Course Offerings

RP 500 Basic Restorative Practices

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Blended | Course duration: 4 weeks (18 hrs. online) | Prerequisite: None

This course explores the fundamental principles, philosophy, theories, practices, models and skills of restorative practices. Special emphasis will be placed on proactive and responsive circles, restorative conferencing and the informal application of these processes. Issues critical to the development of restorative practices, such as models of human interaction, theories of behavior and current research will be considered. Students will assess the role of human emotion, especially shame, in social relationships. Students taking this course will complete 18 hours of coursework online after attending the 4-day Basic Restorative Practices event.

RP 525 Restorative Practices in Action

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: Participation in two professional development days: "Introduction to Restorative Practices" and "Using Circles Effectively" taken after January 1, 2009.

Students will implement a restorative practices project that builds on their previous experience and will evaluate their project through action research techniques. Students will acquire restorative skills through readings, lecture, self-assessment and an interactive online process.

RP 610 Evaluation of Research

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: RP 500

This course teaches students to be knowledgeable consumers of research so that they can understand and critique what they read. Students will explore approaches, methods and techniques through online group discussion and readings of research that they choose based on their own areas of interest.

RP 699 Restorative Practices Capstone (requires completion of all required master’s degree coursework)

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: All required master’s degree program coursework

In the capstone course, students create a culminating multimedia project that describes how restorative practices positively influences human behavior and strengthens civil society. Students also identify potential gaps in this emerging social science. Projects are developed in a highly interactive group process where students support each other in writing and presenting their capstone project. As a professional learning community, faculty and students engage in discussion about each presentation to help the group review the processes, philosophy, theory and research in restorative practices.

RP 506 Restorative Practices: The Promise and the Challenge

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: None

This course introduces students to a wide range of possible applications for restorative justice and other restorative practices in varied settings including criminal justice, education and youth services, higher education, social work and workplaces. Students explore the potential, as well as the limitations, risks and obstacles to restorative practices through reading, online videos, interactive online discussion and writing assignments.

RP 515 Restorative Leadership Development: Authority with Grace

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Blended | Course duration: 7 weeks (30 hrs. online) | Prerequisite: RP 500

An intensive group experience, this course will immerse students in a culture of restorative practices in class. The course will emphasize self-assessment of both personal and professional styles and growth in restorative practices. Students will also learn to facilitate and implement a professional learning group. Students will complete 30 hours of coursework online after attending the 2-day Restorative Leadership Development: Authority with Grace event.

RP 532 Aggression Replacement Training®: Behavioral Interventions that Work

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Blended | Course duration: 7 weeks (30 hrs. online) | Prerequisite: None

This course is designed to give students practical strategies for intervention with at-risk youth. The course will explore evidenced-based practices such as Aggression Replacement Training®  and Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI). The online experience builds on the guided practice portion of the course by examining social and emotional learning theories as they relate to the philosophical framework of restorative practices. Students will complete 30 hours of coursework online after attending the 2-day Aggression Replacement Training® event.

RP 540 Restorative Practices: Symposia and Conferences

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Blended | Course duration: Variable (20-27 hrs. online; online hours vary by event with which this course is paired) | Prerequisite: None

In this course students build on their participation at an IIRP restorative practices conference, symposium or IIRP-approved event. Students supplement this interactive in-person experience with related readings, writing assignments and online learning activities as part of a cohesive blended learning course. Students actively evaluate, analyze and synthesize presentations using restorative practices principles. Students will complete additional hours of coursework online after attending the conference or symposium.

Note: This course is offered every other year, on the odd years (e.g., 2019, 2021, 2023, etc.).

RP 541 IIRP World Conference

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Blended | Course duration: Variable (27 hrs. online) | Prerequisite: None

In this course students gain credits based on participation and engagement at an IIRP world restorative practices conference. They supplement this direct experience with related readings, writing assignments and online discussions. Students actively evaluate, discuss and critique presentations using restorative practices principles. Students will complete 27 hours of coursework online after attending the conference.

RP 550 Transforming Relational Harm

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: RP 500

This course explores a deeper application of restorative practices as it relates to emotion and harm. It uses group process, emotional dynamics, compassionate witnessing and mindful practices to address a wide continuum of harm. Understanding the neuroscience and how harm impacts the brain will be explored. Through these processes students will begin to understand how harm, human neuroscience and emotional experiences affect relationships.

This course requires participation in synchronous skill-building experiences with the instructor and a willing participant with whom to practice compassionate witnessing.

Note: People have been exposed to various levels of trauma in their lives. This course considers the use of restorative practices in cases of grief, trauma and adversity. We advise students to consider establishing an emotional support system for themselves while taking this course.

RP 622 Restorative Justice in Communities

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: RP 500

Restorative justice views crime from the perspective of those directly and indirectly affected by an incident, empowering them to decide how best to repair harm. This course explores the possibilities of using restorative justice to respond more meaningfully to crime than current approaches used in the criminal justice system. Students examine theory and research to assess restorative justice's potential for reducing crime and, importantly, its impact. Through case study reviews, students apply restorative responses to situations and compare them with current practices. Readings, video presentations with knowledgeable professionals and guided discussions present additional learning opportunities.

RP 623 Restorative Justice: Global Perspectives

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: RP 500

This course offers students a comprehensive perspective on restorative justice practices from around the world. Students will examine how restorative justice practices have been implemented in various cultures and contextual settings. Expert speakers will join this course to provide insight from many years of experience working within the restorative justice paradigm. Students will explore these practices through a diverse selection of readings, video presentations, expert speakers and guided discussion threads.

RP 625 Restorative Practices in Life Space Crisis Intervention

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: RP 500

This course focuses on the basic communication process in problem management and crisis intervention. Life Space Crisis Intervention, which helps individuals identify patterns of self-defeating behavior, is viewed through a restorative lens. Role plays of restorative responses facilitate an understanding of the process. Students will learn to apply Life Space Crisis Intervention with individuals in the moment of crisis.

This course requires participation in synchronous skill-building experiences with the instructor and a willing participant with whom to practice questioning skills.

RP 635 Narrative Processes for Empowering Facilitators

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: RP 500

In this course, students will develop an understanding of social construction and narrative theories that empower the facilitation of decision making. Students will learn to organize and maintain conversations with others to address their needs and enhance their potential through enriched narrative conversations that acknowledge the individual or group.

This course requires participation in synchronous skill-building experiences with the instructor and a willing individual with whom to practice six different narrative maps.

RP 652 Social and Emotional Learning in the Restorative Classroom

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: RP 500

This course will explore how restorative learning environments provide opportunities for social and emotional learning (SEL) in any educational setting. Attention will be paid to the research behind SEL and how SEL is linked to student performance and behavior. Students will learn how to use restorative practices to encourage SEL in the classroom.

RP 662 A Restorative Approach to Educating the High-Risk and High-Need Student

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Online | Course duration: 10 weeks | Prerequisite: RP 500

Every classroom, whether mainstream or specialized, contains students who experience poverty, trauma, persistent adversity, addiction/substance abuse, neglect or other risk factors at some point in their lives. This course goes beyond “behavior management” to focus on a restorative framework and techniques for instruction that meet the unique cognitive and emotional needs of these learners.

RP 694 Directed/Independent Study

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Individualized | Course duration: Variable | Prerequisite: RP 500 (Requires consent of instructor)

This course provides an opportunity for a matriculated student to develop a learning contract that defines directed study or independent study on a special topic demonstrating a deeper understanding and application of restorative practices.

Note: This course requires the approval of the Provost after a learning contract has been designed between a faculty member and the student.

RP 695 Action Research Project in Restorative Practices I

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Individualized | Course duration: Variable | Prerequisite: RP 500 (Requires consent of advisor)

This course offers the opportunity for the student to apply restorative practices in the mode of action research to a real world problem in the student's own sphere of influence. The course requires the identification of such a problem, a scan of environmental factors, the framing or defining of that problem, and the creation of an action plan addressing the problem and assessing the results of the project.

Note: Students electing to take RP 695 will also need to register for RP 696 in order to implement and complete their research project. Neither course’s credits will be awarded until both are completed.

RP 696 Action Research Project in Restorative Practices II

Credits: 3 | Delivery mode: Individualized | Course duration: Variable | Prerequisite: RP 500, RP 695 (Requires consent of advisor)

The plan developed in RP 695 will be implemented and the results will be assessed. This work will then be placed in a report; the report will be defended.

Note: Neither course’s credits will be awarded until both are completed.