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Appendix A
The University of North Carolina
Notification of Intent to Plan a New Baccalaureate, Master’s, or C.A.S. Program
THE PURPOSE OF ACADEMIC PROGRAM PLANNING: Planning a new academic degree program provides an
opportunity for an institution to make the case for need and demand and for its ability to offer a quality program.
This notification, and the planning activity to follow, do not guarantee that authorization to establish will be
granted..
Date: 10/28/2010
Constituent Institution: University of North Carolina Wilmington
Discipline Specialty Title: Department of Public and International Affairs
CIP Discipline Specialty Number: 30.0501
Level: B
M X C.A.S. ___
Exact Title of the Proposed Program: Master of Arts in Conflict Management and Resolution
Exact Degree Abbreviation (e.g. B.S., B.A., M.A., M.S., C.A.S.):
M.A.
Does the proposed program constitute a substantive change as defined by SACS? Yes__ No_X_
a) Is it at a more advanced level than those previously authorized? Yes__ No_X_
b) Is the proposed program in a new discipline division? Yes____ No _X_
Approximate date for submitting the Request to Establish proposal (must be within one year of date
of submission of notification of intent to plan):
January 2011
Proposed date to establish degree: month August year 2011 (Date can be no sooner than six months
after the date of notification of intent to plan and must allow at least three months for review of the
request to establish, once submitted.)
1. Describe the proposed new degree program. The description should include:
a) a brief description of the program and a statement of educational objectives
b) the relationship of the proposed new program to the institutional mission and how the program
fits into the institution’s strategic plan
c) the relationship of the proposed new program to other existing programs at the institution
d) special features or conditions that make the institution a desirable, unique, or appropriate place to
initiate such a degree program.
a) The Department of Public and International Affairs proposes a minimum 36 hour
Master’s Degree in Conflict Management and Resolution. The proposal is a response to
increasing demand at the international and domestic levels for core skills in managing
conflict.
Since the early 1970’s, the practice of conflict resolution has grown rapidly in the United
States and now includes dispute-resolution systems at both the domestic and international
levels. Programs in Conflict Management grow out of the belief that collaborative
responses to conflict are most effective in building long-term relationships that best serve
the interests of all parties, whether on a domestic or international level.
At the domestic level, conflict management is conducted in business and industry, in
public dispute resolution processes in local and state government, arbitration centers and
Notification of Intent to Plan a Master of Arts in Conflict Management and Resolution
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peer mediation in schools, colleges and community settlement centers. It is also quite
common in the mediation of family conflicts. At the international and comparative level,
conflict mediation and negotiation is progressively utilized in several agencies as well as
governmental and non-governmental organizations. Dr. Lyn Snodgrass, Director of the
Masters program in Conflict Transformation and Management at the Nelson Mandela
Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa suggests, that the study of conflict
is closely related to the study of politics, where the latter
… is largely a focus on the systems designed by societies to reconcile competing values
and interests in society. In this regard, coups, war, rebellions and revolutions are
examples of the failure of institutional political conflict management systems.
Everywhere, there are attempts to negotiate these interests and to realign relations within
and between nations, communities and organizations. The costs of poorly managed
conflict are enormous when the results are political upheaval and war. At a less
spectacular level failed conflict management exacts a heavy price at the micro or macrolevels.
Given its mission to “reconcile competing values and interests in society,” the
department of Public and International Affairs (PIA) would be a natural home for this
program.
In this way, the graduate degree in conflict management and resolution would assist both
students with a variety of undergraduate disciplines as well as working professionals in
understanding and responding to a variety of conflict settings, including interpersonal
conflict, third-party facilitation and mediation and larger group conflict and gain the
skills required to facilitate high conflict meetings and scenarios. Indeed, the overall goal
of the program is to give graduates the knowledge and skill set to manage conflict in
diverse environments. In order to better address the various career goals of our students,
the program will have two tracks: Domestic and International. The International Track
will have an added International Security dimension to it.
b) PIA’s proposed graduate program in conflict management embraces UNCW’s Strategic
goal # 4 and The UNCW Tomorrow Report. Strategic goal #4 states the commitment to
“create an educational environment that prepares our students to be global citizens.” To
that end, UNCW is committed to developing global citizens who:
•
demonstrate knowledge of the complexity and interconnectedness of environmental, sociocultural, and geopolitical issues
•
communicate effectively within and among diverse cultural groups. (This includes verbal and
non-verbal modes of communication.)
•
respect cultural differences and embrace common humanity.
The UNC Tomorrow Commission found that “UNC should educate its students to be
personally and professionally successful in the 21st century and, to do so, should
enhance the global competitiveness of its institutions and their graduates.” (Sec. 4.1)
Notification of Intent to Plan a Master of Arts in Conflict Management and Resolution
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c) The proposed graduate program in conflict management as suggested above is
multidisciplinary in that it straddles international affairs, world conflict,
communication, psychology, sociology, social work and organizational behavior.
As such, the program does not conflict with any other graduate program offered at
UNCW and only enhances the Certificate in Conflict Management and Resolution.
d) Because PIA’s Graduate Degree in Conflict Management and Resolution is meant to
attract undergraduates from a variety of disciplines, mid-career professionals from the
community, Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, and the region at large, it will follow a dualformat blended-course model: intensive instructional blocks followed by selfpaced but guided distance education. In this way the program is unique and offers
an alternative to on-line as well as, face-to-face instruction.
•
The initial and intensive set of instructional blocks will span approximately two
weeks duration, presented at the beginning of the fall and spring semester of each
year. Some courses may utilize virtual-classroom technology other courses will use
the traditional face-to-face mode of instruction. During this period, there will be
concentrated faculty-student interaction that includes seminars and individual
discussions. Most initial blocks will be presented using a two-to-three day
“workshop” format, designed to be highly interactive, and to facilitate a process of
guided discovery. In preparation for the next course segment, students are provided
with comprehensive module guides, including extensive reading lists, access to online journals and material and advice for learning.
•
For the remainder of the semester, using a distance-education format, students will
be required to continue their study and submit course papers for evaluation. This
segment will be heavily Web-assisted and student-teacher contact will be maintained
through newsletters, email, and Skype technology.
The blended-course combination of intensive-block and distance-education formats
will provide a face-to-face and virtual-learning environment that will create a
program that is accessible to a wider audience, even at remote sites. This dual-format
blended-course approach will be particularly compatible with the frequent TDY and
duty-station reassignments of military personnel.
There is an enormous amount of interest in this type of program for personnel
whether civilian or active duty that are employed by the surrounding military bases in
North Carolina. Education officers from Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune expressed a
deep interest in the program – particularly the semi-distance blended model. There is
little need to emphasize how a program in conflict management and resolution would
facilitate the military’s professionalism in any on-going or potential conflict.
UNCW’s location is strategically unique to offer this program to the military, both
locally and nationally. Firstly, UNCW is one hour away from Coastal Carolina
Community College (UNCW’s satellite location) and Camp Lejeune where our
Graduate Certificate in Conflict Management and Resolution delivers face-to-face
instruction on weekends during the short teaching block and in VTC rooms during
the week. We are in the process of establishing a similar model to be delivered at Fort
Bragg. Secondly, North Carolina overall is unique in that it houses 18 Special
Operations bases – an overwhelming amount in one state. Because our delivery
Notification of Intent to Plan a Master of Arts in Conflict Management and Resolution
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system accommodates the needs of the military overall, it is a natural fit that UNCW
is the university to flagship for the graduate degree in conflict management. Indeed,
skills are sought that will facilitate mediating the extraordinary conditions faced by
many both at home and abroad. Hence, the proposed graduate program will aim to be
multi-disciplinary in substance and essence but as proposed above, housed in the
Department of Public and International Affairs.
Another unique dimension to the program is our relationship with the Nelson
Mandela Metropolitan University’s (NMMU) Master’s Degree in Conflict
Transformation and Management. At present we have faculty exchanges and are in
the process of creating a sustainable relationship between our two programs that will
also accommodate students. This will add an international dimension to the graduate
degree as well as our existing Certificate in Conflict Management and Resolution.
Indeed, the dual-format blended-course model which is also utilized by NMMU
opens up enormous possibilities for partnering up with other universities and
campuses as we expand.
2. List all other public and private institutions of higher education in North Carolina currently operating
programs similar to the proposed new degree program.
The University of North Carolina Greensboro has both a 36 hour Master of Arts in
Conflict Resolution as well as a 15 hour graduate Certificate Program in Conflict
Resolution. There are two concurrent cohorts, one residential and one on-line. UNG’s
residential program began in 2005 and the on-line program began in 2006.According to
the enrollment records, 366 people have applied to the program since its inception and
there are currently108 students in the program. Over 20 MAs graduated between
December 2008 and May 2009.and there are 65 Alumni. While there are only 6 enrolled
in the Certificate program, many students opt to roll over into the MA in Conflict
Resolution. Overall however, there is clearly an interest in a conflict management
program.
While both programs are offered on-line, UNCW’s proposed graduate degree has several
benefits. Firstly, we will be offering a blended-course program where the first is a virtual
or face-to-face intensive teaching format and the following, a distance education format
that is self-paced. Unlike on-line courses, the blended course does not require consistent
access to on-line resources in order to complete the assignments. Rather, students are
provided with materials and resources upon leaving campus after intensive training.
Students will have access to instructors and web-assisted materials throughout the term
via email, Skype, or telephone if necessary. Students who are enrolled in the Masters
program will have consistent access to on-campus resources as well as to the webassisted materials. Secondly, UNCW will be partnering with the Nelson Mandela
Metropolitan University adding an international dimension to conflict transformation.
Moreover, faculty from our South African partner will be teaching on a semi-regular
basis internationalizing the program even further. The Master of Arts in Conflict
Notification of Intent to Plan a Master of Arts in Conflict Management and Resolution
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Management and Resolution alongside the Certificate in Conflict Management and
Resolution offered at UNCW combines a unique set of professional, academic and
international elements which will hold its own while complementing programs already
offered in the UNC system.
3. Estimate the number of students that would be enrolled in the program during the first year of
operation: Full-Time___35___
Part-Time____20__
4. If there are plans to offer the program away from campus during the first year of operation:
a) briefly describe these plans, including potential sites and possible method(s) of delivering
instruction.
b) indicate any similar programs being offered off-campus in North Carolina by other institutions
(public or private)
c) estimate the number of students that would be enrolled in the program during the first year of
operation: Full-Time______
Part-Time______
5. List the names, titles, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of the person(s) responsible for
planning the proposed program.
Dr. Remonda Kleinberg
Associate Professor
Department of Public and International Affairs
kleinbergr@uncw.edu
office: 910-962-4254
cell: 910-264-3991
This intent to plan a new program has been reviewed and approved by the appropriate campus committees
and authorities.
Chancellor
Notification of Intent to Plan a Master of Arts in Conflict Management and Resolution