Program Overview

Business and Human Rights Course

The Business and Human Rights course examines how human rights violations can be linked to corporate activities and dilemmas when businesses and organizations operate in different countries. This part-time Master's course is offered at the University of Bergen each Autumn semester.

Facts about the Course

• Course code: SAMPOL610
• Master's course at the University of Bergen
• Part-time study each Autumn semester
• 15 ECTS
• Online or physical attendance by choice
• Study fee: NOK 35,000
• Semester fee: NOK 650
• The application deadline for Autumn 2025 has now passed
• Next course run: Autumn 2026
• Opens for new applications in March 2026

Introduction

Business has significant impacts on human rights. Companies create jobs and pay taxes that provide governments with resources to create the infrastructure needed for people to realize and assert their human rights. However, corporate conduct can also adversely affect the rights of workers, consumers, and communities.

Course Content

This course provides a better appreciation of the nature of human rights violations that can be linked to corporate activity, regardless of corporate intent. The course does this by examining the ethical and legal standards, duties, and expectations of companies. Our focus will be on the dilemmas of operating in a space where local standards and rules may vary from and sometimes contradict global standards or policies. Furthermore, the course will explore emerging initiatives to deal with human rights and business and assess the effectiveness of voluntary corporate codes of conduct.

The course will enable students to develop strategies consistent with international human rights standards and to identify policies and practices that do not undermine human rights.

The Business and Human Rights course is an independent course but is also one of the elective courses in UiB's part-time master's program in Democracy Studies.

How is the Course Organized?

The Business and Human Rights course is a part-time course taught each Autumn semester. Teaching will be given through four weekend gatherings throughout the semester. These will be organized either fully digital or hybrid. Hybrid means that you can choose whether you want to participate physically at UiB's campus in Bergen or digitally via live streaming on Zoom.

Weekend Gatherings

• Week 1: 18th-21st September (Bergen/digital)
• Week 2: 10th-12th October (digital)
• Week 3: 31st October - 2nd November (digital)
• Week 4: 21st - 23rd November (Bergen/digital)

The assessment consists of a semester paper assigned at the beginning of the semester. It is mandatory to submit a draft mid-semester. If you do not get a pass the first time around, you will get a one-week extension to revise and submit your mandatory draft.

Admission Requirements

To qualify for acceptance, you must fulfill both of the following criteria:

• Hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent education of minimum 3 years duration/180 ECTS
• Have at least 2 years of relevant full-time work experience. If you have only part-time work experience, this must be converted to equivalize full-time, e.g., a 50% position must have at least 4 years duration

Required Documentation

• Bachelor's degree certificate/diploma (all pages)
• Transcript of records including a description of the grading scale used
• CV
• Formal certificate of service or other confirmation from current or former employer(s) showing that you meet the requirement for at least two years' full-time relevant professional experience. The certificate/verification from the employer must be dated and contain the following information: start and end date, employment rate, job title, and signature from the employer (e-signature is approved)
• Copy of your valid passport

Study Costs

Study Fee

This course has a study fee of NOK 35,000. We will send out the invoice early in the Autumn semester. The invoice will be sent to you personally. If your employer is to pay the tuition fee, your employer must fill out a form with all required invoicing information.

All students, both domestic and international, will without any exceptions have to pay the same study fee.

Semester Fee

All students who are accepted for a study place at UiB are obliged to pay a personal semester fee of NOK 650 per semester. The semester fee is financing common benefits and services for all students at UiB.

Consequences of Non-Payment

The entire tuition fee and the semester fee must both be paid within the deadline for withdrawal from the exam. In case the tuition fee or the semester fee has not been paid, you may be denied the right to take the exam or get assessment.