Graduate Program in Conflict Transformation

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Preparing reflective practitioners

  • Nurturing a diverse learning community that values mutuality
  • Offering a practice-based curriculum
  • Encouraging nonviolent and restorative responses to conflict
  • Fostering reflective, value-based practice and critical self-reflection
  • Furthering the lifelong process of strengthening and acquiring the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values needed for peacebuilding
  • Sustaining a long-term commitment to justice and peace

The master’s program in conflict transformation prepares students to creatively work for long-term sustained, structural change, whether in an organization or community or on a large-scale level. The program is practice-oriented; faculty come from the field (not academia) and the student body is made up of peacebuilding practitioners from around the world.

Students may choose to focus their studies on restorative justice; psychosocial trauma; strategic peacebuilding; community development; or organizational leadership. Students may also choose to create a unique specialization. Students engage in local, mentored practice throughout the program; with faculty and staff support, students work in the local community to develop their skills in concrete ways while addressing key justice issues in the Shenandoah Valley. All students develop a portfolio of practice highlighting skills, research and publications.

“CJP helped me to find the tools, the skills
and the knowledge to do something different in the world.”
–Danielle Taylor, M.A., 2013

The Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation is awarded upon successful completion of 45 semester hours. This includes 24 credits of core requirements, courses taken towards a specialization, and electives. Students work with a faculty advisor to establish a course of study that will meet that student’s vocational goals. When pursued full time, the program can be completed in two years; limited-residency students normally finish in three to five years. All students are required to spend at least one semester on campus.

To graduate, the student must meet all course and practicum requirements, earn a minimum GPA of 3.00, master program assessment criteria for competency, and obtain formal approval of the faculty for graduation.

Master of Arts

Graduate Certificate

Five concentrations are available to allow students to focus on areas of special interest. The concentrations and their required courses are listed below.

Choose 2 of the following 4 courses:

Choose 2 of the following 3 courses:

Students at the Center for Justice & Peacebuilding may opt for a dual Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation and Master of Divinity degree, offered in conjunction with Eastern Mennonite Seminary. This degree can be completed in four years of full-time, continuous study, one year less than if each degree were pursued separately. Students wishing take this course of study must be admitted to both programs.

Students are required to complete core requirements in both programs and work closely with advisors in both programs to establish a course of study that meets the student’s vocational goals. The dual degree is 111 semester hours: 78 in the seminary (57 hours of core coursework and 21 hours of ministry track electives) and 33 hours at CJP (27 hours of core requirements and specialization courses, and six hours of electives). Seminary admissions requirements and additional information about the dual degree can be found on the seminary’s website.

Graduate Certificate in Conflict Transformation The 15-credit graduate certificate is designed for professionals who wish to develop secondary skills to further their work and organizational mission. The certificate can be completed in two semesters or two summers, or through a combination of summer, online and weekend courses. Participants work with a faculty advisor to develop a program that meets their needs. Required coursework: Foundations I.

Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship Also 15 hours, this graduate certificate equips leaders to manage nonprofits and understand how people function within organizations. Offered jointly by CJP and EMU’s MBA program.

Graduate Certificate in Theology for Peacebuilding For students wishing to integrate biblical perspectives and peacebuilding studies. This certificate, offered by Eastern Mennonite Seminary , is 24 credit hours and combines 15 credit hours of coursework at the seminary and nine (including Analysis and Practice) at the Center for Justice & Peacebuilding.



Next Step: Application and Admissions