Master of Dispute Resolution

What is this course about?

CSU's Master of Dispute Resolution provides students with an understanding of the causes of conflict and the various methods of dispute prevention and resolution. Students learn the principles and skills of mediation and conflict management and how to apply these skills in various situations.

Why study this degree?

Conflict and dispute resolution skills are now recognised as essential for relationships to function on community, national and international levels. Professionals involved in areas such as law, social work and support agencies within government, business and the not-for-profit sector require a knowledge and understanding of conflict and the process of dispute resolution.

More reasons to study this degree

Find out where this course can take you

Course structure

Students undertaking the Master of Dispute Resolution undertake 12 subjects, eight core subjects and a further four subjects chosen from specialised areas such as:

Corporate Governance
Family Dispute Resolution
Human Services
Industrial Relations
Justice Studies
Juvenile Justice
Law
Leisure and Health Management
Pastoral Counseling
Policing
Law Enforcement and Intelligence
Public Sector / Public Policy
Research in Dispute Resolution
Social Work

On completion of four core subjects, students can graduate with the Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution, or after successfully completing eight subjects, graduate with the Graduate Diploma of Dispute Resolution.

More information about the course structure

Graduation requirements

Master of Dispute Resolution

Students must satisfactorily complete 96 points (12 subjects).

Graduate Diploma of Dispute Resolution

Students must satisfactorily complete 64 points (8 subjects).

Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution

Students must satisfactorily complete 32 points (4 subjects).

Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission to this course, you will need to indicate your likelihood of success through previous studies and other attainments and experience.

More information about admission requirements

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject abstracts and in course materials.

Why study this degree?

Flexible offering

As with all our courses, the Master of Dispute Resolution, Graduate Diploma of Dispute Resolution and Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution are designed and delivered with study flexibility in mind. You can choose between full-time and part-time study options to fit in with work and lifestyle commitments. You could choose to study just one subject in an academic session or, with approval, fast-track degree completion by undertaking four subjects per session.

This course is offered across a three-session academic year, with sessions commencing in February, July and November each year.

Professional recognition

LEADR, a recognised mediator accreditation body, regards CSU's Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution as a qualification with the necessary educational requirements for graduates to apply to be accredited by LEADR to the national standard.

Career opportunities

Career opportunities include arbitrator, manager, negotiator and dispute mediator professional to support a range of discipline areas including law, business, politics, international trade, industrial relations and HR, health and education. Roles are located in government, not for profit and industry settings with opportunities to establish consultancy practices.

Credit / pathways

Master of Dispute Resolution

Credit will be granted for all subjects completed in the Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution and the Graduate Diploma of Dispute Resolution. Up to two subjects (16 points) may be granted as credit on the basis of subjects undertaken at another institution, provided the study is in a related area and of equivalent standard to 400 or 500 level subjects offered by CSU.

Graduate Diploma of Dispute Resolution

Credit will be given for all subjects completed in the Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution.

Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution

No special arrangements apply.

Candidates may receive transfer credit for up to 50% of the course for prior study if they can demonstrate that such study was completed at a recognised higher education institution within the last 10 years, at the postgraduate level. To apply for credit, candidates are required to submit with their application for admission a certified transcript of results and subject outline / curriculum of those subjects.

Further information in regard to credit can be found here.

Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution

HRM540 Theories of Conflict Resolution
HRM545 Skills of Conflict Resolution
LAW516 Dispute Resolution: Methods and Results
LAW517 Mediation: Processes and Uses

Graduate Diploma in Dispute Resolution (EXIT POINT ONLY)

HRM540 Theories of Conflict Resolution
HRM545 Skills of Conflict Resolution
LAW516 Dispute Resolution: Methods and Results
LAW517 Mediation: Processes and Uses

Plus

Any three (3) of the subjects specified below (subset A):

HRM502 Human Resource Management
HRM512 Values and Conflicts in Organisations
HRM523 Advanced Studies in Industrial Relations
HRM528 Strategic Human Resource Management
LAW515 Law of Employment
LAW540 Australian Law and Legal System
LAW519 Negotiation Skills

PLUS

The remaining subject from the list below or may be drawn from any level 5 subject from business or other relevant study including Justice, Public Policy, Family Dispute Resolution, Health and Human Services

HRM501 Labour Market Studies
HRM502 Human Resource Management
HRM507 Research Methods
HRM512 Values and Conflicts in Organisations
HRM523 Advanced Studies in Industrial Relations
HRM528 Strategic Human Resource Management
HRM531 Organisational Politics & Culture & Change Management
HRM550 Evaluating Human Resources
HRM552 Organisational Behaviour
HRM560 Human resource development
HRM563 Developing Organisational Capabilities
HRM582 Managing Sustainability Effectively
INR501 Industrial Relations Environment
INR502 Industrial Relations Systems & Issues
INR503 Industrial Relations Practice
INR504 Industrial Relations and the Legal Environment
INR510 Comparative Labour Relations
MGT501 Management Theory and Practice
MGT517 Advanced Research Methods
MGT531 Business Ethics
MGT536 Leadership and Entrepreneurship
MGT540 Management of Change
MGT547 Ethics of Corporate Governance
MGT565 Business Research Project (16)
MGT594 Leadership and Business Ethics
LAW515 Law of Employment
LAW540 Australian Law and Legal System
LAW519 Negotiation Skills

Master of Dispute Resolution

Successful completion of the four subjects of the Graduate certificate (see above)

PLUS

Any four (4) of the subjects specified below (subset A):

PLUS

Any four (4) of the subjects specified below (subset B) which includes subjects not undertaken as part of the above requirement:

Student choice can be guided by the following suggested areas of interest.

Industrial Relations:

HRM523 Advanced Studies in Industrial Relations
INR501 Industrial Relations Environment
INR502 Industrial Relations System and Issues
INR503 Industrial Relations Practice
LAW515 Law of Employment

HR Management:

HRM502 Human Resource Management
HRM528 Strategic Human Resource Management
HRM531 Organisational Politics and Culture and Change Management
HRM552 Organisational Behaviour
MGT501 Management Theory and Practice
MGT540 Management of Change
MGT594 Leadership and Business Ethics

Research in Dispute Resolution:

HRM507 Research Methods or MBA507 Business Research Methods
MGT517 Advanced Research Methods
MGT565 Business Research Project (16)

With permission from the Course Director students may elect to take up to four subjects from the following streams where relevant to career.

Family Dispute Resolution:

Students may select from a range of units offered by AIRS (Australian Institute for Relationship Studies - Relationships Australia NSW) focussing on family dispute resolution. Subjects chosen must be approved by the Course Director prior to enrolment to ensure that credit can be granted for these studies in the Master of Dispute Resolution.

Human Services:

HCS513 Understanding Children from Adversity
HCS521 Practice Leadership in the Human Services (16)
HCS531 Leading Service Development in Human Services Organisations
SSC502 Ethics, Law and Medical Science
WEL522 Addiction Studies

Juvenile Justice:

JST532 Juvenile Justice 1 - context
JST533 Juvenile Justice 2 - Practice
JST535 Crime Prevention and Young People
WEL420 Working in Child Protection
JST520 Theories of Crime & Deviance

Leisure and Health:

LES501 Issues in Leisure and Health
LES510 Project Management in Community Leisure and Health (16)

Policing, Law Enforcement and Intelligence (students must be engaged or employed in one of these areas to be eligible for these subjects):

GPM506 Executive Leadership (16)
GPM507 Global Law Enforcement
GPM510 Social Impacts of Terrorism and Counter-terrorism

Public Sector / Public Policy:

LAW503 Administrative Law
LAW530 Environmental Law and Management
PAD591 Public Sector Management
PKM562 Environmental Policy

Enrolment pattern

Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution

Suggested enrolment over three session. Students may vary subject to availability of subjects.

Session 1

HRM540 Theories of Conflict Resolution

Session 2

HRM545 Skills of Conflict Resolution

Session 3

LAW516 Dispute Resolution: Methods & Results
LAW517 Mediation: Processes & Uses

Master of Dispute Resolution

Due to the flexibility in subject choice there is no specified enrolment pattern.

Admission requirements

Master of Dispute Resolution

Applicants must have completed the Graduate Diploma of Dispute Resolution or equivalent studies.

Graduate Diploma of Dispute Resolution

Applicants must have completed the Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution or equivalent studies.

Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution

Applicants are required to have an undergraduate degree from a recognised Australian tertiary institution or a qualification deemed to be equivalent. Applicants with other academic and / or professional qualifications and/or work experience acceptable to the University will be considered.

Internet access

CSU places great emphasis on services to its students. It is a leader in the provision of online services and, in particular, the use of the internet in the support of teaching, administration and communications with students.

The online environment is so integrated into all aspects of student life and the learning experience at CSU that the University now assumes that all on campus and distance education students at CSU will have ongoing access to an internet connected computer capable of communicating with CSU online systems.

Students enrolled in Information Technology subjects (i.e. with an ITC subject code) may be required to have additional hardware and/or software that is deemed essential for the completion of the learning activities in that subject.

English language proficiency

The University has minimum requirements for English language proficiency prior to entry to our courses. Some courses also have a requirement for a higher entry or exit level of English proficiency. More information on English language requirements.

fee-paying
international-distance

de-textbook

Apply now

Australian and New Zealand students

Apply online

Admission code:

Master
OBDW

Graduate Diploma
OBDV

Graduate Certificate
OBDR

Apply online

International Students

Apply online

Admission code:

Master
JBDW

Graduate Diploma
JBDV

Graduate Certificate
JBDR

Apply online

Recruitment agent

Contact a Recruitment agent in your country who can answer your questions about CSU as well as help with the student visa application process.

International recruitment agents

More information:

Consider also:

Follow on study:

Prospective Student Inquiries

Australian campus business hours are Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm, Australian Eastern Time (GMT +10).

info.csu can provide support and guidance to prospective students on everything you need to know on the University, courses, fees, accommodation, etc.

within Australia 1800 334 733
International + 61 2 6338 6077 Fax (02) 6338 6001