Human Rights

Programme - first cycle - 180 credits

Overview

Admission requirements

General entry requirement (with the exemption of Swedish language) and specific entry requirement of English B from Swedish upper secondary school (A6/6), or equivalent.

Hedvig Obenius is studing human rights at Malmö University

 "Human Rights may sound quite specific, but it is actually very broad. You learn a lot from different sectors and aspects. I’m very interested in law, especially tied to migration."- Hedvig Obenius

 

Description

This programme provides you with an understanding and knowledge of what constitutes human rights, how they are utilised and how the development of human rights is a result of world transformation. Human rights imply that all people are born free, are of equal value and have equal rights. But what rights prevail, how are they monitored and what happens when they are violated?

During the programme you study independently and have group projects and presentations in addition to lectures and seminars. You can also enroll in various exchange programs or combine studies with a relevant internship. This programme culminates with a self-researched 15 hp Bachelor essay conducted with supervision.

After graduation students will be able to work with legal, political or ethical issues within the sphere of human rights. Students can also continue on to master's studies.

Content

What is Human Rights about?

Students enjoying Gäddan 8

Students enjoying the cafeteria and study area inside Gäddan 8.

This three-year bachelor's programme provides students with basic knowledge of human rights and how they are applied and affected by the world we live in.

The concept of human rights has a legal content, namely that the state has the obligation to, in accordance to agreements in international law, implement these rights for individuals at national level. The state also has the obligation to protect individuals from violations and abuses.

The human rights concept  deals with

  • issues of politics and philosophy, such as morals and justice as well The respect for human rights is necessary for the rule of law and safety in a democratic society.
  • questions regarding  international relations, a subject closely related to the general development and understanding of human rights.

What makes Human Rights unique?

In addition to compulsory courses of human rights and international relations, you will have the opportunity to carry out an internship or optional courses in Sweden or abroad. This means you are able to get valuable practical experience in the fields of human rights work, as well as the possibility to develop and create networks and contacts with relevant organisations.

Interviews

You learn a lot from different sectors and aspects

Hedvig Obenius divides her time between Malmö and London, is a student on the BA programme in Human Rights and thinks Malmö University offers a broad selection of courses to choose between.

Hedvig Obenius, Human Rights, Malmö University
A deciding factor for Hedvig Obenius was that the programme is taught in English and offers the opportunity to go abroad for a year, including an internship for one semester.

“I chose the programme for different reasons. I’m 28 and it felt like it was time to get a degree. I’m interested in human rights as it is something that comes up and is relevant in all of society. I have my second home in England, my family and a house, and Malmö is in a convenient location – I fly to the UK from Copenhagen airport once a month.”

Before starting the bachelor’s degree programme Hedvig lived for four years in the UK, one year in France, had worked as a project manager at a British micro brewery, with environmental issues for one of Ericson’s suppliers, and studied a short course online offered by Umeå University.

“I enrolled in that course to see what studying was like, and then applied to the Human Rights BA at Malmö University as I thought it looked like a good programme. It may sound quite specific, but it is actually very broad. You learn a lot from different sectors and aspects. I’m very interested in law, especially tied to migration.”

Another deciding factor for Hedvig was that Malmö University doesn’t chare the high tuition fees English universites do, and that the programme is taught in English and offers the opportunity to go abroad for a year, including an internship for one semester. She also finds it stimulating to meet students from all over the world.

“I like the culture at Malmö University, that professors and management are open to hearing from the students, our feedback matters.” 

As for the future, she still thinks it’s a bit early to say. She’s only on her second semester of the programme, but the modules have given her a few ideas about what she might want to do next.”

“I’ve thought about supplementing my degree with studies in law and maybe work as an adviser for civilians  – I don’t have any illusions about saving the world but I know I would like to work with migration issues or within the legal system.

Career

What career will I be prepared for?

Human Rights provides a good foundation for further studies at the master's level. After graduation you will be qualified to work with legal, political or ethical issues within the sphere of human rights at international organisations, voluntary organisations or public authorities.

Syllabus

Programme Code: SGMRE

Institution:
Department of Global Political Studies
Revision:
8.2
For students admitted fall 2013  

Other set versions

  • Version 1
    approved 2007-03-02
    For students admitted fall 2007  
  • Version 2
    approved 2007-03-02
    For students admitted fall 2008  
  • Version 3
    approved 2007-03-02
  • Version 3.1
    approved 2009-02-26
    For students admitted fall 2009  
  • Version 4
    approved 2009-09-30
  • Version 5
    approved 2009-09-21
    For students admitted fall 2010  
  • Version 6
    approved 2010-12-09
    For students admitted fall 2011  
  • Version 7
    approved 2011-12-15
    For students admitted fall 2012  
  • Version 8
    approved 2011-12-15
  • Version 8.1
    approved 2012-11-07

Approval

The programme was established 02 March 2007.
This programme syllabus (version 8.2) was approved 27 February 2013 by the Board of Studies at Faculty of Culture and Society.
The syllabus is valid from 02 September 2013. Replacement for programme syllabus ratified 07 November 2012.

Entry requirements

General entry requirement (with the exemption of Swedish language) and specific entry requirement of English B from Swedish upper secondary school (A6/6), or equivalent.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

A graduate of the Bachelor’s Programme in Human Rights:
- understands how human rights are regulated in national legislation and international law, and comprehends the relationship between these two systems;

- has a knowledge and an understanding of the political dimensions of the development and application of human rights;

- has a knowledge and a fundamental understanding of the structure of human rights theories and inducement, in addition to the questions and issues the theories are designed to analyse;

- has a knowledge of human rights in an international political context.

Applying knowledge and understanding

A graduate of the Bachelor’s Programme in Human Rights:
- can identify, formulate and resolve problems related to human rights from judicial, political and philosophical perspectives;

- possesses the skills to apply theories of human rights needed to analyse and evaluate factual conditions and phenomena;

- has the ability to write academic texts, and can give an account of human rights related projects orally and in writing;

- accomplishes tasks individually or collectively within agreed timetables;

- can use his or her competence as a basis for a career or further research in relevant areas and

Making judgements and developing communication skills

A graduate of the Bachelor’s Programme in Human Rights:
- has the ability to independently analyse and interpret the development of human rights from a multidisciplinary perspective;

- has the ability to make rational judgements drawing on various methodological aspects within the field of human rights and

- can evaluate independently and reflect critically on questions concerning human rights and the role they play in society today.

Content

Courses

For programme with start Fall 2013:

Fall 2013

Spring 2014

Spring 2016

Organisation

Human rights is a concept that is used all the more frequently in society nowadays, and is applicable to cooperation at both national and international levels. For example, human rights are raised with regards to the pursuits and operational regulations of national and international public authorities, organisations and business concerns. The respect for and the promotion of human rights have become mainstays for the protection of rights and individual security in democracies and stable communities governed by law.

The purpose of the Bachelor’s Programme in Human Rights is to provide students with an understanding and knowledge of what constitutes human rights, how they are utilised, and how development in this field of study is a consequence of transformation in the world.

The programme is comprised of six semesters of study and leads to a bachelor’s degree in Human Rights. Term one consists of Human Rights I and is organised in terms of an introduction to the multidisciplinary approach to human rights characteristic of the programme, i. e. as it relates to law, politics and philosophy. Human Rights I also include a project work in groups. Term two consists of studies in Human rights II, which is an advancement of human rights I. The multidisciplinary perspectives from human rights I is studied and analysed from an in-depth approach with focus on regional legal human rights systems, universalism and social theory. Human rights II is finalized by a project work including method. Term three and four consist of elective studies, which makes it possible for the student to enroll in various exchange programmes, or combine studies with an internship (one term), as long as the programme coordinator deems it to be relevant to the study programme. Term five consists of specialized courses within a range of multidisciplinary areas in law, politics, philosophy and religion. for example:
  • Children’s best interests in theory and practice (MR221L)
  • Forced migration in a human rights perspective 7,5 credits (MR220L)
  • Global Justice (MR226L)
  • International crimes and criminal law (MR222L)
  • The Right to Life and Modern Conceptions of Life (MR225L) 7,5 credits

The last term, the sixth semester, consists of Human Rights III, which includes a theory and method course and is finalized with a BA essay comprising 15 credits.

Degree

Bachelor of Arts / Science.

Bachelor of Arts with a major in Human Rights.

Contact

Further information

Anna-Karin Holm, student services assistant
Phone: 040-66 57317
E-mail: anna-karin.holm@mah.se

Lena Karlbrink, programme responsible
Phone: 040-66 57310
E-mail: lena.karlbrink@mah.se