Human Rights Consortium at the School of Advanced Study, University of London
Master's Degree (MA) in Understanding and Securing Human Rights

This degree, offered by the Human Rights Consortium at the School of Advanced Study, University of London, is the longest-running interdisciplinary, practice-oriented human rights Master's programme in the UK. Its priority is to equip students with practical skills, such as advocacy, research, and fundraising, essential to working in the field of human rights to enable them to build a human rights career. This Master's degree is therefore particularly suitable for individuals who are, or seek to become, human rights practitioners in the NGO, governmental and inter-governmental sectors. Our degree is praised by employers for providing the necessary practical skills human rights organisations need, making our graduates highly employable.

Upon graduating, students will receive a degree awarded by the University of London.

Key benefits of the degree
• Practice oriented training that equips students with vocational skills, such as human rights advocacy, activism, lobbying, research and fundraising, essential to gaining employment in the field of human rights.
• Academic staff teaching on the course combine their research and teaching activities with work as activists, advocates and consultants in the field of human rights, meaning the degree stays current with new developments in the field. Special lectures and classes are delivered by expert guest lecturers and human rights practitioners, enabling students to understand different perspectives and develop human rights networks.
• Internships with one of the many human rights organisations based in the London area.
• Students on this Master's participate in the intellectually vibrant, research-oriented Human Rights Consortium, so enriching their studies.
• Our one-week study tour in Geneva provides the opportunity for students to learn from a wide range of human rights advocates based inside and outside the United Nations.
• As a student of the University of London you will have access to nearly all of its federal libraries and, thanks to our location in Bloomsbury in central London, you will be within walking distance of the British Library, NGOs and human rights organisations.
• A special flexible study option allowing to take the degree on a part-time basis over 36 months (one module per term), enabling students to combine their studies with employment.

Latin America Pathway
From academic year 2014-15, the Human Rights Consortium, in collaboration with the Institute of Latin American Studies, offers a specialist pathway through the MA in Understanding and Securing Human Rights which will enable students to focus their studies on the human rights concerns – past, present and future – of Latin America.

More information on the MA