International Human Rights (BA)

This program is offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences/Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies and is only available at the St. Louis main campus.

Program Description

The international human rights program at Webster University seeks to encourage greater understanding of international human rights standards, problems and solutions.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students should:

• Articulate the history of, and current practices in, human rights frameworks and legal norms.
• Critically analyze theories, concepts and ideas in human rights.
• Identify and explain major human rights issues, past and present.
• Evaluate the potential solutions to human rights abuses, including the work of transnational actors.
• Demonstrate understanding of quantitative and qualitative methods of, and the ethical issues involved in, human rights research.
• Engage in human rights field experience.

Degree Requirements

For information on the general requirements for a degree, see Baccalaureate Degree Requirements under the Academic Policies and Information section of this catalog.

• 42 required credit hours
• Applicable University Global Citizenship Program hours
• Electives

Students will complete 42 credit hours as specified below with a grade of C or better, and must display foreign language competence. (This requirement can be met by completing intermediate level II in a foreign language or by passing an intermediate-level proficiency examination and will be waived for students whose native language is not English and who are studying in English.)

In the final year of study, each student must register for HRTS 4600 Overview (3 credit hour) and submit an overview paper.

Required Courses

• HRTS 1100 Introduction to Human Rights (3 hours)
• HRTS 2500 Current Problems in Human Rights (3 hours)
• HRTS 2800 Methods of Inquiry (3 hours)
  or INTL 2700 Methods of Political Inquiry (3 hours) 
  or ANSO 2850 Introduction to Research Methods (3 hours)
• HRTS 3500 International Human Rights Law (3 hours)
• HRTS 3590 Theories of Human Rights (3 hours)
• HRTS 4500 Human Rights Field Experience (3 hours)
• HRTS 4600 Overview (3 hours)
• PHIL 2300 Social and Political Philosophy (3 hours)
  or POLT 1070 Introduction to Political Theory (3 hours)

Elective Courses

18 credit hours from among the following, including at least 9 credit hours from courses with an HRTS prefix:

• ANSO 1050 Global Social Problems (3 hours)
• ANSO 2300 Social Movements (3 hours)
• ANSO 3130 Race and Ethnicity (3 hours)
• ANSO 3340 NGOs in a Global Arena (3 hours)
• ANSO 4175 Globalization (3 hours)
• ANSO 4250 Class, Status and Power (3 hours)
• ENGL 1060 Protest Literature (3 hours)
• ETHC 1000 Issues and Problems in Ethics (1 hour)
• HRTS 2086 Topics In Human Rights (3 hours)
• HRTS 3051 Religion and Human Rights (3 hours)
• HRTS 3080 Advanced Topics in Human Rights (3 hours)
• HRTS 3160 Human Rights in Film: Documentaries (3 hours)
• HRTS 3170 Human Rights in Film: Narrative Films (3 hours)
• HRTS 3200 Human Rights Area Studies (1-3 hours)
• HRTS 3210 Prejudice and Discrimination (3 hours)
• HRTS 3340 Global Ethics (3 hours)
• HRTS 3400 Human Rights and the Environment (3 hours)
• HRTS 3600 Topics in Mass Violence (3 hours)
• HRTS 3700 Human Rights and Business (3 hours)
• ISTL 1000 Introduction to Global Studies (3 hours)
• INTL 1500 The World System since 1500 (3 hours)
• INTL 2030 International Law (3 hours)
• MDST 2800 Media, Diversity and Society (3 hours)
• PHIL 2320 Contemporary Moral Problems (3 hours)
• PHIL 2340 Bioethics (3 hours)
• PHIL 2360 Environmental Ethics (3 hours)
• PHIL 2400 Human Rights and Animal Rights (3 hours)
• PHIL 3360 Global Information Ethics (3 hours)
• PHIL 3370 Feminist Philosophy (3 hours)
• POLT 1080 Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 hours)
• POLT 2550 The Politics of the Developing World (3 hours)
• RELG 3051 Religion and Human Rights (3 hours)
• WGST 2610 Women, Gender and Sexuality in Social Justice Organizations (3 hours)
• WGST 2620 Women and the Law (3 hours)
• WGST 4220 Gender, Justice and Human Rights (3 hours)