Human Rights Advocacy

Overview

You'll study the core principles of human rights advocacy, rooted in knowledge of the European Convention on Human Rights, developing expertise in an increasingly vital area of law that has implications for individuals throughout the world facing discrimination and persecution.

Alongside the optional modules, you may choose to either write a 15,000 word dissertation or conduct a work-based project that will give you valuable experience of dealing with a specific legal issue in detail.

The Human Rights Advocacy course from University of East London is perfect for lawyers and law graduates looking for career development, although all of our LLM courses can be studied by students without a background in law, since you will be trained in the necessary analytical and legal skills.

The programme also offers an optional placement year, following your first year. Placements will be provided and supported either by us or a partner organisation where you'll gain worthwhile and practical real-world experience in handling issues relating to aspects of social welfare law. This is a unique and exceptional opportunity for you to work in law. International students wanting to do the placement year must indicate so upon application. 

As such, the programme will also provide ideal training for paralegals, journalists, NGO and charity workers, policy advisors, consultants, lawyers, those working in business and finance, or anyone who will benefit from a legal education in their career.

Your future career

This pathway gives you the necessary legal and practical training to develop specialist knowledge in the growing field of human rights advocacy, with a huge amount of employment opportunities.

Specialists may go on to work for organisations that promote and defend human rights (such as Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch), legal firms that practice in the area, institutions like the UN or European Court of Human Rights, as well as non-legal professions that require expertise in human rights law, including journalism and policy advice.

Due to the practical focus on advocacy in this course, it will be of particular interest to graduates who want to work in litigation, working on behalf of individuals pursuing legal action in human rights courts.

The course also allows you to undertake a work-based project so you can gain practical experience and build professional links, while our renowned Law Clinic enables you to work on real legal cases with local people to enhance your clinical skills while you study.