Why should I study Human Rights?
Human rights issues are everywhere. Studying human rights alongside your major provides you with the knowledge and skills to understand how human rights impact and are impacted by virtually every discipline. Just think about the following examples:
- Activism and political organization
- Racial and gender diversity in human resources
- Corporate social responsibility
- Ethical investing
- Impact of new technologies on the right to privacy and freedom of expression
- Ethical considerations of new bio-technologies
- Impacts of climate change
- Indigenous reconciliation
From economics to engineering, and psychology to political science, all of these fields have a human rights dimension. Whether you want to be a lawyer, a CEO, an engineer, or a politician, studying human rights will increase your understanding of the impacts that your discipline has on the rights of individuals and society at large and provide you with a unique perspective and skill set that will be a valuable asset regardless of your choice of career.
Why should I take the BA-LLB double-degree program? What can I do with it?
This program has been designed to provide students with a multidisciplinary education that will prepare them for pursuing a career in human rights. Such a career could include working for a non-governmental or community-based organization (such as Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch), for an inter-government organization such as the United Nations, or even for the government.
A legal education provides students interested in human rights with specialized knowledge and a particular set of transferrable skills that are especially relevant to the practice of human rights, while a BA in Political Science, Legal Studies, or some other discipline, and a minor in Human Rights, ensure that students develop a broad and critical worldview.
How does the BA-LLB double-degree program work?
Students accepted into the program will complete three years of undergraduate study at the University of Waterloo in an Honours Arts program of their choice and simultaneously fulfill the requirements of a minor in Human Rights. In the winter term of their third year, students will apply to the University of Essex. They will then complete their final two years of study at the Essex School of Law and graduate with both an Honours BA and an LLB.
What courses will I take at Essex?
The proposed course structure for the LLB at Essex (subject to change) includes the following courses:
- LW 103, Foundations of Public Law
- LW 104, Criminal Law
- LW 108, Foundations of Obligations
- LW 101, Contract Law
- HU 201, Social Dimensions of Human Rights
- HU 200, Human Rights Organisations, International and Regional Institutions
- LW 303, Land Law
- LW 201, Tort Law
- LW 202, Equity & Trusts
- LW 302, EU Law
- HU 300, Selected Issues in Human Rights
- Option (One HU 300 level)
Can I practice law in Canada after completing this program?
The double-degree program was designed as a pathway for students interested in international human rights law who might be interested in working for national or international non-governmental organizations, inter-governmental organizations or even governments. It was not designed as a professional degree program aimed at producing lawyers.
Nevertheless, if you complete a law degree in the UK, you may be able to obtain a certificate of accreditation from the National Committee on Accreditation and transfer your credentials back to Canada.
When do I have to decide?
Students interested in enrolling in the double-degree program should contact their Arts Academic Advisor and the director of the Human Rights program at St. Paul’s University College as early as possible (ideally in their first fall term) to ensure that their course selections meet the program requirements.
Where can I get more information?
If you require additional information or have questions about the double-degree program, please contact the Human Rights Program Director, Professor Anna Purkey at annapurkey@uwaterloo.ca or your academic advisor.