Student-centered and learner-driven.
At the IIRP, we offer flexible graduate-level programs geared toward working professionals that allow you to study where you live and work. We foster an approach of starting small and growing to bigger circles in your communities. You can tailor your plan of study to meet your individual learning goals. Each course of study convenes a diverse learning community, where you will engage with the subject matter, fellow students, and faculty. Each program requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent, along with the belief that all of us possess the power to heal our communities and the curiosity to learn how.
Master of Science in Restorative Practices
Graduate students at the IIRP are catalysts for change, putting what they’ve learned into practice in their own professional settings. The study of restorative practices draws from a range of disciplines, with the goal of understanding how to best address wrongdoing and conflict, support positive behavioral change, build social capital, educate, lead and, ultimately, foster social change.
Within the degree, students have the opportunity to concentrate in specific fields, as well as the option of completing research in this growing field. If your vision requires broader focus, the degree allows you to chart your own course with the support of a faculty advisor.
Program Overview
- Ten courses: four required courses and six electives.
- Supported by faculty and fellow students, course assignments help you put your learning into practice.
- Most students complete the program in two to three years.
Requirements include:
- RP 500 Basic Restorative Practices or RP 504 Foundations of Restorative Practices
- RP 525 Restorative Practices in Action
- RP 610 Evaluation of Research
- Six general electives
- RP 699 Integrating Seminar (once all other coursework is complete)
Community Engagement Specialization
Restorative practices honors the existing strengths in a community and helps to increase people’s personal and collective efficacy, creating social conditions for people to be healthier and have greater well-being. The community engagement specialization provides students with a cluster of courses that focus on relationships and social connections in the community through processes, programs and policies. Students who choose this specialization will develop competencies in facilitation, collaboration, planning, intervention, and implementation from a community perspective. You will learn to understand different communities’ characteristics, dynamics, cultures, and contexts; how to become a change agent in the communities you wish to influence; and ways to challenge systems of oppression to create opportunities for more connected community.
Requirements
To earn specialization recognition on a transcript, the following are required in addition to the required coursework for the Master of Science:
- Four of your electives, including two at the 600 level, must be related to the specialization. These include:
- Your project for your final course, RP 699 Integrating Seminar, must be rooted in your specialization.
There are no additional costs associated with choosing a specialization for your Master of Science in Restorative Practices.
Education Specialization
Restorative practices promotes a healthy teaching and learning environment through practical implementation of engaging processes that are both proactive and responsive. The education specialization provides students with a cluster of courses that focus on teaching and learning. Themes explored in the education specialization include strategies to enhance student-teacher engagement; practical classroom activities; development of teacher pedagogy; understanding students' social, emotional, neurological and academic needs; and building on restorative frameworks to develop anti-racist education and challenge current educational systems and practice.
Requirements
To earn the specialization recognition on a transcript, the following are required in addition to the required coursework for the Master of Science:
- Four of your electives, including two at the 600 level, must be related to the specialization. These include:
- Your project for your final course, RP 699 Integrating Seminar, must be rooted in your specialization.
There are no additional costs associated with choosing a specialization for your Master of Science in Restorative Practices.
Thesis Option
Students — as well as our alumni — who wish to conduct original research may choose to pursue the Thesis Option. A faculty chair will provide guidance as you design relevant research that can be completed within a one-year time frame. By completing the Thesis Option, you can gain research experience and develop advanced competencies in scholarly writing. If you are considering a research-intensive career or are interested in pursuing doctoral-level study, the Thesis Option may be a desirable choice for you.
Requirements
- Complete all four Master of Science required courses.
- Complete two focused research courses – RP 680 Designing Restorative Practices Research and RP 685 Data Analysis for Restorative Practices Research – along with four other electives (these may be the electives required for the Education or Community Engagement Specialization).
- Students enroll in RP 707 Thesis Seminar after all other Master of Science courses have been completed.
To pursue this option, a student must already be admitted to the Master of Science program and then request faculty approval. Additional fees apply.
Graduate Certificate in Restorative Practices
This program will help you establish a firm understanding of how restorative practices works to distinguish yourself as a practitioner in your setting. This option is ideal for professionals who already have an advanced degree or who are still deciding to pursue a Master of Science. You may complete your certificate within a year and all courses taken for the Certificate can be applied toward a Master of Science degree after completion.
Four Courses
- Two required courses:
- Two electives