Certificate in Dispute Resolution
Develop practical skills in negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and conflict resolution through Pepperdine Caruso School of Law's Certificate in Dispute Resolution. Offered through the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, the program provides focused training for attorneys and professionals seeking to strengthen their ability to resolve conflict without pursuing a full graduate degree. Whether expanding a legal practice, advancing a career, or applying dispute resolution principles within an organization, students gain practical knowledge that can be applied immediately in professional settings.
Certificate in Dispute Resolution Program Benefits
Learn from a Leader in Dispute Resolution
Study through the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, one of the nation's most respected centers for dispute resolution education. Learn from distinguished faculty and practitioners who bring decades of experience in negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and conflict resolution into the classroom.
Advance Your Professional Expertise
Whether pursued as a standalone credential or alongside an eligible Pepperdine graduate degree, the Certificate in Dispute Resolution provides focused training that strengthens your ability to manage conflict, facilitate productive conversations, and resolve disputes across a wide range of professional settings.
Quick Facts
| Enrollment Options: | Part-Time or Full-Time |
| Start Term: | Fall |
| Format: | In-Person |
| Length: | 1 Semester - 3 Years |
| Units: | 14 |
| Location: | Malibu, CA |
Practical Conflict Resolution Skills
Develop practical skills in negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and conflict resolution that can be applied across a variety of professional settings.
Learn from Distinguished Faculty
Study with respected scholars and practitioners who bring decades of experience in dispute resolution into the classroom.
Applicable Across Industries
Strengthen your ability to resolve conflict in legal, business, government, education, healthcare, nonprofit, and organizational environments.
Professional Development
Advance your knowledge through focused training designed for attorneys and professionals seeking specialized expertise without pursuing a full graduate degree.
Respected Straus Institute
Earn a certificate through the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, recognized for excellence in dispute resolution education and professional training.
Apply Your Learning Immediately
Bring practical strategies back to your workplace and apply them to negotiations, workplace conflict, client relationships, and organizational decision making.
Key Statistics
#1
Top Choice for Dispute Resolution
Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the nation's top dispute resolution program 16 of the last 22 years.
45+
Specialized Courses
Choose from more than 45 courses covering negotiation, mediation, arbitration, conflict
resolution, and related topics.
1986
Straus Institute Founded
Nearly four decades of leadership in dispute resolution education, research, and professional training.
Professional
Earn a respected certificate that can stand alone or complement another graduate degree or JD program with specialized dispute resolution training.
Develop Practical Skills
Build a strong foundation in negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and conflict resolution through coursework designed to address real-world challenges. Learn strategies that strengthen communication, improve decision making, and help resolve disputes more effectively.
Complement Your Pepperdine Graduate Degree
Enhance your graduate education by adding a Straus Institute Certificate in Dispute Resolution to your Pepperdine degree. Whether you're pursuing a graduate program in business, public policy, psychology, education, or another discipline, developing skills in negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution can strengthen your professional impact across a wide range of careers. Current Pepperdine graduate students may be eligible to apply up to 4 units from their existing graduate coursework toward a Straus certificate, reducing the total number of units required to complete the program. This allows you to gain a respected credential while building on the work you're already doing. Our certificate programs are designed to complement your primary degree, providing practical skills that can enhance leadership, communication, and problem-solving in any profession.
For more information, please email strausadmissions@pepperdine.edu
Learn from Distinguished Faculty
Study with respected scholars and experienced practitioners whose work has helped shape the field of dispute resolution. Faculty bring practical insight from legal practice, mediation, arbitration, and negotiation into every course.
Apply Your Learning Across Industries
Dispute resolution skills are valuable in law, business, government, healthcare, education, nonprofit organizations, and organizational leadership. Apply practical conflict management strategies to strengthen relationships, navigate challenging situations, and support better outcomes in your professional practice.
Accreditations and Recognitions
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Take the Next Step
Learn more about Pepperdine's Certificate of Dispute Resolution