Master Human Rights Law
Overview of the Master of Arts in Human Rights
The Master of Arts in Human Rights is a two-year program (120 ECTS) that combines international human rights law with the human sciences, such as philosophy, history, political science, theology, and sociology. The first year offers a methodical introduction to international human rights law, approached through its philosophical foundations, its historical sources, and its protection mechanisms. Students study the nature of law and human dignity, the School of Salamanca and the birth of modern international law, and the sources and subjects of public international law. They then examine the universal, regional, and constitutional systems of protection, up to the specialized regimes protecting children, asylum seekers, and refugees. The second year turns to the protection of persons in times of war: international humanitarian law, international criminal law, the protection of the environment in armed conflict, the philosophy of war, humanitarian action, mediation, and the role of women in post-conflict settings. It concludes with a specialization, through one of three optional tracks, and a research dissertation.
Throughout the program, students learn to analyze a situation in legal terms, to compare systems of protection and identify the most effective avenue, and to design and carry out independent research. The program is delivered entirely online and in English, in an asynchronous format. Enrollment is possible at any time of year, each year can be spread over up to 24 months, and each student is supported by a dedicated academic advisor. Courses are assessed through quizzes, written assignments, and oral presentations, and the program concludes with the defense of the dissertation before a panel.
Master of Arts in Human Rights Program
The Master of Arts in Human Rights program includes a core curriculum in international human rights law, covering the philosophical foundations of law, human dignity, the sources of public international law, and the systems for the protection of individuals and groups, as well as more specific areas of the discipline, such as children's rights, refugee law, international humanitarian law, international criminal law, and environmental protection in armed conflict.
Students are also trained in the research methods specific to human rights, in comparing systems of protection, and in analyzing and resolving real-world issues. They are encouraged to develop their ability to design and carry out an independent piece of research and to present it in a clear, well-argued way.
The first year of the Master of Arts in Human Rights is devoted to the foundations of international human rights law: its philosophical bases, its historical sources, and its mechanisms of protection at the universal, regional, and constitutional levels. This introduction goes hand in hand with the first research seminar.
The second year of the Master of Arts in Human Rights focuses on the protection of persons in armed conflict, covering international humanitarian law, international criminal law, humanitarian action, and mediation. This study accompanies the choice of one of three optional tracks and the writing of the research dissertation (or internship report).
Master of Arts in Human Rights Objectives
The Master of Arts in Human Rights has a twofold objective:
- A rigorous interdisciplinary foundation
Provide solid knowledge of international human rights law, together with the tools of the human sciences (philosophy, history, political science, theology, sociology), in order to better understand human rights issues and contribute to more effective protection.
- Specialization and independent research
Allow students to deepen a contemporary field of their choice and to combine theory with practice, through the writing of a research dissertation or an internship report based on practical experience.
Learning format, flexibility, and accessibility
Learning format
The programs are taught entirely online via the MyDomuni platform, accessible 24/7.
Learning resources include:
- written course materials;
- supplementary documents and videos, depending on the course;
- interactive activities (quizzes, exercises);
- discussion forums with instructors and fellow students.
Personalized support is provided throughout their studies through a dedicated academic advisor. An expert in their field, the advisor supports the student at every stage of their journey, particularly in completing semester assignments, offering tailored methodological and academic guidance.
This support is based on regular interaction, organized through various formats, to ensure individualized, needs-based follow-up for each student.
Flexibility
The programs offer maximum flexibility thanks to their distance format, allowing students to enroll and start at any time of year, without being tied to a university start date. Courses, accessible from day one, can be followed at their own pace, with the option of taking breaks if needed. Exam periods are flexible, and students may spread their program over two years at no additional cost.
Accessibility
The programs are accessible at any time, from any internet-connected device. For students with disabilities, specific support can be arranged upon request to ensure equitable access to all resources.
Disability liaison officer: Cécile Boucherle – cecile.boucherle@domuni.eu.
ECTS Accreditation
The programs are structured using ECTS credits.
In accordance with European standards arising from the Bologna Process, one ECTS credit corresponds to an estimated total workload of 25 to 30 hours, including all required learning activities (instruction, independent work, and assessments).
The total workload for the programs is determined on this basis.
Equivalences
Domuni Universitas follows the rules of the Bologna Process agreements between European universities, allowing recognition of work completed in other fields.
Students are asked to inform the administration of their prior education by sending scanned copies of their diplomas.
Assessment methods
Validation of each year of the Master of Arts in Human Rights is conditional upon passing the various assessment methods provided. It is based on:
passing the assessment quizzes for each course, which verify the acquisition of fundamental knowledge;
passing the semester assessments, including written assignments (deliverables) and oral presentations.
Completion of the year requires an overall minimum average of 10/20.
Learning outcomes
Semester 1 outcomes:
- Use an appropriate academic methodology for legal and interdisciplinary research.
- Explain the founding questions of the philosophy of law: the nature of law, its legitimacy, and its relationship to justice.
- Understand human dignity as the foundation from which all human rights proceed.
- Identify the sources and subjects of public international law and the main international human rights instruments.
Semester 2 outcomes:
- Distinguish between individual rights and group rights.
- Apply the protection regimes specific to persons in situations of vulnerability: children, asylum seekers, and refugees.
- Characterize a situation in legal terms and determine which system of protection offers the most effective avenue.
- Construct and defend a reasoned research question.
Semester 3 outcomes:
- Analyze a situation of armed conflict in the light of international humanitarian law.
- Understand the role of international criminal law and of the courts responsible for trying international crimes.
- Analyze the place of women in peace negotiations and post-war reconstruction.
- Design a research project.
Semester 4 outcomes:
- Evaluate the ethical and practical conditions of a humanitarian intervention or of a post-conflict transition.
- Understand the conditions of mediation between parties in conflict.
- Specialize in a contemporary field through one of the three optional tracks: sustainable development, migration and governance; global governance, democracy and decolonization; or ethics, technology and the transformation of the human.
- Design and carry out an independent piece of research, and write and defend a scholarly dissertation.
Career and study prospects
At the end of the Master of Arts in Human Rights, students will have acquired in-depth knowledge of human rights issues and a rigorous interdisciplinary training, which prepares them to work as competent and versatile human rights practitioners. They can work in the public sector (civil servants and mission officers in ministries, court rapporteurs, lawyers), in the voluntary sector (staff, trainers, and managers in national and international NGOs), or in the international sector (officials and mission managers in organizations such as the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Council of Europe). They may also pursue careers in advocacy, academia, research, or journalism.
Admission Procedure
- Complete the admission form.
- The admissions office will review your application.
- If your application meets the admission criteria, you will be admitted to the program.
A confirmation email will be sent to you, along with all the information needed to complete your enrollment.