Dispute Resolution Certificate Program
The Dispute Resolution Certificate provides 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 21-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. 21 credits for certificate. (18 credits for minor)
Format. While some courses may be occasionally offered online, this certificate program cannot be completed entirely online.
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 2025 or thereafter must complete the certificate/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 certificate/minor. A copy of the earlier version can be obtained in the 2024-2025 Undergraduate Bulletin.
Requirements. A maximum of two courses can overlap with a student’s major, other minors or programs.
Program Codes:
IRP Program Code: 84033
HEGIS Code: 5505.00
CIP Code: 30.2801
Part One. Required Courses
| SOC 206 | The Sociology of Conflict and Dispute Resolution | 3 |
| SOC 380 | Sociology Laboratory in Dispute Resolution Skill Building | 3 |
| SOC 381 | Internship in Dispute Resolution | 3 |
| | |
| And one of: | |
| SOC 245 | Mindfulness and Managing Conflict | 3 |
| SOC 247 | Cross-cultural Negotiation | 3 |
| SOC 283 | Selected Topics in Dispute Resolution | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 12
Part Two. Electives
Select three
Note: Students are encouraged to take courses from a variety of disciplines.
| AFR 110 | Race and the Urban Community | 3 |
| AFR 121 | Africana Communities in U.S. | 3 |
| AFR 125 | Race & Ethnicity in America | 3 |
| AFR 129/PSY 129 | The Psychology of the African-American Experience | 3 |
| AFR 215 | Police and Urban Communities | 3 |
| AFR 227 | Community-based Approaches to Justice | 3 |
| AFR 229 | Restoring Justice: Making Peace and Resolving Conflict | 3 |
| AFR 237 | Institutional Racism | 3 |
| AFR 245 | Psychology of the African-American Family | |
| AFR 248 | Men: Masculinities in the United States | 3 |
| AFR 315 | Community-based Justice in the Africana World | 3 |
| AFR 317 | Environmental Racism | 3 |
| AFR 319 | Self, Identity & Justice: Global Perspectives | 3 |
| AFR 320 | Perspectives on Justice in the Africana World | 3 |
| AFR 322 | Inequality and Wealth | 3 |
| AFR 347/PSY 347 | Psychology of Oppression | 3 |
| ANT 208 | Urban Anthropology | 3 |
| ANT 210/PSY 210 | Sex and Culture | 3 |
| ANT 220 | Language and Culture | 3 |
| ANT 310/PSY 310/SOC 310 | Culture and Personality | 3 |
| ANT 315 | Systems of Law, Justice and Injustice Across Cultures | 3 |
| ANT 330 | American Cultural Pluralism, Justice and the Law | 3 |
| ANT 332 | Race, Ethnicity, Class and Gender in Anthropological Perspective | 3 |
| ANT 345/PSY 345 | Culture, Psychopathology and Healing | 3 |
| ANT 347 | Structural Violence & Social Suffering | 3 |
| CHS 310/CSL 210 | Advanced Interpersonal Counseling Skills | 3 |
| CJM 348 | Justice Planning and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| COM 115 | Social Encounters: Understanding Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| COM 218 | Managerial Communication | 3 |
| COM 250 | Persuasion | 3 |
| CRJ 322/PHI 322 | Judicial and Correctional Ethics | 3 |
| CRJ 420/SOC 420 | Women and Crime | 3 |
| CSL 130 | Effective Parenting | 3 |
| CSL 220 | Leadership Skills | 3 |
| CSL 230 | Case Management in Human Services | |
| CSL 233 | Multicultural Issues in Human Services | 3 |
| CSL 260 | Gender & Work Life | 3 |
| CSL 311 | Field Education in College Community Outreach | 3 |
| CSL 342/PSY 342 | Introduction to Counseling Psychology | 3 |
| DRA 325 | Drama Techniques in Crisis Intervention | 3 |
| ECO 280 | Economics of Labor | |
| GEN 205 | Gender and Justice | 3 |
| GEN 333/PHI 333 | Theories of Gender and Sexuality | 3 |
| GEN 356/HIS 356 | Sexuality, Gender, and Culture in Muslim Societies | 3 |
| HIS 323 | History of Lynching and Collective Violence | 3 |
| HIS 383 | History of Terrorism | 3 |
| HJS 310 | Comparative Perspectives on Justice | 3 |
| ISP 122 | "Those" People: Stereotypes in U.S.A. | 3 |
| ISP 134 | Imagining Other Worlds | 3 |
| ISP 145 | Why Gender Matters | 3 |
| ISP 211 | Revolutions | 3 |
| ISP 224 | Constructions of Difference in the U.S.A. | 3 |
| ISP 236 | Truth & Creativity: How We Make Meaning | 3 |
| ISP 248 | Getting Even: Forgiveness and Revenge | 3 |
| ISP 321 | Moral, Legal and Ethical Dilemmas that Shape the U.S.A. | 3 |
| ISP 322 | Making Waves: Troublemakers, Gadflies and Whistleblowers | 3 |
| ISP 334 | Sex, Gender and Justice in Global Perspective | 3 |
| ISP 335 | Violence in the Pursuit of Justice | 3 |
| LAW 206 | The American Judiciary | 3 |
| LAW 301 | Jurisprudence | 3 |
| LAW 310/PHI 310 | Ethics and Law | 3 |
| LAW 340 | Employment Discrimination Law, Affirmative Action and Police Organization | 3 |
| LLS 124 | Latinx Communities in the United States | 3 |
| LLS 220 | Human Rights and Law in Latin America | 3 |
| LLS 241 | Latinx Populations and the City | 3 |
| LLS 247 | Growing Up Latinx | 3 |
| LLS 255 | Latin American Woman in Global Society | 3 |
| LLS 265/HIS 265 | Class, Race and Family in Latin American History | 3 |
| LLS 322 | Latinx Struggles for Civil Rights & Social Justice | 3 |
| LLS 325 | Latinx Experience of Criminal Justice | 3 |
| LLS 356 | Terror and Transitional Justice in Latin America | 3 |
| LWS 200 | Introduction to Law and Society | 3 |
| PAD 318 | Decisions in Crises | 3 |
| PAD 346 | Human Resource Administration | 3 |
| PAD 366 | Workplace Investigations: Tools, Techniques and Issues | 3 |
| PHI 105 | Critical Thinking and Informal Logic | 3 |
| PHI 202 | Philosophical Visions of American Pluralism | 3 |
| PHI 204 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
| PHI 205 | Philosophy of Religion | 3 |
| PHI 214 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| PHI 302 | The Philosophy of Rights | 3 |
| PHI 310/LAW 310 | Ethics and Law | 3 |
| POL 206 | Introduction to Urban Politics | 3 |
| POL 235 | Judicial Processes and Politics | 3 |
| POL 237 | Gender and Politics | 3 |
| POL 246 | Politics of Global Inequality | 3 |
| POL 305 | Constitutional Rights and Liberties | 3 |
| POL 313/LAW 313 | The Law and Politics of Race Relations | 3 |
| POL 316 | The Politics of Rights | 3 |
| POL 318 | The Law and Politics of LGBTQ Rights | 3 |
| POL 319 | Gender and Law | 3 |
| POL 320 | International Human Rights | 3 |
| POL 362 | Terrorism and Politics | 3 |
| PSC 202 | Police and Diversity | 3 |
| PSC 235 | Women in Policing | 3 |
| PSC 245 | Community Policing | 3 |
| PSC 321 | Police Ethics | 3 |
| PSY 180/PED 180 | Stress Management | 3 |
| PSY 200 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 221 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 231 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 234 | Psychology of Human Sexuality | 3 |
| PSY 242 | Psychological Disorders and Distress (formerly Abnormal Psychology) | 3 |
| PSY 255 | Group Dynamics in Chemical Dependency Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 320 | Brain and Behavior | 3 |
| PSY 324 | Sensation and Perception | 3 |
| PSY 332 | Psychology of Adolescence | 3 |
| PSY 333 | Psychology of Gender | 3 |
| PSY 336 | Group Dynamics | 3 |
| PSY 339 | Key Concepts in Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSY 352 | Multicultural Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 353 | Theories of Personality | 3 |
| PSY 370/LAW 370 | Psychology and the Law | 3 |
| PSY 375 | Family Conflict and the Family Court | 3 |
| SOC 160 | Social Aspects of Alcohol Abuse | 3 |
| SOC 201 | Urban Sociology: The Study of City Life | 3 |
| SOC 202 | Sociology of Families | 3 |
| SOC 213 | Sociology of Race and Ethnic Relations | 3 |
| SOC 215 | Sociology of Gender | 3 |
| SOC 227 | Sociology of Mental Health | 3 |
| SOC 236/CRJ 236 | Victimology | 3 |
| SOC 251 | Sociology of Human Rights | 3 |
| SOC 252 | Environmental Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 305 | The Sociology of Law | 3 |
| SOC 308 | The Sociology of Violence | 3 |
| SOC 333 | Gender Issues in International Criminal Justice | 3 |
| SOC 343 | Global Social Movements | 3 |
| SOC 350 | Social Change | 3 |
| SOC 354 | Gangs and Transnationalism | 3 |
| SOC 386 | Selected Topics in Sociology | 3 |
| Various Departments: Fieldwork Practicum | |
SOC 386 can be used towards electives if the topic is applicable with permission of the Dispute Resolution Coordinator.
Advisor's note: Many of these elective courses satisfy the College's Gen Ed Program, click the course number for details.
Total Credit Hours: 9
Total Credit Hours: 21