Mediation has gained increased importance in the past two decades due to congestion in the Courts and Tribunals, delays in litigation and rising legal costs. In Australia, since the mid-1990s, government policies at both the state and federal level have endorsed and actively encouraged the use of mediation and other conciliatory approaches in preference to litigation. This course will familiarise you with theories, concepts and skills for managing conflict and resolving disputes. Through reading, related group and individual exercises (including problem-solving tasks, case studies and simulations), and a series of linked assessment tasks, you will develop analytical and practical skills in facilitation, conciliation, negotiation, mediation and arbitration. Activities are structured to facilitate the integration of theory and practice skills. This involves practising skills in class and giving and receiving feedback from staff and fellow students.