Is the Diploma in Human Rights Studies a law degree?

No. It teaches international human-rights law to a working professional standard, but it is not a qualifying law degree. Students intending to practise as human-rights lawyers in the UK take it alongside or before a qualifying law route.

Does the Diploma in Human Rights Studies cover both international and UK human rights?

International human-rights law is the spine, with attention to the European system (ECtHR, Council of Europe) and to how international frameworks operate in UK law via the Human Rights Act 1998. UK domestic rights litigation sits in specialist legal courses.

Can I study the Diploma in Human Rights Studies online?

Yes. The online route runs tutor-led seminars and case clinics with cohort discussion. Distance students complete the same submission, case analysis and advocacy plan within structured deadlines.

Will the Diploma in Human Rights Studies help me into an NGO job?

It provides a recognised UK credential at Diploma level and a portfolio of applied work — a treaty body submission, a case analysis, an advocacy plan — that an NGO hiring manager will want to see. Sector volunteering alongside the course strengthens any application.

How is the Diploma in Human Rights Studies assessed?

Through continuous coursework, a written treaty-body submission, a case analysis, an advocacy plan and a final reflective portfolio. No closed-book examinations — assessment is built around what working human-rights practice actually requires.

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

Course Overview

The Diploma in Human Rights Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a nine-to-twelve-month UK qualification for students, NGO staff and policy professionals who want a serious grounding in international human-rights frameworks and the practical work of human-rights advocacy. You will study the major treaties, regional systems and treaty-body practice, and produce an applied portfolio that includes a written submission, a case analysis and an advocacy plan.

This Diploma sits between an academic introduction and an MA in human rights law. By the end of the Diploma in Human Rights Studies you can read a treaty body decision critically, draft a credible submission to a UN procedure, and plan an advocacy campaign that respects the people it is meant to serve.

Key Features

International human-rights law core — UDHR, ICCPR, ICESCR, CEDAW, CRC, CAT and regional systems.
Case clinic — close reading of UN treaty body decisions, ECtHR judgments and Special Rapporteur reports.
Advocacy planning module — campaign design, parliamentary engagement, media work, coalition building.
Submission writing workshop — drafting a credible NGO submission to a UN procedure or treaty body.
Three study modes — on-campus in central London, fully online with cohort discussion, or distance learning with deadlines.
Industry-led masterclasses from practitioners at Amnesty International, the UN Association and other UK and international rights organisations.

What You Will Learn

The Diploma in Human Rights Studies is structured around the working practice of someone in an entry-to-mid human-rights role. You graduate able to read the law, follow a case through the international system, and contribute professionally to advocacy and submission work.

International human-rights law — major treaties, customary law, regional systems.
Treaty body practice — periodic review, individual communications, general comments.
The European system — ECtHR procedure, key judgments, Council of Europe mechanisms.
UN special procedures — Special Rapporteurs, Working Groups, Human Rights Council.
Advocacy practice — campaign design, parliamentary engagement, media work.
Submission and report writing — credible NGO submissions, shadow reports.
Migration and refugee law foundations.
Ethics of representation — survivor voice, dignity in communications, do-no-harm.

Who This Diploma Is For

NGO staff in advocacy, policy or programme roles wanting structured human-rights grounding.
Junior civil servants and parliamentary researchers working on rights-adjacent briefs.
Career-changers from journalism, law or community work entering the human-rights sector.
Students planning to top up to a BA or MA in human rights, international relations or law.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the Diploma in Human Rights Studies move into entry and mid-level roles across UK and international rights organisations. Typical first or next roles include:

Programme Assistant (Amnesty International, Liberty, national rights NGO)
Policy Researcher (parliamentary office, public-interest charity)
Advocacy Officer (international NGO, faith-based rights organisation)
Caseworker (immigration advice service, anti-trafficking charity)
Communications Officer (rights-focused publisher, advocacy network)
UN Internship / Junior Professional Officer (with additional qualifications)

The Diploma is the natural prerequisite for our Advanced Diploma in Global Citizenship and BA-level work in Human Rights or Global Studies.

Entry Requirements

Completion of secondary school (A-Levels, BTEC, or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement.
Mature applicants (21+) may apply with two years of relevant work experience.

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.