Peace and Conflict Management

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Foreign:$ 9.78 k / Year(s)  
601–800 place StudyQA ranking:7806 Duration:12 months

Photos of university / #university_of_haifa

The MA Program in Peace and Conflict Management Studies is a rigorous, one-year program of study that introduces the field of conflict management through both international and regional lenses.

While special attention is given to Middle East conflicts, the program also presents conceptual, comparative and practical elements of conflict management from different parts of the world. In addition to the great variety of courses within fields such as political science, international relations, psychology, sociology, communications, history and Middle East Studies, the program offers a wide range of exciting and enriching activities.

These activities include field trips throughout Israel connected to local and regional conflicts; a practicum component in NGOs related to aspects of peacemaking and conflict management; thoughtful simulations of decisionmaking, negotiations and conflict management; and guest lectures given by activists, practitioners, politicians, diplomats, academics and former military officials.

The curriculum also examines specific case studies of conflict and uses the Middle East and Israel as a living classroom for empirical learning.

The program is based in the Faculty of Social Sciences in cooperation with the International School at the University of Haifa. The master’s degree is awarded by the Faculty of Social Sciences.

As a deeply divided society and a country in protracted conflict with other countries in the region, Israel is a unique environment for a program whose goal is to enable students to understand how conflicts unfold from a grassroots level and move up through the halls of government to the international community. Israel supplies excellent field study opportunities that allow students to see how attempts to manage conflicts and promote coexistence, mutual understanding, and peace processes actually develop and take root. Israel is a real-time hands-on working laboratory for advanced international and Israeli students, offering encounters with ongoing conflicts as well as successful and failed efforts to achieve peace.

The main objectives of the program are to:

  • 1. Provide students with an invaluable opportunity to learn about discord around the world, and especially the specific conflicts within Israeli society and the Middle East;
  • 2. Endow students with theoretical knowledge and practical tools to deal with ethno-national conflicts and peace-building;
  • 3. Provide students with field experience that will build skills, knowledge and unique perspectives which can be applied to future careers.

In order to obtain these objectives, the program examines case studies of conflict and peacemaking among ethnic groups, nations and states from both a domestic and an international perspective.

The program begins in the fall and runs for three consecutive semesters from October to September. This is an interdisciplinary program and courses cover the following subjects:

1. The sources, types and levels of conflicts and how they develop
2. Conflict management and ways to foster peace processes
3. Research methodology
4. Field practicum (internship)

Careers

A master's degree in peace and conflict management studies prepares students for a wide variety of careers. Graduates may become researchers, educators, negotiators, mediators, government officials, businesspeople, activists, and professionals in organizations focused on human rights, dispute resolution, environmental protection, international law, and human and economic development.

Program Highlights

  • International, one-year program taught in English
  • Use Israel as a living classroom for empirical learning
  • Academic tours, simulations, role playing and expert panel discussions
  • Supervised practicum around Israel

Track A: Thesis Track*

7 Courses - 28 credit hours (4 core courses and 3 elective courses)
Thesis Research Paper
Track A students will be required to write two seminar papers (6000 words each), one final paper based on the practicum/internship and a thesis research paper.
*Being able to pursue the thesis is dependent on the student's ability to find an appropriate advisor.
*Students selecting the thesis track should take into consideration that completion of a master’s thesis within one year is not guaranteed. A master’s thesis is an independent research project, and the pace of progress largely depends on the student’s efforts. Completion of a thesis may often require more than one year.

Track B: Non-Thesis Track

9 Courses - 36 credit hours (4 core courses and 5 elective courses)

Final paper based on the practicum/internship

Track B students will be required to complete three seminar papers (6000 words each) and one final paper based on the practicum/internship (8,000 words).

Language Study Study of Hebrew and Arabic is not included in the program curriculum, however language study is available through the International School at an additional cost of $900 per course.
Please note that language course grades are not calculated into the MA GPA, but they do appear on the student's transcript.
The language courses begin prior to the MA program start date. Please contact the International School at graduate@mail.uhaifa.org for exact dates.

Practicum

The practicum is a field experience in an organizational project of peacebuilding, conflict management, justice, development or human rights. A practicum should have all the following components:

  • Specific project, either existing or initiated;
  • Field work (not research);
  • Relevancy to areas of peacemaking, conflict management, development, or human rights;
  • Work in an organization.

Each student will have two supervisors: an academic supervisor from the University of Haifa faculty and a supervisor at the organization where the practicum is being carried out. Students will be required to submit a full analytical report at the end of the semester about their practicum experience. The report will cover the theoretical background, the project, the organization, policy implications, bibliography and a personal journal.

Enrichment

In addition to the practicum/internship, the program will furnish exposure to NGOs for Arab-Jewish and Israeli-Palestinian coexistence and Middle East peace processes. Field trips, simulation games, guest lectures and expert panel discussions will enhance the courses. The interactions between the program's international students coming from different countries will expand the students' experience and knowledge.

Simulations

Role-playing simulations serve as one of the most effective educational instruments in the study of peace and conflict management. The simulations have two major educational motivations. The first is empathizing with the role that will be played. This requires learning about a political group’s interests, fears, previous experiences, internal divisions, norms and culture. The second element of the simulation is experiencing strategic decisionmaking. This requires learning how to collect information about the other actors as well as one’s own capabilities and limitations, formulation of detailed policy alternatives, predicting how the other actors will respond to each policy and experiencing the actual reaction of the other actors as well as unexpected initiatives of they might launch. The participants have the opportunity to backtrack and repeat the simulation and discover what would have happened if they had chosen an alternative strategy.

A minimum of 3.0 GPA, 80% (Israeli system) or equivalentOfficial transcript of BA degree and copy of undergraduate diplomaTOEFL scores (if applicable)Two recommendations from relevant academic faculty membersStatement of Intent/Personal Essay (500-750 words)Curriculum Vitae/RésuméMedical forms (international students only)Copy of valid passport and six passport-sized photos (international students only)Work experience in an organization for human rights, coexistence, or peace (preferred, not required)Exceptions to the admissions requirements: under certain exceptional circumstances, the committee may be willing to consider applicants that do not meet the minimal admissions requirements. Such applicants may submit a request for special consideration explaining why they believe their application merits consideration despite their not meeting the minimum requirements.The request must be submitted in writing and approved by the committee before a full application is submitted. The committee will not review applications not meeting the requirements unless a request for special consideration has been approved. Academic Prerequisites Students who have not taken introductory courses in the social sciences during their undergraduate degree will need to successfully complete two courses before being accepted to the program: 1. One introductory course in either psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, or international relations 2. One introductory course in methodology (research methods, statistics)in a social science disciplineTOEFL Scores Candidates, who are not native speakers of English or have not previously studied at an institution of higher education where the language of instruction is English, must submit official TOEFL scores or equivalent. This requirement applies to Israeli as well as international candidates. The minimum TOEFL score required for admission is: 570 on the paper-based test, 230 on the computer-based test or 89 on the internet-based test. Contact the admissions office at graduate@mail.uhaifa.org for information regarding exemptions from the TOEFL exam. English Language Requirements TOEFL paper-based test score : 570 TOEFL iBT® test: 89

There are a variety of financial aid opportunities available to students who are interested in studying at the International School at the University of Haifa. For a complete list, please look under the "Finances" tab that you will find on the left side of every page of our website. Click on "Financial Aid" and a full list of potential scholarships will open. Scholarship eligibility considers factors such as length of program, merit, financial need, and nationality, so you will need to review the list to determine for which scholarships you are eligible.

Similar programs:
Study mode:On campus Languages: English
Foreign:$ 16.5 k / Year(s)
Deadline: May 31, 2024 191 place StudyQA ranking: 4494
Study mode:On campus Languages: English
Local:$ 17.3 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 17.3 k / Year(s)
201–250 place StudyQA ranking: 3260
Study mode:On campus Languages: English
Local:$ 17 k / program Foreign:$ 17 k / program
Deadline: May 15, 2024 201–250 place StudyQA ranking: 6212
Study mode:On campus Languages: English
Local:$ 2.06 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 13 k / Year(s)
66 place StudyQA ranking: 7684
Study mode:On campus Languages: English
Local:$ 2.25 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 15.8 k / Year(s)
Deadline: Oct 15, 2024 80 place StudyQA ranking: 5800
Study mode:On campus Languages: English
Local:$ 2.15 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 14.5 k / Year(s)
StudyQA ranking: 5859
Study mode:On campus Languages: English
Local:$ 2.17 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 10.2 k / Year(s)
StudyQA ranking: 5556