Is the Certificate in Human Rights Studies a law qualification?

No. The Certificate in Human Rights Studies gives you working literacy in international and UK domestic human rights at the level a junior rights worker, advocate or rights-adjacent journalist needs. It is not a qualifying law qualification — those follow the SQE or Bar Training Course routes.

Does the Certificate in Human Rights Studies cover the UK Human Rights Act?

Yes. The UK Human Rights Act 1998 is treated as a substantial module alongside the international framework, with introductory coverage of judicial review and the relationship between Strasbourg and UK courts.

Can I take the Certificate in Human Rights Studies online?

Yes. The online route mirrors the on-campus course with synchronous tutorials, recorded seminars and the same case-documentation exercises. Distance-learning students set their own pace within structured deadlines.

Will the Certificate in Human Rights Studies help me get into NGO work?

It strengthens a junior NGO application by demonstrating structured rights literacy. For senior rights roles you will need the Diploma or Advanced Diploma plus relevant experience; for entry-level NGO and charity casework the Certificate is a credible starting credential.

How long does the Certificate in Human Rights Studies take?

Three months full-time or six months part-time. Distance-learning students typically finish within nine months. Admissions can confirm the next intake date and a study plan that fits your schedule.

Certificate in Human Rights Studies | LSJHML London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Certificate in Human Rights Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a short three-to-six-month UK qualification for people who want a working introduction to international and UK domestic human rights — the framework, the language and the practical disciplines that distinguish rights work from generic activism. You will read the Universal Declaration, the core treaties and the UK Human Rights Act, learn how a basic case is documented, and finish with two short pieces of structured rights work.

The Certificate in Human Rights Studies is taught in dialogue with the working practice of Amnesty International, the International Crisis Group and the UN Association. It is a fast credential for people moving into NGO, charity, advocacy or rights-adjacent journalism work.

Key Features

UK-recognised entry-level credential in human rights, suitable as a foundation before a Diploma or as standalone CPD for in-role professionals.
UDHR and core treaty workshop series — work clause-by-clause with the Universal Declaration and the core UN treaties.
UK Human Rights Act module — incorporation of the European Convention, the role of UK courts, judicial review basics.
Case-documentation introduction — interview discipline, statement-taking, evidence handling.
Ethics clinic — informed consent, anonymisation, trauma-aware practice.
Three study modes — on-campus in central London, fully online with synchronous tutorials, or distance learning with structured deadlines.

What You Will Learn

The Certificate in Human Rights Studies is structured around the practical literacy a junior rights worker needs before they take responsibility for a case or an advocacy brief. You graduate able to read a treaty, identify the rights at stake in a situation, and document the basics of a case to a standard a supervisor can build on.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights — drafting context, core articles, contemporary application.
The core UN treaty system — ICCPR, ICESCR, CEDAW, CRC, ratification and reporting cycles.
Regional mechanisms — the European Convention, the African and Inter-American systems at an introductory level.
The UK Human Rights Act 1998 — incorporation of the ECHR, the Equality Act 2010, judicial review basics.
Case documentation — interview discipline, statement-taking, exhibit handling, anonymisation.
Ethics — informed consent, vulnerability, trauma-aware interviewing.
Communication of rights work — short briefing notes, written advocacy, public-facing pieces.
The UK and international NGO landscape — the organisations, their remits, how rights work is funded.

Who This Course Is For

Career-starters considering NGO, charity or advocacy work who want a fast, structured credential.
Working professionals in adjacent fields (journalism, law, policy) needing rights literacy for their current role.
Volunteers with rights-related organisations wanting the framework training their unpaid role does not formally cover.
Students considering a Diploma in Human Rights Studies or a related humanities path who want to test the field first.

Career Pathways

The Certificate in Human Rights Studies is a foundation credential rather than a passport to a senior rights role. Graduates typically use it to strengthen a junior NGO application, take on rights-related responsibility within their current job, or move into entry-level advocacy work. Typical first or next roles include:

Junior Programme Officer (UK or international NGO)
Casework Assistant (rights-focused charity, refugee or asylum support)
Campaigns Officer (advocacy organisation, charity)
Editorial Researcher (rights-related beat, longform publisher)
Parliamentary Assistant (rights-focused MP or peer)
Volunteer Coordinator (rights-related charity or NGO)

Credit from this Certificate counts toward LSJHML's Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Human Rights Studies for students who continue.

Entry Requirements

Minimum age 16.
Secondary school qualification (GCSE/O-Level or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent) for non-native English speakers.
No prior subject experience required.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.