View MA Programs in Human Rights in Europe 2019

The M.A. program in Human Rights is an interdisciplinary and international postgraduate degree program offered at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. It is directed by Professor Heiner Bielefeldt, Chair in Human Rights and Human Rights Politics and former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief (2010–2016), Professor Markus Krajewski, Chair in Public Law and Public International Law, and Assoc. Professor Michael Krennerich, Chair for Human Rights and Human Rights Politics.

The M.A. Human Rights addresses the growing importance of human rights in all areas of society and academia. The course program covers fundamental challenges as well as current issues. It pursues an interdisciplinary approach by taking the political, philosophical and legal dimensions of human rights into account. Graduates of the program will be equipped with theoretical and practical skills to pursue professional activities in various human rights contexts.... [-]

Duration: One calendar year (full-time); Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)

Minimum Entry Requirements: Upper second class honours preferably in a related discipline

Start of programme: September intake only

The MA in Human Rights Law allows students to study human rights law, its application and relevance to a broad range of areas and legal issues, including Islamic law, Chinese law, gender, international law, conflict and labour law. All SOAS modules are designed not only to introduce students to the general fields of law, but also to provide an understanding of how generic legal structures and processes may operate in non-Western social and cultural settings. All teachers on modules offered at SOAS are experts in their designated field. Many have years of experience advising governments, international organisations or non-governmental organisation, and many also have been or continue to be legal practitioners.... [-]

Addressing some of the most challenging issues in today’s world, this new programme relates ethnicity and migration to global economic and cultural change, and to systems of domination and resistance movements. You learn to analyse the causes of migration, as well as its consequences for emerging formations of race, gender, labour, citizenship, healthcare, welfare and culture.

The master’s programme relates ethnicity and migration to global economic and cultural change, and to systems of domination and resistance movements. The programme is interdisciplinary, integrating the humanities and the social sciences, and animated by a commitment to critical, innovative and useful approaches to issues and problems within the broad field of ethnic and migration studies.... [-]

It is taught by world-leading academic and practitioner experts, from our Rights Lab - the world's first large-scale research platform for ending slavery which is currently tracking slavery with satellite technology and ensuring businesses don't use slave labour.

It will provide you not only with the academic grounding of the study of contemporary slavery but also comprehensive training on how best to make a difference through the liberation and social reintegration of those in slavery.

You will be introduced to key concepts and challenges in slavery, liberation, anti-slavery and human rights, and will benefit from:... [-]

This course explores recent changes to the global cultural and political landscape, and what these mean for individuals and groups accessing their human rights.

Demand for various forms of expertise on human rights, citizenship and identities is rapidly expanding as governments, international agencies, non-governmental and private sector organisations become increasingly sensitive to, and interested in questions about rights and identities.

In the current global context, national versions of citizenship have reached crisis point. Yet what does it mean to think of yourself as a global citizen? This course investigates critical global issues such as war, migration, climate change, credit crunch, nationalism, global media, sex tourism, modern slavery, gender and sexuality, and contemporary racism.... [-]

The MA programme in Human Rights and Multi-level Governance is a contribution to developing a universal culture of human rights such as highlighted by Unesco and the United Nations. Accordingly, it has a strong policy- and action-oriented approach. This master's degree is in full continuity with previous post-graduate programmes in human rights, taught in Italian, that the University of Padua has been delivering since 1988.

The MA aims at developing ad-hoc knowledge and skills to promote and fulfil human rights within the broader context of legal and political processes and multi-level policies. Human rights law, multi-level governance framework, and the concepts of “human development” and “human security” are the paradigm of reference throughout the course.... [-]

The MA programme in Human Rights and Multi-level Governance is a contribution to developing a universal culture of human rights such as highlighted by Unesco and the United Nations. Accordingly, it has a strong policy- and action-oriented approach. This master's degree is in full continuity with previous post-graduate programmes in human rights, taught in Italian, that the University of Padua has been delivering since 1988.

The MA aims at developing ad-hoc knowledge and skills to promote and fulfil human rights within the broader context of legal and political processes and multi-level policies. Human rights law, multi-level governance framework, and the concepts of “human development” and “human security” are the paradigm of reference throughout the course.... [-]

Why has ’nationalist’ violence erupted in Ukraine? Will cities become the war zones of the future? How is the term ‘human rights’ used and abused in times of violent conflict? What role did social media play in the rise and subsequent collapse of the Arab Spring? What are the ethical and political issues associated with the use of drones in zones of conflict - and what impact does this have on the subjects of surveillance? Who defines ‘evil’ and what does ‘doing good’ mean? How do ‘humanitarian wars’ affect the everyday lives of the ‘victims’ they protect?

These are just some of the pressing questions arising from the complex interconnectedness of today’s world. A solution to these questions can only be found through systematic analysis of processes of inclusion and exclusion, mobilization, and collective violence. Addressing these topics properly demands critical reflection on the national and international policies developed to contain, manage, resolve, or transform violent conflict.... [-]

Engage with human rights practice by linking the legal, theoretical and technical skills and knowledge needed to work for international organizations fighting injustice, oppression, and persecution.

You will study contemporary debates in human rights promotion and protection, researching the stories of violations, asylum, surveillance, peacekeeping and torture that are behind many of today's news headlines.

Working with your tutors and alongside industry professionals, you will develop the skills to be able to investigate claims of human rights abuses, gather evidence and build cases for legal proceedings.

Your course will also hone your research and project management skills and develop your ability to write compelling funding applications and formulate budgets - essential requirements for a career in this area.... [-]

The MA in Development and Human Rights examines the comparatively new interface between Human Rights and International Development.

This MA is a multi-disciplinary programme combining insights from the fields of development studies, politics, political theory and international law. It examines some of the key issues confronting twenty-first-century global societies through a dynamic programme that combines theoretical and applied perspectives and is taught by a team of leading academics in their fields.

Students will be encouraged to apply legal theory, social and political theory and research tools in analysing and understanding development and human rights, as well as being taught key historical and policy dimensions and concepts.... [-]

The topic of human rights is a staple of contemporary politics, philosophy and law, and is one of the key discourses of our times. The primary aim of the MA in Human Rights, Globalisation and Justice (HRGJ) Course is to provide you with an intensive period of study in which to develop practical and theoretical understandings of human rights law, politics and philosophy, at domestic, regional and international levels. The course also aims to provide key critical perspectives on human rights theory and practice, drawing in particular on feminist and postcolonial critiques to engage with issues of gender, sexuality, race, class, ethnicity, religion and power in relation to human rights realisation. Jointly taught by the School of Law and School of Politics, Philosophy, International Relations and Environment (SPIRE), the HRGJ course takes an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach to the study of human rights.... [-]

This innovative programme of study is based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and on implementing the children's rights that it covers. Children have rights to participate in all decisions and processes affecting them, to equitable access to societal resources (e.g. health, education) and to effective protection from violence and exploitation. All institutions, processes and measures oriented around children at national, state/regional and local level must be designed and evaluated according to these considerations.... [-]

Master of Arts in Human Rights

No philosophical idea has had a more profound impact on international relations and world politics than human rights. Within half a century since World War II and the Holocaust, human rights developed into the only universally accepted value system of our times. The recognition of states as democratic, developed and peace-loving nations today depends on their capacity and willingness to protect human rights. Long-term dictators and brutal military rulers are increasingly being ousted and held accountable for gross and systematic violations of human rights before international criminal tribunals. Even business corporations and international organisations are judged by their human rights performance. In post-conflict situations and transitions from totalitarian to democratic rule, human rights constitute an essential element of peace-building, development and good governance. Human rights open the doors to a better world for all.... [-]

Our MAs from our new Master's in Law suite of programmes are designed for non-law graduates who want to explore the practical application of a particular, specialist area of law.

Students must possess an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in any subject at 2:2 or above.