Texas State University-San Marcos is pleased to provide the Mediation Certificate Program. Offered at the graduate level, the program is designed to provide entry-level skills for mediators. The program is especially suited for people who would like to mediate employment, landlord-tenant, neighborhood, and other interpersonal disputes. 

 

The centerpiece of the program is the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) course offered by the Legal Studies Program of the Department of Political Science. Students learn a “conference” mediation model that emphasizes direct communication and negotiation between parties to a dispute. Because the course is offered by the Legal Studies Program, students also become familiar with the “caucus” mediation model commonly used in litigated cases. 

 

The ADR course combines lectures with practical assignments and role plays. Students not only learn negotiation and mediation theory, they also acquire the practical skills necessary to mediate interpersonal disputes. Assignments and role plays focus on communication and negotiation skills, active listening, appropriate questioning, generation and evaluation of options, reality testing, and agreement making.

 

To earn the mediation certificate, a student must enroll in the Alternative Dispute Resolution course (POSI 5376), attend at least forty hours of class, and complete all course requirements with a grade of B or higher. 

 

For further information, contact: