effective Crisis Communication COMM 75073 (ACOM 7350)  – Over the past 30 years, crises, change and disasters have been studied in a number of disciplines.  Sociologists, psychologists, economists, organizational theorists, and communication scholars to name a few have examined these events from different vantage points.  Communication researchers are interested in the impact of communication on the onset and recovery of these events.  Our ultimate goal in this course is to help the student develop as a professional to better conceptually understand crises in order to produce effective crisis communication. This course is offered fully asynchronously online in the fall and is available for both online and main campus certificate students.
    • Conflict Management in Schools EDHP 74103 (TCED 7341) – Conflict occurs every day in our school settings.  Excessive conflict impacts the amount of time available for instruction, test scores, adult and student morale, feelings of safety, student attendance, and the general culture of the school. This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of the nature of conflict and how it can be better managed in our schools.  Students will examine conflicts that arise between students, teachers, support staff, paraprofessionals, parents, administrators, school board members, and any else who comes into the school setting.  Strategies, processes, and skills for managing conflict will be present and practiced throughout the course. This course is offered online in select summer semesters and is available to both online and main campus certificate students.
    • Internship in Applied Communication, COMM 80473 (ACOM 8304) – Job experience in an organization approved by the Applied Communication Department. Students may explore options through the Cooperative Education Office at UA Little Rock and/or through the Department’s internship coordinator. Students apply relevant theories, develop interpersonal and organizational communication skills, meet regularly with their faculty member, and complete a paper reflecting on their experiences in light of communication theory. This course is offered online in spring and summer semesters and is available to both online and main campus certificate students.
  • Additional Elective Options – At times there are other courses that can be petitioned as fulfilling the elective hours for this certificate program. Please contact the program coordinator Dr. Bailey Blackburn for additional information on other elective options.

Graduation Requirements

  • Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on an approved 18-hour program of study

For Additional Information, contact Dr. Bailey Blackburn, Program Coordinator at [email protected] or 501-916-6027.