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MSc Human Rights

MSc (NFQ Level 9)
Internships Opportunity
Scholarships Available
Sustainable Development Goals

This course is available through the following application route(s)

Duration:
1 Year
Attendance:
Full Time
Delivery:
On Campus
NFQ Level:
9 (90 credits)
Level:
Graduate Taught
Award:
Master of Science
Next Intake:
September
Country Specific Entry Requirements:
Visit the UCD Global Undergraduate Entry Requirements webpage.
Other School Leaving Requirements:
See www.ucd.ie/admissions
Curricular information is subject to change.

Duration:
2 Years
Attendance:
Part-Time
Delivery:
On Campus
NFQ Level:
9 (90 credits)
Level:
Graduate Taught
Award:
Master of Science
Next Intake:
September
Country Specific Entry Requirements:
Visit the UCD Global Undergraduate Entry Requirements webpage.
Other School Leaving Requirements:
See www.ucd.ie/admissions
Curricular information is subject to change.

Apply Now
Visit our comprehensive FAQ page for immediate answers about the application procedure, required documents, and more.
World Top 100 in the QS Ranking 2026 in Politics | Oldest and Largest School of its Kind in Ireland.

UCD School of Politics & International Relations is the oldest and largest school of its kind in Ireland with over 150 years of experience in political studies and a world-renowned faculty drawn from many countries.

The MSc in Human Rights is a one-year intensive course that prepares you for a career in human rights research, policy or advocacy in international organisations, governmental and non-governmental bodies, or academia. There is also a two-year part time option.

  • You will explore the theory, politics and law of human rights and examine the mechanisms and limitations of national and international action to protect human rights.
  • You will either complete a research dissertation or undertake a monitored internship.

About This Course

  • To thoroughly familiarise students with cutting edge issues in the broad area of human rights
  • allow students participate constructively in topical debates on human rights
  • develop methodological research expertise
  • develop oral presentation skills
  • develop student's research/writing skills
  • enhance group work skills
  • facilitate students' professional development to work in HR policy

Graduates of our Master’s programme in Human Rights go on to work across a wide range of sectors, from international organisations and legal practice to government, NGOs, and academic research.

International organisations and human rights bodies: A strong cohort of graduates has secured positions within leading international and advocacy organisations, including the United Nations in New York and Geneva, Amnesty International, Oxfam, Front Line Defenders, and Médecins sans Frontières, working on human rights monitoring, advocacy, and humanitarian response.

Government and public bodies: Graduates have gone on to roles across a range of public institutions, including the European External Action Service, the European Parliament, the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Irish Prison Service, the US Embassy in Ireland, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and An Garda Síochána, contributing to human rights compliance, public administration, and policy development.

Legal practice: The programme’s grounding in human rights law has proven attractive to legal employers. Graduates have taken up positions at Matheson, William Fry, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, and Green Kaminer Min & Rockmore LLP, working on human rights, constitutional, and public interest law.

NGOs and civil society: Many graduates have gone on to prominent civil society organisations, including Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre, Friends of the Earth Ireland, aditus foundation, the Irish Heart Foundation, and the National Youth Council of Ireland, working on advocacy, rights-based programming, and community development.

PhD programmes: Graduates of the School of Politics and International Relations have continued into doctoral programmes at internationally recognised institutions, including the University of Oxford, Northwestern University, Ghent University, Trinity College Dublin, and University College Dublin. 

Roles held by graduates span a broad spectrum, from Human Rights Specialist and Field Officer to Human Rights Consultant, Child Protection Adviser, and Public Information Officer. Others have gone on to doctoral programmes or taken up positions in journalism, legal practice, and the international development sector.

Instead of writing a thesis, students may opt to complete an internship in a role directly relevant to their field of study. The internship requires a minimum of 480 hours and may be undertaken anytime after the end of the teaching term until the third week of August. Students are responsible for securing their own internship placements. The School provides a list of potential host organisations. UCD Careers offers support with application writing and related resources. 


Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
 POL41020 Politics of Human Rights Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
 POL42330 Research Design Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
 EQUL40070 Human Rights Law and Equality Spring  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
 POL41030 Theory of Human Rights Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)30CR:
Students must select either POL42300 SPIRe Internship or POL42310 Thesis as a core module.
 POL42300 SPIRe Internship Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - A)30CR:
Students must select either POL42300 SPIRe Internship or POL42310 Thesis as a core module.
 POL42310 Thesis Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 DEV40020 Gender and Development Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 DEV42610 Economics of Sustainable Dev Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 GEOG41050 Globalization, Empire and Race: Economic Geography Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 LAW40780 Law of the ECHR Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 LAW42280 International Refugee Law Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL40130 Poverty, Development and Global Justice Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL40140 Theories of Global Justice Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL41510 Politics and Change in the Middle East and North Africa Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL41860 Political Economy of Aid and Development Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL41980 Peace & Conflict Studies Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL42040 Gender & the Political System Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL42620 Global Governance & International Organizations Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL42640 Crisis of the Liberal World Order Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL42650 Comparative Political Representation Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 DEV40040 Corruption, Governance & Dev Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 DEV42600 Global Affairs & Sust Futures Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 LAW42130 United Nations Human Rights Practice Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 LAW42290 Gender, Conflict-related Harm & Transitional Justice Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL40100 Development and Postcolonial Politics Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL40160 Comparative Public Policy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL41720 Gender, Peace, and Security Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL41870 Political Economy of Institutions Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL41930 Psychology of Conflict in the Middle East Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL42050 Quantitative Text Analysis Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
Students should select two modules here.
 POL42500 Politics of Authoritarianism Spring  10

UCD is strongly committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), embedding sustainability in teaching, research, operations, and community engagement. Sustainability principles are integrated into this programme, ensuring students graduate equipped to address global challenges. UCD’s leadership in this area is internationally recognised, ranking 47th globally and 27th in Europe in the QS World University Rankings for Sustainability 2026. UCD also leads impactful research in areas such as climate action, clean energy, and social equity, supported by a comprehensive Sustainability Strategy focused on reducing emissions, enhancing biodiversity, and fostering a sustainable campus culture.

Here are the SDGs which align more visibly with this programme:

SDG10 SDG 12 SDG 16

Ellen Ince

As someone with a passion and interest in learning about different cultures, it was important that my Masters featured an international outlook. This course appealed to me because Human Rights is such a broad field and I was able make the course my own by choosing the areas I wanted to focus on - combining law, political theory, sociology and social justice studies. I had the opportunity to study a range of topics including asylum and refugee law, the origins of human rights, how human rights norms spread and what effects they have on state behaviour, the procedures of United Nations human rights bodies, as well as the functions and limitations of human rights law in achieving equality. 

The course was fast-paced and interactive; consisting of class debates on challenging political issues with students from all around the world, as well as group projects and presentations. I greatly appreciated their expertise, kindness and dedication to making the learning experience as enjoyable as possible. 

Thanks to the MSc Human Rights course, I now have the confidence, skills and motivation to succeed with a strong educational foundation behind me. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in working cross-culturally and looking to pursue a global career in a diverse field. 

MSc Human Rights (W035) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 10555
nonEU    fee per year - € 22600

MSc Human Rights (W110) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 6710
nonEU    fee per year - € 11300

***Fees are subject to change

 

Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website.

  • Non-EU citizens are ineligible for part-time study except for those holding a valid non-student residency visa.
  • UCD Global offers several graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students who have received an offer for a UCD graduate degree programme. For further details, please visit the International Scholarships.
  • SPIRe operates the  SPIRe Graduate Scholarship Scheme. 

For further information, please visit our comprehensive FAQ page.

  • A primary degree with at least Second Class Honours Grade 1 (2H1). 2H1 is equivalent to 60 per cent, B minus or 3.08 GPA - in American system: B or 3.00 GPA.

  • Your application will be considered on its individual merits and relevant professional experience will also be taken into account.
  • English language requirements: applicants whose first language is not English should have met TOEFL, IELTs, or computer-based TOEFL requirements (600, 6.5, or 250 respectively), or the Cambridge English Test (Certificate in Advanced English at a minimum of Grade B, or Certificate of Proficiency in English at Grade C). Applicants who obtained a previous degree from an English-speaking university may be exempted from this requirement. Click here for further info.
  • Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the  English language requirements, may enter the programme upon  successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/ 
  • These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes
You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EU) applicants: Yes

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No



  • You will explore the theory, politics and law of human rights and examine the mechanisms and limitations of national and international action to protect human rights.

  • You will either complete a research dissertation or undertake a monitored internship.



Application Deadlines




  • Deadline for EU applicants: Monday, 7 September 2026 (The first day of the term)

  • Deadline for non-EU applicants: The end of August, 2026 

  • Deadline for non-EU applicants who require an entry visa in advance: 

    • In some countries, it takes a few months to process visa applications. We strongly advise that you apply well in advance, ideally as early as March. Please contact the Irish Embassy in your country or the UCD Global Regional offices for further information.

    • Non-EU citizens who have been living in Ireland or the EU must go through the EU Fee Assessment process before their applications can be assessed. This process takes a few weeks. 




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General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to MSc Human Rights:

ROWCLASS Apply to
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W035
MSc Human Rights
Master of Science

Full-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
Apply
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W110
MSc Human Rights
Master of Science

Part-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
* you can change options at the top of the page
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