Mediation and Conflict Resolution FAQ

1. How is CSUN’s program different from other basic mediation training programs?

CSUN believes that comparisons are difficult since mediation programs vary widely in coverage and goals. However, some of CSUN’s unique advantages include:

a) 100 hour program: Most other new mediator programs are closer to the minimum educational standards under the California Dispute Resolution Program Act (DRPA) and as such, are 28-32 hours in length. This requires students who wish to begin to mediate for providers such as the Los Angeles Superior Court, which has greater educational standards, to take additional mediation courses at additional cost.

b) Practicum: Many other shorter mediation programs do not provide any actual experience for their students. CSUN’s practicum, which requires students to participate in settings with local providers for a minimum of 24 hours, launches students into the real aspects of mediation and at the same time gives them a taste of what a career in mediation might be like. CSUN students may participate in a litigated case, employment dispute, or community dispute mediation practicum.

c) Feedback for Development Purposes: CSUN students will be tested and receive feedback on their progress in a variety of methods, including written assignments, multiple-choice tests and, of course, personal feedback in simulated and live mediation environments. Many other providers will not provide the same extensive feedback.

d) Continuing Education Units (CEUs): Upon successful completion of the program, CSUN students will earn 10 CEUs, which will be reflected on an official CSUN transcript. Few (if any) other training programs in southern California offer CEUs or a permanent, graded record of student participation in basic mediation training from an accredited university.

 

2. If I earn the CSUN certificate in Mediation and Conflict Resolution, will I be a “certified” mediator?

Yes, you will have similar credentials to other beginning mediators. There is no uniform “certification” or licensure process for mediators, but the common practice in California, for organizations that educate and train mediators, is to issue a certificate that indicates that the students have met (based on the organization’s professional judgment) the basic educational and training requirements under the California Dispute Resolution Program Act (DRPA). Because our curriculum is grounded in DRPA requirements and includes training and assessment on all areas covered under DRPA, CSUN students who successfully complete the program will receive a certificate stating that they have completed a 100 hour program intended to meet the basic mediator educational requirements under DRPA. Because it is a CSUN certificate, it is widely recognized and considered among the most credible. For more information on “section 3622 (c)” of the DRPA guidelines and the California Dispute Resolution Program Act, please click here.

 

3. I do not want to become a private mediator, but I would like to be able to mediate disputes at work, at home, and maybe even in the community. Will this certificate help me with that goal?

Yes! Most organizations that mediate community disputes will require participants to provide a certificate of completion or otherwise prove that they have met the basic mediator educational requirements under DRPA. All students who successfully complete the program will receive such a certificate and a CSUN transcript for their permanent record.

The program will teach (and students will practice) essential conflict resolution skills, including but not limited to, active listening, negotiation, and sensitivity to cross-cultural communication. These are life-long skills that are used both in informal and formal professional settings as well as personal settings. In short, the CSUN program will provide you the basic training techniques to mediate and solve disputes in all kinds of environments.

 

4. Can this certificate program help me move towards a career in mediation?

Absolutely! As a “practical science,” however, expertise and a career in mediation requires a lot of practical experience. The CSUN program will give you a “head start” by engaging you in a minimum of 24 hours of practical experience with one of several local mediation providers, which you may be able to continue after the program is completed. You will also be introduced to well-known mediators and mediation organizations in the community to begin the networking necessary for a potential career in mediation.

Most mediators report that it takes months and perhaps years of providing pro bono or “free” mediation services before one can develop a self-supporting mediation practice. Therefore, in most cases, it is more realistic for new mediators to have other means of support while they build experience in mediation.

 

5. Do you have to be a lawyer to be a mediator?

No. Although many mediators are attorneys, many are not. The California Dispute Resolution Program Act (DRPA) has established guidelines for training mediators regardless of their profession or background. Many people who have been trained to be mediators under DRPA guidelines are non-attorney mediators. In fact, you will meet several non-lawyer mediators in our program.

 

6. Can I juggle this program, my work, and family life at the same time?

Yes! All of the programs offered through the Tseng College of Extended Learning are geared toward the busy, working adult—we aim to extend the arm of CSUN to the working professional. The program’s course schedule allows you to complete most of your course work in the evenings, on weekends, and online. The only exception is the practicum, which will require most students to schedule time with one of our practicum partners during regular day-time working hours. Lastly, with this program you will be done in just one semester, so even if you feel like you are juggling a lot, in just a few weeks, you will be done and will have a lot to show for your hard work.

 

7. My organization would like to offer this program to our staff. Can CSUN’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution program be customized and delivered at the workplace for our employees?

It would be our pleasure to customize the mediation and conflict resolution program for your corporation or organization. As a program offered through the Tseng College of Extended Learning, we can customize and uniquely deliver programs to and for organizations as an extended arm of the university. Currently we offer customized programs through various Los Angeles County agencies, LAUSD, and several private corporations. We also deliver our programs beyond the San Fernando Valley, in places like Santa Barbara, Ventura, Chino, Glendale, Santa Clarita and nationally as well as globally through our distance learning and online initiatives. Contact Dr. Jennifer Kalfsbeek at: jennifer.kalfsbeek@csun.edu for more information.