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2008 Curriculum

For students entering SIPA after Spring 2008, please see the updated Human Rights Program curriculum.

The HRP requires a minimum of 18 points of graduate course work consisting of six three-point courses.

There are two elements to the curriculum:

  1. Core (three courses), 9 points
  2. Electives (three courses), 9 points

HRP Core

All students are required to take the following three courses:

  1. International Affairs U6802x International Law
    This should be taken in the fall of the first year. Students with special interest or experience in law may substitute Law L6269x International Law with Professor Damrosch. Prior approval by the concentration director is required.

  2. International Affairs U6142y International Human Rights
    This should be taken in the spring of the first year. Students with special interest or experience in law may substitute Law L6276 Human Rights with Professor Henkin and Professor Alavarez. Prior approval by the concentration director is required.

  3. A course about the UN, International Organizations or HR Skills and Advocacy. For example INAF U8738 Peacemaking/Peacekeeping, POLS G6805 International Organizations and World Politics, INAF U8180 Human Rights Skills and Advocacy, LAW L6540 Law of Global Governance and Regulation, International Institutions, Laws, Norms. Other courses by approval. .

HRP Electives

Students must choose three additional courses from among the following HRP preapproved concentration electives, ideally after completing the required core courses.

More and more, human rights advocacy and policymaking requires the resources of multiple disciplines and professions. While students are free to select from the general list of approved courses, they are encouraged to foster their own professional identity by selecting courses strategically from the following specialized fields or project areas. This is intended to help develop a portfolio that reinforces general training and prepares the way for a long-term career in an identified field of human rights work. As part of that process students are advised to write at least two substantive research papers in fulfilling the elective concentration requirements.

Specialized Fields and Project Areas

  • United Nations Studies
  • Humanitarian Affairs
  • International Conflict Resolution
  • Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
  • Women's Rights
  • Refugee Rights
  • Economic and Social Rights
  • Business, Labor and Human Rights
  • Right to Development
  • Health and Human Rights

The list of preapproved courses and seminars will be revised and supplemented each semester. Consult the human rights section of the MIA Bulletin Supplement or the HRP Web page for the most up to date information on course listings.