Human rights are omnipresent in international public discourse and our everyday life. These rights are however under increasing pressure in recent years, with wars, violations, and abuses committed against minorities across the world. In January 2020, UNITAR partnered with the University of Stirling to launch the Masters in Human Rights and Diplomacy to address this concern. This Master programme, taught jointly between UNITAR and the University of Stirling’s schools of Law, Philosophy, and International Relations, will equip students with valuable knowledge on the practice and theory of human rights laws and politics, the UN human rights institutions, their history and their philosophical foundations. On top of interactive seminars led by top Stirling professors, the one-year Master's Programme offers workshops by prominent UN experts in soft-skill building; a 3-day study visit to the “capital” of Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland; and a 3-month Human Rights on-the-job placement in a UN Agency*.

*Within the final term, 12 of the best students have the option of undertaking an on-the-job placement at a Human Rights advocacy group as well as a UN agency under UNITAR’s guidance.

Following the successful completion of the course, beneficiaries will be able to:

• Explain, analyse and apply international human rights law in both theory and practice
• Engage in the theoretical framework of diplomacy, its history and the development of international relations
• Engage and debate critiques of human rights
• Draft documents and possess the skills needed to negotiate their progress in a range of human rights institutions
• Find your way within the United Nations Institutions working on human rights matters and local NGOs
• Apply a wide range of theoretical and practical methods to human rights research, activism and politics

This course is ideal for any graduate or professional with a background in Law, International Relations, or any related field, and who is seeking to finesse their skills and knowledge in Human Rights issues and mechanisms; negotiation and leadership skills; multilateral diplomacy; the architecture of Human Rights Institutions within the UN System; and international law in a dynamic, multicultural environment.