UMass Boston

• Conflict Resolution Certificate  (in person, online, hybrid)
• Conflict Resolution MA
• Global Governance & Human Security MA
• Global Governance & Human Security PhD
• International Relations MA

• Conflict Resolution BA/MA
• International Relations BA/MA

This is a great way to "sample" the programs before applying and evaluate whether it meets your goals and interests. You must have a bachelor's degree to enroll and if you earn a B or better, and are later admitted to one of the degree programs listed below, the credits will count towards degree (maximum of 6 credits allowed).  

• Conflict Resolution MA
• Conflict Resolution graduate certificate (in person, online, hybrid)
• Global Governance and Human Security MA
• International Relations MA

Visit the Bursar’s website to research costs. All courses are subject to regular session rate and New England regional rate is not applicable for non-degree students.

Please visit the Registrar's website for more information regarding non-degree registration or contact conresglobal@umb.edu. 

If you value practical experience, civic responsibility and academic excellence we invite you to explore our internationally-ranked graduate programs and the pioneering work of our faculty and research centers.

Contact conresglobal@umb.edu for more information.  

Fall 2025 Options: 

Complete this Take A Class form to get started

Conflict Resolution focused:

CONRES 623: Introductory Theory Tuesday 5:30-8:15 pm OR online/asynchronous

This course examines the theories and assumptions underpinning the practice of negotiation and mediation. It identifies the major schools of thought that influence models in practice and shape research agendas. It examines theories critically, with three aims-uncovering implicit assumptions of practice, testing those assumptions against empirical evidence or other theories, and gleaning insights to assist practitioners.

CONRES 603: Conflict and Politics in International Development Wednesday 5:30 - 8:15 PM

In this course, we will examine the politics of international development. In particular, the course will survey a range of development theories that examine the role of political institutions, governance dynamics, and the underlying political processes. We will also examine the role of a range of state and non-state actors, such as governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, and community groups among others. Power dynamics and inequality will be a central focus of the course, especially those that are shaped by the evolution of international development approaches. The course will critically examine the ability of development strategies and governance regimes to both contribute and mitigate conflict. The course will integrate theory with practical application.

CONRES 626: Nonviolent Action online/asynchronous

Nonviolent action refers to conflict waged by nonviolent means. Also known as civil resistance, nonviolent action requires collective action, it is strategic and oriented toward a shared goal (usually resisting harm, righting an injustice, toppling an oppressive regime, or liberating a territory), it involves contentious action outside of normal institutional channels, and those practicing it refrain from using violence, despite using a range of other quite assertive and coercive tools of noncooperation or disruption, and often being the recipients of repression or violence from their opponents. Given the power asymmetries in many societies, other conflict resolution, peacebuilding and dialogue tools may prove insufficient if one party benefits from the status quo and does not perceive an incentive to negotiate. In these cases, nonviolent action can be a way of using ‘People Power’ to change power dynamics and the opponent’s perception of how costly it is to refuse to negotiate. This online mini-course will introduce the foundational concepts and theories of nonviolent action, explore the research on its effectiveness, study cases from around the world of how it has worked even in very challenging or repressive contexts, and introduce tools to analyze and plan a campaign relying on
nonviolent action to address an injustice or threat.

CONRES 621: Negotiation Monday 5:30-8:15pm

Negotiation is the bedrock skill in this field. The course addresses the development of negotiation techniques and fosters student knowledge of the substantial body of negotiation theory that is now available.

International Relations focused:

INTREL 612: Issues In World Politics Monday 5:30-8:15pm

This seminar focuses on contemporary policy problems relevant to world politics. A critical examination of these global policy problems permits the application of key concepts and theories of international relations from a variety of different perspectives at the domestic, national, and international levels. Typically, this course focuses on selected regions or issues as illustrations of broader themes in world affairs.

INTREL 611: Theories of International Relations Tuesday 5:30-8:15pm

This course provides students with an introduction to the major explanatory theories and core concepts that define international relations as a field of study. It identifies key agents, examines the historical evolution of international systems, and describes processes and institutions that contribute to various forms of international conflict and its resolution. This course provides a foundation for more specialized course in international relations.

INTREL 621: International Development Wednesday 5:30 - 8:15pm

This course examines the major concepts and theories necessary for a critical understanding of the social, political, and economic problems and possibilities facing countries in their quest for development. While exploring the domestic determinants of development, the course also considers the role of international institutions and the most powerful countries in shaping the policy options of developing countries, with particular attention to the process of globalization as a recent contributor to the problem of underdevelopment.

INTREL 638L / CONRES 638L: Global Governance Thursday 5:30 - 8:15pm

Global governance refers both to something empirical -- "what (limited) world government we have" -- and to an approach to the study of global problems, one that highlights the economic and cultural contexts of political globalization and foregrounds the questions of whether and how current processes can be made more effective. Students will become familiar with the variety of theoretical approaches to global governance and knowledgeable about its context, including the globalization of industrial capitalism in which global governance emerged, and about its empirics, what it is today. Students' final papers and in-class presentations will investigate the prospects for reform of global governance in an issue area of their choice.

Virtual Summer Institute:  Conflict Transformation Across Borders (open to undergrads and non-degree students).

contact conresglobal@umb.edu or kelly.ward@umb.edu for more information. 

Zoom classes on weekdays from June 9-20, 10 a.m. - 1p.m. M-F, plus an additional asynchronous week June 23-27 to complete projects.

Info Session recording available here.

Spend two weeks this summer learning about peacebuilding, border conflicts, migration, and conflict transformation together with participants and fantastic guest speakers from all over Latin America and the world! UMass Boston, in collaboration with Latin American partner universities in Ecuador, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Uruguay, will hold their Virtual Summer Institute on Conflict Transformation Across Borders each summer.  Students will enroll through their respective university and participate in two weeks of virtual (Zoom) classes in June 2025.  The summer Institute will include the analysis of concrete cases of conflict, peacebuilding, refugees and border challenges, as well as practical skills training on conflict analysis, actor mapping, negotiation and mediation and proposal writing, with top-level guest speakers from around the world.  Cases drawn from Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Haiti, Costa Rica, and the United States will provide concrete examples.  Participants will design their own proposal for a peacebuilding Intervention and will receive feedback from a panel of experienced experts in the field, and they will produce a 'public engagement' project such as an op ed or podcast episode.  This course will be co- facilitated by Dr. Jeffrey Pugh of UMass Boston's Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security and Global Governance, Dr. Cecile Mouly of FLACSO Ecuador, and Dr. Monica Herz of PUC de Rio, as well as other speakers.   

For more information, contact Kelly Ward Mason at kelly.ward@umb.edu