Peace and Conflict Studies

Careers in Peace and Conflict Studies

Congratulations to our Recent Graduates!

Here are some of the jobs of the 2012 graduating class of Peace and Conflict BA-MA and Master of Arts students:

  • Associate Director, Middlesex Law Center
  • Research Analyst, Documentation Center of Cambodia
  • Co-founder, Brighter Future Generations (Counseling Support Organization for Rwandan Youth)
  • Instructor in Mediation, UMass Lowell
  • Immigration Services Staffer, Congresswoman Niki Tsongas' Office
  • 2nd Lieutenant, United States Air Force
  • Study Abroad Counselor, International Experience Office

Careers in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution Webinar

Professor George Lopez, Chair of Peace Studies at University of Notre Dame and the 2013 Brad Morse Scholar at University of Massachusetts Lowell, led a webinar on careers in peacebuilding and conflict resolution. Click here to view the informative webinar, which was supported by the United States Institute of Peace Public Education for Peacebuilding Support Initiative.

What are the Careers of Peace and Conflict Studies Graduates?

StrategicPeaceBuildingPaths

Download this graphic and the specific career paths

This graphic, developed by Katie Mansfield and John Paul Lederach of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, shows the general career paths of students in the field of Peace and Conflict Studies. The main areas and the sub-areas are careers focused on:

  1. Violence Prevention, Conflict Response and Transformation
    •     Dialogue/Conflict Resolution Strategies
    •     Non-Violence Social Change
    •     Government and Multi-Lateral Efforts
    •     Humanitarian Action
  2. Justice and Healing
    •     Restorative Justice
    •     Transitional Justice
    •     Trauma Healing
  3. Structural and Institutional Change
    •     Law: Advocacy and Solidarity
    •     Dealing with Transnational and Global Threats
    •     Development
    •     Education

Internships

One of the most effective ways of landing a job is to have an internship first. At your internship, you gain critical experience, build important connections, and see if you are a good fit for the organization. Peace and Conflict Studies undergraduate and graduates have the option to do internships with organizations in the field. Master's students can choose to do an internship to fulfill their capstone requirement (instead of a thesis or project). We have relationships with over 50 organizations, ranging from the local to the global. Here are some of the recent internships our students have done:

  • Lowell High School, Peer Mediation
  • City of Lowell Mayor's Office, Legislative Support
  • Lowell Community Health Center, Teen Coalition
  • United Teen Equality Center, Streetworker's Anti-Gang Program
  • Angkor Dance Troupe, Youth Cultural Education
  • Massachusetts Peace Fund, Non-Proliferation Advocacy
  • New England Teamster's Union, Organized Labor
  • International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution
  • Active Non-Violence Education Center, Dharamsala, India
  • Hessiche International University, Germany, Intercultural Communications


Specific Jobs of Peace Studies Graduates

Here are some actual jobs of graduates in Peace Studies from other programs.

  • Human Rights Officer, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
  • Project Officer, Catholic Relief Services
  • Neighborhood Action Planner, City Commission
  • Researcher and International Relations Expert, Institute for Trade Studies and Research
  • Chief of Media and Public Information, United Nations Development Program
  • Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Specialist
  • Founder and Director, Wi'am Center (Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center)
  • Conflict Transformation Adviser, Danida Human Rights Program
  • National Coordination Officer for Peacebuilding, United Nations Mission
  • Director, Complaints and Legal Services, Ugandan Human Rights Commission
  • Senior Analyst, Office of the Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC)
  • Legal Officer, United Nations International Criminal Tribunal
  • Program Manager - Iraq Refugees, Swiss Agency for Development
  • Psychologist, Alliance For Community Care, specializing in gay youth and refugees
  • Coordinator, Restorative Justice Program, Conflict Mediation Services
  • Victim Contact Worker and Mediator, Restorative Justice Program
  • Refugee Resettlement Program staff member, Catholic Charities
  • Trust Fund Manager, U.N. Trust Fund for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
  • Program Officer for Africa, National Endowment for Democracy
  • Researcher, Conflict and Peace Analysis Unit, Centre for Policy Alternatives

Looking for a job in the field of Peace and Conflict?

Please see the employment resources section or contact us to speak with a professor about finding employment.