Credit points

80

Major available at

  • Brisbane
  • Melbourne
  • Strathfield

Additional information

The Human Rights major provides students with a comprehensive, interdisciplinary exploration of the principles, practices, and challenges related to the promotion and protection of human rights in local, national, and global contexts. Drawing on disciplines such as Politics, Sociology, Law, and History, this major equips students with a critical understanding of the philosophical foundations of human rights, the evolution of international human rights frameworks, and the complex issues surrounding their implementation and enforcement.

Students will engage with contemporary human rights debates relating to race, gender, disability, migration, and Indigenous sovereignty, and develop skills in advocacy, policy analysis, and ethical reasoning. The major fosters critical thinking, cultural competency, and global awareness, preparing graduates for careers in human rights advocacy, law reform, international development, community engagement, and public policy.

This major is designed to align with ACU’s mission to uphold the dignity of the human person and to promote the common good through education grounded in justice, equity, and compassion.


Admission requirements

Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2027 Admission.



Completion requirements

A student must complete 80 cp from the Schedule of Unit offerings, consisting of:

a. 20 cp from 100-level units (Part A)

b. 30 cp from 200-level units (Part B)

c. 30 cp from 300-level units (Part C)

Open all

Schedule of unit offerings

Complete exactly 20 credit points from the following:

  • HIST106Australian Indigenous Peoples Past and Present10 CP
  • LHRG103Legal Institutions and Human Rights10 CP
  • LHRG111Human Rights and Indigenous People10 CP
  • SOCS101Global Society and Change10 CP

Complete exactly 30 credit points from the following:

  • HIST251Human Rights in History10 CP
  • LHRG203Australian Human Rights Law and Policy10 CP
  • LHRG207Human Rights and Criminal Justice10 CP
  • PHIL202Justice, Authority and Human Rights10 CP
  • PHIL225The Ground and Nature of Rights10 CP
  • POLS213Security, Terrorism and Human Rights10 CP
  • POLS214The Nature of Democracy10 CP

Complete exactly 30 credit points from the following:

  • LHRG303International Humanitarian Law10 CP
  • PHIL324Human Rights: Contemporary Moral Issues10 CP
  • POLS309World Politics and Justice10 CP
  • SOCS300Power Wealth and Welfare: Social Issues and Policy10 CP

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