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International Human Rights Law (LAWS70264)
Graduate coursework level 7Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
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
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | March August |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject will be delivered online in 2020 over the scheduled dates.
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, sexual orientation and gender identity
- 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.
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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 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, periodic reporting, 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
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
August
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Option 1: Take-home examination
| 2 - 5 October | 100% |
Option 2: Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 11 November | 100% |
Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance. Note: the attendance hurdle does not apply when the subject is delivered online. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
March
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Option 1: Take-home examination
| 17 - 20 April | 100% |
Option 2: Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 3 June | 100% |
Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance. Note: the attendance hurdle does not apply when the subject is delivered online. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Note: Students must choose assessment from the options listed above. If an option contains parts, all parts must be completed if that option is chosen.
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 24-34 hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 5 February 2020 Pre teaching requirements 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. Teaching period 4 March 2020 to 10 March 2020 Last self-enrol date 10 February 2020 Census date 4 March 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 24 April 2020 Assessment period ends 3 June 2020 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 24-34 hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 22 July 2020 Pre teaching requirements Please refer to the Reading Guide on the LMS subject page for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 19 August 2020 to 25 August 2020 Last self-enrol date 27 July 2020 Census date 20 August 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 October 2020 Assessment period ends 11 November 2020 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
Additional delivery details
Each offering of this subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a first come, first served basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of places in subjects will be given as follows:
- To currently enrolled Graduate Diploma and Masters students with a satisfactory record in their degree
- To other students enrolling on a single subject basis, eg Community Access Program (CAP) students, cross-institutional study and cross-faculty study.
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 materials will be made available via the LMS in the pre-teaching period.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Links to additional information
- 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.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022