M.Sc. in Human Rights and Data Science

We live in a changing world. As developments in Big Data, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things transform the careers of the future, the world must develop concurrent principles for the ethical use of such technologies. In fields as varied as digital commerce, warfare, and humanitarianism, comprehensive legal frameworks protect individuals’ rights to data privacy – often backed up by technical solutions. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has established a new normal of data privacy regulation for companies and organizations across the world. The IAPP has estimated that as many as 75,000 data protection officers needed to be appointed globally in response to the GDPR. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought the need for data protection into even sharper relief.

The MSc in Human Rights and Data Science (HRDS) at The American University of Paris prepares you to confront ethical questions at the forefront of emerging high-tech industries such as data protection and artificial intelligence, ensuring that technological development complements human rights protections rather than impinging upon them. The HRDS program combines a rigorous foundation in data science with the legal and philosophical considerations necessary to ensure the ethical implementation of policies and protections. It concerns itself as much with the use of coding as it does with its development, with the human and social costs of emerging digital technologies as much as with the benefits.

American University of Paris (AUP)

In a world where accelerating change and ever-shifting personal, cultural, and economic connections are the norm, everyone—at least occasionally—is a foreigner.

Today’s world demands our ability to see the world as another person sees it, even if we might disagree with that person’s ideas and perspectives. We must know enough about the world and ourselves to function effectively in a variety of professional and social settings. We must be comfortable living at the edge of our own comfort zone.

And it is only through that comfort—that feeling of being at home in the world—that we can pursue our own ambitions, champion our own causes, further our own ideas. An American-style education in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities AUP is itself a successful experiment in international, interdisciplinary education. AUP brings together all the best elements of the American university model—small, discussion-based classes; a collaborative relationship between students and faculty; a special emphasis on critical thinking and clear communication—with the cultural, social, and professional opportunities of one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities.

Ours is an academic culture of engagement, global citizenship, and community. Our mission and values reflect this as we seek to foster in students and faculty alike a critical sense of commitment to a world of interdependence. An international reputation for excellence AUP’s credentials are unimpeachable. We are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Our faculty members hail from some of the finest universities in the world. And we engage in special academic partnerships with such prestigious institutions as Oxford University, the Université de Paris Sorbonne, and New York City’s New School. Learn more—and join us To find out more facts about AUP, our history, and our academic programs, we invite you to explore our website and get to know the exciting possibilities that await you when you join our dynamic international community in Paris.