UMass Boston

Course Overview

Description

Students complete one of 3 types of Capstone projects (Master's Theses, Master's Projects, or Integrative Papers) that integrate the knowledge and skills acquired during their training. Capstones can take a wide variety of forms, including 1) empirical research; 2) apprenticeships with professionals or agencies; 3) evaluations and/or analyses of existing practices; 4) the creation of new dispute resolution programs or curricula, tailored to specific, identified, unmet needs; or 5) conflict analyses and proposed interventions focused on a conflict of the instructor's choosing. Each Capstone culminates in a work product, such as a research paper or written account of an applied project, demonstrating substantial progress beyond previous learning. The accompanying seminar brings together all students working on their Capstone projects to review methods needed for their projects (e.g., research skills, intervention techniques), discuss literature covered in previous courses, and plan for their future learning as conflict resolvers.