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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

Unit aim

Engages students with international human right instruments. Looks at the history, theory and ethics of international human rights laws and agencies, and the UN human rights system. Investigates the enforcement, and rights and remedies for victims. Issues in human right laws, and the relationship between human rights and corporations, are considered.

Unit content

Topic 1: The International Bill of Rights

Topic 2: Concepts of Human Rights

Topic 3: Civil and Political Rights

Topic 4: Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Topic 5: The United Nations System for protecting human rights

Topic 6: Regional Mechanisms for protecting human rights

Topic 7: Corporations and human rights

Topic 8: Emerging Rights

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1 Demonstrate knowledge of the basic history, theory, and ethics that have underpinned the emergence of international human rights law and the functioning of UN human rights system
2 Explain and compare the human rights activities of the European Union and the Council of Europe, the African Human Rights Commission, and the Inter-American System for the protection of human rights, and recognise and apply selected substantive principles of law enforced by these bodies
3 Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between human rights and corporations
4 Analyse the significance and status of emerging issues in international human rights law
5 Demonstrate their skills in legal research, critical analysis and the written presentation of research and argument.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic history, theory, and ethics that have underpinned the emergence of international human rights law and the functioning of UN human rights system
  2. Explain and compare the human rights activities of the European Union and the Council of Europe, the African Human Rights Commission, and the Inter-American System for the protection of human rights, and recognise and apply selected substantive principles of law enforced by these bodies
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between human rights and corporations
  4. Analyse the significance and status of emerging issues in international human rights law
  5. Demonstrate their skills in legal research, critical analysis and the written presentation of research and argument.