The Master of Human Rights promotes a critical understanding of the discourse that enables policy workers, lawyers, educators, social workers and journalists to contribute to the development, protection and application of human rights.

This courses suit those who want to enter the field of human rights or add a human rights perspective to their profession; and to those working in the field who wish to enhance their knowledge in a particular area of human rights practice or advocacy.

Using both theoretical and practical learning methods, you’ll examine modern human-rights institutions and explore the philosophical and political development of beliefs about human rights that underpin current systems. You’ll consider how social movements, grass-roots campaigns, and government and non-government organisations have contributed to human rights practices and activism.

The courses examine the subject from multidisciplinary, multicultural and multireligious perspectives to ensure you develop a globalised understanding.

Students who complete the master degree to a high standard can apply for doctoral-level studies.

Why study

Curtin’s Centre for Human Rights Education is a centre for research, postgraduate teaching, critical scholarship and advocacy on human rights.

The centre was established in 2003, with Curtin being the first Australian university to appoint a Chair in Human Rights Education. The centre leads ethical scholarship, enabling individual agency and community engagement on human rights and social justice through the study and promotion of human rights at local, national and international levels.

We use a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from international relations, political science, anthropology, cultural studies, education, social work and law – which enables you to build a broad and critical understanding of the subject. Notably, many of our researchers have a reputation for responding successfully to human rights issues and challenges.

The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG, Former Justice of the High Court of Australia and  Laureate of the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education, is a patron of the Centre for Human Rights Education.

The future of human rights

The world is becoming increasingly complex where the interests of multinationals, organisations and communities intersect.

Curtin’s postgraduate human rights courses emphasise the importance of human dignity and environmental protection. Our students learn the concepts and skills required to enable them to understand how accountability, justice, fairness, inclusion and human dignity can be realised.

Industries

• International relations
• Human resources
• Global health
• Law
• Media
• Education
• United Nations organisations
• NGOs