This postgraduate programme in mediation and conflict resolution, now in its fifth year, provides a thorough, practical and exciting introduction to this developing area. Still the only course of its kind in the UK, the programme is rigorous and multi-disciplinary, exposing you to a wide range of approaches as well as being taught by experts from across the UK. The skills of conflict resolution are crucial in contemporary life. Professionals in business, public bodies and the law are increasingly expected to act in a collaborative way and to resolve disputes without the delay and expense of litigation. Mediation is fast becoming a core skill. For those working in international settings the core modules can be combined with other classes such as International Human Rights Law to provide the foundation for work with charities and non-governmental organisations committed to conflict resolution. In response to popular demand, from 2014/15 you can graduate with either an LLM or MSc. Students whose dissertations deal with significant legal or justice questions receive recognition via an LLM. Those who take a social science or empirical approach will graduate with an MSc. This division reflects the range of students taking the course, who include: lawyers human resource professionals recent graduates of all disciplines managers teachers social workers coaches, as well as experienced mediators seeking a more academic grounding for their work

Many students take their qualification into their existing professions, for example law, human resources, construction, education, management, social work and trade unions. A number of large law firms now have dispute resolution departments. Legal practitioners find the qualification a useful addition to their CV. HR managers who have taken the course report regular use of their mediation skills. Managers and social workers say they use them daily. Former students are now working in community, homelessness and family mediation. Others have integrated mediation into their business offering.