Course Descriptions

Required Courses for Certificate Program
Additional Required Courses for Master’s Degree
Electives by Area
Legal Concentration
Organizational Concentration
Social Service Concentration
Field & Clinical Experiences

Required Courses for Certificate Program

HDDR 6319 Psychology of Conflict

What happens when one party is a conflict wants something that another party resists doing or giving? Conflict can arise in groups, between individuals in many different settings. The focus of this course will be on the psychological context of negotiation, the personal and social influences on the parties in negotiation, and the impact of these conditions and behaviors on the outcome.

HDDR 6302 Negotiation & Dispute Resolution

This course is designed to provide theoretical knowledge and practical skills essential to being effective negotiators.  Participants will learn successful strategies for negotiation, as well as have ample opportunity to practice their skills in simulation exercises.  The program offers a systematic approach to mastering the fundamentals of making favorable agreements that minimize conflict and maximize results.  Some specific benefits include: (1) learning how to maximize the potential of making an agreement on your terms; (2) learning how to avoid making an unfavorable agreement; (3) identifying strengths and weaknesses in personal negotiating style; (4) improving your ability to make good choices in negotiation strategy; and (5) understanding the role of relationships in making good agreements.

HDDR 6303 Mediation & Dispute Resolution

Mediation is a process that employs a neutral third party, the mediator, to help disputing parties make decisions that concern the future of the dispute.  This course provides an overview of the theoretical and practical aspects of mediation process.  Participants will learn a step-by-step process to conduct mediations, and practice fundamental dispute resolution skills, such as listening, reframing, summarizing, problem-solving, and creating a safe, non-threatening environment.  Through lecture, discussion, video simulations and interactive exercises and role plays, participants will gain a functional knowledge of the power and practice of mediation.  This course satisfies the 40-hour statutory requirement to serve as a mediator in Texas court-connected programs.

Additional Required Courses for Master’s Degree

HDDR 6305 Foundations of American Legal Systems

The structure and procedures of the United States court system will be studied with a particular emphasis on how methods of alternative dispute resolution augment, coordinate and sometimes clash with the goals of traditional litigation. Students will learn legal concepts and terminology essential to successfully working within the field of dispute resolution and will be introduced to basic legal skills. These legal skills include legal reasoning , interpreting case law, statutes and administrative codes, as well as receiving a primer on research materials and tools used by judges and lawyers to evaluate the merits of a legal dispute.

HDDR 6306 Ethics in Dispute Resolution

In this course students will be asked to examine the boundaries of their own moral compasses as they study ethical guidelines and principals applicable to third party neutrals in alternative dispute resolution. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate knowledge and application of the fundamental ethical principles for third party neutrals, specific guidelines, codes and standards of conduct that apply, how to recognize ethical issues and how to resolve tough ethical dilemmas. 

HDDR 6107 Practicum I (1 credit hour required)

Supervised experience in the Center for Conflict Resolution clinic with required observations, and assisting in the SMU Mediation Center convening and other related tasks.

HDDR 6210 Research Methods (2 credit hours required)

The focus will be to provide students with a fundamental understanding in research methods allowing them to be discerning consumers of literature in the dispute resolution field. Students will learn sound research design, inference from data to conclusions, and the assumptions underlying various methods. In this way, students will be empowered to judge for themselves the value, validity, and reliability of studies they read.

Electives by Area

General Application

HDDR 6108 Practicum II or III(1 credit hour)

Supervised experience in the Center for Conflict Resolution clinic, students will be co-mediating or mediating court disputes depending on the experience level and cases as well as participating in convening and other administrative functions in the SMU Mediation Center.  Students must have taken 15 credit hours including the Mediation class and obtain pre-approval from instructor.

HDDR 6311 Section 775 Techniques & Skills in Mediation

This course reviews the basic theoretical and process foundations of mediation, but places particular emphasis on skills and techniques to be an effective dispute resolution professional.  Students will participate in an extensive series of exercises, role plays, and discussions designed to provide individualized, constructive feedback. Satisfies the 40 hour Texas state requirement to be a court-annexed mediator.

HDDR 6311 Section 776  Transformative Mediation: Ideological Foundations and Practice

          Transformative mediation is an approach to conflict intervention that is used in a wide range of conflict intervention settings.  It has been adopted in organizational, court, community and governmental settings.  And it is has been adapted for interventions that address team development and multi-party disputes.  This course provides an understanding of the core purpose and foundational principles of transformative practice.   In addition to exploring its ideological foundations, and comparing it to other frameworks of practice, the course provides training in the core transformative intervention skills.  Through readings, class discussions, video illustrations, and skill building exercises, the course grounds students in an approach to mediation practice that is rooted in the assumption that conflict is a crisis in human interaction.

 HDDR 6304 Arbitration & Dispute Resolution

This course provides an introduction to Arbitration as an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.  The student will be exposed to fundamental theoretical, legal and practical aspects of the discipline.  Arbitration will be compared and contrasted to other forms of dispute resolution.  The course will rely on labor arbitration and the resolution of disputes in the workplace as a centerpiece of instruction.  However, the theory, principles and techniques of labor arbitration are equally applicable to commercial or international arbitration.  Successful students will achieve a solid foundation in Arbitration that will round out their exposure to ADR and better prepare them, if they so choose, for a career in the discipline.

HDDR 6312 Advanced Negotiation

This course will examine the dynamics, constraints, and skills needed in the negotiation process. Theories of negotiation are studied through current literature and specific techniques are taught through simulated exercises. Participants will develop the skills needed to negotiate effectively for their vital interest and how to choose among a range of procedural options. Course content is drawn from fields of law, psychology, business and communication.

HDDR 6313 Advanced Mediation

Advanced mediation is a continuation of the basic mediation course focusing on the most prominent dispute resolution process, mediation. It assumes an understanding of the mediation process and provides in-depth examination of important issues in mediation practice such as convening, multi-party mediation, mediator bias, mediator ethics, and mediator qualifications. Highly interactive, the course moves far beyond introductory lectures and simple role plays. Participants must have successfully completed a basic mediation course and typically have some mediation experience.

HDDR 6314 Advanced Arbitration

Builds discipline necessary to hear and render decisions and assist in honing analytical and writing skills as arbitrators through practical case studies and examples.

HDDR 6315 Communication and Dispute Resolution

The course focuses on human communication in the context of conflict. It addresses the challenges of effective communication and its role in resolving conflict. Attention is paid to the most effective methods of communication used in dealing with differences particularly those used by dispute resolution professionals in the processes of negotiation and mediation.

HDDR 6316 Decision Theory

All dispute resolution involves decisions; in fact, you can argue that decision theory is the science underlying dispute resolution. As a conflict management professional, therefore, it is helpful to know how decisions are made in order to assist others in making decisions.

HDDR 6317 On-Line Dispute Resolution

Due to challenges of costs, speed, and jurisdiction, courts are not the best choice to handle online disputes. Rapidly expanding e-commerce, the growth in cross-boundary transactions, and the inability of traditional legal processes to deal with disputes arising over the web has created a need for redress options. ODR connects capable neutrals with parties in ways that bring efficiencies to inefficient online marketplaces. This course examines the development of ODR, the new challenges it poses to neutrals and systems designers, and looks at all the major providers, administrative agencies, and international organizations currently involved. This is accomplished with state-of-the-art ODR technologies through a series of simulations.

HDDR 6318 Finance & Property

An overview of the financial issues involved in dispute resolution. The current and historical structure of financial relationships and the financial interests among disputing parties are major issues in the dispute resolution areas. Attention will be given to preparing students in understanding various financial factors and developing skills and tools to assess, analyze, design and facilitate resolutions. The course is designed to be both a theoretical and practical course enabling the student to apply knowledge and skills directly. It is designed to be an interactive course to stretch the thinking of all students.

HDDR 6320 Selected Topics in Dispute Resolution

With variable course content, students will explore topics of interest as related to the general application of dispute resolution.

Spring Term 2009:  Purpose Driving Practice: The Ideological Foundations of Third Party Intervention

This course explores the ideological bases of third party conflict intervention.  It examines how implicit assumptions about the nature of conflict, human capability, and human interaction shape and define various forms of conflict intervention work.  Special attention is given to ideological assumptions underlying problem-solving, harmony, and transformative approaches to conflict intervention practice.  By studying the ideological roots of various approaches to conflict intervention, practitioners are able to approach their work without relying simply on the acquisition of intervention tools and techniques.  Rather, they are able to rely on the link between purpose and practice – how core ideological assumptions drive the choices practitioners make when intervening in conflicts across all dispute settings.  Through readings, class discussions, and interactive exercises, participants in this course will develop the ability to analyze the ideological assumptions and values that are at the heart of various third party processes, and to consider the social impact and potential of various forms of third party intervention.

May Term 2009:  Facilitating Multi-Party Conflicts

Students will compare and contrast facilitation and mediation as tools for building agreement and consensus.  The fundamentals of creating a multi-party consensus process will be introduced and explored, including the identification of appropriate stakeholders and techniques designed to bring the necessary parties to the table.   Critical skills such as appreciative inquiry, paraphrasing or re-framing, synthesis and problem-solving will be covered in the context of negotiating multi-party conflict.

Legal Concentration

HDDR 6330 Criminal Justice & Dispute Resolution

Covers the techniques and procedures of conflict resolution as applied to the criminal justice system.

HDDR 6331 Domestic Relations (Divorce & Child)

With a divorce rate of 50% for first marriages and a higher rate for subsequent marriages, domestic relations (family) issues abound and present interesting and challenging opportunities for third party neutrals. This course will provide the student with the basic skills and knowledge to help families resolve their disputes. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate knowledge and application of the fundamental legal concepts governing common domestic relations issues, the fundamentals of mediating domestic relations cases, the understanding and use of terminology relating to domestic relations law and the ethical obligations of a mediator in a domestic relations case. This course will fulfill the requirements of §154.052. (b) of the Texas ADR Act for qualification to mediate parent-child relationship issues

HDDR 6332 Family Law

No area of law touches our lives more than family law.  It is also an area ripe with conflict and presents more opportunities for third party neutrals than just about any other kind of dispute.  Designed with a non-legal audience in mind, this course will provide a solid foundation for students who wish learn more about alternative dispute resolution and its role in resolving family disputes. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate knowledge and application of legal terminology and principles, the Texas Family Code, other sources of family law, family dynamics, child development and in addition will be able to recognize common family law issues while gaining an understanding of alternative dispute resolution from a family law perspective.

HDDR 6333 Advanced Family Mediation

This course is designed to build upon the student’s knowledge and ability to serve as a third party neutral in a domestic relations (family) law case.  More complicated facts and issues will be presented and discussed such as how abusive relationship impact the parties and dispute resolution. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate the knowledge, application and understanding of more complex domestic relations issues, and how cases involving these issues can be successfully mediated.

HDDR 6334 Personal Injury & Dispute Resolution

The application of dispute resolution to wrongs or damages done to another, either to his/her person, rights, reputation or property is the focus of analysis for this course.

HDDR 6335 American Legal Systems II

Building on the legal methods and procedures introduced in Foundations I, this class will further expand analytical and research skills and explore the law of torts and contracts.

HDDR 6336 Selected Topics in Legal Dispute Resolution

May Term 2008 - Advanced Topics in Mediation and Dispute Resolution
This course explores important legal and policy issues that concern the field of mediation. It aims to challenge students to think critically about these issues with a view toward contributing to mediation’s continued evolution.  Topics that are explored include (1) the mediator’s role in fostering justice, (2) diversity and gender issues, (3) confidentiality, (4) mediator training, accreditation and licensure, (5) proper uses of mediation; (6) mediation and the court system, and (7) the future of the profession.  The course will involve discussion of weekly readings, role plays and exercises.  Students will be graded on both participation and a final paper.

Organizational Concentration

HDDR 6340 Commercial Dispute Resolution

Focus is on business and corporate transactions for the use of varied dispute resolution procedures. Special attention is given to multi-party negotiation, contract disputes, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and EEOC complaints..

HDDR 6341 Employment Law

The employer/employee relationship drives the economic engine of our society. In this relationship that engages so many significant interests, it is no surprise that serious conflicts occur. Through employment law, legislatures and judges attempt to regulate the complex competing interests of employers and employees. This course will cover the most significant statutes and cases that apply to the employment life cycle from recruitment through termination, with an emphasis on the rights and responsibilities of employers and individual employees. Areas covered will include, among others, at will employment, fair labor standards and pay, discrimination, work conditions, and disability and illness. Collective bargaining will not be included.

HDDR 6342 Human Resource Management

A growing specialty is the designation within organizations of a dispute resolution consultant capable of diagnosing and applying conflict resolution approaches. This course takes dispute resolution into the workplace to avoid costly and time-consuming litigation. Students will examine the major functions typically entrusted to a human resources organization within a business environment. Topics such as proper applicant sourcing, understanding EEO obligations, wage and salary administration, managing employee performance, the disciplinary process, proper investigation of complaints, involuntary terminations, post-separation activities, etc. will be examined. The focus will be on developing a course of action to identify causes of disputes and develop a cause of action through model “best practices” and legally compliant practices for resolution of such disputes.

HDDR 6343 Insurance & Dispute Resolution

Dispute resolution specialists learn to handle the multiple forms of insurance issues and conflicts. Students apply procedures that serve as the backdrop for role simulations and the development of specific skills.

HDDR 6344 Organizational Change Management

Students are provided with a model for organizational change and change management. Students learn the sources of conflict and disruption that accompany traumatic organizational transitions. They also discover how the facilitation skills that are employed in micro-interventions (the facilitation of single teams), must be adapted to meet the facilitation needs of large-scale organizational change projects. This course also contrasts more traditional problem-solving approaches to change management with those represented by the social constructionist perspective and the use of appreciative inquiry.

HDDR 6345 Organizational Communication

Organizational communications focuses on the central role of human communication in creating, sustaining, managing and resolving conflicts in organizational contexts. Substantial attention will be paid to: 1) examining contemporary communication theories and social scientific approaches relevant to understanding the causes, effects, and effective management of conflict in organizations and 2) specific communication strategies, tactics, skills, and methods that are the most effective in managing conflicts. The graduate-level, seminar format provides advanced opportunities to analyze case studies and to role-play appropriate behavior in conflict scenarios. The student who completes the course will be competent to analyze problems and conflict situations in a complex and in-depth way and to demonstrate communication competence in conflict situations.

HDDR 6346 Organizational Consulting Skills

Students will apply dispute resolution skills as either external consultants or internal consultants and business partners. The class introduces the basic core elements of organizational consulting, including establishing trust with clients, establishing expectations of the consulting problems, planning a consulting intervention, and managing a consulting intervention.

HDDR 6347 Systems Design in Dispute Resolution

Executives in the new millennium are facing an ever increasing number of organizational disputes in the form of customer complaints, employee grievances, charges of discrimination, contractual disagreements, law suits, and unhealthy competition within and between work groups. Organizations are inclined to handle these conflicts on a case by case basis or use adversarial approaches that often escalate the situation and result in expensive solutions later on. An effective dispute resolution system can offer a constructive approach to managing a wide range of organizational conflicts. These systems provide an integrative and comprehensive way to minimize conflict and resolve disputes when they arise.

HDDR 6348 Team Building Theory and Practice

Team Building: Theory and Practice introduces students to factors that support or impede the performance of work teams, and helps students develop foundation skills in team building. Students learn the differences between meeting facilitation, team development, and team interventions. They are also given opportunities to self-assess their readiness for team building, by understanding the competencies required of effective team building consultants. Students are introduced to skills for identifying team performance issues, and for linking those issues to underlying dysfunctional team dynamics. Students are also introduced to a variety of skills for helping to expedite team problem solving, and for addressing performance challenges within and across work teams.

HDDR 6351 Workplace Conflict

This course provides an introduction to the sources and causes of conflict within business organizations, and explains some of the implementation issues, such as working with multiple and often polarized senior stakeholders, that must be addressed when implementing mediation and conflict resolution services within business settings. Exercises and case studies are used to help students assess workplace conflicts, and to determine the most effective processes for applying dispute resolution support to business clients.

HDDR 6352 Selected Organizational Topics

With variable course content, students will explore topics of interest as related to the organizational concentration of dispute resolution.

Jan Term 2010:  Group Dynamics and Meeting Facilitation
     A critical issue facing many organizations is how to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their meetings. To improve performance in this area organizational leaders are increasingly relying on the skills of trained third-party meeting facilitators. This course provides students with basic foundation skills in meeting facilitation. Students learn how to determine the client’s goals for a meeting and how to quickly assess factors that directly influence meeting outcomes. They discover how to use the meeting planning session to help the client uncover and address potential roadblocks to meeting success, and how to employ process observation skills for effectively directing the meeting process. Students learn how to apply meeting facilitation skills to the management of unique meeting events, such as executive decision making sessions, strategic planning retreats, and project planning sessions.    
    While meeting facilitation skills can be used within any group context, this course also shows students also learn how to apply meeting facilitation to improve the performance of permanent work teams, and to help these teams identify recurring communication issues which may be impeding their performance. In doing so, students develop critical prerequisite process observation skills, should they wish to continue on to the second course in this two-course series, Team Building: Theory & Practice.

May Term 2010:  Leadership for Successful Organizations
       These turbulent times require ethical leaders, skilled in collaboration, innovation and communication.  This course enables participants to master the competencies of leadership presented by Joan Goldsmith and Warren Bennis in their book Learning to Lead.  Discussions, activities and lectures explore strategies to create a balanced life; thinking styles to produce quality results; webs of association to link transformative connections, and coaching techniques to build powerful teams, presented by Joan Goldsmith and Kenneth Cloke in The Art of Waking People Up:  Cultivating Awareness and Authenticity at Work.

#HDDR 6352 SUMMER TERM 2010:  International Organizational Consulting
     This course introduces participants to the processes and approaches that have been successfully used by both consultants and organizations to build and sustain organizational collaboration.  The course is unique in providing students with access both to US-based approaches to collaboration and consulting, and approaches that work within international settings. This approach is based on the assumption that while many national cultures share a common interest in building collaborative work environments, the approaches and techniques that are used to build collaboration vary greatly by country and national culture. Simply put, what works for US domestic organizations is not always applicable to international organizations, or those based in other countries. Accordingly, the course is designed to provide students with maximum exposure to international best practices.

HDDR 6370  Assessment and Interviewing
    This course serves as the foundation for the three-course executive coaching series and certification program in executive coaching. Students obtain a basic introduction to coaching, including its purpose, applications, and how coaching differs from counseling or mediation. Students learn how to make certain that all parties (the coachee, coachee’s manager, and sponsoring organization) share the same expectations of the coaching process. Students also learn how to conduct in-depth assessment interviews with their coachees, and with other organizational stakeholders. The course also introduces students to the use of 360o tools, and shows them how to integrate 360o and interview data into a consolidated assessment report. Finally, students learn how to develop a coaching contract and conduct an initial post-contracting interview.

HDDR 6371  Transitional and Developmental Coaching
    This is the second course in the executive coaching series and focuses on learning to provide coaching to leaders who are making transitions into new work settings (transitional coaching), or who are preparing to take on broader organizational roles (developmental coaching).  Students will learn to identify underlying organizational and leadership factors that could contribute to  a transitional leader's success or failure in a new work setting.  Assessing the leadership style, experience and communication factors that have been shown to be associated with a leader's potential to succeed within high-level job assignments.  Coursework will also involve comparing and contrasting development hurdles leaders must overcome as they prepare for different organizational levels and identifying behaviors and learning approaches that have been demonstrated by leaders who have performed well.

HDDR 6372  Performance Coaching
    This is the third course in the executive coaching track, which leads to the Certificate in Executive Coaching.  Performance coaching helps managers address significant behavioral problems or leadership style issues that are adversely impacting their work performance.  This course introduces students to research on interpersonal and leadership style issues that have been shown to play key roles in leadership success or failure.  Students are also introduced to research related to leadership "derailment", or failure patterns observed in managers who have been previously assessed as being high-potential leaders.  Within this course, students learn about the most common performance coaching challenges that are likely to be encountered in performance coaching.  They learn how to meet and address resistance to coaching and learn the intricacies of client contracting, with particular attention to establishing clear and detailed expectations for performance improvement.  Students will also engage in practice conducting performance coaching sessions.

Social Service Concentration

HDDR 6360 Counseling & Interviewing

Focus is on the necessary skills for effective interviewing with emphasis placed on methods of inquiry and fact finding. It is the study of the function and professional skills ADR professionals during the critical processes of interviewing and counseling. Substantive focus of the course is on preventive law and client-centered planning. The course draws from fields of communication and psychology as well as law. The emphasis is on learning through simulation exercises, case studies and discussions.

HDDR 6361 Cross Cultural & Gender Negotiation

Students examine the relationship of identity, gender, culture and ethnicity to conflict dynamics in the negotiation process. Individual and collective oriented cultures will be compared. The use of body language and physical spacing in negotiation will be explored. Students will discuss the use of language, narratives, and metaphors and how the concept of apology and forgiveness is a culture and gender dependent issue. The focus is to increase the student’s sensitivity and awareness to these issues and to practice skills that will make them more effective conflict resolvers.

HDDR 6362 Education & Dispute Resolution

The course will survey the various elements and participants involved in conflict in educational settings from kindergarten through college and beyond.  Participants will explore the processes utilized to resolve conflict in such settings, and gain insight into the how these conflicts differ from those in other areas.

HDDR 6363 Health Care & Dispute Resolution

A survey of situations and issues where conflict commonly develops in the health care field with it’s unique culture and systems. Focus includes quality review standards, malpractice, and bio-ethical disputes.

HDDR 6364 International Conflict Management

This course will discuss the provocative topic of international relations and dispute resolution. The world is rapidly changing, and these changes are opening the door for the application of negotiation and mediation as well as other dispute resolution mechanisms. Students will also probe national and international human rights in the coming global and politically re-aligned world.

HDDR 6365 Public Policy & Dispute Resolution

An intensive study of the application of dispute resolution techniques to environmental disputes and the wider areas of public policy. Specific areas of study include complex multiparty litigation, multi-stakeholder/citizen groups participation, adversarial negotiations with governmental entities, reparation of settlement documents, and the still new field of negotiated rule making.

HDDR 6366 Religion & Dispute Resolution

When the usually peaceful ambiance of a church becomes embroiled in conflict and controversy involving parishioners, constituent groups, employees, governing bodies or even outside organizations, conflict resolution and mediation become the focus. Particular emphasis will be placed on equipping students in skills for mediating interpersonal and group conflict in churches, employing a transformational model of mediation placed within the context of family systems theory. Active and practical in focus, the course emphasizes hands-on skills training and real-life roleplays based on the types of conflict typically found in churches. Although focused primarily on the church setting, the skills learned are directly transferable to other settings. This course also satisfies the Texas State Requirement for basic mediation training.

HDDR 6367 Selected Topics in Social Service Dispute Resolution

Spring Term 2010:  Media Wars:  Managing Conflict Created by Inaccurate or Inflammatory Content in Traditional and New Media  Inaccurate or inflammatory content and prematurely released or unverified information in today’s many media outlets can easily cause internal conflict and reputational harm for any organization.  This course examines the role that traditional print and broadcast media as well as new media such as internet sites, blogs, Twitter and email play in creating and amplifying organizational conflict.  Through case studies, readings, class discussions, skill-building exercises and damage-control planning, the course will give students hands-on experience and tools to help reduce so-called “viral” harm set in motion by bad headlines, mistaken “buzz,” deliberate misinformation, and erroneous media reports.    

 

 

 Optional Field & Clinical Experiences

HDDR 6108 Practicum II

Continued exposure to actual court-annexed mediation referrals from area courts. Students will do a minimum of two mediations.

HDDR 6109 Practicum III

Continued exposure to actual court-annexed mediation referrals from area courts. Students will do a minimum of two mediations

HDDR 6121 Independent Study
HDDR 6122 Professional Seminar I
HDDR 6123 Professional Seminar II
HDDR 6124 Professional Seminar III

HDDR 6221 EEOC – Internship
HDDR 6222 Independent Study
HDDR 6223 School Internship

HDDR 6321 Advanced Research Methods
HDDR 6322 Independent Study