Prospective Students
The Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute at the University of Connecticut offers a two-year Master of Arts in Human Rights to advance students’ knowledge of human rights from both academic and professional perspectives; training them to become competitive candidates for positions in a variety of sectors, including industry, government, education, and advocacy.
Our human rights faculty are internationally recognized experts drawn from disciplines across the University of Connecticut and here to share their skills in human rights practice, research, and education. This diversity facilitates students’ study of their particular human rights interest while at the same time broadening their topical and methodological human rights knowledge.
Our two-year 30-credit master’s program consists of 15 core credits and 15 credits of electives, including a 200-hour practicum. This project-based fieldwork is done with an approved partner organization related to the field of human rights and provides students real problem-solving experience related to their career goals.
Student Testimonials
"The program offered interdisciplinary human rights research and practice opportunities, and I was excited to learn from the faculty, My knowledge and experience regarding human rights matters has increased and intensified during my time studying through the M.A. program." - Melissa ‘24
"I was drawn to the interdisciplinary approach and the meaningful influence of the many human rights initiatives at UConn. The program has allowed me to build relevant skills, focus on my particular interests at the intersection of archival work and film, and allowed me to network with experts in the field." - Aida ‘24
"I chose the M.A. Human Rights program to expand my knowledge and ability to support and advocate for human rights in Indigenous communities and beyond. As an Indigenous woman, I sought to develop my research around Indigenous education rights as human rights further and have felt nothing but support, compassion, and mentorship from the faculty and staff at HRI in doing so." - Sage ‘24
Program Requirements
The 30-credit program structure integrates academic coursework on human rights with professional work experience opportunities that enhance applicants' professional portfolios in preparation for the job market. The credits break down as follows:
- 15 Common Core credits
- 15 Elective Credits:
- Minimum of 6 Foundational Elective credits
- 9 additional elective credits drawn from either the Foundational Elective or Supplementary Elective lists.
A complete accounting of all Common Core and Elective credits can be found in the Graduate Catalog.
A list of graduate course offerings for the current academic year can be viewed on our Course Offerings page.
How to Apply
Application Deadline: February 1
Required Application Materials
Applicants are required to submit:
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- Personal statement (maximum 750 words, 1-inch margins, standard font such as Arial or Times New Roman) that addresses the following questions:
- Why do you want to earn a master’s degree in human rights and what particular topical interests do you have within the human rights field?
- How have your academic training, work/internships, and relevant life experiences prepared you to be successful in this program?
- How will this program further your career goals?
- Writing Sample (Maximum 15 pages, double spaced, 1-inch margins, standard font such as Arial or Times New Roman) that reflects their strongest academic work.
- The writing sample does not need to be an original work developed specifically for the graduate application, but rather a written work submitted for a grade, publication, or other professional purpose.
- The writing sample must be in English
- Resume
- Unofficial transcript
- Two letters of recommendation that speak to the applicant’s academic abilities and commitment to human rights.
- Personal statement (maximum 750 words, 1-inch margins, standard font such as Arial or Times New Roman) that addresses the following questions:
Application Instructions
4+1 Accelerated MA Program
- Access The Graduate School’s application
- Create an account
- Create a new application
- Confirm your personal information
- Click the drop down menu under the question "To which type of program are you applying?"
- Select the "UConn Accelerated UG to Grad" option
- Select your UConn undergraduate student level
- Click Submit
- Open the Pre-Grad or Non-Degree Application you just created
- Click the drop down menu under the "Application Type" header, and select "UConn Accelerated UG to Grad"
- Click the drop down menu under the "Intended Program" header, and select "Human Rights"
2-Year MA Program
- To apply, please access The Graduate School’s application
Costs & Fees
There is a $75.00 application fee required to apply for the program.
In some cases, the Graduate School may provide an application fee waiver. Please review the UConn Graduate School Fee Waiver Policy to see if you qualify.
The tuition and fee schedule for graduate programs can be found on the Bursar’s website.
FAQs
Do I need to take the GRE?
No, GRE scores are not required for program admission.
Do I need to be a human rights major to enroll in the MA in human rights program?
No, you are eligible to apply to the MA program regardless of your undergraduate major.
How many credits count toward both my undergraduate human rights degree and the MA in human rights?
Up to 12 credits (four 3-credit classes) of approved graduate coursework which is included in the student’s undergraduate (BA) plan of study can be used to the MA plan of study.
Does the Human Rights Institute offer graduate assistantships for accepted students?
At this time, HRI is unable to offer financial support in the form of graduate assistantships for students enrolled in the MA program.
Does HRI offer financial support to students completing the human rights practicum?
Yes, we will offer scholarships to support students as they complete the practicum. Information about these scholarships will be made available to students upon admission into the program.
Questions about the masters program or application process? Please contact David Richards or Alyssa Webb .
Resources for Current Students
Graduate Events
Meet Our Graduate Students
Saah Agyemang-Badu
Irina Ahmed is in her second year in the Human Rights Masters program. Her academic background includes criminal justice and humanitarian studies from Fordham University. Her post MS aspirations are in the Law and Justice sector, advancing access to Legal Reform work and access for the under represented and indigenous populations. She is also the current Graduate Student representative for the Gladstein Committee.
Solé Blanks is a senior, political science and human rights double major studying at the University of Connecticut. Solé is also currently in the process of obtaining a Master of Arts in Human Rights at UConn as well. Areas of interest include criminal justice reform, prison reform and civil rights. Upon completion of her degrees, Solé plans to go on to law school and become a criminal prosecutor.
Emma Dashnaw is a passionate advocate for digital history and archiving, with a focus on preserving the memory of genocides. As a Master of Arts student in Human Rights and a graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in History, Emma has dedicated the past three years to digitizing and preserving documents and artifacts. Their work with projects like Digital Windham and the ICTY Digital Archives demonstrates skills in using digital tools to bring community history to life and preserve important records for future generations.
B. Diaz
Natalie Goncalves
Nishi Kapoor (she/her) is a rising senior, double majoring in Human Rights and Political Science. Nishi is especially passionate about the rights of minority groups and has worked firsthand with marginalized communities. At UConn, she serves as the president of the Sweeter Than Fiction book club, a mentor for the Asian/Asian American Mentoring Program, and works as a Resident Assistant. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school to further her commitment to human rights advocacy.
Madison Lindsey
Gamze Özker is a graduate student in Human Rights whose work demonstrates a deep commitment to preserving and organizing historical and legal records. Through her archival work, Gamze aims to showcase the complexities of political violence, seeking to highlight the human cost and the lasting impact of these events while addressing denial.
Aubri Petersen (She/Her) is a graduate student of Human Rights at the University of Connecticut, with an academic and professional focus in the prevention and elimination of discrimination through civil and human rights law enforcement. She is professionally involved in local education and advocacy to establish equal opportunity and justice for all persons in the State of Connecticut. Aubri has worked closely with the Campaign for an NHRI in the USA and the International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies (IAOHRA) in researching the advantages of a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) for state and local government human rights commissions in the United States.
Aubri is interested in criminal justice reforms that promote and protect the civil and human rights of individuals impacted by structural inequities in the United States. She has conducted research into the economic benefits of Clean Slate Initiatives and advocates for increased reform in public and private sectors.
Sara Trueax
Ashten Vassar-Cain is pursuing his M.A. in Human Rights at the University of Connecticut, where he recently completed his undergraduate degree as a double-major in Psychological Sciences and Human Rights with a minor in American Studies. He works as a Graduate Assistant for the Human Rights Institute. Ashten’s current research focus is on Disability History and Disability Justice movements. He was an undergraduate member of the research team at the Mansfield Training School Memorial and Museum and an author/editor for the Disability & Access Collective. Ashten is completing his practicum for the M.A. at the Pennhurst Memorial & Preservation Alliance, where he will serve as the Assistant Director for Archival Preservation and Museum Inventory. He is committed to furthering institutional accountability through restorative justice initiatives, archival work, and persistent activism.