KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE PROGRAM/CONCENTRATION PROPOSAL
FORM 02/25/04
PROGRAM OR CONCENTRATION NAME: MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CONFLICT
MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT: POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE: FALL 2014
Check One or More of the Following and Complete the Appropriate Sections
_____New Program Proposal**
__X__Change in Program/Concentration/Degree Requirements
_____New Concentration Proposal
Sections to be Completed
All
III – VII, XII
I – VII, XII
**A new course proposal is required for each new course that is part of the new program
Submitted by:
SHERRILL W. HAYES_______________________________
Faculty Member
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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Department Curriculum Committee
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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Department Chair
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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College Curriculum Committee
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
___________________________________________________
College Dean
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
___________________________________________________
GPCC Chair
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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Dean, Graduate Collelge
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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Vice President for Academic Affairs
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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President
Date
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA
NEW GRADUATE PROGRAM PROPOSAL
TITLE
Kennesaw State University
DATE
DEPARTMENT
COLLEGE
Proposed Start Date:
CIP:______
I.
Program Description
Unique Aspects of Program
Institutional Importance of the Program
KSU's Strategic Plan
System and State of Georgia Goals
Staffing, Facilities and Enrollment
II Objectives of the Program
III Justification and Need for the Program
The Master of Science in Conflict Management (MSCM) was first offered in Fall 2000.
As a premium-priced, cohort-based, executive style program, faculty and staff work
closely with students over the course of their 16 months in the program, both in classes
on alternating weekends and during their field experiences. Because faculty and students
work so closely, faculty can modify and focus content during the course the curriculum
and occasionally it becomes evident that some of these changes should be formalized into
the curriculum.
Since the inception of the program, there has only been one curriculum change in the
program (Fall 2009), which focused primarily on modifying the credit structure. We felt
that the program needed an update based on program assessments, student feedback, the
addition of new faculty, changes in the field, and the creation of the PhD program in
International Conflict Management (INCM). The MSCM proposes to subdivide two
existing courses in the spring semester so that credit hours are allocated differently and
courses can be offered at different points in the program or in different combinations. The
proposed changes will allow more flexibility in the timing of courses, clearer distinction
of the curriculum offered for students, the future ability to create some embedded
certificates in the program, and opportunities INCM PhD students to take some skills
focused courses and reduce curricular overlap. These changes do not result in any new
curriculum, faculty, resources, graduates, or overall credit hours.
IV Procedures Used to Develop the Program
The changes proposed, primarily subdividing existing courses, were the result of student
feedback and faculty consultation. The feedback received caused us to reevaluate how
credit hours were assigned and the timing of courses. With 9 hours being a full-time load
for a graduate student, there was no flexibility to adjust the order of the courses or to pair
them with other courses during a single semester.
The MSCM Program currently has two full-time staff (one Administrative Director and
one Administrative Assistant), and four and a half faculty considered “core” to the
program. The faculty include two full professors, two associate professors (one of whom
serves as MSCM Program Director), and two assistant professors. All MSCM faculty are
appointed to the Department of Political Science and International Affairs and have
primary teaching assignments in the program, with the exception of one assistant
professor who is on a joint appointment with the Department of Psychology.
V Curriculum: Degree Program Requirements
The changes proposed, subdividing existing courses, were the result of student feedback
and faculty consultation. The feedback received caused us to reevaluate how credit hours
were assigned and the timing of courses. The MSCM program and curriculum can also
be more flexible with the proposed changes. By adapting to the needs and requests of
students, the program stays relevant and useful. We hope that through offering a program
of study that grows and changes with the students we serve, the MSCM will become even
more attractive to potential students. Additional faculty members have been hired since
the last curriculum revision to accommodate a wider range of options and growth in the
program; however, MSCM strives to maintain small cohorts with 25 students or less.
Catalog description
The primary objective of the MSCM is to produce students who: (1) understand the
nature of conflict from the perspective of multiple disciplines; (2) understand the
continuum of responses to conflict; (3) possess the necessary skills to facilitate the
management of various types of conflict; (4) demonstrate the ability to analyze and
research conflict in an organizational environment; (5) demonstrate the ability to design
conflict intervention procedures and strategies appropriate to a particular situation or
environment; (6) demonstrate the ability to evaluate the efficacy of a given intervention
or system of interventions; and (7) successfully participate in conflict management on a
practical level in one or more specific environments. The Master’s program prepares
students to identify and pursue opportunities for a new career based on conflict
management expertise. The MSCM also provides students with enhanced credentials to
pursue career advancement in an existing work environment.
Program Admission Requirements:

Completed Graduate Application for Admissions.

Application Fee of $60.

Official transcripts from all universities and colleges attended.

Official score report from the GRE, GMAT, or LSAT (requirement waived with
successful completion of an advanced degree).

Personal statement explaining why you are interested in the MSCM program and
what you plan to do with the degree.

A current resume or curriculum vitae.

Two letters of recommendation from professional or academic sources. The letters
should verify your ability to complete graduate level work and your potential for
excellence in the field of conflict management.

An official TOEFL or IELTS score report. Students from countries where English is
the primary or official language do not need to submit TOEFL scores. Students who
have an accredited US degree also do not need to submit TOEFL scores.
Course Offering Schedule and Plan-of-Study
Core Courses (36 Credit Hours)
 CM 7210 Foundations and Theories of Conflict Management: Conflict Theory
 CM 7220 Foundations and Theories of Conflict Management: Negotiation Theory
 CM 7230 Foundations and Theories of Conflict Management: ADR Continuum
 CM 7205 - Basic Mediation Skills
 CM 7305 - Advanced Conflict Management Skills
 CM 7310 Critical Knowledge and Skills of Conflict Management: Interpersonal,
Intergroup, and Community Conflict and Workplace/Organizational Conflicts
 CM 7310 Critical Knowledge and Skills of Conflict Management: Interpersonal,
Intergroup, and Community Conflict
 CM 7315 Organizational and Workplace Conflict
 CM 7325 Advanced Civil Mediation Clinic OR CM 7355 Advanced International
Mediation Clinic
 CM 7335 Organizational Leadership OR CM 7365 Humanitarian Crisis Intervention
 CM 7320 Critical Knowledge and Skills of Conflict Management: Public Policy
Disputes, Cross-Cultural and International Conflict Resolution
 CM 7400 - Conflict Management Research Methods
 CM 7500 - Conflict Management Systems Design
 CM 7600 - Study of a Specific Conflict Management Environment
 CM 7710 Domestic/The Practice of Conflict Management: Field Experience or CM 7715
International/The Practice of Conflict Management: Field Experience
 CM 7720 The Practice of Conflict Management: Field Study and Internship Reports
 CM 7705 - Advanced Applied Skills Training
Course Offering Schedule and Plan-of-Study
Due to the cohort nature of the MSCM program, all students take every class together, on
weekends where there are options, students are required to take one option. The following is a
schedule showing the order of courses. Whether students begin in fall or spring, they will follow
the same order of courses.
1st Semester
CM 7210
CM 7220
CM 7230
CM 7205
2nd Semester
3rd Semester
4th Semester
CM 7400
CM 7320
CM 7705
CM 7310
CM 7500
CM 7710 or CM 7715
CM 7315
CM 7600
CM 7720
CM 7325, CM 7355
CM 7335, CM 7365
*Indicates a skills clinic that could meet at various times throughout the semester.
Course Descriptions
CM 7100 - Introduction to Conflict Management
3 Credit Hours 3 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: Admission to graduate study.
This course presents an overview of the emerging movement toward alternative forms of conflict
resolution and of conflict management as an interdisciplinary field. Readings are drawn from a
broad range of academic disciplines, including law, economics, social psychology, sociology,
anthropology, political science, as well as dispute resolution. Students are introduced to conflict
resolution theories, dispute resolution processes, conflict management system design, and
application of conflict management to the public policy environment.
CM 7210 FTCM: Conflict Theory
3 Credit Hours 3 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: Admission to graduate study.
This course is designed to introduce students to the foundation and theories of conflict
management. The course includes an interdisciplinary introduction to conflict, the history of the
field, sources of conflict, and conflict theory. The course introduces students to the various
responses to conflict.
CM 7220 FTCM: Negotiation Theory
3 Credit Hours 3 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: Admission to graduate study.
Students will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of negotiation theory through a format
that includes lecture, role-play, focused exercises, and case study. Concepts covered will include
an introduction to game theory, distributive and integrative bargaining, principled negotiation,
psychological barriers to settlement, and negotiation ethics.
CM 7230 FTCM: ADR Continuum
1 Credit Hour 1 Class Hour 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: Admission to graduate study.
This course helps students develop an understanding of the nomenclature of alternative dispute
resolution (ADR) processes commonly used in the United States. The students will examine the
history and evolution of ADR, as well as briefly examining a number of individual processes in
detail, such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, early neutral evaluation, ombuds offices, etc.
CM 7205 Basic Mediation Skills
2 Credit Hours 2 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: Admission to graduate study.
This course is designed to provide students with basic mediation training approved by the
Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution for mediators handling court-referred or court-ordered
cases.
CM 7305 - Advanced Conflict Management Skills
2 Credit Hours 2 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: CM 7210; CM 7220; CM 7230; CM 7205.
This course is designed to provide students with advanced conflict management skills, including
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an introduction to diversity awareness, ombudsing, co-mediation, facilitation, multi-party
mediation, and train the trainer.
CM 7310 CKS: Interpersonal, Intergroup, and Community Conflict and
Workplace/Organizational Conflict
4 Credit Hours 4 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: CM 7210; CM 7220; CM 7230.
This course examines the dynamics of interpersonal and inter-group conflict, including emphases
on the role of identity in conflict and the experience of conflict in employment contexts. Students
will learn the common sources, processes, and effects of conflict through readings, presentations,
and exercises.
CM 7310 CKS: Interpersonal, Intergroup, and Community Conflict
3 Credit Hours 3 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: CM 7210; CM 7220; CM 7230.
This course examines the dynamics of interpersonal and inter-group conflict, including emphases
on the role of identity in conflict. Students will learn the common sources, processes, and effects
of conflict through readings, presentations, and exercises.
CM 7315 Organizational and Workplace Conflict
1 Credit Hours 1 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: Admission to graduate studies
This course examines the dynamics of organizational conflict with a special focus on the
workplace context. Students will sharpen the skills and tools they learned in previous MSCM
coursework and apply them to problems of intervention in organizational disputes.
CM 7320 CKS: Public Policy Disputes, Cross-Cultural and International Conflict
Resolution
3 Credit Hours 3 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: CM 7210; CM 7220; CM 7230; CM 7310.
This course examines public policy disputes and intercultural communication. Public policy
disputes are unique in that they tend to be multi-party, multi-issue, long-standing, intractable,
and they occur under the glare of public scrutiny. Therefore, managing public disputes requires
greater ability to facilitate large-group processes and deal with the media. Next, the students will
examine intercultural and international conflict resolution. The students will begin by developing
an understanding of the ways in which cultures vary in their communication styles. Then
students will examine the processes of international conflict resolution through diplomatic
negotiation and mediation. Theories analyzing the strategic, structural, and behavioral features
of international negotiations and mediations are discussed in lectures and case
studies. Simulation exercises will be integrated to this class to provide students with hands-on
experiences in applying theories to cases.
CM 7325 Advanced Civil Mediation Clinic
1 Credit Hours 1 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: CM 7205
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Students will enhance their mediation skills and deepen their knowledge through observing
mediation role-plays and videos. This course substitutes for 5 mediation observations, a
requirement for registration with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution (GODR).
CM 7335 Organizational Leadership
1 Credit Hours 1 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: None
This class will focus on the key skills needed for superior organizational leadership. Class will
review the literature on leadership and conflict management, dynamic organizational leaders, and
analysis of scenarios.
CM 7355 Advanced International Mediation Clinic
1 Credit Hours 1 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: None
This clinic will examine the applicability of mediation to a range of international disputes,.
Students will review standards of practice from international organizations related to diplomacy
and commerce, and apply these to selected cases.
CM 7365 Humanitarian Crisis Intervention
1 Credit Hours 1 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: None
A two-day training course designed to explore a range of dilemmas scenarios in humanitarian,
peacebuilding, conflict and human rights crises. The course is built around using simulations.
CM 7400 - Conflict Management Research Methods
3 Credit Hours 3 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: CM 7210; CM 7220; CM 7230.
This course is designed to introduce students to basic research methods used in the study of
conflict. There is a particular emphasis upon methods to assess conflict and evaluation
interventions designed to address conflict in a given environment.
CM 7500 - Conflict Management Systems Design
3 Credit Hours 3 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: CM 7210; CM 7220; CM 7230; CM 7310; CM 7400.
This course will prepare students to design a system to address conflict in the environment of an
organization.
CM 7600 - Study of a Specific Conflict Management Environment
3 Credit Hours 3 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: CM 7210; CM 7220; CM 7230; CM 7310; CM 7400; CM 7500.
In this course the student chooses a specific environment for application of the knowledge and
skills acquired through the academic and clinical components of the program. The study of a
specific conflict environment provides the context for the student's fieldwork in the final
semester of the MSCM program.
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CM 7705 - Advanced Applied Skills Training
2 Credit Hours 2 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: CM 7205.
This 40-hour advanced skills training course will enhance student's theoretical, research, and
practice skills. The course will be focused on the implementation of certain forms of practice,
realms of practice, and the skills sets needed by the practitioner in each specific conflict
management environment. Emphasis will be on the honing of skills for the student's particular
area of interest.
CM 7710 Domestic/The Practice of CM: Field Experience
2 Credit Hours 2 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: 27 hours in graduate CM courses and approval of the program director
This course includes a fieldwork, study, and travel to a specific domestic conflict environment
chosen by the student with the guidance of the faculty. The students will research the
background and history of the conflict and prepare a written report of this fieldwork upon
returning. This course usually involves several students and faculty working and traveling
together.
CM 7715 International/The Practice of CM: Field Experience
2 Credit Hours 2 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: 27 hours in graduate CM courses and approval of the program director
This course includes a fieldwork, study, and travel to a specific international conflict
environment chosen by the student with the guidance of the faculty. The students will research
the background and history of the conflict and prepare a written report of this fieldwork upon
returning. This course usually involves several students and faculty working and traveling
together.
CM 7720 The Practice of CM: Field Study and Internship Reports
2 Credit Hours 2 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours
Prerequisites: 27 hours in graduate CM courses and approval of the program director
This course includes a field study in a specific conflict environment chosen by the student with
the guidance of the faculty. The students will analyze conflict in the chosen environment and,
where appropriate, will make policy recommendations or design and plan implementation of the
intervention processes to address the conflict. The students will prepare an extensive written
report of this analysis, accompanied by an annotated bibliography.
CM 8900 - Special Topics
1-3 (Repeatable) Credit Hours
Prerequisites: Admission to graduate study or permission of director of MSCM.
Exploration of a specified topic in conflict management.
CM 8940 - Directed Study
1-3 Credit Hours
Prerequisites: None.
Admission to this course requires permission of the Program Director and faculty member. A
directed study is a special, one-time offering of a topic for a specific student. The directed study
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does not substantially overlap with an existing course in the curriculum. Directed study proposals
are a concentrated investigation of a selected topic, is a well-defined proposal, is of an advanced
nature, and have detailed learning objectives and deliverables. The specific content will be
determined jointly by the instructor and student.
VI INVENTORY OF FACULTY DIRECTLY INVOLVED
The MSCM program currently employs three, highly qualified, full-time faculty members who
are also conflict management practitioners. A fourth faculty member will join the MSCM staff
in Fall 2009. Our faculty members include recipients of the College of Humanities and Social
Sciences 2008-2009 Distinguished Service Award and also the 2012-13 KSU Distinguished
Graduate Faculty Award for Scholarship. The faculty members all bring educational, research,
and practical experience to the classroom and involve current and graduated students in their
outside projects whenever possible. The practice-oriented nature of the curriculum is reflected in
the faculty member’s experience in the field. As a result, students receive the benefit of more
than just a knowledgeable professor. For skills clinics or topics where specific expertise would
be beneficial, visiting instructors who sometimes hold relevant national licensure or certification
are invited for guest lectures.
Dr. Sherrill Hayes, Associate Professor & Program Director
Dr. Timothy Hedeen, Professor
Dr. Susan Raines, Professor
Dr. Volker Franke, Associate Professor
Dr. Heather Pincock, Assistant Professor
Dr. Paul Story, Assistant Professor
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VII Outstanding programs of this nature at other institutions
Survey and comparative analysis.
The MSCM is the only program of its kind in the State of Georgia with only a handful of other
programs in the southeast. Many of these programs are traditional style graduate programs
rather than executive-style, premium priced programs. There are three peer institutions
(Lipscomb University, Nova Southeastern, and University of North Carolina at Greensboro) that
offer a similar programs in conflict resolution in the southeastern United States; however, these
programs differ from KSU’s MSCM in several significant ways. Two of these programs are
taught largely on-line, with limited residencies of 1-2 weeks per year or small residential groups,
and two of these are at private universities with tuition higher than the premium priced program.
None of the peer institutions offer international or domestic trip option, cohort model, dedicated
skills clinics, or a curriculum balanced between theory and practice.
Three features differentiate this program from others in the field: 1) The MSCM program places
a strong emphasis on practical experience in the field via internships, field studies, and
participation in conferences and/or study abroad programs. 2) Clinics offering more than 100
hours of skills training are a unique feature of the MSCM program, compared to the other degree
programs. If students were required to obtain this training outside the program, the cost would
be several thousand dollars. 3) The comprehensive fee structure under which items such as
textbooks, the students’ meals during class time, and participation in a conference or
international experience are included in the tuition. The relatively low cost of the program
compared to peer institutions, along with the added benefit of skills training clinics, make the
MSCM program at Kennesaw State University the low-cost, high-quality provider for advanced
education and skills training in conflict management in the southeast.
Unique Features of KSU’s program
While other programs in the field may focus on the more scholarly aspects of peace studies
within the context of international relations or the application of dispute resolution techniques in
a legal context, the MSCM program challenges students to integrate theory, research, and
practice from a variety of academic disciplines with appropriate conflict management practices
in contexts from the interpersonal to the international. The program boasts faculty who have an
understanding of the range of human conflict from the neuro-physiological aspects of how
individuals process conflict to the best practices in engaging in interventions in complex
humanitarian emergencies. Alumni are successful in areas as diverse as organizational conflict
coaching and divorce mediation to serving senior capacities in foreign service and diplomatic
posts. The program’s success in guiding students to and through such a diverse range of interests
and careers can be attributed, in part, on the format of the program. The executive, cohort-style
and the premium price means that the students are a bit more self-selecting before entering the
program and that more individual attention is paid to them during the course of the program.
Students have all their classes together on alternating weekends and through the shared
experiences classroom learning, mealtimes, and travel, they develop close relationships among
themselves and with the faculty. The connections they make during the program with faculty and
fellow students deepen their engagement and extend beyond graduate school.
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XII Accreditation
Business Content Audit:
Referencing the Business Content Worksheet, does this program or concentration, incorporating
the information proposed herein, have “traditional business subject” content delivered by faculty
or programs administered by the Coles College of Business? *
_____ Yes
If “yes,” complete a Business Content Worksheet and obtain necessary
approvals as indicated.
__X___ No
_____ Exempt Graduate programs administered by the Coles College are exempt.
__________
*
All graduate programs exceeding 50% business content are automatically required to meet AACSB
International business accreditation standards. The purpose of the audit is to prevent the unintended,
undesirable compulsory inclusion of programs subject to AACSB standards.
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