MA Human Rights Programme Overview

Understand the structure of the programme, including module options, exams and the dissertation.

About this degree

The MA in Human Rights is a unique multidisciplinary programme that will provide you with a comprehensive introduction to the theoretical foundations, legal framework and international politics of human rights. The programme bridges the theory and practice of human rights and is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to become an effective human rights practitioner. To this end, strong emphasis is placed on:

a) developing your ability to engage critically with human rights, bringing disciplines of political science, law and philosophy, and their respective approaches, to bear on them;

b) providing you with intellectually challenging tasks that will allow you to improve your analytical and problem-solving skills;

c) introducing you to the normative, legal and political challenges with the promotion and protection of human rights in practice, and fostering your ability to develop and advance viable forward strategies to address such challenges;

d) providing you with the theoretical and practical skills necessary to become an effective human rights practitioner, whether in politics, policy, law, or as frontline service providers for governmental agencies or non-governmental organisations.

Teaching and learning

Teaching on the MA in Human Rights programme is multidisciplinary and draws on the department’s world-class expertise in human rights, international politics, public policy and international peace and security studies.

The course is taught and overseen by researchers and practitioners active in the promotion and protection of human rights.

The MA in Human Rights is delivered through weekly lectures and seminars and takes an integrated research and teaching approach, where the key and cutting-edge areas are brought into the seminar room for discussion, and students are encouraged to carry out original research into these areas.

Programme assessment includes a variety of methods: essays, seminar presentations, and examinations, as well as a final dissertation.

Additional costs

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and Living

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Funding

Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.

GREAT Scholarship

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£10,000 (one year only)

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Overseas

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Academic excellence and financial need

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

Careers

Graduates of the programme have secured employment in institutions and organisations including the UK Foreign Office, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman UK, British Institute for Human Rights, the European Union, the Council of Europe, Amnesty International, ILGA, Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies. Some of our students are now human rights lawyers. Our students have also pursued PhDs and have become human rights academics.

Employability

The Human Rights MA is a challenging, formative experience that provides the foundations for a variety of future careers in an impressive number of international, national, governmental and non-governmental institutions and organisations.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL Political Science is recognised as a centre of excellence in the field and offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of human rights. The course is taught and overseen by researchers and practitioners active in the human rights research field. There is an integrated research and teaching approach, where key and cutting edge areas are brought into the seminar room for discussion, and students are encouraged to carry out original research into these areas. This is displayed by the high calibre and originality of our student’s dissertation research projects.

Students benefit from weekly seminars featuring distinguished external speakers, and regular high-profile events for policymakers and others. You may have the opportunity to participate in an annual study trip to the United Nations Institutions in Geneva.

The research preparation and tailor-made interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary training students receive are of the highest standard available at one of the world’s top universities, as reflected in UCL’s performance in a range of rankings and tables.

Application

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught-degrees/applying-graduate-taught-study-ucl

Apply

Contact Admissions

polsci.admissions@ucl.ac.uk

Programme Overview

Hear Dr Tom Dannenbaum outline what the MA Human Rights programme has to offer.

Events and Open Days

Browse our Events and Open Day page to see new and upcoming events that might interest you.

Events and Open Days

Student Testimonial

Human Rights students talk about their experiences at UCL Political Science.

Introduction to Quantitive Methods

Dr Jack Blumenau, Associate Professor of Political Science and Quantitive Research Methods discusses the problems and questions the quantitive methods training will help you to answer and solve.