Social Justice and Human Rights, MA
Advocacy, Community, Equality, Equity, Global, Immigration, Justice, Legislation, Policy, Refugees
In communities here and around the world, oppressed people respond in novel and creative ways to contest and transform injustice whenever it may occur. Gain deeper knowledge to better understand these troubles and work toward solutions.
In the Master of Arts program in social justice and human rights, you explore key topics such as labor, migration, education and the environment, and the legal, political, historical and cultural frameworks that contextualize them. If you aim to channel your interests and passions toward ethical responses to social injustice and human rights abuses, this program is well suited for you.
You may focus on specific issues in international or domestic contexts, including refugee resettlement, immigration and citizenship, human trafficking, racialized violence, and international human rights law and organizations. In theoretically and methodologically rigorous courses taught by experienced faculty from various disciplines, you develop an understanding of how social justice and human rights issues are defined by multiple and intersecting forms of inequality and social identity, including gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality and nationality.
You may have the opportunity complete internships domestically or internationally, working alongside other researchers and advocates for social justice to grasp the complexities of the issues and to hone their abilities to work effectively in research and advocacy contexts. Internships may also inform the basis of the culminating experience: a traditional MA thesis, an applied project or a capstone course.
You gain deeper insight into the theory and practice of social justice, human rights and humanitarian efforts, and you develop practical skills in research and grant writing.
- College/school:
New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
- Location: West Valley or Online
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
30 credit hours and a thesis, or
30 credit hours including the required applied project course (JHR 593), or
30 credit hours including the required capstone course (JHR 549)
Required Core (6 credit hours) Professional Development (3 credit hours) Research (6 credit hours) Electives (9 or 12 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 or 6 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information The in-person program is designed to provide faculty mentorship and support student research culminating in a thesis or applied project. Campus students complete JHR 593 or JHR 599 and nine credits of elective coursework. Online students complete JHR 549 and complete 12 credit hours of elective coursework. Course availability depends on the semester and modality. Students select professional development and elective courses based on academic and professional interests. Any variation of culminating experience or coursework must be approved by the program director.
JHR 501 Proseminar in Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
JHR 502 Foundations of Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
JHR 506 Grant Writing for Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
JHR 515 Power and Inequality in Academia and Activism (3)
JHR 584 Internship (3)
JHR 500 Research Methods (3)
JHR 525 Critical Methodologies in Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
JHR 503 Gender Based Violence and Sex Trafficking (3)
JHR 504 International Law and Organizations (3)
JHR 505 Migration, Asylum and Refugees (3)
JHR 510 Problem-based Seminar in Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
JHR 540 Critical Humanitarianism (3)
JHR 550 Global Justice (3)
JHR 598 Topic: Global Racial Justice (3)
JHR 549 Capstone in Social Justice and Human Rights (3) or
JHR 593 Applied Project (6) or
JHR 599 Thesis (6)
The MA program in social justice and human rights is delivered in person as well as online.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S.
applicants | International
applicants | English
proficiency
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.
Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate application and application fee
- official transcripts
- statement of purpose
- one letter of recommendation
- a writing sample (required for applicants to the on-campus program)
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
The statement of purpose should be a concise response to the following prompts:
- Describe your academic or career goals and how an MA degree in social justice and human rights will help you achieve these goals.
- Social justice and human rights is a discipline with a wide variety of topics. Briefly describe what area of social justice and human rights you are most interested in and why.
One letter of recommendation is required. It is preferred that the letter of recommendation comes from a faculty member who knows the applicant's work well; if this is not possible, a letter of recommendation from an individual in a supervisory or professional role is accepted. It is strongly preferred that the letter come from a faculty member.
An academic writing sample is preferred, but a professional writing sample will also be accepted. A writing sample is recommended but not required for students applying to the digital immersion program.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
Studying abroad is possible for graduate students. There are more than 50 program opportunities, with programs on every continent.
Faculty-directed programs tend to be the best fit for graduate students. Taking courses with ASU professors over the summer or during academic breaks offers students close mentorship and professional network growth in many fields of study while they earn ASU credit. Exchange program participation is also possible with careful planning.
Graduates with a master's degree in social justice and human rights can begin or advance their careers in advocacy work in nonprofit or government agencies, humanitarian work, international law and advocacy, as well as in roles that enable them to address forced migration, trafficking, and gender-based or racialized violence.
Career examples include:
- advocate or lobbyist
- community organizer
- grant writer
- humanitarian aid worker
- policy analyst or researcher
- program officer
- public defender (with further education)
- social justice specialist or consultant
- social service worker
Graduates are well positioned to pursue additional graduate education, such as law school or doctoral programs.
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
|
FAB N101
ncgradadvising@asu.edu
602-543-3000
Admission deadlines
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
