Master 2 - Human Rights Diplomacy

The Master’s Degree in Human Rights Diplomacy is a multidisciplinary degree cross cutting the three key areas of International Law, International Relations and Political Sciences. These areas will intersect around major international issues such as minority issues, climate change and migration law. The basic premise of this programme is to comprehend how diplomacy, in parallel to other human rights mechanisms, can become a process of promotion and protection of human rights. Conversely, it explores how human rights may be interpreted from a diplomatic perspective, while in tandem maintaining its own degree of importance.

It will also examine the components and actors of Human Rights Diplomacy in order to understand how they interact within the different levels of a global governance, and how they appropriate the tools of international relations, among others: law, multilateralism, cooperation or public policy.

The students will acquire a better understanding of the development of international relations and international law and will have a holistic approach to the promotion and protection of human rights.

Organisation

The Master’s Degree lasts one academic year, which is divided into Semester 1 and Semester 2. The lectures will be based on 6 teaching units. The units are divided into different sections alternating between mandatory and optional courses.

Teaching team

The teaching team is comprised of renowned experts from international organisations and academia.

• Eric TISTOUNET: Chief of the Human Rights Council Branch, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,
• Ibrahim SALAMA: Director, Human Rights Treaties Division, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,
• Fernand DE VARENNES, Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues
• Nicholas BRASS, Senior External Engagement Coordinator for Europe at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

Research-based role

Developed primarily for students seeking to enter the professional sphere, the degree provides also the possibility of veering towards a research-based career in the field of global human rights.

French classes

Classes of French as a foreign language courses are proposed free of charge.

The Master’s Degree responds to the recent strategic and methodological developments in the promotion and protection of human rights. Aimed at students keen to complete a diplomatic legal course, it opens up to international careers within diplomatic services, regional and international organisations, governmental human rights bodies, consultancy and think tanks.