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Certificate in Human Rights

The Departments of Philosophy, Political Science, History and Sociology of the Graduate School and the Schools of International and Public Affairs, Law, Social Work and Public Health cooperate in offering a Certificate in the Study of Human Rights. Students must be admitted to and meet the degree requirements of a Ph.D. or M.A. degree program, as well as those of the Interdepartmental Committee on Human Rights. Interested students should consult a member of the committee at an early stage in their graduate careers.

Completing the Certificate assures a background in the conceptual, historical and humanistic dimensions of the normative and policy problems associated with human rights. Students address human rights questions through coordinated course work in their own and other disciplines.

Eligibility

The program is open to all registered Ph.D. or M.A. students in all disciplines for whom human rights questions bear substantively on their primary academic interests and whose career objectives are related to human rights in teaching, research, or professional practice.

Students are admitted to the Certificate program after they enroll in a Ph.D. or M.A. program at the University.  They can enroll by contacting the committee chair or staff of the Center for the Study of Human Rights.

Requirements

The certificate is granted upon completion of 24 qualifying credit points. The certificate can only be granted in conjunction with a degree in one of the university's graduate or professional schools and will be granted upon successful completion of the prescribed 24 points of courses. These must be taken from among human rights-related courses offered by Arts and Sciences departments and the professional schools. The list of courses to be counted for the certificate will be determined in consultation with a member of the faculty committee.  Up to two of the courses (six credit points) may be taken for R credit. 

Courses taken for E credit must be completed with a grade of B- or better to be counted for the certificate.  Two point courses at the law school are equivalent to 3-point SIPA courses. Internship credit cannot be counted towards the Certificate. The Certificate is not a degree; requirements for the certificate are the same for students enrolled in M.A. and in Ph.D. degree programs.

Applying for award of the Certificate

Students who have completed the requirements must fill out an application, complete the Requirement Worksheet, and have it signed by the Chair of the Interdepartmental Committee

Deadlines for completing certificate applications are August 1 for October graduation; December 1 for February graduation; and February 1 for May graduation.