MSc in International Human Rights Law

The information in the Course Content section describes the content of previous and current years of the programme and lists the tutors who regularly teach the various classes. We expect future years to be similar but it may be necessary for changes to be made in certain circumstances, as explained at www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/coursechanges.

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Students are expected to devote 15-20 hours per week to private study when not in Oxford. The summer residences are full-time. The first-year residence is just over five weeks in length and the second-year residence four weeks.

The degree involves a significant commitment over two years. Before submitting an application, please ensure that you will be able to attend the Oxford residences and reserve sufficient time for your online studies. You are encouraged to consult with your employer, colleagues and family before applying.

The degree is assessed by coursework, examinations and a dissertation. The percentage weightings of each part of the course are: coursework 20%, examinations 50% (four exams at 12.5% each) and dissertation 30%. 

In order to take this course, you will need frequent and reliable internet access plus a portable device on which you are able to produce significant amounts of text.

We welcome applications from persons in all fields of human rights practice. Past students have come from all over the world and from a variety of advocacy settings; from various international and non-governmental organisations, governments, universities, foundations, the media, the armed forces, medicine and other fields and from private and corporate practice. The faculty is also diverse and includes internationally recognised human rights scholars and advocates. The programme seeks the widest possible diversity among both students and tutors.

The degree is designed primarily for mid-career lawyers (with at least 3 years full-time human rights law experience or its equivalent) and the majority of admitted students have a legal background and experience of international human rights law. However, in certain circumstances, applications from persons with degrees in other subjects who have extensive human rights experience will be considered. The course is enriched by the variety of the students’ backgrounds, and the evidence indicates that non-lawyers perform as well as lawyers on the course

For detailed information on admissions deadlines, entry requirements and how to apply, please visit our course page on the Graduate Admissions website.

You must submit a number of supporting materials with your application including references, transcripts and a CV. In addition, this course requires proficiency in English at the University’s higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. Further information is provided in the entry requirements section of our course page on the Graduate Admissions website.

If you choose to enter a college preference on your application form, you may wish to consider its facilities, resources, funding opportunities and location within Oxford. Please note, however, that regardless of your college of matriculation, accommodation for the summer residences will be made available to all students at New College. For further information about this and to find out which colleges accept students on the MSc in International Human Rights Law, please see our course page on the Graduate Admissions website. 

During the periods when admissions are closed, you can sign up at  https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/sign-up to receive regular emails containing information about graduate study at Oxford, the admissions process and to hear when applications open at the start of each admission cycle.

Oxford Faculty members

Thiago Alves Pinto, Departmental Lecturer in Legal Studies and Diplomatic Studies and Director of Studies in Religion and Theology, Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford.

Shreya Atrey, Associate Professor in International Human Rights Law, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford

Nazila Ghanea, Professor of International Human Rights Law, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford and Course Director of the MSc in International Human Rights Law

Other teaching staff
Oxford University has access to a world-wide network of leading academics and practitioners. Past and present teachers include the following:  

Fareda Banda, Professor of Law at SOAS, University of London

Carolyn Patty Blum, Clinical Professor of Law (Emerita) at Berkeley Law School

Jason Brickhill, Director of Litigation, Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa; Associate, Oxford Human Rights Hub; Honorary Research Associate, University of Cape Town

Meghan Campbell, Reader in International Human Rights Law, Associate Head of School, University of Birmingham

Joshua Castellino, Executive Director of Minority Rights Group International and Professor of International & Comparative Law, University of Derby

Cathryn Costello, Professor of Global Refugee and Migration Law, University College Dublin

Alice Edwards, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

John Knox, Professor of International Law at Wake Forest University, USA

Dino Kritsiotis, Professor of Public International Law at the University of Nottingham, UK

Philip Leach, Professor of Human Rights Law at Middlesex University, a solicitor, and Director of the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC)

Wade Mansell, Emeritus Professor of International Law at the University of Kent, UK

Juan Méndez, Professor of Human Rights Law at the American University Washington College of Law

Rachel Murray, Professor of International Human Rights Law at the University of Bristol and Director of its Human Rights Implementation Centre

Thomas Probert, Head of Research of Freedom from Violence, a multidisciplinary research collaboration bringing together developmental and human rights approaches to the problem of violence at the University of Pretoria

Patricia Sellers, International criminal lawyer and Special Adviser on Slavery Crimes to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court

Ahmed Shaheed, Professor of Human Rights at Essex Law School and Senior Fellow at Raoul Wallenberg Human Rights Centre

Ann Skelton, Professor of Law and holds the UNESCO Chair in Education Law at the University of Pretoria

Surya Subedi, Professor of International Law at the University of Leeds and a practising Barrister at Three Stone Chambers, Lincoln’s Inn, London

Patrick Thornberry, Emeritus Professor of International Law at Keele University and Honorary Professor of Law at the University of Nottingham, UK

Elizabeth Umlas, Lecturer at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, an independent researcher and consultant with 20 years of experience in the field of business and human rights.

Frans Viljoen, Director of the Centre for Human Rights at the Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria

Alexandra Xanthaki, Professor of Law at Brunel University London, UK and the Research Director of the Brunel Law School.

Publications

Below is a selection of publications by our students and teaching staff:

Aurora Bewicke, Realizing the Right to Reparations for Girl Soldiers: A Child-Sensitive and Gendered Approach, 26.2 Columbia Journal of Gender and Law (2014), pp. 182-233.

Emma Buxton-Namisnyk, Does an intersectional understanding of international human rights law represent the way forward in the prevention and redress of domestic violence against indigenous women in Australia? 18.1 Australian Indigenous Law Review (2014/2015) pp. 119-137.

Edward L. Carter, ‘Error But Without Malice’ in Defamation of Public Officials: The Value of Free Expression in International Human Rights Law, 21.3 Communication Law and Policy (2016), pp. 301-322.

C. Ignacio de Casas, The Corporate Responsibility to Respect Consultation Rights in the Americas: How the Inter-American System Can Better Promote Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, chapter in I. Feichtner, M. Krajewski, R. Roesch (eds), Human Rights in the Extractive Industries (New York: Springer, 2019), pp. 247-279.

Golriz Ghahraman, When Is the Right to Justice Undermined? Identifying and Applying International and Islamic Human Rights Law Standards for Domestic Judicial Processes: The Case of the Seven Bahá’í Leaders and Iran’s Revolutionary Courts, 11.2 Religion and Human Rights, An International Journal (2016), pp. 77-113.

Kate Gauld, How is the Crime Against Humanity of Gender Persecution Being Litigated before the International Criminal Court, and What Are Its Implications?, 25.2 Melbourne Journal of International Law (2024), pp. 1-30

Iolanda Jacquemet,  Fighting Amnesia: Ways to Uncover the Truth About Lebanon's Missing,  Vol. 3, The International Journal of Transitional Justice (2009) pp. 69–90.

Shani M. King, Alone and Unrepresented: A Call to Congress to Provide Counsel for Unaccompanied Minors, 50.2 Harvard Journal on Legislation (2013), pp. 331-384.

Mariela Neagu, Children by Request: Romania’s Children Between Rights and International Politics, 29.2 International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family (2015) pp. 215-236.

Swagata Raha, Treatment of Children as Adults under India’s Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, 27(4) The International Journal of Children's Rights, (2019) pp. 757-795.

Nevena Vuckovic Sahovic & Precious Eriamiatoe, Effectiveness of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in realization of the right to a remedy for Child victims of violence in Africa, Child Abuse and Neglect, Elsevier (2019)

Noam Schimmel, International Human Rights Law Responsibilities of NGOs - Respecting and Fulfilling the Right to Reparative Justice in Rwanda and Beyond, Cambridge International Law Journal (2019) pp.104-130

Noam Schimmel, Advancing International Human Rights Law Responsibilities of Development NGOs - Respecting and Fulfilling the Right to Reparative Justice for Genocide Survivors in Rwanda  Palgrave Macmillan, 2020

Dates and structure
The summer residences take place in July and August each year. The first session is just over five weeks, the second is four weeks. The provisional dates of the residences for the course starting in 2025-26 are as follows:
2026: Thursday 2 July – Saturday 8 August
2027: Saturday 3 July – Saturday 31 July

The first summer residence comprises a short orientation period, followed by three weeks of intensive classes, one week of revision/examinations and one further week for dissertation preparation (five weeks in total). The second comprises three weeks of intensive classes followed by one week of revision and examinations (four weeks in total).

College accommodation
Regardless of your college of matriculation (see the ‘college preference’ section of our course page on the Graduate Admissions website), accommodation for the summer residences will be made available to all students at New College. Past students have found it beneficial to immerse themselves within the MSc in International Human Rights Law community during the residences. If your personal circumstances permit therefore, we strongly encourage you to consider booking your accommodation during the residences with New College, which will be facilitated by the course organisers. This will help you benefit from what the course offers in terms of additional opportunities for discursive engagement and networking. Lunches and dinners are already included in the course fee and will also be provided at New College (if you have any concerns around this, for example regarding dietary restrictions, please get in touch with the Course Administrator to discuss them). Whether or not you stay at New College during the residences, you may still wish to consider listing New College as your college preference because most other IHRL MSc students will be members there.

Those who choose to stay in New College will have a single study bedroom with private bathroom facilities. Subject to availability, students wishing to bring a partner may book a double room for a higher fee. Infants may reside with parents in a double room at New College but we regret that students with toddlers or older children will need to rent private accommodation in Oxford, as neither the University nor the colleges has family accommodation available on a short-term basis.

Course fees
This course is taught over two years and course fees are due for payment at the start of each academic year. Course fees cover teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. They also cover lunches and dinners during the summer residences but not accommodation and breakfasts, which students will need to book and pay for separately and directly (see ‘College accommodation’ in the Summer Residence section). Course fees are paid to your college. Some colleges may allow payment by instalments. Fees are the same for all students on this course regardless of fee status.

The total annual course fee for your year of entry and what this includes is set out on our course page on the Graduate Admissions website. Fees for the second year of your course will be higher due to annual fee increases. Please see guidance on likely increases to fees and charges.

Applicants (especially those from overseas) should note that, in addition to fees, they will need to budget for their own travel costs and insurance to attend the summer residences.

If you receive an offer of a place, your college will require you to complete a Financial Declaration form to meet your financial condition of admission. This aims to ensure that you are fully aware of the fees associated with your chosen course of study at Oxford. You will also be asked to pay a deposit of £1000 to confirm acceptance of the place. This will be due by 15 May of the year of entry to the course. The deposit payment is non-refundable. However, the University will refund the deposit in certain circumstances as set out on the Graduate Admissions deposits page.

Funding
For general information about fees and funding opportunities, please visit the University's Fees and Funding website.

US students should note that the course is eligible for a private loan but not a federal loan. Applications should be submitted via the US Loans office at the University.

Oxford University scholarships
Oxford scholarships are usually awarded on the basis of academic excellence and potential, and will cover some or all of your course fees and/or provide a grant for living costs for your period of fee liability. The eligibility criteria for different scholarships vary, with some being open to the majority of new graduate students and others restricted by particular characteristics, for example by degree subject or country of ordinary residence.

For most Oxford scholarships, all you need to do is to submit your course application by the deadline listed on our course page on the Graduate Admissions website. Based on the information supplied in your graduate application, where you meet the eligibility criteria, you will be automatically considered for scholarships or contacted by the University and invited to apply. A list of these scholarships is available on the University's A-Z list of scholarships.  In the past, students on this course have been awarded Clarendon Fund scholarships and Oxford Kobe scholarships.

A small number of scholarships require an additional application. A list of these is available on the University's A-Z list of scholarships. You can use the University's Fees, funding and scholarships search to identify those for which you may be eligible.

International Human Rights Law scholarships
In addition to the scholarships on the University's A-Z list of scholarships there are a number of scholarships specific to the MSc in International Human Rights Law. These are listed below. To be considered, all you need to do is to submit your course application by the deadline listed on our course page on the Graduate Admissions website. The scholarships use the University's standard scholarship selection terms. Selection is expected to take place by the end of March 2025. If you have not heard from the Faculty of Law by this date, you should assume you have been unsuccessful. 

Oxford Brunsfield ASEAN Human Rights Scholarships

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships

Hering Foundation Scholarships in International Human Rights Law

Alastair McBain International Human Rights Law Scholarship

New College Scholarship in International Human Rights Law

So far, our students have come from almost 90 countries and a variety of advocacy settings: in private and corporate practice, with various international and non-governmental organizations, the armed forces, universities, foundations, the media, medicine and other fields. The students’ age range has been 23-63 years, and the average is about 38. We seek the widest possible cultural, belief, identity and socio-economic diversity among our students and tutors.

Ifran Hossein Mollah (Bangladesh)
I am a young academic from Bangladesh. Before completing the MSt in International Human Rights Law at the Oxford, I did my law degree from University of Dhaka. My research interest is particularly focused on human rights, religion and politics. Since I consider my classroom as a social laboratory where young minds can be prepared for a better future, the opportunity to train them up with the ideals and spirit of human rights has greatly inspired me to enrol into this course. Dissemination of human rights knowledge can be a silent yet powerful tool to tackle pseudo-authoritarian states. In addition to my teaching and research position, I am a licensed lawyer which I often use to provide pro-bono legal advice.

Paola Gomez (Mexico)
I am Mexican and honoured to have been part of this Programme. I hold a BA in International Relations from the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM, Mexico City) and a specialization in International Relations from the Graduate School of Public Administration and Public Policy (EGAP-ITESM). I discovered my passion for human rights since finishing my BA; hence I pursued an MA in Human Rights at the University of Manchester (UK). I published my dissertation on the difference between the principle and the practice of women’s human rights in Mexico. I had the opportunity to pursue a career path that allowed me to work in human rights with indigenous communities, IDPs and women rights in Chiapas and Guatemala. Since 2007 I’ve been working for the UN System in Mexico at the Office of the Resident Coordinator, the United Nations Development Programme and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Since 2014 I have been education officer at UNICEF Mexico and I specialize in girl’s rights, youth participation and right to education of adolescents in conflict with the law.

Miho Lee (USA)
Originally from a Korean ethnic minority community in Japan, I grew up keenly aware of injustices, racism and de facto statelessness. Finding permanent legal status in the United States, I spent two decades in the nonprofit sector, working with some of the most marginalized and underserved communities to amplify their voices and ability to effect lasting change. As director of a national Research capacity building firm for grassroots community partners around the country and abroad, I witnessed first-hand the power of advocacy strategies when policy, legal and organizing methods converged in campaigns. The IHRL Master’s was an ideal venue through which I could gain deeper insights into human rights law regime and ways that I could start to envision concretely how to leverage the advocacy and social and political research experience working with community partners in the Americas, to advance the plight of Japan’s ethnic minorities through the human rights framework.

Jake Okechukwu Effoduh (Nigeria)
Since 2006 I have been a human rights defender advancing the rights of minorities in Nigeria. I have also been anchoring a local radio programme on human development and governance, syndicated on 120 radio stations with about 30 million Nigerians tuning in weekly. With an LLB from the University of Abuja in 2010, and after gaining qualification to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, I decided to advance my passion for human rights by applying to study at Oxford. It is renowned as one of the best human rights law programmes in the world. Now I currently serve as the Assistant Director of the Council on African Security and Development, a non-profit research-driven collective of experts and academics dedicated to a holistic advancement of Africa and its inhabitants.

Tarek Hamam (Canada)
I am a lawyer with an Honours B.A. from the University of Toronto and a J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. I have been engaged in issues of law, policy, and human rights in Canada, South Africa, and Palestine. I am currently in Lebanon with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), working on the response to the Syrian refugee crisis. As a grandson of refugees, and having been born stateless, I have a personal and professional interest in international human rights law and transitional justice. This Master’s degree program, which brings together world-class faculty and dedicated students, allowed me to advance my knowledge in these important fields.

Eduardo El Hage (Brazil)
I have been a Federal Prosecutor in Brazil since 2008. Different from many other countries, Brazilian federal prosecutors have a very broad role, encompassing not only criminal prosecution but also the enforcement of economic, social and economic rights; the defence of indigenous peoples; and the enforcement of environmental laws, among other diffuse and collective rights. Being totally independent from the Executive branch, the Prosecutor’s Office can sue the Government on behalf of the Brazilian people. Over the past 5 years I have brought a number of lawsuits before courts in order to implement and promote human rights. The Oxford Master’s in International Human Rights Law has helped me immensely, providing me a new and different perspective on various subjects which I will certainly incorporate into my work. Previously I worked as a lawyer at the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES) and as an attorney at the Brazilian National Treasury Office.

Jo-Ann Ding (Malaysia)
I am a writer based in Malaysia and I have written articles and reports on human rights issues, with a focus on freedom of expression and the media. I worked as a lawyer for six years prior to becoming a journalist and have written articles on political Islam and human rights, gender equality and media treatment of LGBT issues. I have also co-written a report commissioned by the Open Society Foundation on the effect of digitisation on the media in Malaysia. I conduct media monitoring for the Centre for Independent Journalism, which advocates for media freedom and freedom of expression in Malaysia. My dissertation topic was on laws in Singapore that affected the freedom of expression online and whether those laws complied with international human rights standards.

Sara Eliasi (Sweden)
Over the past eight years, I have served in various governmental and non-governmental organisations with a focus on human rights and human security in conflict and post-conflict environments. Promoting human rights in fragile and conflict-affected countries requires a holistic understanding of such environments and the interplay between human rights and social, economic, political and other societal processes that are rightly recognized as both complex and difficult to navigate and influence. A human rights perspective is nothing less than the perspectives of individuals, families and communities that are at risk of being deprived of what we all consider fundamental to our survival and well-being.

Libraries

As a student of Oxford University you will be entitled to use the resources of the University’s main reference library, the Bodleian, which includes the Bodleian Law Library. You also will have access to your college library. Extensive electronic resources are available online when you are away from Oxford.

Pastoral and welfare support

All graduates are assigned a ‘college advisor’, usually a fellow of their college, to whom they can turn if they feel they need to discuss their academic progress, or anything else pertinent to their study.  Students are generally assigned as their college advisor a fellow or tutor who works closest to their field, if available. 

In addition to the pastoral support provided by college advisors, the programme has dedicated administrative support. The administrators will be able to help and advise students on a range of matters relating to their studies, or point them towards dedicated sources of support elsewhere in the University. Academic supervisors (see the ‘About’ section of our course page on the Graduate Admissions website for further information about supervisors) and the Course Director, Prof Nazila Ghanea, can also serve as a source of support.

Student testimonials

Below is a selection of comments that our students have made about the course.

Ifran Hossein Mollah: "This course is one of its kind which has enabled me to pursue a world class degree without relinquishing my professional as well as personal obligations. The perfect combination of friendly cohort, brilliant tutors and the efficient administration has made this course of study an unforgettable journey. Right after coming back to Bangladesh, I have been assigned by my faculty to teach International Human Rights Law at the graduate level. The study program has substantially helped me to find out prospective research topic for my future academic endeavor. Most importantly, the program has ushered a new horizon of human rights knowledge which I was completely unaware of before taking the course."

Kathryn Hampton: “This course was the most diverse program that I have ever been a part of. […]The structure enabled that diversity – that people could continue to work in the field, in other countries or in their own country, while studying. As a woman, it meant so much to me to see the number of pregnant classmates and classmates with small children – also directly possible because of this flexible structure which strongly supports promotion of women in human rights. […] The structure of the program is what makes it stand out, the perfect mix of rigor and flexibility – we had our magical Oxford summers, but we didn’t have to quit our jobs. […] For me, being able to work part-time made this master’s possible to afford. […] I feel empowered to read and think and write and publish, to ask my own research questions and to find an answer!.”

Paola Gomez: “This course was a unique life-time opportunity to be taught by experts in human rights work internationally. Having the academic experience of being lectured by Special Rapporteurs, human rights defenders recognized in their field was the most wonderful experience. Also, I will always cherish my classmates, courageous men and women pursuing human rights implementation from different countries and perspectives. The MSt has strengthened not only my academic skills but also opened my eyes and opportunities to pursue an international career path in human rights.”

Miho Lee: “I wanted to gain a solid philosophical and theoretical foundation to combine with action, towards sophisticated praxis for advancing human rights — and the IHRL Master’s in its interdisciplinary approach grounded in a normative vision of dignity for all, taught by the world’s foremost thinkers and visionaries in the field, could not have been a better match for someone of my social change goal and social science and organizing background. The cohort is diverse not only demographically but in terms of perspectives and experiences, and seminar-style instruction ensured much cross-pollination of critical thinking one could only dream of! I also found all faculty to be of exceptional caliber, whether teaching, or advising. They were accessible throughout the course and I felt supported in what otherwise could have been a frightening fast-paced learning journey.”

Jake Okechukwu Effoduh: “Prior to Oxford, I was a vibrant human rights activist but with very little knowledge on the international dimension of human rights. I found the course highly illuminating and very beneficial for advocacy. I gained skills on how to dissect problems and proffer practical solutions to human rights issues in my part of the world. More importantly, I gained comprehensive knowledge in both novel and traditional perspectives of international human rights law through a hybrid-learning model. The classes were small and highly interactive; there was always expertise in the room, from both students and professors alike. The learning environment in Oxford is a unique world of its own, and the Oxford tradition is one that every academic deserves to experience. Above all I have made great friends; formed lifelong partnerships and I am still in active communication with my supervisor and professors who taught and mentored me”.

Richard Lappin: “The course fully met my expectations and the professors and content were truly outstanding. But what I think really sets the programme apart is the overall concept and structure of the course and the wonderful learning environment that is instilled throughout the two years. The part-time format allowed me to pursue my studies alongside my work commitments, while the residential sessions provided unique exposure to some of the world’s leading human rights experts”

Dirdeiry Ahmed: “The course had indeed been a life changer in my case. It left an indelible mark in my career and energized me to write analytically trying to discern lessons from what I have been doing in peace-making. I look forward to yet another opportunity for expressing my gratitude and to link up once again with the distinguished Oxford IHRL Master Programme”.

Tarek Hamam: “My dissertation supervisor prosecuted war criminals as a senior trial attorney in The Hague. My professors were leading experts in their respective fields. My accomplished classmates came from a diverse range of personal and professional backgrounds. I was regularly reminded what a privilege it is to be a part of this community.  While at Oxford, I was offered a position with the United Nations in Lebanon. Competing with many highly qualified individuals, I believe that the knowledge and experience gained at Oxford was instrumental in helping me to secure this opportunity and move closer to my goals.”

Jo-Ann Ding: “I am a writer based in Malaysia and I have written articles and reports on human rights issues, with a focus on freedom of expression and the media […….] The course has been very useful for my writing – giving me a deeper understanding of human rights issues as well as providing me with a structural framework to work with. The discussions in class with the professors and my fellow students were enjoyable and thought-provoking. I would highly recommend this course to anyone involved in the field of human rights and hoping to deepen their knowledge in this area.”

José Francisco Sieber Luz Filho: “Having focused my dissertation on Asylum and the Inter-American Human Rights System, the MSt. programme provided me with a unique and most fulfilling opportunity to critically reflect and write on challenges and concerns I was – and continue to be – confronted with in my career.”