Master of Human Rights

Purpose

The aim of the Master of Human Rights is to provide learners with an advanced, critical and systematic understanding of and education in human rights within local and international social contexts and the ability to relate and apply acquired knowledge to particular sites of professional practice. Learners will be exposed to a high level of interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary theoretical analyses and critiques of human rights in order to assist them to contribute meaningfully to human rights knowledge generation and human rights realisation in professional, national and international settings.

After the successful completion of the Master of Human Rights, graduates will be able to

• Evaluate the interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary literature on human rights and reflect on the conceptualisation and implementation of human rights standards in a socially contextualised manner and in terms of critical Social Science methods and theories.
• Assess the structure of national, regional and the international human rights regimes, human rights decision making and manifestations of human rights violations in terms of prevailing social, cultural, political and economic relations.
• Apply interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary methods and perspectives to issues relating to political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental justice.
• Appreciate how conceptualisations and enforcement of human rights standards affect human diversity (with reference to e.g. culture, religion, gender, and sexuality).
• To apply analytical skills and expertise in human rights values, standards, institutions, policy-making and practice to different situations, social and professional environments.
• Conduct and produce high level research output in human rights.

Rationale

The praxis of human rights has become one of the most productive knowledge areas in recent times. It influences relationships between nations and people, sets standards for political and democratic practice, and is embedded in national, regional and international legal architectures. Human rights, has become the most prominent idiom in which claims of a common humanity and the basic conditions for a dignified existence are voiced. It is the bedrock of South Africa's constitutional democracy and the reference point for conflicting aspirations regarding resources, rights and protections.

The human rights history and initiatives are, however, seldom uncontested; it is a subject that has manifested itself in reality as "a history of controversy over definitions, meanings, origins, applicability, and methods" (Forsythe, 2009: 394). It is therefore not surprising that even as human rights is set up as one of our most influential contemporary languages, a growing trend of human rights critiques are emerging, playing itself out at the limits of democratic practice. New forms of rights and practices are taking shape globally in response to shifts in social and economic arrangements. Novel social relations and dynamics are evolving calling for evolving sociologies of human rights which can interface with legal constructions and practices in ways that advance a critical praxis of human rights. Higher Education institutions have a responsibility to engage with these developments in a scholarly fashion as far as research, teaching and community engagement are concerned. Therefore the Master of Human Rights allows learners to shape their study of human rights around a coursework qualification that investigates the inter-and multi-disciplinary dimensions of human rights.

Not only is there a need to serve the democratic project of South Africa through such qua, there are institutional, regional and international development challenges that are intrinsically tied to human rights praxes.

Given the wide reach of human rights concerns, an advanced knowledge of human rights standards, decision making, violations, and methods of enforcement is not only of vital importance for legal professionals, but will enrich most professions, in both the public and private sector. The promotion and protection of human rights feature - as a constitutional imperative - in the planning, policy formulation, decision making and public interaction of all public sector institutions, is increasingly occupying a focal point of business and commercial social responsibility agendas. In addition, a coursework Master's Degree in human rights will be of great benefit to students who wish to pursue a career in one of the numerous human rights-related non-governmental organisations.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Where applicants do not meet the minimum admission requirements stated below, RPL will be used to grant access to a qualification. RPL will be applied according to the Recognition of Prior Learning, credit accumulation and transfer, and assessment (CHE 2016) and the institution's RPL policy. The process will be managed by the central RPL Office in collaboration with the Faculty of Law.

• Through its RPL policy and RPL Office, the institution will ensure that quality assurance processes that address the specificities of the RPL process (including applications, assessment, and reporting and management systems) are implemented; and that administrative and support systems, both prior and subsequent to RPL assessment, are in place.
• Applicants will be assessed against Level 8 applied competencies. Furthermore, an RPL application will be evaluated against the entry requirements of the Master of Human Rights and assessment will be undertaken by the Faculty of Law.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entrance requirement is a

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

This qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at Level 9 totalling 180 Credits.

Compulsory Modules at Level 9: 156

• Theoretical foundations of human rights and human rights critiques, 24 Credits.
• International human rights standards and institutions, 24 Credits.
• Research Methodology, 16 Credits.
• Mini-dissertation or published article/publishable manuscript, 92 Credits.

Elective Modules at Level 9: 24 Credits (Choose one)

• Human rights and religion, 24 Credits.
• Advanced study of fundamental rights: civil and political rights, 24 Credits.
• Advanced study of fundamental rights: social and economic rights, 24 Credits.
• Health and human rights, 24 Credits.
• Gender and human rights, 24 Credits.
• Human rights and development, 24 Credits.
• Human rights and environmental management, 24 Credits.
• Human rights, politics and security, 24 Credits.
• Human rights and education, 24 Credits.

1. Evaluate the interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary literature on human rights and reflect on the conceptualisation and implementation of human rights standards in a socially contextualised manner and in terms of critical Social Science methods and theories.
2. Assess the structure of national, regional and the international human rights regimes, human rights decision making and manifestations of human rights violations in terms of prevailing social, cultural, political and economic relations.
3. Apply interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary methods and perspectives to issues relating to political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental justice.
4. Appreciate how conceptualisations and enforcement of human rights standards affect human diversity (with reference to e.g. culture, religion, gender, and sexuality).
5. Apply analytical skills and expertise in human rights values, standards, institutions, policy-making and practice to different situations, social and professional environments.
6. Conduct and produce high level research output in human rights.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Assimilate and analyse critical information from foundational historical human rights documents and interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary theoretical literature on human rights.
• Critically reflect on the historical contexts and influential normative frameworks that have been offered in defence of or in opposition to human rights and its enforcement in Philosophy, Political Theory, Theology, Legal Philosophy and other disciplines.
• Contextualise the contribution of influential human rights theorists with reference to current human rights debates and developments.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Critically reflect on the processes leading to the internationalisation of human rights standards by the United Nations and important regional human rights bodies.
• Evaluate the current role of the main international and regional human rights organisations.
• Assess the record of international and regional human rights institutions with reference to contemporary human rights challenges (e.g. migration, refugees, responses to terrorism, etc.).
• Critically deliberate on the international human rights systems with respect to special groups (e.g. women, children, minorities and people with disabilities).
• Relate and apply the international human rights systems to relevant professional settings.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Critically reflect on the conceptualisation and implementation of human rights standards in an ethically, socially contextualised and sensitive manner.
• Produce and communicate through oral and written presentations, substantial ideas based on intensive reading that reflect expanding specialist knowledge of human rights.
• Make a critical contribution to public human rights debates and controversies, which demonstrates an appreciation of the broad social, political and cultural contexts and impact of human rights standards, discourses, key human rights documents and institutions.
• Apply a critical human rights analysis and insight to relevant professional settings.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Suggest policy-related proposals for human rights reform in a particular professional, national or international context, taking into account the interdisciplinary of human rights and make available for scrutiny.
• Challenge the different relevant theoretical perspectives with reference to the structure of national, regional and the international human rights regimes, human rights decision making and manifestations of human rights violations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Present persuasive written work on human rights themes with conclusions based on evidence, extensive reading and defensible argument.
• Demonstrate through spoken and written arguments, awareness of the broad ethical, socio-political and cultural contexts of human rights institutions and standards.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Demonstrate an understanding and application of social research methods with special reference to research which contributes to a critical appreciation of the broad social, political and cultural contexts and impact of human rights standards, discourses, key human rights documents and institutions.
• Complete a comprehensive research project in the form of a mini-dissertation, published article or publishable manuscript.
• Conduct a literature review.
• Collect data.
• Draw conclusions from synthesised research findings and targeted reading.
• Make defensible recommendations.

Integrated Assessment

One mini-dissertation or published article/publishable manuscript.

For the research methodology module, the completion of a final research proposal for the mini-dissertation or article/publishable manuscript is required, making up 100% of the module's final assessment mark.

The coursework modules will be assessed through a model of continuous assessment, for which a portfolio will have to be produced. For each coursework module, the following assessment methods and their relative weight for the final module mark, are as follows:

• One 2000-3000 word essay (30%).
• One case study of 1500-2000 words (20%).
• Two tests (30%).
• Additional formative assessment methods (20%). Formative assessment methods will be facilitated mainly by means of the institution's online platform (Blackboard), but also during the contact block sessions. This will include: submission of short abstracts on a conceptual controversy or weakness in a theoretical framework, end-of-learning-unit questionnaires or quizzes, literature reviews, online discussion forums, short class presentations on a topic chosen from a list prepared by the lecturer, and peer-review of research proposals. Formative assessment will account for 20% of students' portfolios.