Bachelor of Arts with Human Rights

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Course Overview
Key Facts
Course Outline
Further Education
Why Choose This Course?
Course Fees
Find Out More

Entry Points (2024)

343

Course Overview

The Bachelor of Arts with Human Rights is an exciting, four year interdisciplinary degree programme offered by the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies in conjunction with the Irish Centre for Human Rights.

The programme is unique in several respects, chiefly because it is the only undergraduate programme of its kind in the Republic of Ireland that allows undergraduates to specialise in a field that was previously reserved to postgraduate study.

Although strongly interdisciplinary, the course has a significant legal component, especially in year three, which is entirely dedicated to human rights.

During the course, students engage with human rights discourse through class-based teaching at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, which is one of one of the world's premier academic human rights institutions, dedicated to the study and promotion of human rights, international criminal law and international humanitarian law.

Finally, students will have the opportunity to undertake work placement or study abroad. The placement provides a unique opportunity to develop practical skills and experience the reality of a career in the field of human rights. Placements have been secured around the world, from Dublin to London, Genève, Madrid, Mexico, Peru and the Philippines.

Applications and Selections

Who Teaches this Course

Requirements and Assessment

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, another language, and three other subjects recognised for entry purposes.

Additional Requirements

Students must satisfy the Garda/Police vetting requirements.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Duration

4 years

Next start date

September 2025

A Level Grades (2024)

universityofgalway.ie/alevels

Average intake

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

5 (More Info)

Closing Date

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

GY113

Course code

Course Outline

The programme explores the human rights legal framework, along with the philosophical basis and historical development of human rights. It provides students with both theoretical and practical understanding of how the human rights system works at international, regional and national level.

The programme covers the role of different actors in the promotion and protection of human Rights, including the human rights work undertaken by the United Nations, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and Regional and National systems.

Year 1

In the first year of the course, students will learn about human rights and their legal and historical development. The modules will cover the normative foundations of International Human Rights Law and the international human rights protection system.

Year 2

During the second year of the course, students will learn about the regional instruments of protection and promotion, such as the Inter-American, European, African, and Asian Human Rights System. In the second semester, the module will focus on specific contemporary human rights issues, such as the rights of migrants and refugees, LGBTIQ+ rights, and women's rights, providing students with an in-depth understanding of these topics.

Year 3

In Year 3, students will focus entirely on learning about human rights. In the first semester, they have the option to choose from a range of law and political science modules such as EU Law, Criminal Law, Administrative Law, Health Law and Policy, Introduction to Law, Constitutional Law and Advanced Legal Skills. During the second semester, students will have the opportunity to either work with a human rights organisation, study abroad or participate in an Applied Human Rights Project.

Year 4

Students will complete their studies in their two core degree subjects and may, if suitable, incorporate the specialist skills and knowledge they have gained in human rights over the previous three years in their final year projects

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits: You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module: An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject: Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional: A module you may choose to study.
Required: A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject: A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester: Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.

Year 1 (60 Credits)

Year 2 (60 Credits)

Year 3 (60 Credits)

Year 4 (60 Credits)

Further Education

The degree provides a firm basis for further study at the postgraduate level, including all LLM programmes offered by the Irish Centre for Human Rights such as: the LLM in International Human Rights, the LLM in Peace Operations, Humanitarian Law and Conflict, the LLM in International Criminal Law, the LLM in International Migration and Refugee Law and Policy.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

The degree will provide an excellent foundation for many types of careers. The interdisciplinary character of the programme provides students with many skills and competencies required in a competitive job market.

Career prospects include working with the United Nations, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Irish Aid, the European Union, International Non-Governmental Organisations and Development Cooperation agencies.

Career prospects also include working in public administration, civil service, local NGOs and charities, community and social work.

Work placement

In the third year, the programme offers students the opportunity to choose from a number of optional modules including an internship with a human rights organization. The work placement consists of a minimum of 200 hours of work (on average 20 hours per week for three months) with an approved human rights organisation in Ireland or abroad.

This scheme provides a unique opportunity for our students to gain practical experience of working for a human rights NGO engaged in advocacy, research, education, and policy work. Limited funding is available to support students during their placement through the ERASMUS traineeship funding (especially covering placements taking place in EU countries).

International links

The course also offers opportunities for students to study abroad. This particularly suits students taking language modules, who in their third year may apply to study abroad through the ERASMUS programme.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€5,598 p.a. (€5,738 p.a. including levy) 2025/26

Fees: Tuition

€2,598 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Student Contribution

€3,000 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Non EU

€19,000 p.a. (€19,140 including levy). 2025/26

EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Contribution Charge + Student Levy* €140. *Payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI. Further detail here.

For 25/26 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing years fees**.
**Excludes Full-Time EU Undergraduate fees. These are fixed and do not change.

Find out More

College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies
T +353 91 493 958

F +353 91 495 508

E artsundergrad@universityofgalway.ie and humanrights@universityofgalway.ie
www.universityofgalway.ie/human_rights

Sarah Mitchell | Student of BA with Human Rights

My name is Sarah Mitchell and I’m studying the BA connect with human rights in University of Galway. What initially attracted me to this course was its uniqueness as it is one of a kind In Ireland. This course is perfect for those who have an interest in policies and human rights. The course lectures are unlike your average lecture, as the small class groups allow you to discuss ideas and topics with your lecturer and peers. The options this course gives you in third year is fantastic. You can choose between study abroad, work placement or a human rights project. The work placement allows you to get a real idea what it means to work within a human rights organisation and allows students to work in an area they are interested in. This course has allowed me to gain knowledge and experience in a field I’m passionate about. The BA Connect with Human Rights can not be recommended enough.