Master of Human Rights Law

This expert graduate course provides a thorough theoretical and practical grounding in the laws governing international and domestic human rights develops the advanced professional skills and specialist knowledge required for work in this diverse field. The extensive range of units enables students to develop and enhance their knowledge across the breadth of human rights law. The Master of Human Rights is suitable for graduates interested developing or enhancing specialist careers within the government sector or in development agencies and other local and international human rights-related organisations.

Students investigate contemporary issues in law, practice and scholarship, and evaluate complex issues relevant to the field from theoretical, international and interdisciplinary perspectives. The course enhances students' capacity to undertake independent research, and includes options for a pathway to doctoral studies.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 2 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 2 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Graduates of the course will be able to:

1. demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge and recent developments in areas of human rights law and the practice of human rights law
2. apply theories, knowledge and skills to different areas of human rights law or to new situations in practice or scholarship in human rights law
3. design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developments that contribute to global professional practice or scholarship
4. explain and justify arguments, methods, and conclusions to legal and lay audiences
5. apply with integrity appropriate research principles and methods to plan, carry out and report on an original project
6. demonstrate high level personal autonomy and judgment

Students may be eligible for credit for up to 50 per cent of the course (24 points) for previous masters level studies in law.

The course is structured in two parts. Part A: Human Rights law knowledge and Part B: Extending specialist knowledge electives and research

Part A: Human rights law knowledge

These studies enable you to develop specialised knowledge and advanced skills in areas human rights law that suit your interests, skills and career goals.

Part B: Extending specialist knowledge electives and research

These studies will provide you with in-depth knowledge of a wide range of areas of human rights law or you can select from across the range of master's law elective units. You will focus on sources of information relevant to human rights law and the application of research methods and specialist discipline knowledge and skills necessary to support law-related work in those closely interrelated fields. Depending on your interests and motivation, you can choose a program of study in which you plan and execute a major research-based project with a high level of personal autonomy and accountability.

The course comprises 48 points structured into two parts: Part A: Human rights law knowledge (30 points) and Part B: Extending specialist knowledge electives and research (18 points).

The course progression mapcourse progression map (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2016handbooks/maps/map-l6002.pdf) will assist you to plan to meet the course requirements, and guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

Units are 6 credit points unless otherwise stated.

Part A. Human rights law knowledge (30 points)

Students complete a. and b. below:

a. LAW5080 Australian legal system or LAW5081 Australian legal process and research*

b. a minimum of four units chosen from the units listed below:**

• LAW5303 Forensic family law
• LAW5304 Overview of international human rights law
• LAW5310 Sentencing
• LAW5317 Principles of privacy and freedom of information
• LAW5334 Psychiatry, psychology and law
• LAW5338 International humanitarian law
• LAW5354 International criminal justice
• LAW5359 International human rights law and women
• LAW5365 Terrorism and human rights
• LAW5370 Discrimination law and human rights at work
• LAW5377 The use of force in an international law
• LAW5381 Human rights advocacy: Australian law and practice
• LAW5383 International refugee law and human rights
• LAW5386 Health law and human rights
• LAW5403 International covenant on civil and political rights
• LAW5404 Genocide in international law
• LAW5407 Current issues in torts
• LAW5409 Principles of family law
• LAW5416 Children's rights in Australian law
• LAW5414 Public international law
• LAW5424 Human trafficking and the law
• LAW5428 Health law
• LAW5430 Advanced evidence and proof in litigation
• LAW5454 Climate governance and citizen justice

* LAW5081 is required for all international students and those students with a law degree from a non-Australian jurisdiction.

** Not all units are offered every year.

PART B. Extending specialist knowledge electives and research (18 points)

Students complete 18 points across a. and b. below:

a. 6 or 12 points of elective law units. These can be taken from:

• Part A above
• the list of human rights law electives listed below
• any unit from the General list of Level 5 law units, excluding those only offered in L6005 Master of Laws (Juris Doctor)

b. The remaining 6 or 12 points of research studies in human rights law from the following:

LAW5082 Masters research (6 points)

LAW5083 Extended research (12 points)

Note: Students taking the course as a pathway to doctoral studies are advised to take the extended research option.

Human rights electives

Not all units are offered every year.

• LAW5324 Discrimination law, theory and policy
• LAW5345 Human rights, business and the global economy
• LAW5348 Indigenous rights and international law
• LAW5364 Economic social and cultural rights and international law
• LAW5371 Protecting the rights of minorities, marginalised and vulnerable people
• LAW5373 Comparative bills of rights
• LAW5376 International criminal law: Procedural and practical aspects
• LAW5380 International human rights law and development
• LAW5410 Collaborative practice
• LAW5417 Children's rights in international law
• LAW5418 Transitional justice
• LAW5422 Victorian charter of rights and responsibilities
• LAW5427 Freedom of speech - law theory and policy
• LAW5433 Victims, law and mass atrocity
• LAW5439 Sexual minorities and human rights
• LAW5442 Racial, ethnic and linguistic minorities and human rights
• LAW5451 Indigenous people and the law

Students taking the course as a pathway to doctoral studies are advised to take the extended research option which is a pathway to a higher degree by research.

Students may exit this course early and apply to graduate with the following award, provided they have satisfied the requirements indicated for that award during their enrolment in this Masters course:

• Graduate Certificate in Law after successful completion of 24 points of study with a minimum of 18 credit points at level 4 or above.