Overview
How do individuals, communities and governments approach human rights differently across the globe? How do these differences in human rights laws impact relationships between states? How does globalisation affect international relations?
Our BA Global Studies with Human Rights course will deepen your knowledge of our increasingly interconnected world, whilst building expertise in human rights. You will develop your confidence to advocate for individual and community rights, social justice, and social change.
The defence of human rights is one of the most profound challenges we face across the globe. From asylum seekers, to prisoner welfare and political alignment – we teach you the principles and practices of human rights from a global perspective.
You will study topics including, but not limited to:
- The promotion and protection of human rights
- Society and modern revolutions
- Patterns of migration
- International development
- Lessons from modern history
Based in our Interdisciplinary Studies Centre, you will be taught by experts from a range of disciplines across the humanities and social sciences.
You will also be taught by academics from our School of Law and Human Rights.
At Essex we specialise in business law, public law, criminal justice, health law, law and technology, socio-legal studies and human rights law.
Study abroad
Your education extends beyond the university campus. We support you in expanding your education through offering the opportunity to spend a year or a term studying abroad at one of our partner universities. The four-year version of our degree allows you to spend the third year abroad or employed on a placement abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the three-year course.
Studying abroad allows you to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised.
If you spend a full year abroad you’ll only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year. You won’t pay any tuition fees to your host university.
Placement year
When you arrive at Essex, you can decide whether you would like to combine your course with a placement year. You will be responsible for finding your placement, but with support and guidance provided by both your department and our Employability and Careers Centre.
If you complete a placement year you’ll only pay 20% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year.
Our expert staff
Members of our Human Rights Centre work closely with our alumni and extensive practitioner network to ensure that our research is focused on priority issues that are of direct relevance to beneficiaries such as victims of human rights violations, governments, NGOs, and international organisations such as the UN. Our staff are advising the UN, the UK government and foreign governments around the world.
On this course you’ll be taught by staff from around the university, active researchers who study Latin America, North America, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe, as well as issues that stretch across regions. Get to know us.
Specialist facilities
- Our Essex Collection of Art from Latin America (ESCALA) is the largest of its kind in Europe
- Our Albert Sloman Library’s collections of Latin American, Russian and Eastern European materials are of national significance
- Work on key human rights projects at our Human Rights Clinic
- Network at our student-run Law Society, Human Rights Society, and Bar Society, which provides legal advice to the Commonwealth Students’ Association (CSA)
- Volunteer at the Essex Law Clinic where you can work alongside practicing solicitors to offer legal advice to clients
- Participate in mooting competitions to develop your skills
- Test your mediation and negotiation skills in our Client Interviewing Competition
- Join our Model United Nations society, which can improve your skills of argumentation, oral presentation and research
- Peer mentors guide you through your first year
- Take advantage of networking opportunities throughout the year with visiting law firms
Your future
Our graduates are well-placed to address the complex issues which confront the modern world. You can gain a diverse set of skills as well as a wide-ranging knowledge of the world’s most current and significant problems.
Our course provides you with an excellent basis for going onto a career in media, education, politics, the Civil Service, international organisations such as the UN and NATO or non-governmental organisations, and many other fields.
Our Interdisciplinary Centre’s recent graduates have gone on to work in a wide range of desirable roles including an events co-ordinator for Age UK, a business provision manager for BT, an accountant in London, and an account executive for Bluesky PR.
We also work with our Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities. Take a look at our dedicated careers pages for Law and Human Rights.
Why we’re great
- We offer the opportunity to spend a year or a term studying abroad at one of our partner universities.
- Our staff are experts in a range of disciplines spanning the globe.
- We were awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2009 in recognition of our work in advancing global human rights.
Structure
Course structure
We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists.
Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The course content is therefore reviewed on an annual basis to ensure our courses remain up-to-date so modules listed are subject to change.
Teaching and learning disclaimer
Following the impact of the pandemic, we made changes to our teaching and assessment to ensure our current students could continue with their studies uninterrupted and safely. These changes included courses being taught through blended delivery, normally including some face-to-face teaching, online provision, or a combination of both across the year.
The teaching and assessment methods listed show what is currently approved for 2022 entry; changes may be necessary if, by the beginning of this course, we need to adapt the way we’re delivering them due to the external environment, and to allow you to continue to receive the best education possible safely and seamlessly.
Placement
On a placement year you gain relevant work experience within an external business or organisation, giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market and providing you with key contacts within the industry. The rest of your course remains identical to the three-year degree.
Year abroad
On your year abroad, you have the opportunity to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised. The rest of your course remains identical to the three-year degree.
Teaching
- Taught through lectures plus seminars of about twenty students
- You take a one-hour lecture and a one-hour class for each of your modules every week
Assessment
- Assessed through a combination of written coursework and end-of-year examinations
- Other assessment methods will depend on your individual combination of subjects
