MA in Restorative Justice Facilitation and Leadership

A Practitioner-Oriented Degree

Join the next generation of diverse restorative justice leaders

The Master of Arts in Restorative Justice Facilitation and Leadership (MARJ) program equips students with the in-depth knowledge and skills needed to facilitate restorative justice processes in contexts such as criminal behavior and student misconduct. These processes aim to prevent harm, strengthen communities, and foster healing in response to incidents of harm.

Students in this program are prepared to facilitate restorative processes and develop, implement, and assess restorative justice programs in education, nonprofits, criminal justice, and beyond. The program is offered in collaboration between the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies and the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, where it was founded, drawing on strong roots in leadership training and educational values alongside the Kroc School’s mission-driven focus on peace and justice.

1 of 4

Restorative Justice graduate programs in the U.S.

Cohort model

Seven online classes, two one-week intensives on campus, and one eight-day travel seminar

Months to complete degree

Note: Due to regulations from the U.S. Department of Education, the University of San Diego is not able to enroll students from every state or internationally. For current restrictions, see this webpage.

Preparing the next generation of diverse RJ leaders

Restorative Justice in Action

Restorative Justice is a communal approach to prevent or respond to harm, with an emphasis on healing, social support, and active accountability.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this program, graduates will be prepared to make a difference in their communities by:

Articulating the philosophy and practice of restorative justice.

Explaining the unintended harmful consequences of contemporary punishment practices in various organizational settings.

Integrating applications of restorative justice in a variety of institutions using a cross-cultural perspective.

Demonstrating appropriate restorative justice research strategies and implementing correct criteria for assessments of restorative programs.

Demonstrating competence in facilitating a trauma-informed restorative process from pre-dialogue preparation, to dialogue facilitation, to post-dialogue mentoring and support.

Skillfully integrating a variety of conflict resolution skills into restorative facilitation, such as conflict analysis, nonviolent communication, conflict coaching, mediation, shuttle negotiation and design thinking.

Evaluating the effectiveness of restorative justice implementation through critical assessment of grassroots (bottom-up) and administrative (top-down) initiatives.

Creating new restorative organizations, policies, programs or processes across contexts.

Developing a restorative leadership style that initiates and supports restorative efforts.

Customizing a restorative approach for particular audiences (such as K-12, sexual harm, reintegration after incarceration, etc.)

Who Is a

Masters in Restorative Justice Facilitation and Leadership for?

Our program is designed to meet the aspirations and needs of a diverse range of individuals. Whether you're a professional in education, healthcare or the nonprofit sector, or if you plan to embark on a new career in restorative justice, our program equips you with the necessary skills and knowledge for success.

Healthcare

Education

the nonprofit sector

Criminal Justice

new career

Financing Your Education

At the University of San Diego, all students have a right to an education, regardless of income. The majority of students receive some form of financial assistance through scholarships, grants, loans, and employment.

In addition to external funding resources, students at the Kroc School may be eligible for various forms of financial assistance, including scholarships, grants, fellowships, and discounts. Please note that tuition and fees are subject to change.

Explore Financial Aid and Scholarships

Accreditation

Kroc School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Senior College and University Commission.

We regularly evaluate our academic programs to ensure that they provide students with a high-quality education and adhere to the standards of our accrediting bodies.

Dr. Lorie Teagno

Current student, clinical psychologist

What I learned is what restorative justice is, and that has existed since the 1970's and yet it is still a pretty new, emerging field and what's exciting about that is that we can create different ways to show up in restorative justice settings. We can do it in churches. We could do it in community meetings. I think it is yet to be fully developed, so that's exciting. Get in while it's really proliferating and make your mark and take it in a direction you want it to go that nobody's thought about yet.

Get to know the Kroc School

Meet our faculty & student ambassadors

Committed to uplifting and providing a better quality of life for our community.

Meet our Faculty

PROFESSOR, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO

David Karp, PhD

David Karp is Professor of Leadership and Director of the Center for Restorative Justice in the Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego. His current scholarship focuses on restorative justice in community and educational settings.

Meet David Karp

VISITING SCHOLAR, CENTER FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Sheila McMahon, PhD

Sheila M. McMahon is currently a visiting scholar and director for the Restorative Justice and Catholic Social Thought program at the Center for Restorative Justice, University of San Diego.

Meet Sheila McMahon

LECTURER II

Kaaren Williamsen

Kaaren M. Williamsen, PhD, is an instructor and trainer with the University of San Diego Center for Restorative Justice. She brings deep expertise in institutional transformation, culture change, and organizational strategy, most recently serving as the founding director of the Prevention Education, Assistance & Resources (PEAR) office at the University of Michigan.

Meet Kaaren Williamsen

Director of Leadership and Professional Development

Samuel Tsoi

Samuel Tsoi is the Director of Leadership and Professional Development at The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences, where he designs and facilitates leadership and capacity-building programs for social impact organizations and leaders. Throughout his career, Samuel is a changemaker, civic catalyst and practitioner of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Meet Samuel Tsoi

Expressive Arts Therapist & Peacebuilder

Jamie Harris Rosen, JD

Amie Harris Rosen, MA, JD, combines Expressive Arts, Somatics, Mindfulness, Restorative Justice, and Trauma-Responsive Care to promote healing and resilience. As Co-founder of The Creative's PATCH, she empowers individuals and teams to harness sensory wisdom and imagination for conflict resolution and community well-being.

Meet Jaime Rosen

Expressive Arts Therapist,Restorative Justice Practitioner

Sook Kyoung Kwon

Sook Kyoung Kwon is an Expressive Arts Therapist, Theatre/Performing Artist, Educator, Circle Trainer and Restorative Justice Practitioner. She specializes in utilizing creative interventions to help people overcome challenges and find healing. Her work relies heavily on Trauma-informed care, Arts-based process and Restorative practice.

Meet Sook Kyoung Kwon

Director, Center for Restorative Justice

Karla Broady

Karla Broady is a New York City native, transplanted on the West Coast. She has over 20 years of experience doing conflict resolution, mediation, training and family support work locally and internationally. Prior to joining the center for RJ, she previously served as the Program Manager at the National Conflict Resolution Center in San Diego, where she supported a staff of Specialists to provide teacher training and coaching in K-12 schools throughout San Diego County. She has been instrumental in designing curriculum and systems that help strengthen relationships, build positive classrooms, and work cultures and center harm repair in schools and communities.

Meet Karla Broady

Coordinator, Certificate in Restorative Justice Leadership & Facilitation

Justine Andreu Darling

Dr. Justine Andreu Darling began her restorative journey as a GED teacher and legal advocate for youth experiencing homelessness at the Covenant House in Newark, New Jersey. She is also a child of an incarcerated parent and has a deep passion for transforming the criminal justice system and addressing the school-to-prison pipeline. These passions led her to pursue an MA in Peace and Justice Studies at the University of San Diego and a PhD in Education at San Diego State University. Justine is a restorative trainer, facilitator, consultant, and researcher focused on addressing inequities in schools and communities through the use of restorative justice practices. In 2011, she co-founded the restorative justice program at the University of San Diego, which supports residential life, student affairs, and the conduct office in using both proactive and responsive restorative processes to build a stronger community and address harms in a relational way.

Meet Justine Darling

Lecturer II

Ian Ragsdale

Ian Ragsdale is the Executive Director at the Restorative Justice Mediation Program.

Meet Ian Ragsdale

Careers in Restorative Justice

A Master’s in Restorative Justice provides a unique opportunity for individuals to apply and integrate restorative justice (RJ) practices into their professions, fostering positive change in their communities. Some of the roles that graduates may choose to pursue with this degree include:

Note: Salary estimates sourced from ziprecruiter.com in January 2025. Estimates are subject to change over time based on updates to available data.