Overview

This is the only Human Rights and Diplomacy Masters course in the world taught in partnership with the leading training body of the United Nations: the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

This is an interdisciplinary course that combines law, philosophy and politics of human rights. Students from politics, philosophy, sociology, including law and other disciplinary backgrounds can apply for either the MSc or the LLM.

You’ll learn about the practice and theory of human rights laws and politics, the UN human rights institutions, their history and their philosophical foundations. You’ll be taught by top human rights researchers and will be given practical training from experienced UN personnel in negotiating draft documents, and learning how to make a difference.

The course includes a study visit to Geneva for all students, to observe the Human Rights Council in session. Additionally, for the final three months of the course, if your profile is strong enough then you’ll have the opportunity to apply for a highly desirable internship, or else to pursue projects with human rights organisations or tackle a traditional dissertation.

Course objectives

• Explain, analyse and apply international human rights law in both theory and practice.
• Engage in the theoretical framework of diplomacy, its history and the development of international relations.
• Engage and debate critiques of human rights.
• Draft documents and possess the skills needed to negotiate their progress in a range of human rights institutions.
• Find your way within the United Nations Institutions working on human rights matters and local NGOs.
• Apply a wide range of theoretical and practical methods to human rights research, activism and politics.