Certificate Advanced Study in Conflict and Collaboration

Formerly known as the Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Conflict Resolution, the Conflict and Collaboration CAS program can be completed on-campus or online, concurrently with a master's degree program or as a stand-alone program for professionals with at least 5 years of management experience. The 12-credit, graduate-level CAS in Conflict and Collaboration is an educational program that allows students to understand both theory and practice in social movements and international, environmental, and organizational conflicts and collaborations. To earn the certificate, students complete a required 3-credit course in the Fundamentals of Conflict Studies and 9 additional credits of graduate coursework selected from the list of accepted courses or with the guidance of a faculty advisor.  

Students may complete a general program of study, or they may concentrate their classes in one of five specialized areas of study: (1) Applied Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management; (2) Advocacy and Social Movements; (3) Collaborative Governance; (4) Environmental Public Participation and Conflict; or (5) Transnational Conflicts.

Questions about the certificate program and how to apply please contact the PARCC Office by phone at 315.443.2367 or by email. The full list of accepted courses is 

To see further information on the graduate programs offered by Syracuse University, please visit the Syracuse University Graduate School. As a Conflict and Collaboration certificate student, we expect that you will participate in PARCC events and training. More information about opportunities available through PARCC.

Listing of all of the courses accepted for the Conflict and Collaboration CAS.

Application Process

For Graduate Students who will complete the certificate in conjunction with their primary graduate degree:

  1. Important: SUNY-ESF students must obtain the signature of Scott Shannon in the Instruction & Graduate Studies Office, 227 Bray Hall. Also an official transcript from ESF must be sent to PARCC at 400 Eggers Hall.
  2. Complete the Internal Admission Application.  This must be signed by your current degree program.  
  3. Complete the Student Proposed Courses form (pdf) drawing upon the list of accepted courses below. This form will be held and your course of study tracked until requirements for the certificate have been completed. You may schedule an appointment to meet with CAS Director Catherine Gerard, or Coordinator Deborah Toole for help with planning your coursework.
  4. Submit both forms above to the PARCC Office, 400 Eggers Hall. You will receive an email from the Graduate Enrollment Center when the paperwork has been processed and you have been matriculated into the Conflict Resolution certificate program. Please contact the PARCC office if you do not receive notification within 2-3 weeks of submitting your application.

NOTE: If a student is enrolled in more than two programs of study (degree or CAS), course credit may be double counted to fulfill degree requirements; but in no instance shall course credit be counted more than twice in satisfaction of the requirements for multiple degrees and/or programs. In cases in which two or more CASs are to be earned by one student, the minimum number of credits earned by the student must be at least 80 percent of the combined total of SU credits required for each certificate. However, two 12-credit CASs may not be awarded for less than 21 credits.

For Mid-Career Professionals applying for the Stand-Alone Certificate Program:

  1. Fill out an SU Graduate School Application online. 

NOTE: Applicants should have seven or more years of mid-level professional experience, including management responsibilities with some public sector work preferred.

Faculty Advisors

Faculty advisors are available to assist students in identifying coursework that best meets their personal and professional goals. Students should meet with a faculty member as the first step in applying for the program. The following identifies advisors for specialized areas of study.

Applied Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management - Catherine Gerard
Advocacy and Social Movements - John Burdick
Collaborative Governance - Tina Nabatchi
Environmental Public Participation and Conflict - Farhana Sultana
Transnational Conflicts - Catherine Gerard

Courses Accepted: Certificate of Advanced Study in Conflict and Collaboration

The following courses may be counted toward completion of the CAS in Conflict and Collaboration. If you find a course you believe is appropriate for the CAS and is not listed below, you may present the course syllabus to PARCC’s Director for consideration that it be added to the list of accepted courses. 

Important notes:

  • Students must submit a “Proposed Course of Study” form with their CAS application listing all courses they intend to count toward the certificate program.
  • A course’s appropriateness for fulfilling CAS requirements may be contingent upon the instructor’s course syllabus, or upon how the course fits with the student’s overall plan of study as determined with an advisor.
  • Once accepted into the CAS program, students must contact the PARCC office (a) if making changes to their proposed course of study, and (b) to submit a final Program of Study during the semester in which the CAS is to be awarded.
  • See SU's Graduate School Academic Rules for rules about minimum GPA required to complete a program and counting credits toward multiple degrees or programs. Academic rules state that "to be awarded a CAS, a student must be matriculated in the certificate program for at least one semester. Matriculation may not be backdated."

Courses Offered in the Fall 2019 Semester-


Please note: PAI 601 Fundamentals of Conflict Studies is required for ALL students. 

Applied Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management

Applied Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management
Course Number  Course Name 
COM 698 Media Law (Instructor: Gutterman)   
PAI 747 Human Resources Management for the Public Sector 
PAI 895  Mid Career Training- Managerial Leadership (Instructor: Gerard)
SWK 601 Fundamentals of Social Work Practice (for MSW students) 
SWK 611 Social Welfare Policy/Services
SWK 777 Community Organization and Development


Advocacy & Social Movements

Advocacy & Social Movements
Course Number  Course Name  
ANT 672 Language, Culture and Society
EST 608  Environmental Advocacy Campaign: Conflict Resolutions 
PAI 747Human Resources Management for the Public Sector 
SOC 627 NYC Black Women Domestic Workers

 
Collaborative Governance

Collaborative Governance
Course Number  Course Name
LAW 700National Security Law
PAI 732 Collaborative and Participatory Governance
PAI 747 Human Resources Management for the Public Sector  
PAI 895 Mid Career Training- Managerial Leadership (Instructor: Gerard)
PSC 788 Political Leadership 

 

Environmental Public Participation and Conflict

Environmental Public Participation and Conflict
Course Number  Course Name 
EST 608 Environmental Advocacy Campaign: Conflict Resolution
GEO 606Development and Sustainability  
 PAI 732Collaborative and Participatory Governance 

 

Transnational Conflicts

Transnational Conflicts
Course Number  Course Name 
ANT/PAI 707 Culture in World Affairs
LAW 840 Law of Armed Conflict 
PAI/PSC 684 International Relations of the Middle East
PAI 710 International Actors & Issues
PAI 715 International Trade & Economic Negotiations (Greenberg House, DC)
PAI 715 Statecraft and Smart Power (Greenberg House, DC)
PAI 716Economic Dimensions of Global Power 
PAI 730 Central Challenges in National Security Law and Policy  
PAI 738 U.S. Intelligence Community  
PAI 764 UN Organizations: Managing for Change
PAI 765 Humanitarian Action
PSC 651 Theories of International Relations
PSC 671 Comparative Political Analysis  

 

If you have questions about certificate paperwork, contact Deborah Toole, PARCC's Office Coordinator, phone: 315.443.2367, email: datoole@maxwell.syr.edu.