Bachelor of Arts in Human Rights Studies

Human Rights are predicated upon the belief that every human being deserves to be treated with equal dignity and that every person has inherent value. Even though we say that everyone is entitled to these basic rights and freedoms, many individuals and groups in Canada and around the world still are systematically deprived of these rights, often by powerful actors like governments and industry. There is an urgent need to understand what human rights are, where they come from, and how they can be used today to protect vulnerable individuals and groups from powerful institutions and actors. The Human Rights Studies program at King's interrogates how we fulfill these ideals but also how we fail to do so in different times and places. It equips students with the intellectual and practical skills they need to explore, understand, and act to become protagonists in the equal granting of all human beings the status and the rights associated with their being. Your experiences in studying Human Rights at King’s will prepare you to recognize and understand the variety of rights violations you will encounter throughout your lifetime. Students engage with expert faculty and practitioners on a wide range of topics related to the origins and development of human rights and to their contemporary application in various fields of study and practice, including law, education, journalism, humanitarian relief, and law enforcement. Across any discipline, the ability to fulfill your mandate in all areas of service to humanity will be enhanced by the knowledge, skills, and experience you will acquire in this area of study.

Founded in 1954, King’s University College at Western University is a Catholic liberal arts university college affiliated with a large, world-class university. King’s students enjoy “The Best of Both Worlds” – learning in small classes led by outstanding faculty on a small, beautiful campus while enjoying the experiences of being part of a comprehensive university. King’s students have complete access to all the facilities and services at Western University and graduate with a Western degree. As a Catholic university, King emphasizes the value of each individual and the importance of social justice. Students from all faiths and backgrounds are welcome. Respect for the human person is behind our commitment to diversity, accessibility, social justice, and building the common good. Being an inclusive, supportive community is one of King's greatest strengths.

King’s is recognized, both nationally and internationally, for its excellent academic programs, commitment to research excellence, generous scholarships, and comprehensive student services. Offering degree programs in the arts, social sciences, management, and social work [both BSW (honors) and MSW], King’s is home to approximately 3500 full- and part-time students from across Canada as well as 35 other countries.

Our Mission

King’s is a public Catholic University College engaged in the open pursuit of truth and the discovery and sharing of knowledge in service to humanity. By integrating academic programs rooted in the liberal arts with comprehensive student support, King's creates an inclusive and empowering space for students by nourishing their capacity for critical thought, articulate expression, creativity, and ethical action.

Statement on Academic Freedom

The common good of society depends upon the search for knowledge and its free exposition. Academic freedom is recognized by King's as essential to the life and functioning of the University as an institution of higher learning and as a center for research and scholarship. Academic freedom does not imply neutrality on the part of the individual. Rather, it is academic freedom that makes commitment possible. The right to academic freedom carries with it the duty to use that freedom in a responsible way in the instruction of students, in the production of scholarly work, and in the efficient functioning of the College. All Faculty have a responsibility to promote or at least respect the Catholic identity of the College.

All Faculty Members are entitled: to carry out their research and publish its results; to teach, to employ a pedagogical style of their choice; to be creative; to select, acquire, disseminate, and use documents of their choice in the exercise of their professional activities; and to criticize the University and the Association in a responsible way, irrespective of any prescribed doctrine and free from any and all institutional censorship. Faculty Members shall not be hindered or impeded in any way by the Employer or the Faculty Association in exercising their contractual rights as members of the College community or legal rights as citizens of the community at large, nor shall they suffer any penalties because of the exercise of such legal rights. Finally, Faculty Members have the right to cite affiliation with and title at King’s University College when exercising their rights of action or expression. Faculty Members shall, however, endeavor to ensure that their actions or expressions are not interpreted as representing the official position of King’s University College.