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International Human Rights Law (LAWS70264)
Graduate coursework level 7Points: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
From 2023 most subjects will be taught on campus only with flexible options limited to a select number of postgraduate programs and individual subjects.
To learn more, visit COVID-19 course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
March
Professor Dianne Otto, Coordinator
Professor John Tobin, Coordinator
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
July
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 - Dual-Delivery July - Dual-Delivery |
|---|---|
| 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, 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.
.
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: 12 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: 12 November 2022
Assessment
July
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Option 1: Take-home examination
| 9 - 12 September 2022 | 100% |
Option 2: Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 19 October 2022 | 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
| 8 - 11 April 2022 | 100% |
Option 2: Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 25 May 2022 | 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: 12 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- March
Mode of delivery Dual-Delivery (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 2 February 2022 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 2 March 2022 to 8 March 2022 Last self-enrol date 7 February 2022 Census date 3 March 2022 Last date to withdraw without fail 22 April 2022 Assessment period ends 25 May 2022 March contact information
Professor Dianne Otto, Coordinator
Professor John Tobin, CoordinatorEmail: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au - July
Mode of delivery Dual-Delivery (Parkville) Contact hours Students are expected to attend all sessions whether participating on-campus or remotely. Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 29 June 2022 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 27 July 2022 to 2 August 2022 Last self-enrol date 4 July 2022 Census date 3 August 2022 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 September 2022 Assessment period ends 19 October 2022 July contact information
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
This subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a 'first in' basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of waitlisted 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.
Melbourne Law School may reserve places in a subject for incoming international cohorts or where a subject is core to a specialisation with limited alternate options.
Last updated: 12 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: 12 November 2022