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Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution

Description

Our alternative dispute resolution (ADR) curriculum prepares students to manage conflict professionally as well as in their personal lives. The use of ADR continues to grow as individuals and organizations recognize the importance of using cost-effective and humane means to address disputes. Increasingly, firms and organizations that use ADR in their internal and external conflicts value employees with ADR competencies. To document that our graduates are both knowledgeable and practiced in this subject, the Institute of Applied Economics now offers the Professional Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution and the Certificate of Mediation Training Completion.

Professional Certificate

The Professional Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution is available to students who complete a total of 12 hours comprised of three required courses and one elective course described below. Upon completion of the 12 hours of course study in Alternative Dispute Resolution, the student must submit a written request to the ADR advisor for issuance of the Professional Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution.  Request forms are available in Chilton Hall, Room 263, or on the Internet at http://www.unt.edu/adrstudies/certificates.htm

Students who successfully complete the Mediation Course (AECO 4000) and Practicum (AECO 4420) are also eligible to receive the Certificate of Mediation Training Completion for satisfying the basic mediation training requirement of the Texas Alternative Dispute Resolution Act (Section 154.052, Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Act.)  A separate request form must be submitted for the Mediation Certificate.

NOTE TO GRADUATE STUDENTS: If there is a graduate (5000) level course equivalent to any course listed below, the graduate student may complete that course for credit toward the Certificate. Student must obtain prior approval from the ADR Advisor for all course substitutions.

NOTE TO ALL STUDENT: No notation of the Certificate in ADR will appear on your official transcript. In order to receive transcript documentation concerning ADR, you must fulfill the requirements for the Interdisciplinary Minor in ADR.

Courses

Required Courses (9 hours):

AECO 4000 - Mediation

This course defines and examines the process of mediation. It explores the history and development of mediation and introduces theories of conflict management. The course also reviews the diverse settings of mediation, such as domestic, commercial, non-profit, employment, and institutional environments. Within each of these settings, significant legal, ethical, professional, cultural, and gender considerations are explored. Students participate in mediation exercises and simulations.

AECO 4120 - Negotiation and Dispute Resolution

This course introduces the fundamentals of nonlitigation-based dispute resolution and negotiation strategies for a variety of business, professional, and personal settings. Learning and skills are developed through lecture, role playing, out-of-class assignments, case studies, and negotiation simulations.

AECO 4420 - Practicum in Mediation and Dispute Resolution

This course provides an opportunity for students to round-out their education in dispute resolution through participation in numerous exercises, simulations, and actual mediations and/or other forms of alternative dispute resolution. PREREQUISITE: AECO 4000 (2120).

Elective Courses (3 hours):

This course covers mediation as a method for handling the issues that arise in divorce or separation, as a family life skill, and as a method for maintaining intact families. A background in family law is not presumed, and basic Texas family law is covered. PREREQUISITE: AECO 4000 (2120)

AECO 4020 - Workplace ADR

This course is a review of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to address sources of conflict in the workplace. It examines procedures and benefits of arbitration, mediation, ombudspersons, minitrials, neutral fact-finding, and other alternatives to litigation-based conflict resolution. Trends in use and ethical/professional considerations are examined.

AECO 4040 - Crisis Intervention

This course provides an overview of hostage negotiation and crisis intervention from the perspective of multinational employers, government security, law enforcement agencies and other organizations. It introduces students to individuals who have intervened in crisis situations and reviews strategies used by crisis negotiators to resolve conflicts that potentially could escalate into life-threatening situations. Instruction includes a review of tactics, techniques, behaviors, emotions, and motivations of the intervenors or negotiators, the suspects, and the victims.

AECO 4980 - Foundations in Dispute Resolution

This is a pilot course exploring the history of conflict resolution and its evolution as a peace-making methodology and interdisciplinary practice. The course will examine the dynamics and origins of conflict as well as  compare and contrast historic and current conflict resolution models as presented in mythology, religion, tribalism, government, and media.  Students successfully completing this course will gain an historic insight into conflict resolution and its evolutionary development as a foundation for understanding this continuously developing discipline and its many approaches.

Advising

The ADR Advisor in Applied Economics is Dr. William McKee. Dr. McKee is a nationally recognized arbitrator/mediator and is responsible for the development and implementation of UNT’s ADR program. He also heads the University-based  Dispute Resolution System.

Dr. McKee’s office is located in Chilton Hall, Room 263. He can be reached for appointments at (940) 565-3445 or by e-mail.

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