Master of Arts in Mediation and Conflict Resolution/MSW

Double your Skillset. Double your Impact.

Managing conflict is, in many ways, at the heart of social work practice, particularly in areas like child welfare, education and health care. Dominican University has one of the only dual-degree programs that meet the growing need for professionals with integrated training in both of these allied disciplines. Here, you can earn your Master of Arts in Mediation and Conflict Resolution and MSW together, allowing you to complete your studies faster and at lower cost than if you were to pursue the degrees separately.

Field Placements

Years to Complete (Full-time)

100%

Online with In-Person Intensives

Best Valaue School (U.S. News and World Report)

Dominican's Master of Arts in Mediation and Conflict Resolution/MSW Program Overview

Best of both worlds: the convenience of a primarily online program with the personal connection of two five-day intensive courses on campus.
Learn from nationally recognized professionals in both fields
Gain hands-on experience through a social work field placement and an optional conflict resolution practicum assisting a professional mediator or serving in a nonprofit organization
Our MSW program has earned prestigious
Time to complete: ��о�� three years (full time); four years (part time)
Faculty in both disciplines offer a breadth of life and career experience
Social Work courses can be taken online or on campus (in River Forest and Grayslake)
GRE or GMAT scores are not required

Note: Admission to graduate and certificate programs in mediation and conflict resolution is open only to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

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What You’ll Learn

There is a natural synergy in combining your degree in social work with a master’s in mediation and conflict resolution. Our Master of Arts in Mediation and Conflict Resolution/MSW program requires a reduced number of credit hours for each degree, allowing you to learn both in a shorter period of time while still immersing yourself in the theory and skills of both areas of study.

You’ll master social work fundamentals—human behavior, community analysis, social welfare, and the nature and dynamics of family systems. In the mediation and conflict resolution curriculum, you will learn hands-on mediation skills right from Day One. You will explore the psychological origins of conflict, the ethical dimensions of the discipline, alternative dispute methods, and more. In fact, Dominican’s program was co-designed by the National Mediation Board, a federal agency that coordinates labor-management relations in the railroad and airline industries. Mediators using the North American model teach classes on campus. Experts with decades of real-world experience teach all courses.

A Focus on Ethics

Crucially, Dominican’s mediation and conflict resolution program includes an entire course on ethics. Professional peacemakers are motivated by good intentions, of course, but without proper preparation could wind up inadvertently doing harm. We believe it is important for students to explore the ethical dimensions of conflict resolution from the beginning to guard against such outcomes. This course examines the ethical duties owed to parties in a dispute, with a focus on neutrality, confidentiality and informed consent.

Advance in a Rapidly Growing Career Field

Dominican University’s dual-degree program will prepare you for a wide range of career opportunities where you will lead social change in Chicago and beyond.

Continued Growth

Demand for social workers is expected to grow 7% from 2023 to 2033—much faster than average.

Rising Employment

Projected growth in employment for mediators nationwide is 6% from 2023 to 2033—much faster than average

100% Online with In-Person Intensives

Dominican’s Master of Arts in Mediation and Conflict Resolution/MSW is almost entirely online, allowing you to complete your studies remotely while working full-time. We believe that a personal connection—to fellow students and professors—is also important. That’s one of the reasons we’ve built into the program two intensive five-day courses on mediation and negotiation that take place on campus in the beginning and toward the middle of your studies. In these hands-on sessions, which are led by experienced professional mediators, you’ll develop the practical skills of mediation and negotiation through extensive supervised role-playing and personalized coaching in small groups.

This sets the stage for a close-knit graduate experience that helps build critical career connections with your peers. All other courses can be taken online. It’s the best of both worlds.

Program Structure

Most full-time students will focus their first-year studies on social work, complete their mediation and conflict resolution curriculum during the second year, and then return to advanced social work courses in the final year of the program.

Being here at Dominican, I was able to develop the skills that I needed to go out in the workforce and become a social worker. And at Dominican, they are preparing a whole-new generation of world-changers.”

Slayton Goodman

Dominican University Graduate

Settle Disputes

At Dominican, you’ll gain the skillset to help people resolve conflicts and engage in meaningful dialogue

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What can I do with this dual-degree?

Social workers have always had to navigate conflict. It’s in the nature of the work and central to areas such as family counseling, child welfare, elderly care, and education, for instance. An ability to manage conflict and negotiate is one of the most important skills for a social worker, including in advocating for the rights and needs of those you serve. As a result, the social work profession is increasingly turning to the formal conflict resolution process, expanding the need for practitioners with graduate-level training in mediation and conflict resolution.

There are many other areas of overlap. Professionals in both disciplines, for instance, work with many of the same people and institutions. They also share the mission of empowering their clients. Social workers, too, can enrich the field of conflict resolution. Having an MSW enhances the skills of professional mediators working in business, counseling, law, health care, labor relations, government and education. Bottom line: Having a dual degree will increase your effectiveness in either field and enable you to take your career in even more directions.

What are some specific roles for mediators?

Family/divorce mediation
International diplomacy, peacekeeping or humanitarian work
Human resources
Higher education/adjunct teaching
Community organizing
Counseling in the public and private sectors

What are some specific roles for those with a Master of Social Work?

How do I apply?

You will need the following materials:

A completed
Official transcripts from all institutions attended
Two recommendations (one from an academic reference and one from a professional reference)
Personal statement
GRE or GMAT scores are not required

Before you apply, make sure you review our full application and admission requirements for both programs.

How can I finance my degree?

As a graduate student at Dominican, you’ll find the resources to help offset your tuition and costs. Options range from scholarships and student loans to campus employment and graduate assistantships. We will help craft an individualized plan for you to meet these costs. Explore our social work scholarships or contact the Office of Financial Aid to learn more. A 20% tuition discount is also available to Dominican University alumnae/i

We can be reached at (708) 524-6809 or finaid@dom.edu.

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Accreditation

The Master of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation.

Accreditation of a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and the Board of Accreditation has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.

Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

For more information,
please contact:

Office of Graduate Admission

Enrollment Management

gradinfo@dom.edu

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