Programme structure
The master’s degree programme requires successful completion of nine courses and a written master’s thesis (30 credits). Five courses are mandatory and a minimum of four elective courses must be chosen from among the various elective courses offered at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights or other institutes within the Faculty of Law or other departments at the University of Oslo.
Rules concerning postponed commencement, leave of absence, delay and progression of the student (in chapter 1).
| 4. semester | HUMR5200 - Thesis in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. semester | Elective course | Elective course | Elective course | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. semester | HUMR5191 - Human Rights Methodology: Research, Analysis and Thesis | HUMR4504 - Human Rights in Practice | Elective course | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. semester | HUMR5140 - Introduction to Human Rights Law | HUMR5131 - Introduction to the History, Philosophy and Politics of Human Rights | HUMR5132 - Human Rights Law in Context | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
During Term I students are required to follow three courses, which are mandatory:
- HUMR5140 - Introduction to Human Rights Law
- HUMR5131 - Introduction to the History, Philosophy and Politics of Human Rights
- HUMR5132 - Human Rights Law in Context
During Term II students are required to attend two mandatory courses:
- HUMR5191 - Human Rights Methodology: Research, Analysis and Thesis
- HUMR4504 - Human Rights in Practice
In addition, students should choose one elective course. Elective courses offered by the NCHR are the following:
- HUMR5702 - Human Rights and Development: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Theory and Practices
- HUMR5508 - Human Rights and Diversity - Leading Cases and Core Dilemmas
During Term III students are required to choose three elective courses. The elective courses offered by the NCHR are, for the time being, the following:
- HUMR5502 - Ethnic Challenges to the Nation State: Studying State Responses from a Human Rights Perspective
- HUMR5134 - The Right to Peace (autumn 2012)
- JUS5503 - Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism: Striking a Balance? (autumn 2013)
- HUMR5133 - Business and Human Rights
Mandatory courses aim at giving students a solid basis for understanding the global and regional human rights systems from the legal perspective as well as providing a basic political and philosophical understanding of human rights. In addition, they present students with the tools necessary for writing a master’s thesis.
Elective Courses aim at providing students with a deeper understanding of selected human rights topics. In the second and third terms you are expected to complete four courses. Alternatively, one of the required elective courses may be taken in the fourth term, depending on individual preferences and on what is offered. Please note that no elective courses will be offered at the NCHR in Term IV. However, there are other courses offered elsewhere at the University of Oslo. If you choose to do so, please understand that you are required to submit your thesis early. The terms in which the elective courses are offered at the NCHR may vary from one two-year period to the next.
Students are free to choose elective courses from the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) or from other master’s degree programmes at the University of Oslo. It is also possible to choose elective courses from the Faculty of Law. All electives must be taught in English language.
The following list of elective law courses apply:
- JUS5570 - International Criminal Law
- JUS5560 - International Constitutional Law and Democracy
- JUS5730 - International Humanitarian Law (The Law of Armed Conflict)
- JUS5910 - Women's Law and Human Rights
- JUS5850 - International Trade Law
- JUS5852 - International Commercial Arbitration
- JUS5520 - International Environmental Law
- JUS5911 - International Climate Change and Energy Law
- JUS5530 - Refugee and Asylum Law
The list below shows an example of elective courses from other departments at the University of Oslo chosen by NCHR-students (the list is not exhaustive). Please note that there may be limited number of seats available at courses outside at the Faculty of Law. If you wish to register for courses outside the Faculty of Law, we recommend you contact the student adviser at the respective department directly. Please note that other deadlines for registration to courses outside the Faculty of Law may apply.
- ECON4270 - Distributive Justice
- STV4324B - The Politics of Poverty
- KRIM4950 - Torture, Terror and Rights
Term IV: The thesis is the culmination of the student's master’s degree studies. The thesis represents the independent work of the student, and the topic is to be chosen in consultation with the academic staff. A supervisor will be assigned to each student.
It is not possible to study abroad under this study programme.