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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.

Prospective Ph.D. and M.A. students should obtain and complete an application form from the Center for the Study of Human Rights to indicate their desire to complete a Certificate in Human Rights. The application form and supporting documentation is used in the admissions procedures of each student’s home department and the Center for the Study of Human Rights. Students already enrolled in a degree program may apply to be admitted to the Certificate program at any time of the academic year at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/humanrights/.

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 the human rights courses offered by Arts and Sciences departments and the professional schools. At least four of the courses (12 credit points) must come from the list of core courses that is maintained by the Center for the Study of Human Rights. Except as noted below, the other courses should normally come from either the list of core courses or the list of other rights and related courses maintained by the Center. Two point courses at the law school are equivalent to 3-point SIPA courses.

In addition to the seminars and colloquia listed at the Center for the Study of Human Rights, with the approval of the Chair of the Inter-departmental Committee, candidates may count other seminars or colloquia not primarily on human rights, provided the candidate's work in the seminar or colloquia was concentrated on human rights.

Internship credit cannot be counted towards the Certificate.

Applying for 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.

Core Courses

LAW/INAF U6802 International Law

LAW L6276 Human Rights

LAW L9836 Sexuality, Gender and Human Rights

LAW W9020 Constitutionalism in Comparative Perspective

HRTS G4020 Introduction to Human Rights: Ideas and Practices

HRTS W4710 Human Rights and Social Justice

CPLS G6120 Human Rights and the Question of Culture

INAF U6120 International Human Rights

INAF U6404 Gender and International Human Rights