Master 1 Human Rights Law

Duration: 1 year (can be spread out)

Entry requirements: Bachelor’s degree in Law, Political Science, History, Philosophy, Theology, or equivalent.

The program is made of the following:

7 courses to be chosen
2 seminars to be chosen
1 project
- either a research project for the writing of a thesis in MA 2
- or an internship project for the writing of an internship report in MA 2 (internships can be carried out with local NGOs or in their headquarters, in an international organization, with lawyers specialized in international human rights law, etc.)

The field of human rights is complex.

It involves an interdisciplinary approach and combines both theory and practice.

Classes and seminars are taught by teachers involved in the theater of conflicts (South Africa, Chiapas, Colombia, DRC, Middle East ...) or hot topics (protection of children, minorities, refugees ...).

The choice of THE MASTER’S IN Human Rights LAW topics

The courses eligible to be selected for the program can be seen below, with their detailed plans. The choice of courses is made by the student after their administrative registration. This choice is validated by the Board of Studies.

Also, if you can study in french, you can select courses here : Master de droits humain 1 and here Master de droits humains 2

List of Courses

Critical Analysis of the Modern Theory of Human Rights: Lack of A Coherent Theoretical Framework

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (henceforth UDHR) is both a point of arrival and a point of departure regarding our contemporary understanding of human rights. As a point of arrival, the UDHR is the result of an attempt to collate the “wisdom of the ages,” in order to find the best way to ensure the protection of the rights of all—especially after the atrocities committed during the two world wars.

International Public Law

This course intends to provide students with an overview of international law and the structure of the international legal system.

International Criminal Law

This course examines the general principles of international criminal law, providing a practical and theoretical framework for the rules, concepts and legal constructs key to the subject. Jurisprudence will be included to assist the student to fully understand the core concept of international criminal law.

International Humanitarian Law

The course seeks to explain the concept, nature and history of International Humanitarian Law (“IHL”) in such a manner that the student will become familiar with its operations in international law. Some concrete case studies will be included to assist the student to fully understand the core concept of IHL.
Wars have been waged from time immemorial and its practice continues to change over time. Our interest in this module is the law regulating conflicts.

Introduction to international human rights law: Theory and practice

As an introductory course on contemporary challenges in international human rights law, the course is designed to offer basic insights on various topics. Students are encouraged to do further reading so as to deepen and expand their appreciation of the complexity that characterises the various topics.

Introduction to philosophy of law

Important issues in legal philosophy range from abstract conceptual questions about the nature of law and legal systems, to normative questions about the relationship between law and morality, politics and other norms as well as the justification of various legal institutions. Although this course will deal with conceptual themes of philosophy of law especially in the first section, the course generally focusses on the practical and readily applicable aspects of the field.

Human Rights 1. Individual and group rights

Often legislation is based on the consensus of the majority feeling of a group of people rather than on solid philosophical and theological arguments. This frequently leads to superficial legislation with short term benefits for a group of people, but long-term misery for all. The author of this book provides us with a foundation upon which healthy legislation can be built.

Human Rights Part II: The catholic social teaching

Human dignity based on the concepts of the image of God and Christ’s redemption becomes the basis for human rights debate from a Christian theological perspective. It is in the community of the human family that a human person realizes his/her being the imago Dei.

Human Rights in Africa

The notion of human rights refers to the norms, basic rights and freedom that protect people from political, economic, legal, and social abuses or unjustified infringements. There is clearly a profuse assertion of rights which individuals, groups and institutions make. Today, people encounter claims of rights frequently and in a greater variety than before. The main aim of this section is to help one understand the concept of “rights”. Having dealt with the notion of “rights” itself, this section will explore the categories and forms of rights in general. The section will conclude by discussing the concept of human rights.