MA Human Rights, Globalisation and Justice

The topic of human rights is a staple of contemporary politics, philosophy and law, and is one of the key discourses of our times. The primary aim of the MA in Human Rights, Globalisation and Justice (HRGJ) Course is to provide you with an intensive period of study in which to develop practical and theoretical understandings of human rights law, politics and philosophy, at domestic, regional and international levels. The course also aims to provide key critical perspectives on human rights theory and practice, drawing in particular on feminist and postcolonial critiques to engage with issues of gender, sexuality, race, class, ethnicity, religion and power in relation to human rights realisation. Jointly taught by the School of Law and School of Politics, Philosophy, International Relations and Environment (SPIRE), the HRGJ course takes an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach to the study of human rights.

Internship Programme

As part of our concern to develop our students' experience in the field of human rights, one of our founding course team members and longstanding members of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Professor Patrick Thornberry will host students at the Committee's sessions in Geneva.

Course Structure

The programme consists of 3 core modules and 5 elective modules.

You will write 8 module essays and a dissertation of between 15,000-20,000. words.

Academic Entry Requirements

This programme is open to graduates with a first or second class honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject.

English Language Entry Requirement For International Students

Applicants for whom English is not the first language must provide evidence of qualification in the English language unless they hold a previous degree that was taught and examined in English. The minimum score is academic IELTS 6.5 (with no subtest below 5.5) or equivalent.

Careers

HRGJ equips students for careers in a range of fields, such as legal practice, human rights research, policy work, international development, journalism, community campaigning, etc.

The University has a Careers and Employability team who can provide you with advice and guidance about your future career. The team offer specialist workshops, for example 'Options with Postgraduate Study' and Moving on with your PhD', and can also meet you individually to give guidance and support to help you develop your career. We also hold regular careers fairs on campus and informal events where you can meet employers. You will also have access to our database of job opportunities and digital resources such as online psychometric testing.

Established in 1949, Keele University is one of the largest campus universities in the UK, with over 10,000 students studying on our beautiful 600-acre estate in Staffordshire, with our local NHS partners, and across the world. Keele sets the gold standard for teaching, with some of the most satisfied students in the country, and our research seeks to improve lives and address the most pressing challenges across our region, country, and world.

Keele University was born from a pioneering vision, one of a different kind of university. Established in 1949 by Lord Lindsay - the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University - in a country still recovering from the Second World War, the University was originally guided by the needs of the local community. The University’s founding aim was to produce graduates who not only had the technical and specialist knowledge to move society forward, but who understood the social and political landscape that drove this need. Fast-forward over 70 years and this original ethos remains at the core of the University’s mission, and our cutting-edge expertise and research is being used to improve the lives of people and address the most pressing challenges not just locally and within our region, but across the world.