Undergraduate Programs

#1
The Carter School is ranked No. 1 in the country among public colleges for conflict resolution and mediation.
20:1
The average ratio of students to faculty.
7
Interdisciplinary concentrations allow you to shape your own course of study.
6
Interdisciplinary Minors

Bachelor's Degrees

Accelerated Master's

Minors

Turn Problems into Solutions

Work on issues of peace and conflict resolution with an undergraduate degree from the Carter School.

Designed for real-world impact, our multidisciplinary program goes beyond international relations, providing you with practical skills in mediation, diplomacy, peacebuilding, advocacy, and policy.  Only minutes away from Washington, D.C, our students gain a real-world, hands-on experience that prepares them for their chosen career path.  Our students can be found in many different fields, including counseling, human resources, law, education, non-profits and NGOs, public policy, international development, business development, and many more.
Whether you’re pursuing a specific goal or still exploring your options, the Carter School will prepare you for a meaningful and purposeful career.

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"Whether it’s on a more local scale or global scale, there’s so many different directions you can take [conflict analysis and resolution] and that’s why I love it. This major allows you to dive into the conflicts you’re passionate about and study them to better shape you into your own defined conflict practitioner."

 

- Katherine Trejo, BA Conflict Analysis and Resolution

 
graphic reading "Number 1 best public college for peace and conflict"
Engage in Cutting-edge Coursework
Courses emphasize asking the right questions to effectively analyze conflict and designing real world interventions that will work.
Build your Career with Transferable Skills
Our conflict resolution curriculum pulls content from across the social science disciplines to deepen students’ understanding of conflict, preparing graduates for a career across a spectrum of possibilities.
Work Closely with Dedicated Faculty
Receive personalized attention in small classes taught by world-renowned faculty who are engaged in innovative scholarship and practice in peace and conflict studies.
Get an Education that Extends Beyond the Classroom
Gain hands-on experience in problem solving and peacebuilding within local communities and across international barriers through field-based courses, project-based environments, and independent research.
Get out of the classroom and into the real world through the semester-long Peacebuilding Fellows program.
Easily Access Internship Opportunities in D.C.
The Carter School is only 15 miles from Washington, D.C., a hub for peace building practice and policy.

Carter School graduates follow many paths to success

Our graduates serve in a wide range of leadership roles in numerous organizations.

Leadership Roles

  • Lead Disaster Recovery Program Manager
  • Restorative Justice Specialist
  • Communications Strategy Consultant
  • Public Involvement Specialist
  • Foreign Affairs Officer
  • Innovator, Founder, and CEO
  • Program Director and Lead Facilitator
  • Transplant Donor Coordinator
  • Human Resources Generalist
  • Business Development Specialist
  • Immigration Services Officer
  • Community Programs Manager
  • Storyteller and Web Developer
  • Chief of Staff, State Congressional Office
  • Research Project Manager
  • Operations Manager

Organizations

  • Agilex Technologies
  • American Red Cross
  • Americorps
  • Apple
  • Fairfax County Public Schools
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
  • Google
  • The Hunger Project
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • NVMS Conflict Resolution Center
  • Peace Corps
  • Sierra Club
  • UNICEF
  • The United Nations World Food Programme
  • U.S. Armed Forces
  • U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • U.S. Department of Labor
  • U.S. Senate
Where do they go 1 year out?
Approx 51% grads represented 49% unknown/unavailable on LinkedIn
Where do they go 5-10 years out?
Approx 62% of 2015-2019 grads represented 38% unknown/unavailable on LinkedIn
Chart showing graduates in fields: 37.5% Business, 33.3% Government, 16.7% Human Services, 4.2% Technology, 4.2% Environmental, and 4.2% Arts with a sample size of 27
Chart showing graduates in fields: 43.1% Business, 31.9% Government, 16.3% Human Services, 3.1% Technology, 2.5 Health, and 3.1% Contracting with a sample size of 160

“Being in a project management role, I use my degree on a daily basis. Most of my job is to facilitate conversations between teams across the company working on the same project, to implement policy changes effectively, and to holistically evaluate the team’s health from business and person-centric perspectives.”

- Caroline Chisolm, BA Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’15

 

Education with Impact

The Carter School offers two multidisciplinary bachelor’s degrees, an accelerated bachelor’s-to-master’s degree, and three minors.

Bachelor's Degrees

Courses include:

  • Social Dynamics of Terrorism, Security, and Justice
  • Culture, Identity, and Conflict
  • Negotiation
  • Grants and Proposal Writing
  • Human Rights and Inequality
  • Justice and Reconciliation
  • Mediating Conflict
  • Youth and Conflict
  • Dialogue and Difference
  • Community Engagement and Collaborative Problem Solving
  • Violence: Causes, Dynamics, & Alternatives

Full Course List in the Catalog

Minors

Specialize your course of study with 7 concentrations
Pair research and theory with hands-on skill development through a concentration of your choice.
Global Engagement
Ideal for a career in Government Agencies, Intelligence, Counter-Terrorism, Global Health, Corporations, Development.
Building Peace in Divided Societies
Ideal for a career in Diplomacy, Community Development, Human Rights, Non-Profits.
Political & Social Action
Ideal for a career in Environmental Conflict, Food Security, Lobbying, Immigration, Non-Profits focused on Social Change.
Collaborative Leadership
Ideal for a career in Non-profits, Public Policy, Management, Human Resources, Corporate, Politics.
Justice & Reconciliation
Ideal for a career in Advocacy, Art & Social Justice, Restorative Justice, Non-Profits focused on the Recovery from Conflict.
Interpersonal Dynamics
Ideal for a career in Mediation, Counseling, Education, Law Enforcement.
Environmental Conflict & Collaboration
Ideal for a career in Government, Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives, Lobby Groups, Non-profits.

“I am someone who likes to dip her toes in each box. This is why [conflict analysis and resolution] was the perfect major for me! I was able to take my degree, delve into all my passions, and simultaneously forge my own path.”

- Marina Chafa, BA Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’19

Application Deadlines

The Carter School welcomes both freshman and transfer applications. Scholarships are available.

Freshmen

Fall Semester (Priority): November 1

Fall Semester (Regular) and Financial Aid: January 15

Freshmen Application Guidelines

Transfer

Fall Semester (Priority) and Financial Aid: March 1

Spring Semester: October 1

Transfer Application Guidelines

An interdisciplinary education like no other!

Quote from Dean Ozerdem: "Our students come to the Carter School to learn from the leaders in peace and conflict resolution. We teach our students to identify the underlying causes of conflict and equip them with the cutting-edge theory and practical skills to put their knowledge into action. We also impart a thorough understanding of the values that underlie these practices."