PMHURIIC - MA Human Rights and International Conflict

Alongside the international order that was institutionalized after the conflicts of the 1940s, the ethical and legitimatory ideal of human rights is now being challenged. The MA in Human Rights and International Conflict is dedicated to understanding the past and present moral, political, legal and social theory and practice of human rights, the threats that they now confront, and, most importantly, how those threats can be surmounted and the progress of human rights resumed.

The core of the MA in Human Rights and International Conflict comprises three class-taught 20-credit modules: GI7002 History and Theory of Human Rights, GI7064 International Conflict Resolution, and GI7010 Human Rights and the International Order. Each of the first two of these core modules, both of which run in the Autumn semester, survey one of the MA’s two constituent subjects, which are then fully combined by the third, Human Rights and the International Order, which runs in the Spring semester. Beyond this intellectual core, the course requires students to choose from a range of optional modules (with the additional option of taking an elective module on a related subject from elsewhere in the University) to complete the course’s class-taught provision. Such provision makes use of Weblearn for learning materials, assessment, and feedback. This is blended with an interactive and discussion-based approach to postgraduate learning, drawing out and on the diverse knowledges, experiences and perspectives brought to the subject by all of the course’s participants. Students thereafter devote themselves to completing their work on the MA’s capstone dissertation, applying their knowledge, understanding and skills to an aspect of human rights and international conflict that they themselves define, research and judge.

The MA in Human Rights and International Conflict is at once fully academic in its intellectual and interrogatory rigour whilst nonetheless informed by ethical intent. Values are questioned and tested throughout against historical fact and theoretical opposition. The central aim of this is for its participants to debate and discover how the brutal reality too many of us inhabit may be rendered more humane. Students come to the course with such a motivation, which should be disciplined and strengthened through the course of academic enquiry.

On successful completion of this course, one will be able to:

1. deploy and combine a range of social-scientific, historical, legal, ethical and philosophical approaches, methods and skills in grasping reality and tackling practical issues;

2. synthesize empirical, factual knowledge with rational and moral argument in analyzing particular events and activities, situations and circumstances, in terms of universally applicable concepts and universally valid forms of reasoning;

3. analyze, describe and explain institutional constraints on individual and collective action;

4. exercise both moral and prudential judgement in deciding or advising upon how best to act;

5. assess, evaluate and judge between claims to rights, and justify and defend rights claims;

6. argue rationally, persuasively, and therefore effectively, against various kinds of oppression, exploitation, inequality, discrimination, ideological and managerial manipulation, and injustice;

7. report, cite and marshal textual and other evidence in support of well-reasoned verbal and written propositions, proposals and theses, in a way that is institutionally transferable and employable.

8. learn independently, and from others, for the purposes of continuing professional development.

9. demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible practitioners/professionals in their discipline.

To accommodate research leave for academic staff and to ensure that modules are viable in terms of student numbers, the Politics and International Relations subject group may withdraw one or more optional modules for a year. Students will be informed in advance so any necessary adjustments can be made.

Students are assessed by a mix of methods, including essays, examinations, presentations, a research design project, a regional report and a 15,000 word dissertation. Different modules have different mixes. A diversity of assessment is regarded as intrinsically desirable, testing and developing different skills and abilities, including research, analytical, communication, practical, team-work and employability-related skills. Many components – e.g. case studies, regional reports and the dissertation – give students a large degree of flexibility in designing and researching their own projects, choosing their own topics and utilising methods and approaches of their own devising.

Formative Assessment Opportunities are also available throughout the programme as all staff are available to provide feedback on written plans and engage with students during seminars and office hours thereby directly supporting students in enhancing the quality of their summative assessments and making them aware of how academic judgements are made.

In the case of the Dissertation, students are allocated with a supervisor early during the programme who engages with individual students throughout the research and writing phases. Full-time students who start in September will normally complete the dissertation in one calendar year. Full-time February students will normally complete it in three semesters across two academic years.

Students are provided with timely feedback on their assessments in line with University guidelines. This ensures that they remain well informed of their ongoing progress and forthcoming responsibilities. Students are encouraged to discuss the feedback with their tutors to build on the constructive and developmental content of the comments they have received, enabling feedback to feed-forward into future assessments and to encourage personal skills and knowledge development.

In addition, extra classes are arranged for all students to further their understanding of skills necessary to ensure good academic practice. Library sessions detailing university research and database resources provide relevant and current information on research facilities within the university and elsewhere in London. Dedicated dissertation classes build on this information and also provide students with vital information on conducting research and writing lengthy academic papers.

Further advice on good academic practice and discussions on relevant subject-specific literature are carried out by staff within the classroom. Documents pertaining to good academic practice such as avoiding plagiarism are disseminated to all students and available on WebLearn sites.

Combined, these approaches ensure that assessment and feedback practices are informed by reflection, consideration of professional practice, and subject-specific and educational scholarship.

All students are required to submit assignments via relevant WebLearn sites through Turnitin. These are marked and made available to second markers and external examiners in all cases and all students are informed of these procedures through module discussions as well as during induction undertaken by the Course Leader.

Part-time students normally take two modules each semester of their first year and one each semester, plus the 60-credit dissertation, in their final year.

For a Masters award students will need to pass 180 credits. This will comprise 120 credits gained from the six taught modules (i.e. two core 20 credit modules plus four optional modules chosen by the student) and 60 credits from passing the dissertation.

For the PG Diploma, students must pass 120 credits. This will include both 20 credit core modules plus four other 20 credit options.

For a PG Certificate, the students must pass 60 credits. This will include at least one core 20 credit module plus two 20 credit options.

The learning and teaching strategy is to develop each student as an actively independent learner, able to critically apply theory in and through a shared practice of intellectual review and enquiry. Personal and shared reflection upon one’s experience, values and desires is central to this process, in a way that facilitates, and should be largely constitutive of, the process of personal development goal-setting, instrumental planning and actualization.

Students cultivate transferable skills of research, analysis and written and verbal reasoning in engagement with human rights materials, qualifying them for a wide range of careers (not least in the international promotion of human rights). The most prominent of these skills are itemized under (11), above, and cultivated on particular modules as specified in (22), below.

Graduates of this course have opportunities for employment in the private, public and third sectors. Graduates have gone on to work in private, public and third sectors. Some graduates also go on to study a PhD.

You will be required to have:

• at least a 2:1 at undergraduate level in a humanities or social science subject (candidates with other qualifications or relevant vocational experience may be considered)