Family Dispute Resolution

NCR 508 — Communication and Conflict (3 Units)

Emphasizes human communication in the context of conflict. Addresses challenges to effective communication caused by interpersonal, intrapersonal, intergroup, or intragroup conflict, and the role of communication in resolving such conflicts. Concentrates on methods of communication most effective in dealing with differences.

Goal: To provide students with the opportunity to learn the stages, steps, and skills involved in the practice of mediation as a conflict resolution process, including certification requirements.

Learning Objectives

Students will learn:

1. basic stages, steps, and skills of mediation, with a focus on the facilitative process
2. practical techniques for identifying and convening parties, creating and maintaining a productive environment, interest identification, consensus building, issue framing, agenda setting, and option generation and evaluation
3. when mediation is and is not appropriate, and the ethical issues involved in such assessments

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, the successful student will demonstrate the following and evaluate the ability to:

1. identify and convene parties;
2. understand when mediation is and is not appropriate, and the ethical issues involved in such assessments;
3. prepare and deliver a simple opening statement introducing mediation’s ethical parameters to parties;
4. create a productive climate for conflict resolution through:
   • negotiating and asserting process ground rules
   • establishing and maintaining rapport
   • active and empathetic listening
   • reframing
   • interest and commonality identification
   • collaborative framing of issues
   • agenda setting
   • facilitating option generation
   • guiding option evaluation
   • observing and evaluating process dynamics and intervention (reflective practice)
5. meet certification requirements
6. compare and contrast different styles of mediation, including facilitative problem-solving, transformative, and narrative approaches

NCR 525 — Mediation (3 Units)

Theory and skills including requirements for certification under the California Dispute Resolution Programs Act, especially agreement procedures, case development, consensus building, issue framing and prioritizing, orientations toward conflict, and record keeping.

Goal: To provide students with the opportunity to learn the stages, steps and skills involved in the practice of mediation as a conflict resolution process, including certification requirements.

Learning Objectives

Students will learn:

1. basic stages, steps and skills of mediation, with focus on facilitative process;
2. practical techniques for identifying and convening parties, creating and maintaining a productive environment, interest identification, consensus building, issue framing, agenda setting, and option generation and evaluation;
3. when mediation is and is not appropriate, and the ethical issues involved in such assessments.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, the successful student will demonstrate the following and evaluate ability to:

1. identify and convene parties;
2. understand when mediation is and is not appropriate, and the ethical issues involved in such assessments;
3. prepare and deliver a simple opening statement introducing mediation’s ethical parameters to parties;
4. create a productive climate for conflict resolution through:
   • negotiating and asserting process ground rules,
   • establishing and maintaining rapport,
   • active and empathetic listening,
   • reframing,
   • interest and commonality identification,
   • collaborative framing of issues,
   • agenda setting;
   • facilitating option generation;
   • guiding option evaluation;
   • observing and evaluating process dynamics and intervention (reflective practice);
5. meet certification requirements;
6. compare and contrast different styles of mediation, including facilitative problem-solving, transformative and narrative approaches.

NCR 531 — Marital and Family Mediation (3 Units)

This course is an overview of methods of dispute resolution. Introduction to and history of dispute resolution for traditional and nontraditional families, emphasizing mediation. The mediation process as it has evolved. Families in and out of the court system. Simulations of family mediations.

Goal: To provide students with an opportunity to evaluate the methodology of using mediation approaches in marital and family disputes, especially divorce.

Learning Objectives

To be able to:

1. distinguish between litigation, arbitration, and mediation, as well as other applicable forms of conflict resolution
2. understand the anatomy of marriage, family, separation, and divorce
3. understand how the law and equity relate to family and marital disputes, the division of property, child custody issues, and the setting of spousal as well as child support
4. become familiar with the forms used in dissolving a California marriage
5. understand the respective points of view of parties in marital and family conflict, as well as the roles of mediators, lawyers, and courts
6. be able to use skills and techniques such as active listening, contracting with the parties, framing/reframing issues, gathering information, negotiating a settlement, and resolving the usual issues (including ethical questions) found in marital and family disputes (including divorce and separation), along with other communicating and connecting skills and techniques that will be presented.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, the successful student will be able to: 

1. distinguish between litigation, arbitration, and mediation, as well as other applicable forms of conflict resolution
2. describe the anatomy of a marriage, family, separation, and divorce
3. describe how both the law and equity relate to family and marital disputes, the division of property, child custody issues, and the setting of spousal as well as child support
4. describe the forms used in dissolving a California marriage
5. understand the respective points of view of parties in conflict as well as the roles of mediators, lawyers, and courts
6. use skills and techniques such as active listening, contracting with the parties, framing/reframing issues, gathering information, negotiating a settlement, and resolving the issues (including ethical questions), along with other communicating and connecting skills and techniques that have been presented