Recognizing the increasing demand for legal knowledge and credentials, the School of Law now offers a 12-hour Graduate Program in Alternative Dispute Resolution and a 15-hour Graduate Certificate in International Law.

The Graduate Program in ADR is a course of study in mediation, negotiation and ADR systems design resulting in an advanced credential. Participants may complete the ADR program in conjunction with the School of Law’s Master in the Study of Law or Juris Doctor or as a stand-alone qualification.

With a combination of online, in-person and evening classes, the program offers flexibility for working professionals as well as traditional graduate students. Participants who are not yet registered mediators will work toward registration with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution, while experienced registered mediators can enroll in an advanced track that enables them to focus more on skills development and systems design.

“The world needs professionals who are trained to manage conflict, to structure difficult conversations and to show the way to reconciliation,” Daniel S. Servianksy, faculty director of the ADR Graduate Program, said. “The negotiation and dispute resolution skills that participants develop will be invaluable in a diverse range of fields from corporate careers to healthcare, from community organizations to law firms, and from public service to private enterprise.”

Overseen by the Dean Rusk International Law Center, the Graduate Certificate in International Law is designed for UGA graduate students who seek to add an internationally focused legal dimension to their academic resume. Students from all academic disciplines are invited to apply to the certification program every fall semester for enrollment the following spring. Cohorts of up to 10 students are admitted.

The field of international law is inherently interdisciplinary, functioning as a space where subject matter experts, policymakers and lawyers work together to address the major policy and legal challenges of our time, according to Dean Rusk Center Interim Director Sarah Quinn.

“This certificate program provides aspiring subject matter experts and policymakers with the knowledge and skills to understand the laws, systems and actors within international law,” she added.