LLM - Master of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

Overview

This postgraduate program provides advanced study of the international protection of fundamental human rights. The curriculum integrates general human rights protection in times of peace and war with the special protection of basic rights in situations of armed conflict (under international humanitarian law). Such an approach is especially important as the boundary between war and peace becomes increasingly blurred. Such a blurring of the boundary is the result of many different circumstances including the rise of terrorism, the diversity in its cause and nature and wide scope of possible reactions to it; the often unclear boundary between situations of civil war, external aggression, guerrilla action and even domestic policing; the reliance on both official (Security Council-sanctioned) and unofficial (sometimes invited) peace-keeping forces in a broad range of conflict situations.

Confusion in drawing a clear line may even emerge from humanitarian military intervention in the name of the defense of human rights itself. Responses to various forms of civil unrest (often itself provoked by alleged breaches of human rights) or states of emergency (whether of political or natural origin) including, for example, the establishment of a state of martial law, or merely reliance upon domestic or even foreign military forces to assert control or provide assistance expands the range of situations which are difficult to categorise. Beyond this, national intelligence services may conduct operations (whether at home or abroad) with (quasi-)military character but which formally, not invoke the regulatory framework of the humanitarian law. Reliance on mercenary forces and other forms of military outsourcing in diverse contexts of belligerency expands this list even further.

All these examples show that a rigid and dogmatic attempt to identify situations where the international humanitarian law does or does not apply and thus how it interacts with the generally applicable regime of human rights protection is at least problematic and may even be counterproductive.

Your University is Viadrina!

The Viadrina is situated at the heart of Europe – internationality is its trademark. Its students and instructors hail from over 80 countries. It should come as no surprise that students have the opportunity to take foreign language courses at the university’s language center and study or complete internships abroad.

One Program, three Degree Options

The IHL program allows for the possibility of three degree types: the first being an LL.M. program (90 ECTS) which can be done in both a full-time or part-time fashion; a Diploma program (60 ECTS) which will follow the same courses for two-semester worth, but will be shorter without the need to complete a thesis and an internship; and the last would be certificate program (30 ECTS) which will allow for even more concise curriculum consisting of one semester worth of courses, but still with the ability to specialize in a specific area.

Good Guidance means great Success

We offer small class sizes and personalized service. The learning environment at the Viadrina is excellent and features small class sizes, direct contact with academic staff, personalized student services, internship opportunities, and career planning assistance. The Viadrina provides an atmosphere where students can prepare for their exams in peace, graduate in a timely manner, and prepare for their entry into professional life. Welcome to the Viadrina Family!

The host University

Master of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law The Master’s program is conducted at the Viadrina European University, founded in 1991. As such, it continues the fine tradition of the first State University of Brandenburg (Alma Mater Viadrina, 1506 - 1811). The University comprises three Faculties, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics, and the Faculty of Cultural Studies, in addition to affiliated Centres and Institutes. In close cooperation with the University of Poznan it also co-conducts the Collegium Polonicum in the sister city of Frankfurt (Oder), Słubice, located in Poland directly across the River Oder from the Viadrina. In cooperation with Polish and other affiliated European universities the Viadrina especially endeavors to face the challenge of a newly open and expanded Europe building a bridge between Eastern and Western Europe. As well the University has numerous other international partner institutions around the world.