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2012-2013 University Catalog
Conflict Analysis and Resolution, PhD
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Banner Code: CA-PHD-CONF
The doctoral program, the first of its kind in the United States, provides advanced study for students in the fields of conflict analysis and conflict resolution. Students are prepared for careers as researchers, theoreticians, and teachers in higher education, and as policy administrators, analysts, and consultants in the public and the private sectors.
The program stresses a close link between knowledge of theory and process in the resolution of conflict. For this, training in the methods of research and analysis is emphasized. In addition, students are expected to obtain a background in a substantive area of conflict, usually related to the topic of the dissertation.
Admission
A master’s or equivalent degree is required for admission to the Ph.D. program. In addition to meeting all admission requirements for graduate study, applicants must submit all undergraduate and graduate transcripts; three letters of recommendation, one of which should be from a faculty member in the applicant’s undergraduate or graduate major field; a 750 to 1,000 word essay on goals and reasons for seeking admission to the program; a written sample of work that shows the applicant’s potential for completing dissertation research in a doctoral program, and a resume or curriculum vitae. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or other standardized test scores are not required but may be submitted. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of international students. For more information, see the Admission of International Students section in the Admissions chapter of this catalog. Although students may enroll on a full- or part-time basis, entry into the program is in the fall semester only.
Reduction of Credit
Since a Master’s degree or equivalent is required for admission, students will automatically receive a 15 credit reduction of the number of credits required.
Students may have the required number of credits reduced by up to 15 additional credits based on relevant previous coursework. The actual number of applied credits is determined in consultation with the student’s advisor and the program coordinator after a review of courses taken, subsequent to a student’s admission to the program.
Transfer of Non-Degree Credit
A maximum of 12 credits of S-CAR graduate courses taken at George Mason as a non-degree graduate student, or as part of S-CAR’s graduate certificate program may be transferred into the Ph.D. program. How credit will be counted will be determined in consultation with the student’s advisor. A maximum of 6 credits of non-S-CAR courses taken as non-degree credit can be counted toward the Ph.D. program. Courses counted toward another degree cannot be transferred.
Adding an S-CAR Certificate Program
Students may elect to complete an S-CAR graduate certificate in addition to the Ph.D. program. Graduate certificates are opportunities for students to further tailor their academic program and specialize in a specific area of Conflict Resolution practice. Certain graduate certificate courses can be used to fulfill PhD program requirements. Students should consult with the Certificate Program Director and Doctoral Program Director for policies on counting certificate courses toward the Ph.D. degree. |
Degree Requirements
The PhD in conflict analysis and resolution requires completion of 72 credits. Since a Master’s degree or equivalent is required for admission, students will automatically receive a 15 credit reduction of the number of credits required, bringing the required credits to 57. Students may have the required number of credits reduced by up to 15 more credits based on relevant previous coursework. Students must complete coursework, language requirements, comprehensive exams, and advancement to candidacy within six years of their official admission date.
All doctoral students should meet with their faculty advisor before starting classes to develop a plan of study. This plan should show the sequence of courses anticipated. It should be based on a discussion between the student and the advisor about the student’s interest and goals. The plan should ensure that the student completes coursework efficiently and is able to build toward candidacy. The student and the advisor should then meet at least once each semester thereafter to review and amend the plan. The Program Director should receive a copy of each new or revised plan of study.
Foreign Language Requirement
Every doctoral student must show competence in a foreign language (that is, a language other than their native tongue) before advancing to candidacy. Students cannot register for CONF 998 without evidence of meeting this requirement. International students may use English as their foreign language and the TOEFL as a demonstration of competency. Neither American Sign Language nor computer languages can be used to fulfill this requirement. All students, regardless of how recently language courses have been taken, are required to fulfill the same standard before advancing to candidacy. For additional information, visit mcl.gmu.edu/placement-testing Required Courses (30 Credits)
CONF 801 and CONF 900 are required for all students. Students take 15 credits of foundation coursework in the areas of theory, research and practice. Students also take 9 credits of specialization courses approved by the Program Director. Foundation Courses
Students complete 15 credits of foundation courses including Theoretical Foundations (6 credits), Research Foundations (6 credits), and Practice Foundations (3 credits). Theoretical Foundations - choose two of the following:
Research Foundations - choose two of the following:
Practice Foundations - choose one of the following:
Specialization Courses
Students take 9 credits of graduate level specialization courses, evenly distributed across the areas of theory, research, and practice. The Doctoral Program Director must approve courses. Reduction of Credit (15 Credits)
Elective Courses (15 credits)
Electives are any 500-, 600-, and 700-level CONF courses that are not required. With the advisor’s approval, each student may include a maximum of 6 credits of electives from outside the S-CAR Program, including courses in other Mason departments, consortium courses, and transfer courses from other universities. The intent is to allow students to have maximum flexibility in selecting courses to build skills and knowledge needed in dissertation work. may be taken to meet the requirement. Only two directed readings classes (6 credits) can be applied toward doctoral elective requirements. Comprehensive Examination
Students are eligible to sit for the comprehensive examination when they have completed all the requirements of course work in the doctoral program with the exception of CONF 998 and 999 and have demonstrated competence in a foreign language.
Upon completion of all coursework, doctoral students are eligible to take the comprehensive examination. A student is advanced to candidacy upon completion of the examination. The examination will be held twice each year, in January and in August. Students who do not pass the exam should form a plan of study with their advisor and the Doctoral Director that will prepare them to re-take comps. The comprehensive examination may be retaken two times for a total of three attempts. If, after three attempts, the student was not able to pass the examination they should consult with the Doctoral and Master’s Directors about the possibility of transferring to the MS program. Advancement to Candidacy
Upon completing course work (except dissertation) listed on the Plan of Study, meeting the language requirement, and passing “comps” students will be advanced to candidacy and will be personally notified of this by the Dean of S-CAR. Students have one year to complete the proposal with required sign-off from all committee members and, then, a maximum of four years to complete and defend the dissertation. Dissertation Research (12 credits)
Students are required to complete 12 combined credits of CONF 998 (Doctoral Dissertation Proposal) and CONF 999 (Doctoral Dissertation Research), including at least 3 credits of CONF 999. Students must have a signed dissertation proposal in order to register for CONF 999. Dissertation Committee
During the 12 months following advancement to candidacy, the candidate should form their dissertation committee at the same time as they are working on their dissertation proposal. The Dissertation Committee must include a chair person from among S-CAR faculty and at least two other members of the graduate faculty, one of whom must be a non-S-CAR GMU faculty member. The candidate should notify the Dean and Doctoral Director when a tentative committee has been formed. The membership of the committee must be approved by the Doctoral Director and the Dean of the School. The Dean will formally appoint the dissertation committee. The Dean will inform the student, committee members, and Doctoral Director when the committee has been appointed. Dissertation Proposal
The first job of the committee is to approve the candidate’s dissertation proposal. The proposal is the candidate’s description (in some detail) of his/her dissertation project. It will include an argument about the hypothesis/theory question being tackled and the specific methods of research to be used. It should be prepared in consultation with the chair of the committee, but must be seen and approved by all members. A signed cover page from that proposal must be filed with the Doctoral Director. Failure to complete the formation of a committee and an approved proposal by the end of the 12 month period will result in the candidate’s dismissal from the doctoral program. (Candidates may appeal to the Dean for a further extension of this dissertation preparation period but such appeals will be allowed only on grounds of documented illness or family emergency). Candidates should consult thesis.gmu.edu/ to ensure the proposal is in the correct format and has been submitted to all the appropriate offices.
After receiving permission from the full committee, the candidate makes an oral presentation of the dissertation proposal before the committee and the Doctoral Director that is also open to other S-CAR faculty, fellow students, and other scholars. In scheduling the defense, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all members of the committee are available and will be present for the defense. Writing the Dissertation and its Defense
The chair of the dissertation committee usually takes most of the responsibility for guiding the overall project and the writing of the dissertation, although all members (and other useful persons) should be consulted as appropriate. It is their collective responsibility to ensure a quality piece of work. When advanced to candidacy, the Guide for Preparing Graduate Thesis, Dissertation and Projects tells exactly how to prepare a physically acceptable thesis. Please visit thesis.gmu.edu/ to ensure formatting guidelines are met and submission procedures followed.
It is essential that doctoral committee members have sufficient time to read and evaluate dissertation drafts with care prior to the dissertation defense date. It is also essential that students have sufficient time after the defense to do final revisions, editing and formatting. If the University determines the deadlines for final library submission deadline is May 1 for example, the defense must take place prior to April 1 and the full draft dissertation must be delivered to the full committee before March 1.
The dissertation is to be orally defended in public with at least the whole committee present. (The University may also send a representative, if it wishes.) However, anyone else is free to attend. This ensures that the University’s standards are met, and offers an opportunity to all to hear the result of the work. After a successful defense, the cover page is signed by the members of the Dissertation Committee, and the dissertation is filed with the University. An additional signed copy should be delivered to the S-CAR Library.
Dissertations must be presented to the library in the proper format or they will not be accepted. Please visit the University Dissertation & Thesis Services web site at thesis.gmu.edu/ for dissertation formatting requirements and submission deadlines. Mason’s Dissertation and Thesis Coordinator may be reached at udts@gmu.edu or 703-993-2222. |
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