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International Human Rights Law (LAWS70264)
Graduate coursework level 7Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
March
Lecturers
Professor Dianne Otto, Coordinator
Professor John Tobin, Coordinator
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
August
Lecturers
Professor Dianne Otto, Coordinator
Professor John Tobin, Coordinator
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | March August |
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Fees | Look up fees |
The field of international human rights law is today composed of a multitude of legal instruments, implementation bodies, special procedures, human rights NGOs and transitional justice mechanisms. This subject provides the opportunity to examine this field in many of its dimensions, equipping students to navigate the system and critically assess its fundamental features. It will be of interest to all students who want to develop a detailed understanding of how the international human rights law system operates, including those with limited or no background in the area. The two lecturers have significant experience across a diverse range of topics and issues within international human rights law, which they draw upon to create an engaging and thought-provoking subject.
Principal topics include:
- Human rights and the challenges posed by state sovereignty and national security
- The contested universality of human rights
- The international institutional framework for the protection of human rights, with a special focus on the Human Rights Council and treaty monitoring system
- The interpretation and application of selected rights from the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
- Domestic measures for the implementation of human rights, such as judicial implementation of economic, social and cultural rights
- The norm of non-discrimination as it relates to race, gender and sexual orientation
- The contribution of truth and reconciliation commissions to the protection of human rights
- Human rights law relating to refugees and asylum-seekers
- The challenges posed by economic globalisation and climate change.
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Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject will:
- Have an advanced and integrated knowledge of the international legal and institutional frameworks for the protection of human rights
- Be able to critically examine and analyse the history and philosophy of international human rights
- Be an engaged participant in debates about the contested universality of international human rights
- Be able to make a sophisticated assessment of the effectiveness of different mechanisms for implementing or enforcing human rights, such as judicial implementation, international criminal courts, and truth and reconciliation commissions
- Have the cognitive and technical skills to independently examine and critically evaluate current issues by reference to international human rights standards
- Be able to analyse, interpret and assess the challenges posed to the implementation of international human rights in the context of globalisation
- Be able to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgment and responsibility as a practitioner and advocate in the field of international human rights law.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are offered in the discipline of law at an advanced graduate level. While every effort will be made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, concessions will not be made in the general level of instruction or assessment. Most subjects assume the knowledge usually acquired in a degree in law (LLB, JD or equivalent). Applicants should note that admission to some subjects in the Melbourne Law Masters will be dependent upon the individual applicant’s educational background and professional experience.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
- Take-home examination (5,000 - 6,000 words) (100%)
- Semester 1: 28 April - 1 May
- Semester 2: 15 - 18 September
- 8,000 - 10,000 word research paper (100%) on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
- Semester 1: 31 May
- Semester 2: 15 November
A minimum of 75% attendance is a hurdle requirement.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- March
Principal coordinator John Tobin Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24-26 hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 1 February 2017 Teaching period 1 March 2017 to 7 March 2017 Last self-enrol date 17 November 2016 Census date 1 March 2017 Last date to withdraw without fail 21 April 2017 Assessment period ends 31 May 2017 March contact information
Lecturers
Professor Dianne Otto, Coordinator
Professor John Tobin, CoordinatorEmail: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au - August
Principal coordinator John Tobin Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24-26 hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 12 July 2017 Teaching period 9 August 2017 to 15 August 2017 Last self-enrol date 31 March 2017 Census date 9 August 2017 Last date to withdraw without fail 6 October 2017 Assessment period ends 15 November 2017 August contact information
Lecturers
Professor Dianne Otto, Coordinator
Professor John Tobin, CoordinatorEmail: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Time commitment details
136-150 hours The pre-teaching period commences four weeks before the subject commencement date. From this time, students are expected to access and review the Reading Guide that will be available from the LMS subject page and the subject materials provided by the subject coordinator, which will be available from Melbourne Law School. Refer to the Reading Guide for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences.
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students. Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters website for further information about the management of subject quotas and waitlists.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist printed materials will be made available free of charge from the Melbourne Law School prior to the pre-teaching period.
Philip Alston and Ryan Goodman, International Human Rights - The Successor to International Human Rights in Context (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edition, 2013).
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Links to additional information
law.unimelb.edu.au
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-admissions@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
Last updated: 3 November 2022