Mediation is an area of knowledge and skills concerned with the communication processes involved in helping others solve their conflicts in mutually beneficial ways. The area of mediation through communication provides opportunities for the development of communication skills and knowledge by professionals in public, legal, political, governmental, corporate and not-for-profit contexts.

The undergraduate certificate in mediation is designed for communication majors and others outside the major who desire to enter the field of alternative dispute resolution with the skills, knowledge and abilities to aid others in the productive management or resolution of their conflicts. It is also useful for nondegree-seeking working professionals without bachelor’s degrees who plan to enter or re-enter the workplace and want to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to market themselves as mediation specialists.