Program Overview

Master of Human Rights Law

Overview

The Master of Human Rights Law is part of the world-renowned Melbourne Law Masters program. This degree allows students to build their human rights expertise and learn from globally recognized human rights specialists. The program offers a diverse and committed international cohort of students, providing the opportunity to choose from the widest range of human rights subjects in Australia.

Key Features

1. Become a human rights lawyer: Graduate with an advanced understanding of the complex body of knowledge in the field of human rights law.
2. For legal and non-legal backgrounds: Develop and expand expertise in human rights law, relevant for practicing lawyers as well as professionals working for organizations like development agencies.
3. Flexible delivery: Designed with busy working professionals in mind, subjects are delivered flexibly, usually through five-day intensives, and can be taught online, on-campus, or as a hybrid of both.

University Rankings

• #1 in Australia
• #13 globally
• #8 in graduate employability worldwide (QS World University Rankings 2025 / QS Graduate Employability 2022)

Subject Rankings

• Law: #1 in Australia, #11 globally (Times Higher Education World Rankings by Subject 2025)

Why Study Human Rights Law at Melbourne?

1. Build human rights expertise: Develop an advanced appreciation of the relationship between human rights law and politics, as well as in-depth knowledge of institutional human rights frameworks in Australia and internationally.
2. Ready for debate: Graduate ready to debate matters like the contested universality of international human rights and its application in diverse domestic jurisdictions.
3. Practical applications: Explore how to assess the practical effectiveness of different mechanisms for enforcing human rights; navigate human rights challenges in the context of globalization; and respond to human rights threats presented by non-state actors.

Student Support

1. Melbourne Law School library: Access to one of the best law collections in Australia.
2. Legal Academic Skills Centre: Enjoy a range of tailored support services, including one-on-one research and legal academic skills consultations.
3. Mentoring opportunities: Match with an experienced practitioner from the mentor network, which includes professionals from leading law firms, the Bar, government, the judiciary, and the not-for-profit sector (available for full-time students only).

Course Details

• Course code: MC-HUMRLAW
• Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
• Location: On campus (Parkville)
• Intake: March, June, July, August, December
• Fees: AUD $46,976 (2025 indicative first year fee). Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are not available.

Related Study Areas

• Law
• Specialist legal study