40-Hour Mediation

Online

Mediation is a crucial tool often used to resolve legal disputes and other matters of political, business or social conflict. In this course designed for prospective and practicing mediators, as well as professionals who often negotiate solutions to complex problems, you’ll learn and hone the skills needed to successfully mediate for your clients and stakeholders.

Through a combination of recorded and live, online lectures you will learn the basic stages, steps and skills of mediation, with a focus on the facilitative mediation process. Class lessons will also focus on when mediation is and is not appropriate, and the ethical issues involved in such assessments. Roleplay exercises will help train and reinforce practical techniques for identifying and convening parties, creating and maintaining a productive environment, interest identification, consensus building, issue framing, agenda setting and other crucial mediation concepts.

By the end of this course, you will possess a solid understanding of fundamental mediation concepts and will be equipped with essential best practices for effectively mediating disputes. You will have also completed the mandatory 40-hour training required by the Dispute Resolutions Programs Act (DRPA), and will be qualified to participate in DRPA mediation programs in the State of California.

Learning Outcomes

  • Distinguish when mediation is and is not appropriate
  • Compare and contrast different styles of mediation, including facilitative, transformative, narrative and evaluative approaches
  • Understand and apply DRPA of California standards
  • Create a productive climate for conflict resolution through:
    • Negotiation and asserting process ground rules
    • Establishing and maintaining rapport
    • Active and empathetic listening
    • Reframing
    • Interest and commonality identification
    • Collaborative framing of issues
    • Agenda setting
    • Facilitating option generation
    • Guiding option evaluation
    • Observing and evaluating process dynamics and intervention (reflective practice)

Skills You Will Gain

  • Mediation
  • Communication
  • DRPA administrative standards

Who Should Enroll in this Course

  • Potential or practicing mediators
  • Professionals: Lawyers, managers, therapists, social workers, planners, teachers, real-estate agents
  • People who must work collaboratively with other parties while negotiation solutions to complex problems

Course Format and Pacing
This is an online remote learning course delivered through UC Davis CPE’s learning management system, Canvas, with supplemental live sessions hosted on Zoom. The course consists of approximately 40 hours of content, combining pre-recorded lectures with mandatory live Zoom sessions led by the instructor(s).

CEUs
4
Section Number
254LAN607
Instruction Method
Online class

Association Credits

State Bar of California (MCLE)
40.00 MCLE hours

Section Notes

Access to your course in Canvas will be available 7 days before the course start date. Please note that course start and end dates, as well as live sessions (if applicable), are subject to change.

Enrollment Policies

Drop requests (withdraw with a refund) will be approved, less a $30 processing fee, if the request is received before the refund deadline. Click here to view complete enrollment policy information including details on withdrawals and transfers.  
 
Refund Deadline: 3/23/2026. Refunds and/or enrollment transfers will not be approved after this date.   
 
Students enrolling after the first day of class are expected to reach out to their instructor to make sure they receive all content and are on track with the course. 

Technical Requirements

To ensure your success in this course, please review our technical requirements page at online learning.

Discounts

CAAA Member Discount

Current members of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association (CAAA) and other UC alumni associations receive 10% off the course fee of one course per quarter, not to exceed $100. If you don't have your discount code, contact CAAA at alumni@ucdavis.edu to request it.