Program Overview

Introduction to the LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa

The LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa (HRDA) is a prestigious one-year intensive course. It is designed for 25-30 exceptional individuals who spend six months in Pretoria and six months at one of the 12 partner universities across Africa. The program is taught by eminent lecturers in the field of human rights and includes many practical training exercises. It is the only course of its kind in Africa.

About the Programme

The LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa is a unique program that focuses on human rights from an African perspective. The course is presented full-time over one academic year, comprising two semesters that run from the end of January to early December. It includes eight modules, with instruction by formal lectures and practical activities. The lecturers are prominent human rights experts, and emphasis is placed on classroom participation and informal interaction between students and lecturers.

Objectives

The objectives of the LLM programme are:

• To train human rights experts who can be employed in government ministries and other national, international, and regional bodies concerned with human rights and democracy.
• To expand collaboration among African universities, resulting in a network of lawyers and academics specialized in human rights and democracy.
• To develop a relationship between the African Masters and other regional masters, such as the European Masters Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation.

Course Details

The course focuses specifically on human rights as seen from the African perspective. A substantial part of the course is dedicated to the use of the Internet in research on human rights law. The medium of instruction is English, and students must have a good working knowledge of English to follow lectures and participate fully in class discussions and practical exercises.

Scholarships

A limited number of up to 30 students are selected per year. Depending on the availability of funding, full-scholarships covering at least tuition, accommodation, and official programme activities are covered for up to 25 citizens of Africa. Students who do not receive scholarships may be admitted as self-funding or partially-self funding students, provided they meet all the minimum admission criteria.

Global Campus of Human Rights

The HRDA programme at the Centre for Human Rights is the hub of the African regional programme under the Global Campus of Human Rights. The Global Campus of Human Rights is an EU-funded global network of universities based on cooperation between eight Regional Programmes. It is the largest university network in the world specializing in human rights and democracy issues, composed of some 100 prestigious universities.

Application Deadline

The deadline for applications is 31 July 2025. Guidelines for applying are available, and individuals from all African countries are invited to apply for admission to study for the Master's degree (LLM) in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, South Africa.