Overview

This interdisciplinary degree program provides a solid grounding in diverse substantive and methodological approaches to the study and practice of human rights. Students have the opportunity to take courses through a number of departments and schools that match their area of concentration.

The Human Rights program of the University of Minnesota is designed to support emerging leaders who can draw upon many types of knowledge and experiences in a field that demands innovative responses to complex challenges. Students learn both theory and skills development from leading human rights scholars, thinkers, and activists, while gaining field experience through internships, research opportunities, and capstone projects to apply strategic approaches to complex global and local issues.

The MHR program is jointly supported by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the College of Liberal Arts, and brings together the highly regarded offerings of the graduate minor in human rights and faculty expertise in fields ranging from non-governmental organization (NGO) management to global public policy. The program leverages the global policy, leadership and management, and social policy and policy analysis expertise at the Humphrey School and the Human Rights research and teaching expertise of the College of Liberal Arts.

Positions Our Graduates Hold

Career options span all levels of government, NGOs, and the private sector. Students who have completed the graduate minor in human rights have gained employment at:

Director of Education, The Advocates for Human Rights, Minneapolis

Director of Client Services, Domestic Abuse Project, Minneapolis

United Nations Development Programme, Myanmar

Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State, Beijing, China

Advisor to the Chief Strategy Officer, USAID, Washington, DC

M&E Project Officer, Perkins International, School for the Blind, Amherst, MA

Governance Specialist, World Bank, Kampala, Uganda

International Development Professional, Health Partners, Minneapolis, MN

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Human Rights Advocacy

Human Rights: A Global History

International Human Rights Law

Human Rights Policy: Issues and Actors

Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives in Human Rights

Statistics for Public Affairs

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-06-01 00:00:00

More details

After June 1: Applications for admission considered on a space-available basis

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

115

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TOEFL^® IBT

100

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IELTS

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Credits

45 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Minneapolis, United States

Disciplines

International Law Public Administration Public Policy View 154 other Masters in International Law in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

115

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited US university or foreign equivalent

English language proficiency

Previous coursework in mathematics, statistics, and economics is recommended

Personal statement

Diversity statement

Resume or CV

At least three letters of recommendation

Transcripts

Extenuating circumstances

Application fee - the application fee is $75 for domestic students and $95 for international students

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

36024 USD / year

≈ 36024 USD / year
Out-of-State

36024 USD / year

≈ 36024 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

24240 USD / year

≈ 24240 USD / year

Living costs

Minneapolis

United States

1130 - 2045 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Human Rights.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Positions Our Graduates Hold

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Minneapolis

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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