Requirements
To obtain a joint major in Human Rights Studies, a student must complete requirements for the Human Rights program AND the major requirements for another department. The requirements for Human Rights are:
Introductory course (one required)
To provide any interested student with an overview of human rights as an idea and as a major social movement, these courses examine the breadth of the field, and enable her to evaluate human rights as a potential major.
- HRTS BC1025 Human Rights in Theory and Practice, or
- HRTS UN3001 Introduction to Human Rights
Core courses (two required)
The following courses familiarize the student with the basic methods and institutions that make up the modern human rights movement.
- HRTS UN3190 International Human Rights Law
- POLS BC3254 First Amendment Values
- POLS BC3410 Colloquium on Human Rights in a Diverse World
- POLS BC3505 Colloquium on Making Democracy Work
- HRTS BC3560 Human Rights and Social Change in Sub-Saharan Africa
- POLS BC3601 International Law & the UN in Practice
- POLS UN3690 International Law
- HRTS BC3850 Human Rights and Public Health
- HRTS BC3855 Religion, Social Justice, Human Rights
- ANTH BC3911 The Social Context of U.S. Immigration Law and Policy
- ANTH BC3913 Inequalities: Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality in U.S. Law and Society
- HRTS W3930 International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
- SOCI BC3931 Social Justice & Human Rights Seminar
- ANTH BC3932 Climate Change, Global Migration, and Human Rights in the Anthropocene
- HRTS G4210 Equality, Identity, and Rights
- HRTS GU4215 The International Human Rights Movements: Past, Present, Future
- HRTS GU4230 Refugees, Forced Migration, and Displacement
- HRTS GU4270 Social Media and Human Rights
- HRTS GU4320 Human Rights and Foreign Policy
- HRTS G4400 Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Human Rights
- HRTS G4410 Children's Right: Selected Issues
- HRTS GU4500 Socio-Economic Rights
- HRTS GU4600 Human Rights in the Anthropocene
- HRTS GU4700 Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare: A Human Rights Approach
- HRTS GU4810 Religion and Human Rights
- HRTS GU4900 UN Human Rights Bodies: Impact, Reform, Advocacy
- HRTS GU4915 Human Rights & Urban Public Space
- HRTS GU4930 International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
- HRTS GU4950 Human Rights and Human Wrongs
- HRTS GU4955 Narrative and Representation in Post-Conflict Societies
Related courses (three required)
The three related courses will reflect the student's personal interests and specialization in human rights with the advice and guidance of her academic advisor.
For a full list of courses and their descriptions, please consult the Course Catalog. To find options for a given semester, please consult the Directory of Classes.
A senior thesis on a human rights topic
The senior thesis or project in the area of human rights studies is written in the senior thesis seminar of the major department. Where this is not possible, it is written in HRTS BC3099 Independent Study.
All of the above requirements must be approved by the student's human rights academic advisor. Up to three of the required human rights courses may also satisfy requirements of the other major, but no course may count for both the joint major and a major/minor in another department.
Advising
A student chooses her academic advisor from among the Human Rights program faculty. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the program, an unlisted professor whose work is relevant may also be chosen.
A junior/senior looking for a thesis advisor may also consult the list of Human Rights faculty for a suitable advisor in her area of research.
To ensure that courses meet the requirements for the major, students must confirm their selection with the Director of Human Rights Studies, Professor J. Paul Martin, before their final semester.