Curious about studying MA International Human Rights Practiceat Leeds Beckett University? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
MA - Master of Arts
City Campus
Part Time
Sep 2026
2 Year
Link legal, theoretical and technical skills with human rights knowledge to work for global organisations. You’ll fight injustice, oppression and persecution. Created in collaboration with tutors from the university's Leeds Law School, this course will provide you with the expertise and practical skills to help protect human rights and tackle abuses. As part of this international human rights practice course, you’ll: Study contemporary debates in human rights promotion and protection Research stories of violations, asylum, surveillance, peacekeeping and torture that are behind many of today's news headlines Work with your tutors and alongside industry professionals to investigate claims of human rights abuses, gather evidence and build cases for legal proceedings Hone your research and project management skills Develop your ability to write compelling funding applications and formulate budgets - essential requirements for a career in this area Teaching expertise You’ll learn from a highly skilled and research-active teaching team who are experts in: Human rights law and practice Security Peace studies Evidence-gathering Crime investigation Our team of academics include staff who have conducted ground-breaking research into why climate change is causing conflict in Africa. You’ll also be taught by professors who have worked with international non-governmental organisations on peacekeeping projects in Georgia. Other tutors have worked closely with organisations such as: Amnesty International CND United Nations International Center on Nonviolent Conflict.
You will gain insight, debate and practical strategies in the field of the protection of civilians from violence on a local, national and international level. This is increasingly becoming a central concern for international interventions, but on the local level innovative projects are being supported. From understanding the roles of international agencies, NGOs and local organisations, to investigating strategies and tactics of those affected, this module will enable you to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and the way in which it fits with peace and conflict theory and human rights.
Consider how projects fit within organisations, and how they are developed, funded and managed. You will study the essential components of project management, including planning, evaluation, ethics and governance issues, and stakeholder engagement. You will develop key skills in project management, funding applications and communication using authentic sources and case studies.
Engage in critical depth with a research-based project aligned to your personal interests and professional aspirations. You will gain general training on research methods leading to workshops that will support you to develop a proposal appropriate for masters level, grounded in theory and with appropriate methodological and ethical considerations.
Critically explore what is meant by international human rights law and critically evaluate its purpose and application. You will assess the role and function of the United Nations, studying the law as embodied by UN international human rights treaties and legal principles as defined by customary international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Develop a critical understanding of research as a practice and a product. The module will develop your critical understanding of the nature of knowledge offer general training on research approaches, including key theoretical, ethical and practical considerations.
Explore the theorisation of Human Rights within International Relations debates. You will explore the contested conceptualisation of Human Rights, via universalist/relativist and cosmopolitan/communitarian debates, and locate the theorisation of rights within the broad schools of International Relations thought. You will also explore the tensions that emerge through the institutionalisation of rights at an international level, the operation of sovereignty and the politics of rights at a group and individual level.
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