MA Human Rights - Political Science (Standard Route) / Course details

This MA Human Rights (Political Science) (Standard Route) course will appeal to you if you have an interest in the political and ethical issues that arise from widespread human rights violations globally — and if you're looking to build a career in policy, advocacy, government, or other sectors where human rights knowledge is essential.

Can there be space for human rights in world affairs? Who is responsible for the protection of human rights in world politics?

These theoretical and practical concerns form the central focus of the course and are addressed through the compulsory course units.

You will take core units such as:

• Human Rights in World Politics;
• Research Design and Skills;
• Supervised 60-credit Dissertation.

You will also have the opportunity to choose from a range of interdisciplinary optional course units that explore urgent global questions from the ethics of killing, gender inequality and security across international contexts.

The course will provide you with an advanced, critical, interdisciplinary and systematic understanding of human rights issues within a global context. It is an interdisciplinary degree which gives you exposure to developments in international politics and political theory, in order to better understand the complex global environment in which human rights claims are made.

Research or Standard Route?

The key difference between our MA Human Rights (Research Route) and our MA Human Rights (Standard Route) is the amount and focus of mandatory course units you will take, and how much flexibility you have in choosing options.

On the Research Route, in addition to your dissertation, you will take a larger set of mandatory, research-intensive course units (e.g., research design and methods), with fewer optional course units. This route is tailored for students intending to progress to PhD-level study.

On the Standard Route, in addition to your dissertation, you will take a smaller set of mandatory course units (covering core human rights theory, law/policy and research skills) and have more optional course units across law and political science. This route is geared toward careers in NGOs, government, policy, law, journalism and international organisations such as the United Nations, as well as providing a foundation for further academic research.

This course is eligible for the 1+3 studentship offered by the Economic and Social Sciences Research Council (ESRC) North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP), offering a unique, fully-funded route into postgraduate research. If your application is successful, you’ll be able to seamlessly transition from master's-level study to a PhD. Find out more on our 1+3 ESRC NWSSDTP webpage.

Top ranked

Study at a UK Top 10 university for Politics (Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025), known for academic excellence and global impact.

Influential department

Be part of one of the UK’s largest and most respected Politics departments, and co-hosts of the British Election Study, one of the most prestigious political research projects in the world.

Global expertise

Learn from internationally recognised political theorists and scholars specialising in justice, human rights, migration, global health, and international institutions.

The Political Science Pathway of MA Human Rights is taught by an interdisciplinary team using a variety of delivery methods:

• Interactive lectures;
• seminars
• student-led presentations and debate;
• group work;
• individual research.

Part-time students

Part-time students complete the full-time course over two years. There are no evening or weekend course units available on the part-time course.

Course units are assessed in a variety of ways, including:

• presentations;
• tutorials;
• extended essays;
• exams.

As a School of Social Sciences student, you will be supported by first-class resources.   

As well as access to networked study areas and one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the country, The University of Manchester Library .