Master of International Relations in Human Rights

Understand and address the world’s most pressing challenges, including war and peace, social and economic justice, poverty, development and environmental sustainability. Investigate relations among states and non-state actors, including the evolution of the international system. Develop sophisticated critical thinking through this intellectually rigorous, research-intensive program. The Master of International Relations allows you to specialise in Economics, Political Economy, Peace and Conflict Studies, Sociology, Social Policy and Development, or International Law. You will gain a deep understanding of complex problem solving in a globalised world. The Department of Government and International Relations is one of the largest of its kind in Australia, with links to some of the major policy think tanks in Australia, such as the Australian Institute of International Affairs, and the Lowy Institute. We also house the Centre for International Security Studies and the Electoral Integrity project. Our academics are recognised experts in international relations theory, public policy, international political economy and security, Australian and comparative politics, migration, and North and Southeast Asian politics.

The human rights specialisation will provide students with an understanding of how human rights apply in various political, social, economic and environmental contexts. The specialisation will allow students to develop critical skills in the effective use of human rights tools and language to achieve specific changes in the world while gaining skills to apply to real situations and create workable solutions. This specialisation addresses rights violations at the local, national, regional and global levels, combining social, scientific and legal approaches to provde a holistic perspective on human rights and social change.