Human Rights is a topic that receives widespread attention globally and is discussed across all sectors of society, including governments, businesses, and the public. Human Rights Studies is a field that helps students understand the principles of human rights, relevant laws, and international declarations, both domestically and globally. It also enables learners to apply this knowledge within social contexts and further develop organisations and society.

The United Kingdom has long placed importance on fundamental legal human rights, resulting in comprehensive knowledge and academic frameworks covering all aspects of this field. This makes Human Rights programmes in the UK highly regarded and globally recognised. In this article, One Education introduces Master’s programmes in Human Rights from 10 well-known universities in the UK for students interested in this field.

1. University of York

MA Applied Human Rights

This programme at the University of York combines both theory and practical application across various aspects of human rights, including social structures, organisations, and individuals. Students gain direct experience from human rights advocates working with governments, the justice system, and civil society. A key highlight is group work involving collaboration with organisations working in human rights, as well as opportunities for fieldwork in York or Cape Town, South Africa.

Example modules

• The Practice of Fieldwork
• International Human Rights Laboratory
• Project Placement

Intake: September
IELTS: Overall 6.5 with no component below 6.0
Tuition fee 2026: £26,900 (approximately 1,183,600 THB)

2. SOAS, University of London

MA Human Rights Law
🏆Top 20 in the UK for Law by QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026: Law & Legal Studies

The Master’s programme at SOAS is designed to develop specialised expertise in human rights law, with a particular focus on Asia and the Far East. Students are not required to have a law background at undergraduate level. Key modules include International Human Rights Law, International Criminal Law, International Refugee and Migration Law, International Humanitarian Law, Justice, and Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post Conflict Societies.

In addition to law-related modules, students can choose from a wide range of electives such as Human Rights and Islamic Law, Law and Society in Southeast Asia, Human Rights of Women, and Gender and the Law of War.

A key strength of the programme at SOAS is its strong academic reputation and research excellence in human rights, having been ranked No.1 in the United Kingdom in 2021. All modules are taught by experts from leading organisations such as the United Nations and international NGOs, providing students with direct experience that can be applied to a wide range of future career paths.

Intake: September
IELTS: Overall 6.5 with no component below 6.0
Tuition fee 2026: £27,840 (approximately 1,224,960 THB)

3. University of Essex

MA Theory and Practice of Human Rights

The Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex is one of the longest-established departments in this field and is recognised as one of the oldest in the world, with a strong reputation for human rights studies. The programme focuses on history, theory, and practice to build a solid foundation, enabling students to apply their knowledge to related careers. Students will study the fundamentals of human rights across law, politics, philosophy, and sociology.

Students can specialise in pathways such as

• Generic pathway
• Human Rights, Global Diversity and Global Challenges
• Human Rights, Social Justice and Social Change
• Human Rights, Gender, Race and Identity

Intake: October
IELTS: Overall 6.5 with Writing not below 6.0 and other components not below 5.5
Tuition fee 2026: £23,875 (approximately 1,050,500 THB)

4. University of Manchester

MA Human Rights Political Science Standard Route
🏆Top 10 in the UK for Politics by Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025

The Human Rights programme at the University of Manchester focuses on contemporary human rights issues from both legal and political perspectives. The Standard Route is designed to enable students to apply the knowledge and theories they learn to a wide range of careers, such as teaching, writing, and media. A key feature of this programme is the integration of human rights with global politics.

Example modules

• Human Rights in World Politics
• Ethics in World Politics
• Gender in Comparative Politics
• Theories of Rights

Intake: September
IELTS: Overall 7.0 with Writing not below 7.0 and other components not below 6.5
Tuition fee 2026: £28,400 (approximately 1,249,600 THB)

5. Goldsmiths, University of London

MA Human Rights, Culture and Social Justice

This programme at Goldsmiths, University of London critically examines human rights issues across sectors including individuals, NGOs, judiciary systems, governments, politicians, media, journalists, and artists. It focuses on analysing inequality and injustice related to gender, race, and religion, aiming to address discrimination and social inequality.

Intake: September
IELTS: Overall 6.5 with Writing not below 6.5 and other components not below 6.0
Tuition fee 2026: £23,000 (approximately 1,012,000 THB)

🟢 Interested in studying Human Rights in the UK? Get in touch with One Education for personalised advice and support throughout the entire application process. Our service is free of charge. Add Line: @one-edu or submit an enquiry form

6. University of Sussex

MA Human Rights
🏆 No.1 in the world for Development Studies by QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025
🏆 Top 10 in the UK for Social Sciences by Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026

The programme at the University of Sussex is taught by experts from a range of disciplines, including anthropology, international relations, law, and geography. It focuses on human rights issues relating to women, children, migrants, minorities, fair trade, the environment, and international crime.

Key modules include Human Rights and the Politics of Culture and Human Rights in International Relations, with related electives such as Activism for Development and Social Justice, Civil and Political Rights: Contemporary Challenges, and Women and Human Rights.

Example modules

• Human Rights and the Politics of Culture
• Human Rights in International Relations

Electives include Activism for Development and Social Justice, Civil and Political Rights Contemporary Challenges, Women and Human Rights

Intake: September
IELTS: Overall 6.5 with no component below 5.5
Tuition fee 2026: £23,500 (approximately 1,034,000 THB)

7. University of Leicester

MA Human Rights and Global Ethics

The Human Rights programme at the University of Leicester focuses on global ethics and international politics related to political institutions, organisations, foreign policy, and trade. This enables students to apply their knowledge in careers across government, media, business, and non-profit organisations.

Intake: September
IELTS: Overall 6.5
Tuition fee 2026: £19,400 (approximately 853,600 THB)

8. Leeds Beckett University

MA International Human Rights Practice

The Human Rights programme at Leeds Beckett University places strong emphasis on learning from organisations that challenge injustice and oppression. The course focuses on issues such as violence, human rights violations, and torture, with the aim of developing solutions for peacebuilding and accountability.

Key modules include Human Rights Investigations, with electives such as Security, Conflict and Development, and War, Crime and Violence.

Intake: September
IELTS: Overall 6.0 with no component below 5.5
Tuition fee 2026: £18,440 (approximately 811,360 THB)

9. Sheffield Hallam University

MA Applied Human Rights

The Human Rights programme at Sheffield Hallam University is designed to enable students to apply their knowledge across a range of fields. It also helps students understand key social issues such as gender-based violence, refugee status, and global security.

The university uses real case studies from experts working in human rights across the UK government and NGOs, as well as organisations such as the United Nations and Amnesty International. This allows students to understand the issues, develop advocacy approaches, and explore solutions to human rights challenges.

Intake: September
IELTS: Overall 6.0 with no component below 5.5
Tuition fee 2026: £18,600 (approximately 818,400 THB)

10. Keele University

LLM International Law with Human Rights

The programme at Keele University focuses on both the foundations of international law and in-depth analysis of human rights. It begins with core modules such as principles of international law, before progressing to specialised areas including human rights, the environment, security, and global politics, with the option to choose electives based on individual interests. The course combines both theory and practical application, addressing contemporary global issues such as gender, asylum, climate justice, and modern slavery.

Key modules include Principles of International Law, Introduction to Human Rights Law and Theory, and International Human Rights Law.

Intake: September
IELTS: Overall 6.5 with no component below 5.5
Tuition fee 2026: £18,200 (approximately 800,800 THB)

*Programme details may change without prior notice. Please contact One Education for the most up-to-date information
**Tuition fees are calculated based on an exchange rate of £1 = 44 THB as of May 2026

📝 Article by P’Aim, Study Abroad Consultant for the UK and Australia at One Education and an alumna of SOAS University of London. Add Line to contact directly: 0631754581

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