Human Rights (Certificate)
Human rights are an integral part of a just society. As a student with a certificate in human rights, you will develop the skills to identify human rights violations, analyze their causes and consequences, and formulate approaches for redressing the harms they perpetuate.
Program Description
The certificate program in human rights provides students with interdisciplinary tools and perspectives from history, law, political science, sociology and philosophy that can serve as a framework for thinking broadly and critically about human rights issues. Coursework and experiential learning opportunities prepare students for work protecting human rights, including:
- children's rights
- environmental human rights
- immigrant's rights
- the right to education
- the right to health care
- the right to housing
- the right to water and energy justice
- personal integrity rights
- sexuality rights
- worker's rights
- women's rights
At a Glance: program details
- Location: Tempe campus
- Additional Program Fee: No
- Second Language Requirement: No
Program Requirements
In order to declare a certificate in human rights, students must first have a minimum of 30 earned credit hours.
A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at ASU. Undergraduate certificates are not awarded prior to the award of an undergraduate degree. A student already holding an undergraduate degree may pursue an undergraduate certificate as a nondegree-seeking graduate student.
Enrollment Requirements
Students must complete 18 hours of qualifying course work, at least 12 hours of which must be from ASU. A minimum grade of "C" (2.00 on a 4.00 scale) is required for a course to count toward the certificate.
Required Certificate Core Courses:
Global Politics of Human Rights: (3 credit hours; select one of the following courses)
JUS 352 The Global Politics of Human Rights (3)
POS 368 Ethics and Human Rights (3)
POS 480 Global Justice, G (3)
Human Rights Institutions and Organizations: (3 credit hours; select one of the following options)
HON 494 Topic: International Human Rights Law (3) (open to Barrett students only)
JUS 394 Topic: Human Rights Organizations and Institutions (3)
POS 465 International Organization and Law, SB, G (3)
SGS 321 International Institutions and Global Governance (3)
Transdisciplinary Component: (9 credit hours)
Students must select three electives on current issues in human rights. Courses must be taken from at least two of the substantive areas listed below and from two or more academic units. Any course listed below may count toward this requirement, as well as other courses as approved by the certificate program director.
Marginalization and Human Rights:
AFR 301/JUS 300 Race and Racism in the Africa/African Diaspora, SB, G (3)
AFR 304/JUS 304 Islands of Globalization: Caribbean Politics and Political Economy, SB, G, H (3)
AFR 420/JUS 421 Race, Ethnicity and Politics in the African Diaspora, SB, G (3)
APA 330/WST 331 Asian Pacific American Genders and Sexualities, SB, C (3)
APA 360 Asian Pacific American Experience, HU or SB, C (3)
ASB/POS/SBS/SOC 339 Grassroots Social Movements, SB (3)
ENG 494 Topic: Nonviolence and the Civil Rights Movement (3)
FMS/SLC 494 Topic: Latin American Queer Filmmaking (3)
JUS 430 Social Protest, Conflict and Change, L or SB, C (3)
JUS 438 Human Differences: Dilemmas of Justice, L or HU, C (3)
JUS 456/SOS 456 Human Rights and Sustainability, L or SB, G (3)
JUS 468 Protest, Justice, Law and the Media, SB (3)
JUS 469 Political Deviance and the Law, L or SB, C (3)
JUS/POS 473/REL 482 Religion, Violence and Conflict Resolution (3)
POS 480 Global Justice, G (3)
REL 388 Religion, Ethics and International Politics (3)
SGS 343/REL 379 Religion, Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict, HU, G (3)
SOC 445 Globalization, Development and Resistance, SB, G (3)
SPA 494/SLC 494 Topic: Latin American Photography and Human Rights (3)
WST/ASB/SSH 305 Poverty and Global Health, L or SB, G
WST 313 Women and Sexuality SB, C (3)
WST 345 Gender, Religion, and Global Violence, SB, G (3)
WST 378 Global Feminist Theory, L, G (3)(3)
Social Stratification and Human Rights:
AFR 305 The Global History of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, SB, H (3)
AFR 327 Human Rights in Africa (3)
AFR 470 Women's International Human Rights (3)
APA/CDE/SOC 350/TCL 360/JUS 365 Inequality and Diversity in Education, L, C (3)
JUS 321 Wealth Distribution and Poverty, SB, C (3)
JUS 325 Globalization and Socio-Economic Justice, SB, G (3)
JUS 405 Economic Justice, L or SB, G (3)
JUS 415 Gender and International Development, L, G (3)
JUS 477 Youth and Justice, L or SB, (3)
PHI 336 Social and Political Philosophy, HU (3)
WST 365 Women and International Health, G (3)
WST 470 Gender and Popular Culture, HU, C (3)
States and Conflict:
HST 370 Eastern Europe in Transition, SB, G, H (3)
HST 436 The Soviet Experiment, SB, G, H (3)
JUS 374 The Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights (3)
JUS 452 Justice Issues in Israel and Palestine: The Political is Personal (3)
JUS 467 Terrorism, War and Justice, SB (3)
JUS 469 Political Deviance and the Law, L or SB, C (3)
JUS 479 Law and Disputing, L or SB (3)
JUS 494 Topic: Justice in Times of Transition (3)
PHI 448 Justice and Reparations (3)
POS 368 Ethics and Human Rights (3)
POS 465 International Organizations and Law, SB, G (3)
REL 388 Religion, Ethics and International Politics (3)
SGS/HST 494 Topic: Wartime Occupations and Colonial Wars (3)
SPA 472 Latin American Society: Five Case Studies, HU, H, G (3)
Experiential Learning Component: (3 credit hours)
Students will choose one of the following, in consultation with the advisor:
JUS 484 Internship (3)
JUS 498 Topic: Research Apprenticeship (3)
Depending upon a student's undergraduate program of study, prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate.
Program Contact Information
If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.
- SSTadvising@asu.edu
- 480/965-7682