Extended Major Overview

Description

Human rights have come to be the dominant language in which contentious social and political questions are debated. Activists appeal to human rights in attempting to advance the interests of the oppressed. States appeal to human rights in justifying policy interventions, on both domestic and international scales. A complex set of legal and political institutions has evolved, centred around the idea of human rights. And a flourishing field of academic inquiry is now devoted to understanding, and debating, human rights issues.

The University of Western Australia's Bachelor of Human Rights and its associated extended major in Human Rights constitute a unique, interdisciplinary programme of study that equips students with the knowledge and skills to engage with real-world issues in human rights and related areas such as social justice and inequality. Students will study human rights from a wide variety of perspectives – legal, historical, political, and philosophical. They will also have the opportunity to gain invaluable real-world experience through opportunities for internships, and a specialised unit dedicated to human rights research.

Outcomes

Students are able to:

  1. evaluate competing positions and perspectives on human rights issues
  2. reason clearly and persuasively about contentious moral and political issues
  3. demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the history of the human rights tradition as well as key contemporary controversies
  4. apply sophisitcated analytical and critical thinking skills to a diverse range of human rights issues
  5. demonstrate strong written and oral communication skills.
Broadening guidelines
All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. We know that many of you value the University's guidance and assistance in planning your enrolment throughout your course, so we offer the following suggestions for your consideration as possible avenues to broaden your degree. Do always remember, however, that there is no wrong way to broaden your studies as long as you complete at least four units not associated with your Degree Specific Major. In fulfilment of their broadening requirement, students might consider completing a four-unit minor that would complement their studies. In particular, the university offers minors in several languages - French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish - ideal for students of human rights. Other relevant minors include Active Citizenship, Cross-Cultural Communication, and Science and Policy: Climate Change, Environmental Planning, and Urban Environments.
Suggested Minors to broaden you study area, are:
(1) MNR-FRENB French
(2) MNR-GRMNB German
(3) MNR-ITALB Italian
(4) MNR-JPNLC Japanese Language and Culture
(5) MNR-KOLAC Korean Language and Culture
(6) MNR-SPNHB Spanish
(7) MNR-CHLAC Chinese Language and Culture
(8) MNR-INLAC Indonesian Language and Culture
(9) MNR-CITZN Active Citizenship
(10) MNR-CCCOM Cross Cultural Communication
(11) MNR-SPCEU Science and Policy: Climate Change, Environmental Planning and Urban Environments
(12) MNR-MEHUM Environmental Humanities
(13) MNR-EDUCN Learning for the Professions
Suggested units to broaden your study area, are:
(1) PHIL1001 Ethics for the Digital Age: An Introduction to Moral Philosophy
(2) POLS1101 Understanding Politics and Policy
(3) INDG1160 Boodjar Moort Katitjin: Introduction to Indigenous Heritage and Knowledge
(4) LAWS1110 Crime and Society
Courses

Human Rights can only be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

*Students enrolling in this as part of a combined course must use the code MJDC-HMRDM when selecting this as their extended major.

Example Study Plans

See study plans for more information.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
N/A
not available in 2025 – may be available in 2026 or 2027
NS
non-standard teaching period

Students should note that completion of the Bachelor of Human Rights also requires the completion of PHIL1002: Introduction to Critical Thinking, which is a foundation unit for the degree.

Level 1

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (30 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 HIST1104 The History of Human Rights None
S2 HUMR1001 Human Rights in Global Perspective None
S1 INDG1150 Aboriginal Encounters: Strangers in our Backyard
Incompatibility
HIST1100 Aboriginal History
S1 LAWS1111 Law in Context None
S2 POLS1102 Understanding Global Politics None

Level 2

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (24 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 HUMR2001 Global and Environmental Justice
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
Unit(s) PHIL2009 Global and Environmental Justice
S1 IREL2001 Foundations of Foreign Policy
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 1
Incompatibility
POLS2214 Foundations of Foreign Policy
S2 LAWS2224 Human Rights: Law and Context
Co-requisites
LAWS1111 Law, Conflict, and Change (formerly LAWS1111 Legal Systems)
S1 PPHE2211 History of Political Ideas
Incompatibility
POLS3311 History of Political Ideas.
POLS2211 History of Political Ideas
Degree-specific major units

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 INDG2300 Indigenous Knowledge: Mind, Body and Spirit
Prerequisites
any Level 1 unit from the Indigenous Knowledge, History and Heritage major
or HIST1100 Aboriginal History
S2 INDG2500 Moving North: Colonisation and Resistance in Western Australia
Prerequisites
any Level 1 unit from the Indigenous Knowledge, History and Heritage major
or HIST1100 Aboriginal History
S1 LAWS2225 Indigenous Peoples and the Law
Prerequisites
LAWS1104 Introduction to Law
or LAWX1104 Introduction to Law
or LAWS1111 Law, Conflict and Change
or LAWS1120 Australian Legal Principles and Institutions
or LAWS1112 Adulting: Law for Everyday Lives
Degree-specific major units

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
N/A HIST2008 White Supremacy
Prerequisites
a Level 1 History unit
or EURO1101 Europe Now: Cultures and Identities
or GEND1901 Gender in Australia
Incompatibility
HIST2249 White Supremacy.
HIST3349 White Supremacy
N/A HIST2011 Britain and Ireland: The Making and Breaking
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
12 points Unit(s) from any discipline
Incompatibility
HIST2244 Britain 1750–1900: the First Industrial Nation.
HIST3344 Britain 1750–1900: the First Industrial Nation
S1 PHIL2001 Bioethics
Prerequisites
any level 1 unit in the Bachelor of Arts, or equivalent
Incompatibility
PHIL2201 Social Ethics: Life and Death

Level 3

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (30 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 GEND3901 Feminist Thought
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
GEND1901 Beyond 'Gender Wars'
or ENGL1902 Reading Bodies
or GEND2902 Masculinity, Nostalgia and Change
or GEND2903 Sex, Gender, Technology and Science
or GEND3904 Queer Theory
or Successful completion of
48 points
S2 HUMR3001 Human Rights: Research and Practice
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
HUMR2001 Global and Environmental Justice
S1 IREL3002 The Politics of Human Rights
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
POLS1102 Understanding Global Politics
Incompatibility
POLS5686 International Norms, Ethics and Human Rights
S1 PHIL3003 Moral Theory
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
any level 2 Philosophy unit
or PPHE2211 History of Political Ideas
or HUMR2001 Global and Environmental Justice
Incompatibility
PHIL 2209 Moral Theory
S2 PPHE3327 Contemporary Political Theory
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
any one level 2 Unit(s)
Incompatibility
POLS2227 Contemporary Political Theory.
POLS3327 Contemporary Political Theory
Degree-specific major units

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
N/A ASIA3004 Gender and Power in Asia
Prerequisites
any Level 2 ASIA unit
or a Level 2 GEND unit
or a Level 2 ANTH unit
Incompatibility
ASIA2208 Gender Relations in Asia
S2 ASIA3005 Autocracy and Democracy in Asia
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
any one level 2 Unit(s) from the School Social Sciences
or Humanities
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
ASIA3005 Democratisation in Asia
N/A HIST3012 Rights, Rule and Power: From Magna Carta to the French Revolution
Prerequisites
a Level 2 HIST unit
or EURO2201 European Civilisation
or GEND2902 Men and Masculinities in History
S1 LAWS3214 International Law and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
72 points in an undergraduate degree.
N/A LAWS3330 Gender and the Law
Prerequisites
Criminology major students
Successful completion of
LAWS1110 Crime and Society LAWS2223 Criminal Justice Systems and at least one other Level 2 option unit from any major For students in the Bachelor of Human Rights degree
Successful completion of
LAWS2224 Evolution of Human Rights and and at least one other Level 2 option unit from any major For all other students
Successful completion of
LAWS2227 Law in Action
or LAWS2220 Birth, Life and Death: Health and Medical Law at least one other Level 2 option from Law and Society
N/A LAWS3334 Law and Religion
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
LAWS2227 Law in Action
or LAWS2224 Evolution of Human Rights
or LAWS2223 Criminal Justice Systems
N/A POLS3204 The Politics of Gender
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Science and/or Humanities study at level 2
S2 POLS3231 Politics of the Mass Media
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Science and/or Humanities study at level 2
Incompatibility
POLS2231/POLS3331 Politics of the Mass Media
S1 POLS3308 Greater China: Politics and International Relations
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 2
Incompatibility
POLS2208 Politics in Greater China
N/A POLS3324 Islam and World Politics
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 2
Incompatibility
POLS2224 Islam and World Politics
S1 POLS3335 Social Movements and the Politics of Change
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 2
NS, S1, S2 SVLG3003 McCusker Centre for Citizenship Internship
Incompatibility
SVLG1002 SVLG2002
Degree-specific major units

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 INDG3300 Indigenous Research
Prerequisites
INDG2300 Indigenous Knowledge: Mind, Body and Spirit
or INDG2400 Looking South: Noongar Voices
or INDG2500 Looking North: The Wild West
or INDG2600 Indigenous Representation
or INDG2700 Knowing Country: The Dreaming and Darwin
or LAWS2225 Indigenous Peoples and the Law
S2 INDG3400 Indigenous People and Global Issues
Prerequisites
INDG2300 Indigenous Knowledge: Mind, Body and Spirit
or INDG2400 Looking South: Noongar Voices
or INDG2500 Looking North: The Wild West
or INDG2600 Indigenous Representation
or INDG2700 Knowing Country: The Dreaming and Darwin
or LAWS2225 Indigenous Peoples and the Law