Provides law students, lawyers and professional neutrals with an in-depth examination of the rules guiding our behavior in various dispute resolution processes.
In as little as five years, you will earn both a bachelor's degree in your field and a Master of Dispute Resolution (MDR) degree.
The program is designed for exceptional students and professionals interested in taking the next step in their careers as authorities in the field of dispute resolution.
Build valuable negotiation, mediation, and arbitration skills as an advocate for a client or as a neutral, and hone business management skills to position yourself for leadership roles in dispute resolution organizations.
Apply theoretical knowledge and basic research skills acquired as an undergraduate to practical applications of the professional world.
Note: Our MDR degree is not recommended if your goal is to practice law or earn a Juris Doctor (JD). Pursuant to the American Bar Association standards and USC's graduate transfer policies, credits earned in our MDR program are not eligible for transfer credit to a JD program at USC or other universities. If you aspire to become an attorney, please visit USC Gould's JD program.
USC Gould Progressive Degree Program - Master of Dispute Resolution offers the option of earning a certificate in business law concurrently with the degree studies at no additional tuition cost.
To apply to the Progressive Degree Program (PDP), you must:
Provides law students, lawyers and professional neutrals with an in-depth examination of the rules guiding our behavior in various dispute resolution processes.
Exploration of the origin, development, and practice of mediation, arbitration and other forms of ADR, emphasizing the policies underlying these increasingly significant and evolving areas.
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).
Develop knowledge and skills associated with the mediation process as a third party neutral. Explore mediation theories, practices, ethical issues and policies.
Students learn basic and advanced mediation skills, practice their skills in simulated mediations, and upon certification by the instructor, mediate in the Los Angeles
Students learn basic and advanced mediation skills, practice their skills in simulated mediations, and upon certification by the instructor, mediate in the Los Angeles
An externship allows a student to gain hands-on professional experience in legal and business settings. Students will be placed with a legal services provider, business or organization, government agency or state or federal judge under faculty supervision. All externships include an initial orientation and subsequent academic assignments.
This course covers the organization of economic activity — especially the modern corporation — as institutions of social power. The roles of managers, owners, and public regulatory agencies in shaping processes of decision-making.
Develops enhanced negotiation skills and a working understanding of ADR processes and procedures in an interactive classroom experience
Introduces students to the range of issues addressed by the Federal Arbitration Act and state arbitration laws.
Examines methods of dispute resolution used in other countries and compares them to those employed in the United States.
Explores a variety of contract provisions, and teaches students the important drafting skills necessary to achieve a client’s goal.
Helps students understand the basic approaches to preparing and presenting cases in the arbitration context.
Provides hands-on experience in mediation of the complex issues of disability, wage and hour, sex and sex harassment, age, race, religion, and national origin.
Introduces students to 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 students’ skills to become effective advocates throughout each stage of the process.
Learn the practice and theory required to navigate many family law issues, including divorce, property, custody and immigration disputes
Introduction to negotiation and mediation from an international perspective. Development of essential skills for effective client representation in negotiation and mediation
Provides practical foundation in the theories, policies and ethical issues of ombuds practice in a variety of workplaces.
*MDR students should either take the 3-unit course or the 4-unit GIP-only course.
| Program Start | Application Deadline | First Day of Classes | |||||
| Spring 2025 | November 6, 2024 | January 13, 2025 | |||||
| Fall 2025 | June 18, 2025 | August 25, 2025 |
All USC undergraduate students admitted to our MDR/PDP program will be considered automatically for merit scholarships. Those who are awarded a scholarship will be notified upon receiving after their course plan has been approved by USC Degree Progress and reviewed by the MDR team. Scholarship awards are merit-based and typically range from $5,000 to $20,000.
Scholarships are only applied to a MDR/PDP student's account in the semester or semesters when he or she is enrolled in graduate law (MDR) classes only. Scholarship awards are not applied in semesters in which the student is enrolled in a mix of undergraduate classes and graduate law (MDR) classes.
I chose to pursue my MDR degree at Gould because of the professors and class structure. I’ve really enjoyed the fact that many of my classes incorporate simulation. As someone completely new to mediation, it was important for me to be able to practice and learn from real-time feedback. I appreciate that my professors are practicing attorneys and mediators who can offer practical guidance.
-Stephanie Moran, MDR 2024
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