Theory and Practice of Human Rights (master's two years)

Programme structure

The master’s degree programme requires successful completion of nine courses and a written master’s thesis (30 credits). Five courses are mandatory and a minimum of four elective courses must be chosen from among the various elective courses offered at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights or other institutes within the Faculty of Law or other departments at the University of Oslo.

4. semester

• HUMR5200 – Thesis in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights

3. semester

• HUMR5191 – Human Rights Methodology: Research, Analysis and Thesis
• Elective course
• Elective course

2. semester

• HUMR4504 – Human Rights in Practice
• Elective course
• Elective course

1. semester

• HUMR5140 – Human rights in international and national law
• HUMR5131 – Human Rights in History, Philosophy and Politics
• HUMR5132 – Human Rights Law in Context

During Term I, students are required to follow three mandatory courses:

• HUMR5131 – Human Rights in History, Philosophy and Politics
• HUMR5132 – Human Rights Law in Context
• HUMR5140 – Human rights in international and national law

During Term II, students are required to attend one mandatory course:

• HUMR4504 – Human Rights in Practice

In addition, students should choose one elective course. Elective courses offered by the NCHR are the following:

• HUMR5145 – Human Rights in Asia
• HUMR5508 – Human Rights and Diversity - Leading Cases and Core Dilemmas
• HUMR5702 – Human Rights and Sustainable Development: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Theory and Practices

During Term III, students are required to follow one mandatory course:

• HUMR5191 – Human Rights Methodology: Research, Analysis and Thesis

In addition, students should choose two elective courses. The elective courses offered by the NCHR are, for the time being, the following:

• HUMR5133 – Business and Human Rights (autumn)
• JUS5134 – The Right to Peace (autumn 2020, 2022)
• HUMR5502 – Dealing with Diversity: Human Rights Approaches to Ethnic Conflict(autumn)
• JUS5503 – Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism: Striking a Balance? (autumn 2019, 2021)

Mandatory courses aim at giving students a solid basis to understand the global and regional human rights systems from a legal perspective as well as providing a basic political and philosophical understanding of human rights. In addition, they present students with the tools necessary for writing a master’s thesis.

Elective Courses aim at providing students with a deeper understanding of selected human rights topics. In the second and third terms you are expected to complete four courses. Alternatively, one of the required elective courses may be taken in the fourth term, depending on individual preferences and on what is offered. Please note that no elective courses will be offered at the NCHR in Term IV. However, there are other courses offered elsewhere at the University of Oslo. If you choose to do so, please understand that you are required to submit your thesis early. The terms in which the elective courses are offered at the NCHR may vary from one two-year period to the next.

Students are free to choose elective courses from the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) or from other master’s degree programmes at the University of Oslo. It is also possible to choose elective courses from the Faculty of Law. As a general rule, all electives must be taught in English and be related to human rights.

The following list of elective law courses apply:

• JUS5520 – International Environmental Law
• JUS5530 – Refugee and Asylum Law
• JUS5540 – Public International Law
• JUS5560 – International Constitutional Law and Democracy
• JUS5570 – International Criminal Law
• JUS5730 – International Humanitarian Law (The Law of Armed Conflict)
• JUS5831 – Environmental Law and Economics This course is discontinued. Students who wish to take a retake of this course have a last opportunity spring 2019.
• JUS5850 – International Trade Law
• JUS5851 – International Investment Law
• JUS5852 – International Commercial Arbitration This course is discontinued. Students who wish to take a retake of this course have a last opportunity autumn 2019.
• JUS5870 – European Labour Law This course is discontinued. Students who wish to take a retake of this course have a last opportunity spring 2019.
• JUS5910 – Women's Law and Human Rights
• JUS5911 – International Climate Change and Energy Law
• JUS5930 – Comparative Public Law This course is discontinued. Students who wish to take a retake of this course have a last opportunity spring 2019.

The list below shows an example of elective courses from other departments at the University of Oslo chosen by NCHR-students (the list is not exhaustive). Please note that there may be limited number of seats available at courses outside at the Faculty of Law. If you wish to register for courses outside the Faculty of Law, we recommend you contact the student adviser at the respective department directly. Please note that other deadlines for registration to courses outside the Faculty of Law may apply.

• ECON4270 – Distributive Justice (discontinued)
• STV4324B – The Politics of Poverty
• KRIM4950 – Torture, Terror and Rights (continued)
• HGO4401 – Democratization and civil society in developing countries
• KRIM4953 – Criminological Perspectives on Gender, Sexuality and Violence

Term IV: The thesis is the culmination of the student's master’s degree studies. The thesis represents the independent work of the student, and the topic is to be chosen in consultation with the academic staff. A supervisor will be assigned to each student.