International Relations with Human Rights

International relations with human rights combines one of the central disciplines in the study of global affairs with a sustained focus on one of the most consequential and contested fields within it. International relations examines how states, international organisations and non-state actors interact, exploring the structures of the international system, the causes of conflict and cooperation, the dynamics of diplomacy and trade, and the forces of globalisation that connect and divide societies. Human rights adds a normative and legal dimension, asking what rights individuals and groups are entitled to, how those rights are recognised and protected in international law, and what happens when they are violated.

At Leeds Beckett, this three-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study international relations and human rights in a different national academic and political context. You will develop your analytical understanding of the international system alongside your knowledge of human rights law, institutions and advocacy, and you will engage with the tensions and dilemmas that arise when rights claims meet the interests of states and the realities of geopolitics.

The programme develops your ability to construct rigorous arguments, to engage with evidence from a range of disciplinary sources, and to communicate clearly about complex international issues. You will study the major theoretical frameworks in international relations alongside the legal and institutional framework of international human rights, developing a perspective that is both analytical and normatively engaged.

Graduates move into careers in international organisations, NGOs, the civil service, diplomatic services, human rights law, journalism, policy research, humanitarian organisations and international development. The year abroad strengthens your international profile and your understanding of how global affairs look from different national perspectives. Postgraduate study in international law, human rights, international relations or development is a natural next step.