Can I specialize in conflict resolution with a legal master’s degree?

Joey Dormady

Assistant Dean, Graduate Programs and New Education Initiatives

Joey Dormady leads ASU Law’s growing portfolio of master’s degree programs and is passionate about creating accessible, high-quality legal education for students from all backgrounds.

Yes, absolutely. Many professionals look for a conflict resolution degree or a master’s in conflict resolution because they want to handle disputes more effectively in the workplace or in their communities—but they don’t necessarily need to become attorneys. The Master of Legal Studies (MLS) at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law offers a conflict resolution emphasis that blends legal knowledge with practical mediation and negotiation training. It’s a strong fit for anyone seeking advanced conflict management skills grounded in law.

What will I learn in an MLS conflict resolution program?

The conflict resolution emphasis is designed to teach you how and why disputes happen, and how a trained professional can help people work through their differences. While this isn’t a JD program—and doesn’t qualify you to practice law—it does give you the legal literacy many high-conflict industries need.

You’ll develop practical skills in:

• Mediation and negotiation
• Conflict analysis and de-escalation
• Understanding the legal framework behind disputes
• Cross-cultural communication
• Ethical decision making
• Designing systems that reduce conflict before it escalates

Courses like Arbitration, Conflict Theory, Divorce and Family Mediation, and Organizational and Workplace Dispute Resolution help you build hands-on experience and prepare for careers in conflict resolution that require both legal awareness and people-centered problem-solving.

Who benefits most from a conflict resolution master’s degree?

Professionals search for programs like this when they want conflict management in the workplace, or when their roles require frequent mediation between individuals or teams. The MLS conflict resolution emphasis is especially valuable for people in:

• Human resources
• Management and organizational leadership
• Social work or counseling
• Education and student services
• Public service or community engagement
• Compliance and risk management

Students often arrive with a shared goal: to strengthen their ability to guide difficult conversations, reduce friction and support healthier communication within their organizations. The MLS offers the legal and interpersonal training to do exactly that.

How does ASU Law support students studying conflict resolution?

At ASU Law, we teach conflict resolution the way it’s practiced—through conversation, reflection and structured problem-solving. Students learn from faculty who have spent years negotiating disputes, developing conflict-management systems and helping organizations build healthier cultures.

Even in the online format, the MLS program gives you access to:

• A nationally respected law school
• Faculty who bridge law, psychology and conflict studies
• Over 250 elective courses that allow for customization
• ABA-accredited graduate legal education
• A flexible structure that supports working professionals

The result is an online conflict resolution program that remains personal, rigorous and grounded in the real world.

What careers can a conflict resolution emphasis prepare me for?

A growing number of employers now seek professionals with mediation training, negotiation skills and formal conflict resolution certification. With this degree, you may pursue roles such as:

• Mediator
• HR manager or director
• Workplace conflict specialist
• Organizational development professional
• Arbitrator
• Community or policy engagement professional
• Public service leader

No matter where you work, the ability to navigate conflict thoughtfully is its own form of leadership—and it’s a skill set that will always be in demand.