Human Rights (BA)

Interested in a career that makes a meaningful impact? Our Human Rights program equips you with the skills and knowledge to address and advocate for human rights and social justice, both in Canada and globally. Examine current issues including racism, discrimination, children’s rights, women’s and gender rights, multiculturalism, ableism, crimes against humanity, human trafficking and more.  

Develop practical skills in grant writing, professional fundraising, and project management, preparing you for impactful careers as human resources professionals, lawyers, social workers, international development workers, fundraisers, and more.  

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Program Details

Degree Highlights

Your future professors work hard to make sure your academic experience is current, complete and designed to open doors in your career. Here are a few things you can count on:  

  • Career Ready Curriculum: You will examine current issues that matter in people's lives today such as: children's rights, disabilities, multiculturalism, human trafficking, gender issues and more. 
  • Develop Sought-after Skills: You will study institutions that can be used to address injustice like the UN, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and nongovernmental organizations. You can develop skills that are highly sought-after by human rights organizations, such as: grant writing, policy analysis, intercultural competence, professional fundraising, advocacy, and more.
  • Pathway to Grad School: You can combine this program with a law degree (LLB) from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom. Our Bachelor of Laws (University of Sussex, UK) and Bachelor of Arts (Laurier) program can be completed in six years.

Top Experiences

Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree (check out the Experience Guide for even more!): 

  • Internships: Gain practical experience and a great reference letter by participating in a for-credit internship with a non-profit organization.
  • Competitions: Participate in the Academic, Creative and Engaged Research Showcase (ACERS) to showcase your work for the public and Laurier community.
  • Published Work: Submit your academic work to Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal for Contemporary Connections for a chance to be published.
  • Certificate Opportunities: You take the courses to complete select Conestoga College graduate certificates in your third year including: Human Resource Management, Management in Community Services, Career Development Professional, Project Management and Event Management.  

Courses

We offer more than 30 courses. The following is only a sampling.

First-Year Courses

  • Fundamentals of Human Rights
  • Human Rights Violations: Advocacy and Analysis

Sample First-Year Electives

  • Introduction to International Development
  • Introduction to Criminology
  • Leadership Foundations
  • Introduction to Indigenous Studies
  • International Development

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Crimes Against Humanity
  • Children's Rights
  • Human Trafficking

Program Options

Specializations

Enhance your expertise by specializing in either the Certificate in Non-Profit Career Foundations or the International Development Specialization as part of your Human Rights degree.

The Certificate in Non-Profit Career Foundations allows you to combine your studies with practical skills, enabling you to launch a career in the non-profit sector. Some skills this certificate enables you to develop are:

  • grant writing
  • governance in non-profit organizations
  • non-profit laws and regulations
  • leadership and ethics
  • program development and evaluation
  • professional fundraising
  • public and media relations
  • understanding public policy

Students who maintain a B- average are eligible to participate in an 84-hour placement with a non-profit for academic credit.

The International Development Specialization enables you to develop knowledge and skills that will prepare you for a career with international development organizations or pursue further postgraduate programs in international development. Students pursuing the International Development Specialization will complete the following courses:

  • Introduction to International Development
  • The Developing World; Development Theories, Approaches, and Issues
  • Development Theories, Approaches, and Issues
  • Introduction to Macroeconomics
  • Two approved electives

Options and Minors

These are a few of the many popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge:

  • Issue Advocacy Option
  • Law Option
  • Leadership Option
  • Minor in Education
  • Minor in Social Innovation

Check out other options to enhance your degree.

Add a Graduate Certificate from Conestoga College

Combine your BA in Human Rights with a graduate certificate from Conestoga College in just four years! Approved certificates include Human Resources Management, Management in Community Services, Career Development Professional, Project Management and Event Management. You take the courses to complete these graduate certificates in your third year; Human Resources Management is offered through Conestoga College on Laurier’s Brantford campus, the others are available nearby in Kitchener.

The Human Resources Management program (available in Brantford) provides you with all of the required educational components to become a Certified Human Resources Professional. The Management in Community Services program includes a work placement opportunity that provides students with practical workplace experience.

The Career Development Professional program provides the full academic component and partial fulfillment of work experience hours for certification by the Career Development Practitioners' Certification Board of Ontario (CDPCBO).

The Project Management program allows you to earn project management education hours towards a variety of certifications: Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), Project Management Professional (PMP), Agile Scrum Master (ASM), Risk Management Professional (RMP), or Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP) designations.

The Event Management program is specifically designed to meet the needs of a growing industry in the planning and management of virtual and live in-person events and provides graduate students with specialized training and practical hands-on learning opportunities.

Pathways 

The following opportunities allow you to pursue additional, related qualifications from another postsecondary institution (either before or after your time at Laurier):

  • To University of Sussex, United Kingdom for LawIn this direct-entry program, apply on OUAC to the BA + Sussex Law pathway to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Laurier and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom in six years. 
  • To University of Sussex, United Kingdom for a Master of Arts: In this direct-entry program, apply on OUAC to the BA + Sussex Master's pathway to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Laurier and a Master's degree from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom in six years.

Check out other pathways to and from Laurier.

Admissions

  • Format: full time or part time
  • Duration: four years
  • Start: September (fall term), January (winter term) or May (spring term)

Your Career Awaits

It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • activist/lobbyist
  • policy analyst with the federal government
  • communications specialist
  • foreign service officer
  • professional fundraiser
  • grant writer
  • humanitarian aid worker
  • immigrant settlement worker
  • international development program manager
  • lawyer
  • non-profit program coordinator
  • project manager
  • social worker

Explore more careers options, prepare for your future and see what our graduates are doing now.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

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Tuition and Scholarships

Getting a university education is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing a wide variety of funding opportunities for you throughout your degree, such as scholarships and bursaries, and by equipping you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

 

Laurier is among the top 6 percent in the Global 2000 World University Ranking

 

Laurier students engaged in hands-on learning in 2023

 

Laurier graduates employed or in post-graduate studies in 2023

Brantford Campus

The Brantford campus is woven into the downtown core of the City of Brantford and is home to more than 3,000 students. Close to great walking and biking trails, you get the best of both worlds.

There are many ways to tour our Brantford campus, whether that's on a guided tour with one of our Laurier student ambassadors, on your own using virtual reality, or even on-demand through one of our pre-recorded tours. See our campus spaces and start to picture yourself at Laurier.

Chat with Current Students

Want to know what it’s really like to be in this program? U Community is our Discord server where future Golden Hawks like you can connect with current students to get their first-hand stories and tips on living and learning at Laurier.

Connect with Us

Questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.


You Belong Here

Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?