MA Human Rights Law

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or part-time

The MA in Human Rights Law provides a specialisation in a constantly evolving area of law that covers a range of issues at the heart of major contemporary developments and debates.

This programme offers a wide range of distinctive modules that combine a focus on core subjects in the field alongside a critical inquiry into the theory and practice of human rights law and related fields, particularly as they relate to the global South.

Options include core international modules on international human rights law, international criminal law, international refugee and migration law, international humanitarian law, and justice, reconciliation and reconstruction in post conflict societies.

The degree also offers singular modules on specific legal approaches, settings, and cross-cutting themes such as Human Rights and Islamic Law; Law, Rights & Social Change; Law, Human Rights and Peace-building: the Israeli-Palestinian case; Darfur: Anatomy of a Human Rights Emergency; and Human Rights of Women.

Teaching and learning environment

SOAS provides a unique environment and opportunity to engage with relevant issues taught by our expert staff who bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience of working and teaching in the field. This includes posts such as the United Nations Independent Expert on human rights in Sudan, acting as advisors to national, regional and international bodies, and in multiple roles and affiliations with civil society organisations and actors.

The MA in Human Rights Law uses a range of teaching methods and approaches, which draw on the wider, global community of academics, legal practitioners and NGOs, to foster an engaged, critical learning environment. The International Human Rights Clinic is a particularly popular example of this approach.

The area of human rights, conflict and justice occupies an important place in the SOAS School of Law, which is home to the SOAS Centre for Human Rights Law. The Centre provides a focal point for research activities and regular events, and an opportunity for postgraduate students to become involved and engage with the SOAS research community and actors in the field.

Why you?

The programme is ideal for legal professionals as well as students without a law degree, with an interest in the theory and practice of human rights law and related fields, particularly as they relate to the global south.

You will join international alumni of graduates from SOAS, many of whom are now working at the UN, in NGOs, in government, private practice, policy work or academia.

Structure

To facilitate the study of law, all MA students are required to attend a two-week Preliminary Law, Legal Reasoning and Legal Methods in September before beginning the MA programme.

Students must take modules to a total value of 180, consisting of a dissertation (60 credits) and 120 credits of taught modules. Taught modules are worth either 15 or 30 credits.

Students who wish to graduate with a specialised MA are required to take at least 60 credits associated with his or her specialised MA, a further 30 credits within the School of Law (General Law Postgraduate Taught Module List), and a final 30 unit which can either be taken within the School of Law or from the Language Open Options or Non-Language Open Options pages with the MA Programme Convenor’s permission. The dissertation topic will be undertaken within the MA specialisation.

Please note: Not all modules listed will be available every year.

Dissertation

Students must complete a Dissertation (12,000 words) in Law, which should be on a topic relating to their chosen MA specialism.

• MA Dissertation in Law

Taught Component

• Preliminary Law, Legal Reasoning and Legal Methods

and

• Choose modules from the List A below to the value of 60 credits.

and

• Choose a module(s) from the List A or General Law Options below to the value of 30 credits.

and

• Choose a module(s) from the List of General Law Options below or from Postgraduate Open Options to the value of 30 credits.

List of Modules (subject to availability)

• List A
  • Human Rights and Islamic Law
  • Human Rights Of Women
  • Human Rights of Women
  • International Human Rights Clinic
  • International Protection of Human Rights
  • Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post Conflict Societies
  • Law, Human Rights and Peace Building: The Israeli-Palestinian Case
  • Gender, Armed Conflict and International Law
  • Gender, Sexuality and Law: Selected Topics
  • Gender, Sexuality and Law: Theories and Methodologies
  • International Criminal Law
  • International Refugee Law
  • International Migration Law
  • Law and Postcolonial Theory
  • Law and Society in Southeast Asia
  • Law, Rights & Social Change
  • Mapping International Law in London: International Legal Geography in the Capital of Empire
  • The Law of Armed Conflict
• General Law Options
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Gender, Sexuality and Law: Selected Topics
  • Gender, Sexuality and Law: Theories and Methodologies
  • Human Rights and Islamic Law
  • International Commercial Arbitration
  • International Human Rights Clinic
  • International Investment Law
  • Islamic Law (MA/LLM)
  • Law and Development in Africa
  • Law and Society in Southeast Asia
  • Law and Society in The Middle East and North Africa
  • Law, Rights & Social Change
  • Preliminary Law, Legal Reasoning and Legal Methods
  • International Migration Law
  • International Refugee Law
  • Law and Society in South Asia
  • Mapping International Law in London: International Legal Geography in the Capital of Empire
  • Law, Environment and Social Justice
  • Law and Justice in Contemporary China
  • Climate Change Law and Policy
  • Colonialism, Empire and International Law
  • Comparative Constitutional Law
  • Foundations of International Law
  • Human Rights Of Women
  • International Criminal Law
  • International Environmental and Sustainable Development Law
  • International Protection of Human Rights
  • Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post Conflict Societies
  • Law and Natural Resources
  • Law and Policy of International Courts and Tribunals
  • Law and Postcolonial Theory
  • Law of Islamic Finance
  • Law, Human Rights and Peace Building: The Israeli-Palestinian Case
  • Multinational Enterprises and The Law
  • The Law of Armed Conflict
  • The Law of International Trade and/or Financial Regulation
  • Water Law and Development: Conflicts, Governance and Justice
  • Water Law: Justice and Governance

Open Options Note
Open options from the cross-faculty list will need the approval of deputy PG programme convenor (LLM or MA)

Important notice

The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session.