PUBPOL 5407

Mediation for Managers and Executives

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2024-2025.

Conflict is an inherent part of organizational life. Nevertheless, organizational members often lack the adequate skills necessary to manage and resolve the host of tensions and disagreements that arise at work. Negotiation is a broad category that encompasses direct negotiation between two or more parties, mediation, and arbitration to help settle disputes. This course is designed to develop and strengthen students' conflict resolution skills with a focus on the mediation of organizational conflicts. As such, the course will provide students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the mediation process. This foundation will then be used to apply mediation concepts and principles to everyday workplace conflict. By understanding how to properly set expectations, adapt to the needs of the disputing parties, channel emotions in a productive way, and help the parties to problem solve in a way that addresses everyone's interests, students will be better able to handle the inevitable workplace conflict and prevent it from escalating.

When Offered Fall.

Permission Note Enrollment limited to: Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) students.
Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: enrollment in the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) Program.

• Students will analyze and identify different features and characteristics of workplace conflict.
• Students will select an appropriate mediation style in resolving a conflict.
• Students will recognize the role of emotions in a given conflict.
• Students will demonstrate the problem-solving capacity of mediation.

View Enrollment Information