Human Rights - MA
From migrant welfare and protecting the vulnerable, to same-sex couples’ inheritance rights, freedom of speech or political corruption, human rights remains one of the key discourses of our times. Our MA offers an interdisciplinary study of human rights at domestic, regional and international levels, capitalising on Keele’s wide-ranging expertise in race, gender, sexuality, globalisation, culture, identity, justice, and contemporary social movements. Whether you’re seeking a career in campaigning, communication, research, education, advocacy or activism, or already work in these and related fields, like law, public sector, social services, it offers the chance to explore your interests and discover new passions.
Month of entry
- September
Mode of study
- Full time, Part time
Fees for 2024/25 academic year
- UK - Full time £9,800 per year. Part time £5,400 per year.
International - £19,500 per year.
Duration of study
- Full time - 1 year, Part time - 2 years
Why study Human Rights at Keele University?
Course summary
In an increasingly globalised world, ongoing international problems such as war, famine, intervention, poverty and discrimination against vulnerable people make the role of human rights more significant – and relevant – than ever.
Keele’s MA in Human Rights provides a practical and theoretical exploration of human rights law and philosophy in the context of global politics, economics and social justice. It offers the chance to gain new insight into high-profile human rights issues relating to equality, discrimination and minority rights, for example, or trafficking, global trade and economic law. You’ll engage with matters of gender, sexuality, race, class, ethnicity, religion and power in relation to human rights realisation.
Understanding human rights is clearly essential for anyone directly involved in politics, policy-making, criminal justice, humanitarian or development work. However, the broad knowledge you’ll gain of the legal, economic, cultural, ethical and political contexts in which human rights law, politics and practices operate will be of benefit to almost any career.
Supporting your personal and professional development is a central aim of the programme. Among the many skills you’ll develop are critical thinking and reasoning, communication, mental flexibility, teamwork ability and self-leadership, some of the most in-demand essential transferable ‘soft’ skills according to global consultants McKinsey.
To enhance your experience, we try to organise annual placements (subject to availability) with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), typically of two-weeks duration. Based in Geneva, Switzerland’s second largest city, appropriately nicknamed the ‘Capital of Peace’, CERD is a body of independent experts that formerly included Keele’s Emeritus Professor Patrick Thornberry.
During its summer session, the Committee receives reports from State parties on how the rights within the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination are being implemented. Previously, students have been attending the meetings, following the discussions, typically for a country they choose, and taking notes of the issues being raised. One of the many advantages of this unique experience is the opportunity to meet delegates from different countries and make valuable contacts in the field of human rights.
Other courses you might be interested in:
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"My time at Keele far surpassed my expectations. My lectures and round tables were some of the most interesting discussions I have ever experienced. I was blown away by the knowledge and expertise of the lecturers and professors I was fortunate enough to hear from."
Course structure
The MA in Human Rights programme consists of three core modules (45 credits) and five elective modules (75 credits), which give you the opportunity to tailor your degree to your individual interests and professional needs.
To obtain the master’s qualification, you must successfully complete 180 credits, including the 60-credit Dissertation module.
The MA can be studied as either a one-year full-time or two-year part-time course, with a September start date. The information below outlines a one-year full-time study schedule.
Modules
The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods, as well as student voice. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.
Core modules
LAW-40048 Foundations of Human Rights (15 credits, Semester 1)
Focusing on gender, sexuality, race, class, ethnicity, religion and power in relation to human rights, you will develop a practical and theoretical understanding of human rights law, politics and philosophy at domestic, regional and international levels. You will explore historical, philosophical and structural aspects of human rights, including Enlightenment perspectives, theories of rights/history of rights theory, universalism/relativism debates, sovereignty and non-intervention concerns and other ‘structural’ issues pertinent to international law and relations. This broad foundation module provides a background in which to study and critique human rights theory and practice.
LAW-40047 Equality, Discrimination and Minorities (15 credits, Semester 1)
This module focuses on the main issues of equality and discrimination in international human rights policy and practice. Using the thematic of religion, race, ethnicity and caste/descent, you will examine and critique particular inequalities in international human rights policy and practice, such as geographical and governance inequalities. Exploring equality issues through particular case studies, you will analyse UK and comparative perspectives of global and regional norms on race discrimination, for example, rights of caste groups, minorities and indigenous peoples, and standards on prevention and punishment of genocide. You will reflect on the ways in which aspects of a person’s social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege, for example, the intersectional ties of gender and indigenous peoples/minorities, and gender and sexuality.
LAW-40046 Human Rights and Global Politics (15 credits, Semester 2)
The overall focus of this module is on exploring evolving political and legal strategies to advance human rights in a global political framework. You will be introduced to the main debates on the ways that political structures shape human rights: the relationship between democratisation, development, human rights and violence; the possible emergence of a global civil society to understanding human rights practices; the expansion and role of transnational human rights monitoring and activism; and the need for an understanding of political violence and terror to assess and address causes of human rights violations. To deepen your understanding of the connections between global and local causes and responses to contemporary human rights issues, you will examine a number of key issues, such as the responsibility to protect (r2p), humanitarian interventions, aid and development, security in the post 9/11 era and more.
LAW-40023 Dissertation (60 credits, prepared for throughout the course)
The production of a 15,000 to 20,000-word dissertation provides an exciting opportunity to work under the supervision of an expert in your chosen field of interest, demonstrating a level of knowledge and understanding far beyond what you have learned in class. You’ll be supported to develop the research skills needed to conduct an extended piece of work on a topic of your choice, analysing existing relevant research. Some students start the course with a clear idea about what they want to write about, but others find and develop particular interests as the course progresses. Examples of recent dissertation topics by students which reflect the breadth of the subject include: the regulation of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, recognition of statehood, the use of force and Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL).
Elective modules
To obtain the MA, you will choose five elective modules to the total weighting of 75 credits. Please note that the choice of elective modules are subject to demand and availability. The list below is indicative.
LAW-40038 International Law and Human Rights (15 credits)
This module offers a perspective of both the normative standards defining international human rights and the means by which they are monitored and implemented. You will acquire a strong theoretical and practical understanding of the design and development of modern international human rights law. Special attention will be given to the work of UN human rights bodies and of regional organisations. We will also examine the so-called ‘dark sides of virtue’, i.e., the unforeseen consequences, biases and ambiguities of the human rights project, and the ways in which well-intentioned human rights interventions can at times create as many problems as they solve.
LAW-40042 Advanced International Law (15 credits)
You will have the opportunity to acquire a more-in-depth understanding of the nature, function and development of international law. As well as a thorough analysis of core areas of international law such as statehood, the law of treaties or state responsibility, the module explores recent events and developments in the field of international law, so content varies from year to year. The module will be divided in two parts. Part One will consist of a thorough analysis of core areas of international law, including the law of treaties, state responsibility, the making/unmaking of states and the settlement of international disputes. Part Two will explore recent events, developments or debates in the field of international law, such as international criminal justice, humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect, the global financial crisis, or climate justice.
LAW-40042 Introduction to International Economic Law (15 credits)
Providing a general introduction to international economic law, this module considers the role played by international economic institutions like the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank or, at a regional level, the European Union (EU), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). It covers substantive areas of international economic law, with particular emphasis on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), WTO law, international investment law and state-investor arbitration. You will be encouraged to think critically about the structures of international economic law, and their relationship with the environment, human rights, development and social justice.
PIR-40096 Comparative European Politics (15 credits)
You’ll explore the nature and role of fundamental political structures in Europe, including electoral systems, political parties, executives and legislature, and the ways in which these structures, and the actors within them, interact. Employing both classic and contemporary theoretical and empirical approaches to comparative European politics, you will examine the processes behind behind the socio-political and electoral changes that have taken place in Europe, such as declining political loyalty, falling turnout levels and decreasing trust in parties and democracy. In doing so, you will assess the consequences that these changes have had on European politics and democracy, and the challenges they pose to states, institutions and citizens.
PIR-40088 The Theory of Global Security (15 credits)
Engaging with key concepts like threat, risk, securitisation and vulnerability, this module offers an advanced introduction to the analysis of global security, from classical International Relations theory to what is known as Critical Security Studies. You will be exposed to the main theoretical traditions through which security has been understood since the end of World War II, focusing in particular on the post-Cold War period, and how shifting conceptions of security are allied to shifting understandings of the state, society, the economy, and culture. Through a range of seminar activities, including group discussion, you will engage critically with contemporary debates on security studies. Recently, for example, students have considered the nature of the history, language and space of security.
Next steps
Entry requirements
Next steps
Entry requirements
The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don't see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications.
Typical offer
Please ensure that you read the full entry requirements by selecting your qualifications from the dropdown menu below. This will include any subject specific, GCSE/Level 2 Maths, and English language requirements you may need.
Please select your country from the drop-down list below for the full entry requirement information
UK
2:2 degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Bangladesh
60% in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in any humanities or social science subject from a public university
or
CGPA 2.8 in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in any humanities or social science subject from a private university
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
We don’t accept degrees from certain universities, please see our Bangladesh Country Page for more information
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Canada
70% or C or a GPA of 2.5 in a degree (Ordinary or Honours) in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
China
70% in a degree in any humanities or social science subject or 65% in a degree in any humanities or social science subject from a '211' university
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Ghana
Second class degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
India
55% or CGPA 6/10 in a degree of at least 3 years in any Humanities, or Social Science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Kenya
Second class degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nepal
60% / 2.4 in a 4-year Bachelor's degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
65% / CGPA 2.8 in a 3-year Bachelor's degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nigeria
Second class degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Pakistan
We accept a range of qualifications from Pakistan. Please visit our Pakistan Country Page for more information or we will consider demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience.
You will also need an English language qualification (see below)
South Africa
Second class division 2 / 60% in a Bachelor's degree with Honours in any humanities or social science subject
or
Second class division 1 / 70% in an Ordinary Bachelor's degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Sri Lanka
55% in a Special Bachelor's degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Uganda
Second class degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Zimbabwe
Second class degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
English language requirements
All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from Group B.
References
Normally, you will need to provide at least one academic reference to support your application unless you have been out of study longer than two years. If it has been more than two years since you last studied on a degree-level programme, you will normally need to provide an employment reference instead. For more information about Academic References, please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages.
Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose
Please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages for guidance on what to include in your personal statement.
Recognition of Prior Learning
The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which enables applicants to receive recognition and formal credit for learning acquired in the past through formal study or work and life experiences.
RPL can also be requested for admission onto the start of a programme in lieu of the admission requirements. For more information, see our Recognition of Prior Learning web pages.
Professional qualifications and work experience
The majority of our courses will consider relevant work experience and/or professional qualifications at the appropriate level, as an alternative to an undergraduate degree for entry. The work experience should be for a sustained period and at a suitable level, based within a relevant sector to your chosen course.
Admissions staff will review your work experience and/or professional qualifications during the assessment of your application to ensure suitability in terms of relevancy, level and appropriate learning outcomes.
General information
The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer which would be made to candidates, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.
Funding
Living costs
Keele University is located on a beautiful campus and has all the facilities of a small town. Student accommodation, shops, restaurants and cafes are all within walking distance of the teaching buildings. This is a very cost effective way to live and to reduce your living costs.
Please note, if your course offers a January start date, the January 2024 start date falls in the 2023/24 academic year. Please see the 2023/24 academic year fees for the relevant fees for starting this course in January 2024.
Planning your funding
It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses and not all students are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in some cases, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our Financial Support Team.
Scholarships
We are committed to rewarding excellence and potential. Please visit our Scholarships and Bursaries webpage for more information.
Next steps
Your career
Intellectually challenging and personally fulfilling, the MA in Human Rights equips you with specialist knowledge to support human rights research, policy work, international development, public relations, journalism, fundraising, community campaigning and more.
Future employers could include the civil service, humanitarian and human rights non-government organisations (NGOs), charities, policy think-tanks, advocacy groups or in broader-based care-work for victims of human rights violations.
The private sector is increasingly seeking professionals with a strong background in human rights due to the rapid development of CSR (corporate social responsibility) and 'business and human rights' standards. Multinational firms, for example, are much more aware of the need to protect their corporate image in relation to human rights and the environment, particularly in emerging countries.
Our graduates have gone on to work at home and abroad, for example, with the Peace Corps, the Centre for Human Rights and Development in Ulaanbaatar, the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, National Probation Service, CLIC Sargent, and Unseen UK,
By developing your ability to undertake critical analysis, problem solve and present rational, coherent and accurate arguments orally and in writing, you’ll graduate with essential skills valued by legal and non-legal employers alike. For example, in areas such as banking, insurance and Civil Service. You can also choose to progress to further academic study, such as doctoral research.
Positions may include:
- Academic
- Barrister
- Consultant
- Lawyer
- Newspaper journalist
- Policy officer
- Scientist
- Social worker
- Solicitor
- Teacher
Next steps
Teaching, learning and assessment
How you'll be taught
The MA is taught through a combination of seminars, or lectures and seminars, and through guided independent study. One of the most popular activities, according to our students, are sessions given by some of our current PhD students, who share their research findings in human rights.
It may be possible to undertake a work placement as part of your degree with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva, Switzerland, though places are limited and subject to availability.
Where possible, the School of Law organises regular guest lectures, providing opportunities to hear from experts in various fields within the law. The annual Patrick Thornberry Lecture Series was established to honour one of our most distinguished graduates, widely regarded as one of the world’s most prominent experts on minority and indigenous rights. Past topics have ranged from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Transnational Terrorism and State Accountability.
How you’ll be assessed
The course is assessed through a series of essays and your dissertation. There are no exams.
Next steps
Keele Postgraduate Association
Keele University is one of a handful of universities in the UK to have a dedicated students' union for postgraduate students. A fully registered charity, Keele Postgraduate Association serves as a focal point for the social life and welfare needs of all postgraduate students during their time at Keele.
Hugely popular, the KPA Clubhouse (near Horwood Hall) provides a dedicated postgraduate social space and bar on campus, where you can grab a bite to eat and drink, sit quietly and read a book, or switch off from academic life at one of the many regular events organised throughout the year. The KPA also helps to host a variety of conferences, as well as other academic and career sessions, to give you and your fellow postgraduates the opportunities to come together to discuss your research, and develop your skills and networks.
Our expertise
Teaching staff
Keele School of Law is an internationally recognised centre for cutting-edge, socially relevant legal research, which tackles some of the most pressing challenges facing society today. Key research themes include: Social Justice and Human Rights; International and European Law; Ethics, Health and Social Care; Legal Education, Innovation, and Practice; Gender, Sexuality, and Law.
Academics have wide-ranging expertise in human rights, with particular specialties in race, gender, sexuality, globalisation, culture, identity, justice, and contemporary social movements. Colleagues have developed specialisations in cosmopolitan aspects of human rights as well as in the conditions of specific regions and cultural environments, in abstract and specific aspects of rights, in the universal and the particular.
Research is at the heart of everything we do, including our teaching. We have a vibrant research community that explores contemporary issues across all fields of law but also, uniquely in the country, philosophical and applied ethics. Our course team conducts research which contributes to policy debates both in the UK and internationally on issues as diverse as penal governance, data protection and digital surveillance, religion and intolerance, end-of-life and reproductive ethics, international responses to pandemics, queer jurisprudence, disability rights, mortgage and business lease regulation, or climate security.
The Law School hosts various research areas, such as: social justice and human rights; international and European law; healthcare law and bioethics; professions, practice and legal education; private law theory and practice; gender, sexuality and the law; ageing and social care.
This course is also supported by staff from the School of Social, Political and Global Studies, which means you benefit from the broader expertise of staff in the areas of security studies, international history, international political economy and development, and political and international relations theory. Specialisms include the Middle East, the Balkans and Turkey, Europe, Africa and America.
Research within the Centre for Global Studies covers various aspects of global politics, particularly global security, international development, and war, culture and society. War, a central problem of international relations, is a key focus, with research that examines relations between militaries and society, nationalisms, emotions and war, and legacies of conflicts. We are also interested in critical security studies, international development, environmental politics, state building, and emotions in international relations.
Teaching team includes:
Dr Monica Mookherjee (Joint Programme Director), Senior Lecturer – Prior to joining Keele in 2004, Monica held temporary teaching positions at the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Stirling. Her main research interests are in contemporary political philosophy, and especially in issues of multiculturalism, feminism, citizenship, human rights and global justice. Her research is motivated by the aim of considering how attention to diverse identities and affiliations can help to clarify normative political concepts and ideals. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the UK Association of Social and Political Philosophy.
Professor Yossi Nehushtan (Joint Programme Director), Professor of Law and Philosophy – Yossi Nehushtan holds degrees from Striks Law School (LLB), the Hebrew University (LLM) and Oxford University (BCL, MPhil, DPhil). His areas of research are legal theory, political theory, public law, human rights law, and law and religion. He has provided legal advice and counselling to various bodies, including human rights NGOs in Israel and the UN Human Rights Committee.
Dr Moran Mandelbaum, Lecturer in International Relations – Moran’s research lies at the intersection of nations and nationalism, political theory, and critical approaches to international relations and security, with a focus on Israel/Palestine. He has published research papers on homonationalism in Israeli society, on the relationship between nationalism and insecurity, and on the nation/state in modernity and international relations theory.
Dr Jane Krishnadas, Senior Lecturer – Jane’s research is on feminist socio-legal rights theory and practice in reconstruction in the global north and south. She considers intersecting gender, caste, class and religious identities regarding political representation, housing, religious laws, land, employment and domestic violence. She is a Research Advisor for ‘Brighter Futures, Creative Support, Housing and Employment’
Next steps
Facilities
With a critical and inter-disciplinary approach to law and social justice, the School of Law is an internationally recognised centre for legal research with a longstanding tradition of excellence in moral philosophy, applied ethics, doctrinal, and socio-legal scholarship.
Supported by a specialist Law Librarian, the Law library in the main University library has an extensive range of electronic resources and online legal databases, and stocks a range of law journals, professional resources, case reports, statutes, text books and research monographs. You’ll have access to copies of core texts within the School.
The School of Social, Political and Global Studies brings together multidisciplinary academics in Criminology, Education, International Relations, Philosophy, Politics and Sociology, whose research is internationally respected for its theoretical innovations and relevance to applications in the real world.
Teaching usually takes place in the Chancellor's building, right at the heart of campus, and we offer a range of additional student learning resources and facilities. This includes our Moot Room, a model courtroom used for extra-curricular mooting activities, and a room dedicated for postgraduate taught students. Equipped with networked pcs, an adjustable workstation and a meeting table, it’s a great place to continue your discussions or chat between classes.
Next steps