2014-2015 Undergraduate Bulletin

Dispute Resolution Minor

The Dispute Resolution Minor and Dispute Resolution Certificate provide students with an opportunity to learn about the causes, complex dynamics, escalation, de-escalation, and constructive resolution of conflicts in a variety of contexts, from the interpersonal to the international levels. Students also gain knowledge and techniques necessary to negotiate, facilitate, and mediate a wide range of situations. The Dispute Resolution coursework will be invaluable for students in their personal lives, at work, and in graduate school, especially for those students who will enter professions like law, social work, business, etc., where sorting through conflicts is essential.

Learning Outcomes. Upon completion of the Dispute Resolution Minor or Dispute Resolution Certificate, students will:

  • Recognize the causes of conflict.
  • Understand the dynamics and progression of conflict.
  • Think more critically about how to process conflict situation.
  • Utilize dispute resolution techniques and skills needed to negotiate, facilitate, and mediate in a variety of contexts.

Additionally, upon completion of the Certificate, the students will have a deeper understanding about conflict and its resolution, and will be able to better apply the skills and knowledge practiced during their internship experience.

Matriculated students who complete this certificate program receive a certificate in dispute resolution from John Jay College, authorized by the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York and the New York State Department of Education upon successful completion of coursework and a practicum.

Rationale. The Certificate Program and the Minor in Dispute Resolution enhance a student’s undergraduate portfolio, regardless of major. Students will acquire a solid understanding of conflict, its causes, progression, complexity, and management. For students who cannot complete the 30-credit certificate program, the 18-credit minor will still allow them to deepen their critical understanding of conflict. In a global community, understanding and managing conflict should be a core area of study for all students. The Dispute Resolution Certificate Program and Minor at John Jay College offers undergraduate students a unique opportunity, unavailable at most colleges and universities.

Credits required. 18 credits for minor

Please note: Students cannot earn both the minor and the certificate in Dispute Resolution.

Prerequisite. SOC 101. This course fulfills the Flexible Core: Individual and Society area of the College’s general education requirements. Individual courses listed below may have their own prerequisites. Students are advised to carefully read all course descriptions in this Undergraduate Bulletin when planning their programs, and should consult with the program coordinator.

Program and minor coordinator. Professor Maria Volpe, Department of Sociology (212.237.8692, mvolpe@jjay.cuny.edu)

Additional information. Students who enrolled for the first time at the College in September 2012 or thereafter must complete the minor in the form presented here. Students who enrolled prior to that date may choose the form shown here or the earlier version of the minor. A copy of the earlier version can be obtained in the 2011–2012 Undergraduate Bulletin, available at http://johnjay.jjay.cuny.edu/bulletins/undergraduatebulletin20112012.pdf.

Requirements. A maximum of two courses can overlap with a student’s major, other minors or programs.

Part One. Required Courses

SOC 206The Sociology of Conflict and Dispute Resolution

3

SOC 380Sociology Laboratory in Dispute Resolution Skill Building

3

Total Credit Hours: 6

Part Two. Electives

Select four

Note: Students are encouraged to take courses from a variety of disciplines.

AFR 110Race and the Urban Community

3

AFR 121Africana Communities in the U.S.

3

AFR 215Police and Urban Communities

3

AFR 229Restoring Justice: Making Peace and Resolving Conflict

3

ANT 315Systems of Law

3

ANT 330American Cultural Pluralism and the Law

3

DRA 325Drama Techniques in Crisis Intervention

3

ECO 280Economics of Labor

3

GEN 205Gender and Justice

3

ISP Interdisciplinary Studies Program

LAW 206The American Judiciary

3

LLS 241Latina/os and the City

3

PHI 105Critical Thinking and Informal Logic

3

PHI 302Philosophical Issues of Rights

3

PHI 310/LAW 310Ethics and Law

3

POL 206Urban Politics

3

POL 305Constitutional Rights and Liberties

3

PSC 202Police and Community Relations

3

PSC 245Community Policing

3

PSY 336Group Dynamics

3

PSY 353Theories of Personality

3

PSY 375Family Conflict and the Family Court

3

SOC 160Social Aspects of Alcohol Abuse

3

SOC 202/PSY 202The Family: Change, Challenges and Crisis Intervention

3

SOC 213/PSY 213Race and Ethnic Relations

3

SOC 236/CRJ 236Victimology

3

SOC 282Selected Topics in Sociology

3

SOC 305The Sociology of Law

3

SOC 308The Sociology of Violence

3

Various Departments: Fieldwork Practicum

ISP Interdisciplinary Studies Program, SOC 282: If applicable, with permission of the Dispute Resolution Coordinator.

Total Credit Hours: 12

Total Credit Hours: 18