Master in Human Rights

The interdisciplinary Master of Human Rights program provides a grounding in diverse substantive and methodological approaches to the study and practice of human rights. Our program is designed to support emerging leaders who can draw upon many types of knowledge and experiences in a field that demands innovative responses to complex issues. Our master's students learn both theory and skills development from leading human rights scholars, thinkers, and activists. Meanwhile, coursework, internships, and capstone projects allow our students to gain field experience in applying strategic approaches to complex global and local issues.

The two-year master's program is jointly offered by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the College of Liberal Arts. This collaboration brings together these schools’ highly regarded offerings in human rights and faculty expertise in fields ranging from non-governmental organization (NGO) management to global public policy.

Admissions

Master's program admission is through the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Learn more about admissions.

Requirements

The Master of Human Rights and the graduate minor in human rights both draw expertise from across the university.  Our core courses are:  

• HIST 8245 Human Rights: A Global History (3 cr.)
• LAW 6886 International Human Rights Law (3 cr.)
• GLOS 5403 Human Rights Advocacy (3 cr.)
• SOC 8171 Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives on Human Rights (3 cr.)
• PA 5885 Human Rights Policy: Issues and Actors (3 cr.)

The master of human rights requires 45 semester credits. Twenty-two of these credits are split between core human rights and professional courses. The remaining 23 credits are dedicated to an individually tailored concentration, designed to meet each student's individual experiences and career goals. Learn more about the program curriculum and approved courses. Please direct curriculum questions and requests to mhr@umn.edu.