MA Theory and Practice of Human Rights

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  • Objectives
    The programme aims to: give students the opportunities to study current theoretical and practical problems in the recognition and protection of human rights. These problems are legal, social, political and philosophical, and the programme reflects this in its multidisciplinary approach. prepare students for such careers as e.g. officials in the United Nations system, activists in humanitarian and policy-making non-governmental bodies in the UK and abroad, as journalists, or trade unionists aims to prepare students for further independent research in the field of Human Rights
  • Entry requirements
    Entry Qualifications The MA is intended for students from a wide variety of backgrounds (legal, philosophical, political etc.) and for those wishing to supplement field experience in human rights with further study. Those who want to do practical or legal work for human rights organisations, and those whose central interests lie in legal, political or ethical theory, will find the MA an outstanding preparation. Applicants normally need an upper second class first degree in a relevant discipline, and enthusiasm for inter-disciplinary work. English as a first language or IELTS of 7.0, TOEFL Computer based 250 or TOEFL paper based 600 are required.
  • Academic title
    MA Theory and Practice of Human Rights
  • Course description

    Course Description
    The MA in Theory and Practice of Human Rights is an interdisciplinary course that examines the history, theoretical development and implementation of human rights. It is intended both for those who want to work in the field and for those interested in the legal, political, sociological or ethical theory.

    Modules and Options

    The lists of modules below represent the range of options available for each year of study. This may not be a complete list of the options you will study, and may be subject to change, so please contact the department for further details.

    Stage 1

        BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
        COLONIALISM, CULTURE AND GLOBALIZATION
        COMPARATIVE POLITICS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
        Compulsory: HUMAN RIGHTS COLLOQUIUM
        Core: DISSERTATION: MA THEORY & PRACTICE HUMAN RIGHTS
        CURRENT CONTROVERSIES IN CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH
        DEMOCRACY BEYOND THE NATION STATE? THE CASE OF EUROPE
        DEMOCRACY, CITIZENSHIP AND CONSTITUTIONS
        DYNAMICS OF HOME AND WORK IN GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
        ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
        ETHICS, POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY II: MA SEMINAR
        EUROPEAN CONVENTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS I
        GAY, LESBIAN AND QUEER LIFE: GENDER, SEXUALITIES AND CHANGE
        GAY, LESBIAN AND QUEER LIFE: HISTORY AND VISUAL CULTURE
        GENDER DIVISIONS AND FEMINIST THEORY
        GENDER, JUSTICE AND DEVELOPMENT
        GLOBALIZATION, INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND ETHNICITY
        HUMAN RIGHTS ACROSS NATIONS AND CULTURES
        HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEVELOPMENT
        HUMAN RIGHTS FOR WOMEN
        HUMAN RIGHTS IN PHILOSOPHY AND LAW
        HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE NEW EUROPE
        INTERNATIONAL CHILD LAW
        INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW
        INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
        INTERNATIONAL SECURITY STUDIES
        INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
        INTRODUCTION TO THE LAW OF ARMED CONFLICTS
        LAW OF INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING
        PHILOSOPHY AND RIGHTS IIB
        PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN AFRICA
        PROTECTION MINORITIES IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
        SOCIOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE AGE OF GLOBALISATION
        SOCIOLOGY OF HUMAN RIGHTS 1
        SOCIOLOGY OF HUMAN RIGHTS 2: SELECTED SPECIAL TOPICS
        THE CONTEMPORARY NATION STATE
        THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM OF HUMAN RIGHTS
        THE PROTECTION OF REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
        THEORY AND PRACTICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN RIGHTS

    Teaching and Assessment Methods
      
    A: Knowledge and Understanding
        Learning Outcomes
        A1 : current and recent political conflict situations in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas
        A2 : long established and newly established human rights institutions, both regional and global
        A3 : the main international legal instruments governing human rights
        A4 : relations between the responsibilities of governments for human rights and responsibilities of non-state actors
        A5 : the evolution of so-called 3rd generation human rights -women's rights, children's rights, rights of indigenous peoples etc.
        A6 : current controversies in different academic disciplines over the universalism and cultural relativism of rights
        A7 : recent developments in regional and national human rights jurisprudence
        A8 : current practical problems in the procedures for human rights promotion, monitoring, reporting and enforcement

        Teaching Methods
        A1-8 are introduced through presentations by specialists, sometimes world-renowned specialists-all with theoretical and practical knowledge of human rights-to the MA Colloquium. Each presentation is followed by group work and discussion led by the Scheme Director who has an academic background in more than one of the main disciplines. Reading for each colloquium is carefully selected and made available in adcance, and everyone is expected to have digested it thoroughly in advance. Knowledge of A1-8 is reinforced in all core courses, though not all are covered in equal depth. One or more of A1-8 is gone into in depth in different core courses and in the optional courses. Within the MA students are introduced to the use of data bases and other IT resources necessary for up-to-date human rights research. Students are asked to submit a dissertation of around 16000 words. Completion of the dissertation is an important element of the MA.

        Assessment Methods
        Knowledge of A1-8 is formally assessed in all core courses other than the MA Colloquium. A number of methods of assessment are used: essays, including extended essays, formal term-end or year-end 3-hr examinations, class presentations, and a dissertation.

    B: Intellectual/Cognitive Skills
        Learning Outcomes
        B1 : deal constructively and in an orderly way with politically and legally complex issues, even when information is incomplete
        B2 : communicate their conclusions clearly
        B3 : demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and in collecting and commenting on complex information
        B4 : indicating ways of extending human rights practice and apply human rights theory to quickly evolving situations

        Teaching Methods
        Skills 1 and 2 are formally assessed through essays especially in the Colloquium and Government and Law core courses by means of eg discussion of different country case studies, or discussions of draft clauses of human rights documents or declarations for some of the 3rd generation rights.

        Skill 2 is developed in all core courses and in the MA Colloquium by means of seminar discussion, role-play exercises, assigned oral presentations or all three.

        Skills 3 and 4 are developed through the exercise of selecting and pursuing a dissertation topic that addresses both the theoretical and practical aspects of human rights in a particular country or region, or in a particular sector of human rights activity, such as election monitoring or peace-keeping.

        The Scheme Director is present during all of the Colloquium classes and most of the remaining courses include class and discussion groups overseen by the relevant tutors. Class and seminar discussions are facilitated by these means.

        Assessment Methods
        Skills 1 and 2 are formally assessed through essay and dissertation marking.

        Skills 3 and 4 are formally assessed through the marking of dissertations, and informally assessed in supervisory sessions during the preparation of dissertations.

    C: Practical Skills
        Learning Outcomes
        C1 : retrieve, evaluate and select for relevance and credibility, information from a range of international sources.
        C2 : plan, undertake and report a bibliographically based piece of research
        C3 : develop techniques for assessing theoretical proposals as well as practical procedures, whether legal or customary

        Teaching Methods
        All graduates receive training from a trained Subject Librarian in the use of legal and other databases relevant to human rights, as well as the resources of a research library. All graduates learn how to use these databases unaided, and how to incorporate results in essay and dissertation material.
        Sessions are held in the Colloquium during the Spring and Summer terms devoted to training in the preparation of dissertations in the core course disciplines and criteria for the selection of dissertation topics.

        Some sessions of the Colloquium allow students to present their ideas for dissertations to the others taking the MA.

        Skills 1, 2, and 3 are developed through formal supervision and marking of dissertations, as well as comments and marking of coursework essays

        Assessment Methods
        Assessment consists of essay and dissertation marking.

    D: Key Skills
        Learning Outcomes
        D1 : communicate effectively at the appropriate level with appropriate audiences
        D4 : (i) apply the techniques of several different bodies of theory and practice to the same cases and practical situations and (ii) recognise some of the marks of successful and failed decision-making in complex conflict situations
        D6 : exercise initiative and learn independently.

        Teaching Methods
        Skill 1: All courses require students to participate actively in discussion, and to co-operate with colleagues in arriving at shared results on exercises. All core courses require students to work independently on essays, and there is a dissertation component.

        Skill 4: Students cannot graduate from the MA in only a single discipline. The exposure to more than one discipline, and sometimes three, enables them to enter into different systematic approaches to a single problem.

        Skill 4 (i) There is an emphasis in the Colloquium and in most of the core courses on case studies that illustrate the practical and political realities of human rights work.

        Skill 4 (ii): The course work and marking scheme ensure that only independent researchers are able to pass. The dissertation requirements are valuable preparation for doctoral work.

        Skill 6 is developed through research on essays and dissertations.

        Assessment Methods
        Skills 1 and 4 are assessed through class-based work and discussion.

        Skill 6 is assessed through course work and dissertation marking, and in feedback on class-based work in the Colloquium.

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