Frequently Asked Questions

Master of Science in Conflict Management (MSCM) F.A.Q.

  • Conflict Management is an interdisciplinary field. We have graduates in almost every industry you can imagine. Some options incude human resources, mediation, arbitration, ombudsry, negotiation, or counseling work, among others.
  • In court systems, human resources, as private consultants, international NGOs, domestic non-profit organizations, corporate offices, healthcare organizations, etc... Our graduates are very diverse in their interests, and their locations of employment are just as varied.
  • Our students have a variety of backgrounds: Criminal Justice, Psychology/Counseling, Business, Law, Healthcare, Education, Fine Arts, Marketing, Public Relations, Communication, International Affairs, Public Policy, Finance, Human Resources, and more.
  • We take pride in the fact that our cohorts are very diverse, which creates a uniquely enriching learning environment. Approximately 25-30% of each cohort is made up of international students. Age and experience range from recent undergraduates to seasoned professionals with 20 or 30 years of experience. The average student age for our cohorts is usually between 30-45 years of age.
  • Since a diverse cohort is extremely important for this program, we want to know how you can contribute to the cohort and how you plan to use a degree in Conflict Management.
  • 16 months. Students begin in August and graduate together the following December. 
  • Yes. This is an "executive-style" program. Classes are offered on alternating weekends and most of our students are full-time employees.
  • Since this is an accelerated, 16-month program, we suggest that students clear their calendars (other than work and family commitments) for the duration of the program. The program is intense, but manageable with a typical 40-50 hour work week..
  •  The M.S. in Conflict Management made year 2018 and year 2020 Top 10 list for Best Master's Degrees in Negotiation and Conflict Management. Of the schools listed, Kennesaw State University is the #1 public school on the list and one of the most affordable! In addition, you will gain a unique skillset that is transferrable to any industry. The skills you learn will also aid in your personal life and development.
  • Conflict is everywhere. Learning effective skills to analyze and intervene in conflict situations is a highly useful skillset. The program is balanced in covering research, theory, and practice. With over 100 hours of skills clinics, you will have ample opportunity to work one-on-one with professionals in the field who will help coach you in transferring theory to practice.
  • We have two embedded certificates to choose from within the program: The Justice and Organizations Certificate and The International Conflict Management Certificate. The Justice and Organizations Certificate provides students additional specialist training in skills related to organization conflict management and dispute resolution to prepare students to work in court systems as well as public, private, and non-profit sectors. The International Conflict Management Certificate provides additional knowledge and skills development to prepare student to work effectively in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international corprate settings. For more information on our embedded certificates, please see our Embedded Certificates page.
  • In addition to our faculty, we have a Career Services Center, whose staff are extremely familiar with the field and will help you in planning a career. We also host networking opportunities for current students and alumni.
  • In court systems, human resources management offices, as private consultants, with internationals NGOs, domestic non-profit organizations, in academia, etc... Our graduates are very diverse in their interests, and their places of employment are just as varied.
  • There is a field work requirement in the final seemster. These internships may take any number of forms, depending on specific student intersts.
  • If pursuing doctoral level work after completing the MSCM is of interest of you, our faculty will work with you to guide your final semester research project. The Ph.D in International Conflict Management is a great next step for MSCM graduates.
  • Many MSCM graduates have gone on to pursue a doctoral degree. Some fields (i.e. counseling and psychology) have specific graduate degree requirements. Discuss plans for a doctoral degree with the Director prior to enrollment. 
  • Our faculty interests and areas of research/consulting work is as varied as our students' intersts. From environmental conflicts to international disputs, law, healthcare, and security issues, among many others. See our faculty publications page for links to some of our faculty's published articles.
  • We offer a few Graduate Assistanships to students every semester. Students interested in these positions should speak to the Director early each semester to apply. In addition, there are many scholarships we encourage our students to apply for. We also have one in-house Conflict Management scholarship awarded annually during the summer semester.
  • We have five dedicated faculty members. Each cohort is limited to 25 students.
  • We have an excellent retention and graduation rate of over 90%.
  • Our graduates belong to a number of professional organizations, including the Association for Conflict Resolution. Other organizations vary depending on individual areas of interest.


PhD in International Conflict Management (INCM) F.A.Q.

  • This is a traditional, fulltime PhD program. We expect that individuals will complete the program in 3-7 years. Coursework is typically completed in 1-3 years. All incoming students already hold an advanced degree in a related field.
  • Yes, if you must defer your enrollment, you will need approval from the program and you will only be able to defer for one year. Funding cannot be held, but funded students who defer are eligible to be re-evaluated for funding in the following academic year.
  • You should submit one thesis, published or publishable quality paper approximately 10 to 20 pages in length. You should submit whichever piece you think best shows your academic thinking and writing skills.
  • We do not have a minimum requirement for the GRE scores; however, we recommend that applicants target a minimum score of 150 on the quantitative and verbal sections and 3.5 on the analytical writing. Although our doctoral program is competitive and we do attract applicants with high GRE scores, admission to our program is not based solely on test scores. We consider the overall profile of the applicant when making admissions decisions.
  • With the approval of the Curriculum Committee, students may transfer a maximum of 17 graduate-level credit hours with grades of “B” or better. Preadmission credits must have been taken within three years of admission to the INCM degree program to be accepted. Foreign university credits must be evaluated by a reputable credentialing evaluation service and be shown to be equivalent to U.S. graduate level standards to be considered for transfer.

  • This is a traditional PhD program - not a professional doctorate. Tuition costs will vary depending on whether a student is considered in-state or out of-state. Cick the following link for current Tuition and Fees for Graduate Students. Students awarded an assistantship through the program will receive a tuition waiver and a $15,000.00 annual stipend.

    Tuition and Fees Cost of Attendance
  • No. The nature of the program requires that our students be in-residence while they are taking classes, although they do not need to be in-residence while they are researching or writing their dissertations. The teaching and research assistantships that fund our doctoral students also require them to be present.
  • There is no official limit, but a year is considered reasonable. Field work is most likely to occur when a student gathers data for dissertation research. Field work is not required to complete a dissertation; dissertations can be based on existing datasets, but are generally expected to be evidence-based and data-driven.
  • Accepted students select a dissertation chair after they have begun taking courses. It is recommended that a student have a dissertation chair by the end of their second year if not before. In the personal statement in your application, you may indicate the faculty member(s) with whom you would like to work (you do not need a professor's advance approval to do so).
  • Incomplete applications that are missing one or more of the requirements may not be reviewed.
  • Successful completion of the program will require students to defend a doctoral research dissertation. Students, working with their faculty research adviser, will be expected to submit research papers to competitive conferences and to peer-reviewed outlets. Student research projects should be aligned with their dissertation research for maximum effectiveness.
  • Students need a minimum of 75 credit hours to graduate, 60 of which must be based on course work (including any approved transfer credits). Students therefore need between 1 and 15 dissertation credit hours. While there are no requirements for when these must be taken, students cannot register for INCM 9900 until they have selected a dissertation chair.
  • The Doctor of Philosophy is a research degree. Students are prepared for conducting research and utilizing their analytical skills in universities, policy institutes, government positions, military, humanitarian organizations, development agencies, and nonprofit organizations. For an indication of the types of jobs available to our graduates, check out the Peace and Development Collaborative Network.


Center for Conflict Management (CCM) F.A.Q.

  • The Center for Conflict Management offers ADR services in assisting our clients with managing and transforming conflict.

    Services include:

    • Facilitating difficult conversations
    • Teambuilding & Coaching
    • Resolving conflict within the workplace
    • Cultural Competency
    • Change Management
    • Communication issues
    • Collaborative problem solving for community groups, corporate, civic, private, public, and non-profit agencies and organizations.
  • The Center for Conflict Management provides basic modules and advanced modules

    Basic Modules:

    • Communication Skills
    • Dealing with Difficult People & Situations
    • Culture & Conflict
    • Managing Customer Service Conflicts
    • Managing Healthcare Conflicts
    • Managing Education Conflicts
    • Managing Human Resources Conflicts
    • Mediation Skills
    • Negotiation

    Advanced Modules:

    • Advanced Mediation Skills & Practicums
    • Coaching for Conflict Management
    • Designing Conflict Management Systems
    • Diversity Issues & EEOC Conflicts
    • Managing Public Disputes and Community Conflict
    • Multi-party Facilitation Skills
    • Planning Public Meetings
    • Workplace Mediation
  • The Center for Conflict Management conducts research on conflict and conflict-related subjects through teams of interested faculty, graduate students, and other with expertise on respective research themes or topics.
    • Research Team on Managing Migration, Immigration and Cross-Border Conflicts
    • Research Team on Managing Electoral Conflicts
    • Research Team on Managing Environmental Conflicts
    • Research Team on Managing Racial and Ethnic Conflicts
    • Research Team on Managing Religious Conflicts
    • Research Team on International Business Conflicts and Negotiations
    • Research Team on Indigenous Conflict Resolution Mechanisms

    The Center for Conflict Management provides a Working Papers Series on peace and conflict management.

    The Peace and Conflict Management Working Papers Series is a non-refereed online publication in the field of Peace Studies and Conflict Management and Resolution. The series is offered as an outlet for papers that are in various stages of development prior to publication in refereed journals or books and, in some cases, submitted by the authors to solicit feedback from the larger academic community on their theory, argument, or interpretation. The authors hold copyright to the papers. Once published elsewhere in a refereed outlet, authors may ask the Center for Outreach, Research, and Training to take down the papers from the Working Papers Series.

  • The Center for Conflict Management will conduct training at client’s location upon request. The Center will also custom design conflict resolution training to meet the needs of the client. We also reach out to community leaders and professionals to address conflict on current issues and bring awareness to non-violent approaches to conflict.

 

 

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