Graduate Portfolio Program in Dispute Resolution

The Graduate Portfolio Program in Dispute Resolution (GPP in DR) at The University of Texas at Austin is a cooperative initiative between the School of Law and the Office of Graduate Studies. The program brings together faculty and graduate students across disciplines—including law, public affairs, communication, architecture, engineering, business, nursing, social work, government, and sociology—to advance the study and practice of conflict and dispute resolution.

The program is designed to integrate existing resources across the university into a structured framework that emphasizes both theoretical foundations and practical applications. Students engage in coursework and research that address interpersonal, organizational, and societal conflict, while developing skills in mediation, negotiation, arbitration, and dispute systems design.

The objectives of the Graduate Portfolio Program are to:

• Encourage interdisciplinary research and dialogue among faculty and graduate students interested in dispute resolution.
• Provide a coherent plan of study that integrates theory, research, and practice.
• Equip students with analytical and methodological tools to examine and address conflict in diverse contexts.

Certification as an “impartial third party” under Texas law is not a primary objective of the program. However, students may, through appropriate course selections, meet the requirements for mediation training established by Texas law and the Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable.

To complete the portfolio, students must successfully complete four thematically related graduate-level courses (12 credit hours). Coursework must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Conflict Theory – one course providing an overview of foundational theories of conflict and dispute resolution.
2. Skills Development – one advanced course focusing on mediation, arbitration, or negotiation.
3. Practical Application – one course involving an internship, project design, or another approved activity requiring application of dispute resolution processes.
4. Research – one course culminating in a substantial research paper on dispute resolution.

Additional guidelines:

• No more than one of the four courses may be taken as an independent study.
• Courses must be approved in advance by both the instructor and the Dispute Resolution Faculty Steering Committee.
• Students are encouraged to design a course plan that complements their primary graduate degree program and career objectives.

Admission to the portfolio program is open to graduate students in good standing in approved degree programs at UT Austin. Students may apply at any stage of their graduate studies.

Application materials include:

• A one-page essay explaining the relationship of dispute resolution to the student’s degree program and career goals.
• Documentation of enrollment and good academic standing in a graduate program.
• A statement of support from the student’s Graduate Advisor, Dissertation Supervisor, or equivalent faculty member.
• A proposed list of four courses (12 credit hours) with a written rationale for their inclusion.

Applications are reviewed by the Dispute Resolution Faculty Steering Committee, which reserves the right to accept or decline applicants.