Curriculum

As an MDR student, you will benefit from clinical and experiential learning experiences that build and deepen your ADR proficiency. As a graduate, you will be able to implement your knowledge in many areas of law and business practice, and will gain confidence in mediating, arbitrating, negotiating out-of-court settlements, and generally managing the ADR process and ADR organizations. We recognize that you must balance your law studies with work, family and other responsibilities. We offer flexible scheduling that allows you to take classes during the day or in the late afternoon and evening. We also offer some weekend classes.

Four courses are required for all students:

ADR Law and Policy: Arbitration and Mediation
ADR Ethics
Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution
Mediation Theory and Practice

You will satisfy your remaining course requirements with electives of your choice, and must earn at least 12 units in ADR-specific curriculum to receive the MDR degree.

Select a course below to view a more detailed description.

ADR Clause Drafting teaches how to identify and draft language recognizing anticipated, and the potential for unanticipated, consequences of a contemplated business transaction or actual dispute as well as the nature of the parties and their relationship. It instills essential ADR skills to identify, negotiate and draft specific to a contemplated business transaction or actual dispute.

ADR Ethics provides students, lawyers and professional neutrals with an in-depth examination of the rules guiding behavior in various dispute resolution processes.

An ADR externship allows a student to gain hands-on mediation or arbitration experience in legal settings.

This course explores the origin, development and practice of mediation, arbitration and other forms of ADR, emphasizing the policies underlying these increasingly significant and evolving areas.

Arbitration Advocacy introduces the basic approaches to preparing and presenting cases in the arbitration context.

Arbitration in the United States explores the range of issues addressed by the Federal Arbitration Act and state arbitration laws.

This course explores organizations of economic activity â€" especially the modern corporation â€" as institutions of social power, along with the roles of managers, owners and public regulatory agencies in shaping processes of decision making.

This course brings an international perspective to understanding the impact of culture in the most commonly used international and domestic dispute resolution practices (negotiation, mediation and arbitration).

This survey course seeks to prepare aspiring entrepreneurs for dealmaking. Students will learn the nuts and bolts of negotiating a deal with investors by understanding key legal concepts used in drafting business agreements including financing documents, intellectual property and technology licensing agreements, and strategic partnership agreements. With this course, students will also learn what to do before they seek legal counsel, when to seek legal counsel, and what to ask legal counsel. From a practical perspective, students will learn how to run a deal from start to finish while effectively negotiating terms that are favorable to them.

Directed Research projects reflect substantial independent research and study in the area of ADR and under the direction of an ADR instructor which result in meaningful written work, generally 10 to 15 pages per unit of credit. Students may enroll in 1 to 4 units. Units earned are not counted by the State Bar of NY toward the NY Bar Exam requirements.

This course covers the practice and theory required to navigate many family law issues, including divorce, property, custody and immigration disputes.

This course is designed to study and practice writing in business and legal settings. The premise is to teach students writing structure based on audience, tone, form, and purpose. With business writing, the course will address the fundamentals of business writing including electronic mail, business letters, formal reports and writing, with an emphasis on clear and concise writing.

Employment Dispute Mediation provides hands-on experience in the mediation of the complex issues of disability, wage and hour, sex and sex harassment, age, race, religion and national origin.

Human Resource Compliance explores the key areas within the field of human resources and employment and labor law from recruiting through termination. As the people who comprise the workforce, human resources are the backbone of every organization. Thus, the human resources field is valuable for every business leader and advisor to understand in order to meet the strategic objectives of an organization and to minimize risk. This course will prepare you to advise and support employers in day-to-day management of the workforce by enabling you to spot issues, compose policies and procedures, and develop an appropriate course of action based on legal requirements and best practices.

This course examines methods of dispute resolution used in other countries and compares them to those employed in the United States.

This course provides students with an in-depth perspective on the U.S. common law system specifically in relation to sources of law and value of case precedent. In addition, students will learn how to conduct legal research with an emphasis on selecting, understanding and interpreting statutes and administrative regulations. Students will also learn how to evaluate the quality of the materials and documents.

Mediation Advocacy examines the process of mediation, explores the philosophical approaches to mediation and different styles of mediating, develops a working knowledge of the stages of mediation, and cultivates skills essential to becoming effective advocates throughout each stage of the process.

Provides the analytical framework to explore the various theories, practices, ethical issues and policies of mediation, as well as the mediation process itself. Highly interactive and participatory, with most class sessions devoted to mediation role plays or group exercises, this course prepares students to mediate in a variety of settings. The course is designed to satisfy mediator training requirements under the California Dispute Resolution Programs Act as well as recent initiatives launched by the Los Angeles Superior Court.

This course will examine the negotiator's role as a deal facilitator, problem-solver, and conflict manager. Negotiation strategies (such as identifying risks and prioritizing client objectives) will be taught to encourage students to collaborate and compromise towards a mutually agreeable result. Some theoretical concepts or psychological analysis will be taught; however, the emphasis will be on developing a toolbox of negotiation skills and tactics that can be put into practice. This class will be interactive and simulation-based.

Examines origin and types of conflicts that arise within organizations. Includes designing systems to prevent conflict from developing or escalating, as well as developing a culture of collaboration and creativity.

Organizational Ombuds explores the origin, development and practice of a modern dispute resolution professional, the organizational ombuds. Through a combination of reading, discussion and role play activities, the course will provide practical foundation in the theories, policies and ethical issues of ombuds practice in a variety of workplaces.

In this clinic, LLM in ADR and Master of Dispute Resolution students learn the dispute resolution skills required to become mediators and use those skills to mediate actual cases in the California court system or in another mediation context or setting.

*These courses are MSL/MDR-only sections; MDR students may not enroll in the LLM or JD sections of these courses.

Note: Units earned may not be applied toward a JD degree even if you elect to pursue one at a later time. You may not transfer units from courses that were applied to a previously completed degree or certificate towards the MDR.

If you seek to apply transfer credit toward your degree, please email adr@law.usc.edu to determine eligibility.

You may pursue a certificate in Business Law concurrent with your studies. This certificate requires the completion of 12 units of law coursework specific to the certificate and does not include classes offered outside of the law school. There are no additional tuition costs associated with enrolling in a certificate. Students should refer to the materials provided by their academic advisors, as certificate requirements may be updated periodically.

Business Law Certificate — 12 units

Mandatory

This course examines the legal organizations most often used by businesses in the United States. We will study the specific laws governing business organizations, the policies and theories underlying these laws, and best practices for complying with them. The primary focus of the course is to analyze comparatively corporations, partnerships and hybrid entities. In addition, students will learn basic transactional practice skills by learning how to spot legal issues that concern business organizations at the time of formation, during operation, and when shutting down.

Electives (Choose 9 or more units)

Business for Lawyers introduces students to the basic principles and practices of contemporary business so that they can be more effective professionals when advising business clients and/or better leverage their internal and external legal resources. The course will focus on fundamental business concepts, including an introduction to accounting, business strategy, management, sales and marketing, finance and risk. Additionally, the course will cover the challenges business leaders face in the contemporary economic, political, and social environment. Course sessions will include lectures, guest speakers, and analysis and discussion of case studies.

This course is designed to provide students with a wide-ranging introduction to and overview of Contracts law.

This is an introductory course in contract drafting, negotiation and managing business transactions. Students will become familiar with essential contract provisions and negotiation theory to gain a deeper understanding of the lawyer’s role as a deal facilitator and business advisor. The course will emphasize practical lawyering skills to execute a client’s business strategy and will introduce students to various concepts and documents common to a sophisticated transactional practice.

This course will explore the legal and business issues that arise in connection with the development, production and exploitation of theatrical motion pictures and television programs. The areas explored will include the negotiation of the terms of writer, director and actor agreements, the changing landscape of media companies and exploitation platforms, and the copyright issues that can come into play.

This course provides a series of simulated mediation experiences combined with a general survey of substantive employment law and the procedural rules governing mediation. The course will begin with an introduction to the statutes, regulations and cases governing common employment disputes with a particular emphasis on anti-discrimination law, whistleblower protection, and employer accommodation of disabilities and religious practices. Preliminary readings will also include rules and procedures governing mediation of employment disputes, including mediation confidentiality. Students will participate in collaborative exercises which simulate aspects of the mediation of employment matters, specifically, counseling clients about mediation, drafting mediation briefs, communications during mediation sessions, negotiation tactics, and drafting agreements.

This is a survey course of the statutory and case law relating to patent, copyright, trademark, trade secrets and certain common law protections for intangible assets. We will adopt a practical approach to appreciate how IP rights, often in conjunction with contracts, are used to protect ownership rights and structure relationships among individuals and firms in technology and content markets as we explore the role of IP rights in both dispute-resolution and transactional practice areas.

This course teaches basic corporate acquisition planning. It emphasizes a transactional approach to many of the legal and business issues that arise in mergers and acquisitions, including corporate, tax, securities and regulatory considerations. Students will study federal and state laws governing M&A transactions, review actual deal documents and consider relevant legal, policy and business issues. The course uses a “problem method” to promote a practical understanding of how M&A transactions work.

For a “real world” case study, we will use the recent acquisition of Time Warner by AT&T. We will review the relevant documents for this deal, learn about the key players and their motivations, and discuss the important deal points and legal issues.

Provides practical foundation in the theories, policies, and ethical issues of ombuds practice in a variety of workplaces.

Electives (Choose 9 or more units)

In this course, students will examine the strategies, objectives, and challenges that will affect how contracts are drafted. They will consider factors that influence drafting style, technique, and content. The course will begin by learning the basic features of a contract (how they are formed, breached, and how terms are interpreted). From there, students will analyze the standard structure and terms of a typical contract, including the purposes behind them. Students then will dissect and examine a range of contracts used in business relationships (e.g., business formations, employment, real estate transactions, mergers/acquisitions) to evaluate drafting techniques and decisions in specific transactions. Finally, the students will use the knowledge they have gained to ink a deal.

Corporate Governance introduces students to the role and responsibilities of the board of directors and executive management in private, public, and nonprofit entities. The course will examine the purpose, evolution and history of corporate governance standards, the current structure, makeup, priorities and culture of boards, shareholder/stakeholder engagement, shareholder activism, corporate social responsibility, indemnification of boards and their management, and current "hot" topics in corporate governance.

Any company wishing to prosper will have to manage efficiently their Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio. For this reason, it has become essential to understand the different types of IP and how they are exploited. This class will focus exclusively on issues related to copyright and fair use, trademark, trade secrets and related laws that seek to protect intellectual property. In addition, students will learn strategies for licensing and enforcing a company's IP.

Human Resources Law and Compliance — 12 units

Mandatory

Compliance is the process of ensuring that a company and its employees follow the laws, regulations, and standards that apply to an organization. This course provides students with an examination of various areas of law, regulation, and policies, as well as the ways specific industries utilize compliance protocols or programs. Central principles, as well as the statutory and regulatory framework that governs this growing field of compliance, will be analyzed.

Electives (Choose 6 or more units)

Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Compliance explores regulations and compliance issues as well as related problem-solving techniques in the workplace. Various current problems will be explored, such as harassment policies, prevention and enforcement, immigration compliance, social media policies, regulation of employee behavior outside the workplace, and more.

Employment Discrimination Law will examine the regulation of employment discrimination under federal law. Primary attention will be paid to issues of race, sex, age and disability discrimination. The course will provide students a comprehensive overview of the legal doctrines developed to address workplace discrimination. It will address issues of statutory interpretation, litigation strategy and problems of proof. It will also situate this body of law within a set of sociological and theoretical frameworks aimed to enrich students' understandings of the law's foundations and purposes.

Media and Entertainment Law Certificate — 12 units

Mandatory

An examination of how the courts are handling selected, “cutting edge” topics in entertainment law. The topics will include the scope of and limitations on the right of publicity; fair use and parody defenses to copyright infringement; future technology clauses in rights contracts; and copyright and defamation issues arising in the online world.

The protection of intellectual property and encouragement of creativity. Explores copyright, trademarks, patents, and selected state law theories.

Electives (Choose 4 or more units)

Focuses on the business, legal, and financial issues that relate to the creation, financing, and exploitation of digital media.

MDR students will not be eligible to sit for the bar exam in the U.S. after completing this degree, as these students do not hold a first degree in law.

If you are an international student with a LLB degree or the equivalent and are interested in studying ADR as part of a comprehensive study plan that will allow you to seek admission to the New York or California bar, you should consider the LLM in ADR degree. If you plan to seek admission to the District of Columbia (D.C.) bar, you must enroll in the traditional LLM degree.

Enrollment in a master’s degree does not guarantee your eligibility to sit for a bar exam.

Through the MDR degree, you will develop:

an understanding of the underlying policies and legal ramifications for the range of ADR options that are available
an expansive skillset for conducting ADR processes
appropriate ethical guidelines as a neutral while conducting ADR processes
an understanding of the wide variety of ADR policies and issues that affect practitioners engaged in an ADR practice
an ability to apply concepts, tools and principles of business management necessary for leadership in ADR organizations

USC Gould has a Recognized Course Provider status with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), an internationally renowned professional membership organization that provides training and professional services for judges, arbitrators, and other ADR practitioners. It also acts as a global hub for practitioners, policy makers, academics and those in business, supporting the promotion, facilitation and development of all ADR methods worldwide. Founded in 1915 and granted a Royal Charter in 1979 as a not-for-profit organization, CIArb has a growing membership of 16,000, and is based across 133 countries and supported by an international network of 39 branches.

CIArb offers a progressive ladder of opportunities leading to professional designations that show increasing levels of competence in arbitration and mediation, starting with Student, then Associate (ACIArb), Member (MCIArb), and finally Fellow (FCIArb). As a USC Gould student, once you successfully complete our International Arbitration (LAW-817) course, you become eligible to apply for CIArb membership at the Member (MCIArb) level within two years, helping you to climb the CIArb accreditation ladder more quickly and economically towards your goal of achieving a highly coveted professional credential with international recognition.

MDR students who are interested in the JD degree at USC Gould should apply directly. Please note there is no opportunity for MDR students to transfer to USC Gould’s JD degree, and credit received for the MDR degree cannot be used towards the JD degree.

Apply Now

Start the online application process.

Upcoming Events

Join an upcoming event

Visit USC Gould

Come experience life at USC Gould.

Admitted Students Portal

Still have questions? Let us help.

About

Academics

Faculty & Research

Alumni

Students

Explore by Interest

Course Descriptions

Certificate Offerings

Business Law Certificate — 12 units

Human Resources Law and Compliance — 12 units

Electives (Choose 6 or more units)

Media and Entertainment Law Certificate — 12 units

Bar Exam Eligibility

Degree Outcomes

CIArb Accreditation

Transfer to JD

Next Steps