Graduate Portfolio Program in Dispute Resolution
Overview and Rationale
Professionals and leaders in every area of society spend substantial amounts of time managing interpersonal and inter-organizational conflict. Dispute resolution professionals practice in a wide range of settings. A family therapist may act as a mediator in a divorce or child custody dispute. A human resource director may be responsible for the design and administration of an employee dispute system for her company, or may represent the company in a mediation before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. A lawyer may represent a party in an arbitration proceeding, or may act as an arbitrator or mediator. An urban planning professional may act as a facilitator of a land use and planning process where a city attempts to find a consensus-based approach between developers and neighbors for a large scale development proposal, or the siting of a solid waste facility. A senior manager of a state or federal environmental agency may elect to use negotiated rulemaking and convene a negotiating committee composed of citizen and industrial representatives for the purpose of drafting a consensus rule on water quality standards. The CEO of a major chemical manufacturer may be appointed by the environmental agency to the negotiating committee to represent the chemical manufacturing trade association and all of its members in the negotiated rulemaking on water quality standards. At the international level, a mediator from a neutral country may intervene to assist warring nations negotiate a peace treaty. In each instance, dispute resolution professionals are at work.
As an academic area, dispute resolution is multi-disciplinary. Relevant courses may involve law, urban planning, communication theory, organizational development, decision theory, cognitive science, game theory, family systems and many other disciplines. In recognition of this fact, the Graduate Portfolio Program in Dispute Resolution creates an interdisciplinary approach to the study and research of conflict and dispute resolution by integrating existing resources throughout the University into a single program. The program synthesizes theory with practical application.
Students who are pursuing a graduate degree in a participating school or college are eligible to apply for admission. Currently, the participating academic units are: the College of Communication, the College of Education, the College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts, the LBJ School of Public Affairs, the Red McCombs School of Business, the School of Architecture, the School of Law, the School of Nursing, and the School of Social Work.
The program includes the Master's Portfolio, the Doctoral Portfolio, and the Law School Portfolio. The Master's Portfolio is primarily for graduate students for whom the Master's degree is the student's terminal professional degree. The Doctoral Portfolio is distinguished by the imposition of a more rigorous research and writing requirement.
The program requires the completion of twelve credit hours of approved courses (including an internship or other course requiring practical application of theory) and the preparation and presentation of a scholarly research paper. Students completing the Portfolio Program will be awarded a certificate contemporaneously with receipt of the student's graduate degree.
The program is directed by a Faculty Steering Committee composed of representative from each of the participating academic units. For more information, please contact the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution, Room 4.124, Townes Hall, The University of Texas School of Law, 727 E. Dean Keeton, Austin, Texas 78705
Phone: 512-471-3507 Fax: 512- 232-1191
Program Administration
The Portfolio Program is directed by a Faculty Steering Committee. A member of the faculty steering committee is appointed by the Dean or Department Chair of each participating academic unit.
The day to day administration of the Portfolio Program is performed by the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution, Room 4.124, Townes Hall, The University of Texas School of Law, 727 E. Dean Keeton, Austin, Texas 78705
Notice for Students with Disabilities: The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641 TTY.
Please send questions or comments to: CPPDR
