MA in Human Rights
Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
GBP 9,860 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* there is no application deadline for postgraduate courses
** home full-time: £9,860 | international full-time: £15,800
Introduction
Why choose this course?
This course explores how human rights link to politics, culture, institutions, organisations, nation-states, pressure groups, movements and values.
You will analyse situations that have led to the violation of human rights. Examples include the use of drones in the "war on terror", United Nations negotiations to create a treaty on the human rights obligations of transnational corporations, the challenge of rising populism, questions of poverty and human rights in the USA and the UK, the rights of LGBTQI+ people, and the protection of refugees who flee conflicts and disasters. Optional modules and a dissertation will enable you to study your own interests in depth.
You will benefit from teaching from human rights practitioners and specialists. Course leader Stephen Bowen has 25 years' experience as an international human rights practitioner, including Campaigns Director of Amnesty International UK, Chief Human Rights Officer for the United Nations Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Director of the British Institute of Human Rights, and Legal Adviser to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.
You will receive support to arrange a placement in a human rights or social justice organisation as part of the course, to gain valuable practical experience. Previous student placements have been undertaken at Liberty, Peace Brigades International, Amnesty International, and Refugee Action.
You will have the opportunity to arrange a placement in a human rights organisation, increasing your employability in the field.
Lively discussion is encouraged, with visiting speakers, leading academics and figures from human rights and international organisations contributing to the debate.
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- This course is taught in collaboration with Kingston University's Centre for Human Rights Practice. Staff include human rights practitioners, specialists and researchers.
- Guest lecturers, from human rights and international organisations, have included politician and activist Shami Chakrabarti, and the directors of non-governmental organisations.
- For the two years with a placement option, you will gain valuable experience through a placement in a human rights or social justice organisation.
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Admissions
Curriculum
What you will study
You will look at the organisations and activities involved in the protection of human rights. You will explore social and campaigning movements, pressure groups, nation-states, and international and transnational organisations, and examine the scope of their contributions to the development of human rights and social justice.
You will analyse current international situations and relations between states and non-state organisations where conflicts have resulted in considerable violations of human rights.
You will investigate the challenges and demands that arise from the continual movements of peoples, refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who flee conflicts and disasters, seeking the realisation of their fundamental rights.
Key topics in the curriculum are compiled on an annual basis, so your learning is based on major contemporary issues in human rights. For example, recent case studies in the core modules have addressed the human rights implications of the use of drones in the "war on terror"; the status of UN negotiations to create a legally binding treaty on human rights and transnational corporations; the challenge of rising populism; and the question of extreme poverty and human rights in the USA.
You will take 4 core modules and choose 1 option module from a broad selection.
Core modules
Core modules
- Politics Dissertation
- Research Skills and Dissertation/Project Proposal
- Human Rights: Architectures, Actors, Activism
- Strategies for Achieving Human Rights
Option modules
Option modules (choose one)
- Crime, Harm and Justice
- Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity
- Conflict Theory and Resolution
- Contemporary Issues and Case Studies in Security and Conflict
- Terrorism, Political Violence and Human Rights
- From State to Global Politics
- The Theory and Practice of International Relations
- Working within the Human Rights Movement
Please note
Optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
After you graduate
This course can help you start or advance a career in human rights advocacy, policy or communication. Graduates are employed by Amnesty International, Unicef, Save the Children and other prestigious organisations.