Human Rights Studies
Majors:
Minors:
With the Human Rights Studies (HRS) Major and Minor, students receive interdisciplinary instruction in contemporary understandings of justice and equality through legal, historical, philosophical, political, and religious perspectives. Human Rights Studies is a dynamic and evolving field and through our program students are equipped with the practical knowledge and skills needed to respond to the social, economic, technological and political threats to human dignity in the U.S. and abroad.
HRS Major
- A major in human rights studies requires 45 to 57 semester hours of courses in the humanities and the social sciences.
- Given the interdisciplinary nature of this degree program, many students are able to double major.
- HRS is one of the few degree programs that includes a 3-credit hour experiential learning requirement.
- As an HRS Major students have flexibility in choosing three 3-credit hour electives courses from different disciplines to best support individual passions and career goals.
HRS Minor
- A minor in human rights studies consists of 18 semester hours. Six of those credit hours include two elective courses that from different disciplines to best support individual passions and career goals.
FACULTY LISTING
Bachelor of Arts, Human Rights Studies (HRS) minimum 120 hours
The Bachelor of Arts in Human Rights Studies is an integrated pre-professional degree firmly grounded in the traditional liberal arts. Students, faculty, and staff participating in the program enter into it guided by their fundamental commitment to respect and promote the dignity of each human person. The degree is intended to produce intellectually adept students who are capable of performing rigorous research and conducting high quality analysis of critical questions in the area of human rights studies. It is equally intended to produce thoughtful and transformational servant-leaders who will apply the knowledge and skills obtained in the program to contemporary human rights issues and situations both domestically and internationally. Through the integration of liberal and pre-professional education, the interdisciplinary program prepares distinctive graduates who intend to pursue advanced study and training in the field of human rights, or careers in human rights advocacy and humanitarian assistance. Those graduates will possess the values, knowledge and skills necessary for effective public service in:
- Government agencies
- Non-governmental organizations
- International aid agencies
- Non-profit groups in human rights or humanitarian assistance
Courses taken for the major may also count toward completion of the Common Academic Program and the Liberal Studies Curriculum.
The Common Academic Program (CAP) is an innovative curriculum that is the foundation of a University of Dayton education. It is a learning experience that is shared in common among all undergraduate students, regardless of their major. Some CAP requirements must be fulfilled by courses taken at UD. Some major requirements must also be fulfilled by courses taken at UD. Students should consult with their advisor regarding applicability of transfer credit to fulfill CAP and major program requirements.
| Common Academic Program (CAP) 1 | ||
| First-Year Humanities Commons 2 | 6 cr. hrs. | |
| Chaminade Seminar: Reading and Responding to the Signs of the Times | ||
| Marie Thérèse Seminar: Human Dignity and the Common Good | ||
| Second-Year Writing Seminar | 3 cr. hrs. | |
| Oral Communication | 3 cr. hrs. | |
| Mathematics | 3 cr. hrs. | |
| Social Science | 3 cr. hrs. | |
| Arts | 3 cr. hrs. | |
| Natural Science 3 | 4 cr. hrs. | |
| Crossing Boundaries | 9 cr. hrs. | |
Faith Traditions (3 cr. hrs.) | ||
Practical Ethical Action (3 cr. hrs.) | ||
Interdisciplinary Investigations (3 cr. hrs.) 4 | ||
| Advanced Study | 9 cr. hrs. | |
Religious Studies (3 cr. hrs.) | ||
Philosophical Studies (3 cr. hrs.) | ||
Historical Studies (3 cr. hrs.) | ||
| Diversity and Social Justice 5 | 3 cr. hrs. | |
| Major Capstone 6 | 0-6 cr. hrs. | |
| Experiential Learning 7 | 0-3 cr. hrs. | |
| 1 | The credit hours listed reflect what is needed to complete each CAP component. However, they should not be viewed as a cumulative addition to a student's degree requirements because many CAP courses are designed to satisfy more than one CAP component (e.g., Crossing Boundaries and Advanced Studies) and may also satisfy requirements in the student's major. |
| 2 | May be completed with ASI 110 through the Core Program. |
| 3 | Must include a lecture course and an accompanying lab. |
| 4 | New Crossing Boundaries category effective with the 2025-26 Catalog, which incorporates all courses previously approved in the Crossing Boundaries Inquiry or Integrative categories. This new category does not include any restriction that students must take the course outside of their unit or division. |
| 5 | May not double count with First-Year Humanities Commons, Second-Year Writing, Oral Communication, Social Science, or Natural Science CAP components, but may double count with courses taken to satisfy other CAP components and/or courses taken in the student's major. |
| 6 | The course or experience is designed by faculty in each major; it may, or may not, be assigned credit hours. |
| 7 | The course or experience will have variable credit, depending on the intensity and duration of the experience, or where it is housed in existing curricular and co-curricular spaces. |
A liberal studies degree from the University of Dayton is grounded in the institution's Catholic and Marianist tradition, which emphasizes holistic education, community, service, and social justice. The program encourages students to explore a wide range of subjects, integrating knowledge from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and fine arts. Overall, a liberal studies degree from the University of Dayton not only provides a comprehensive educational experience but also instills values that encourage students to contribute positively to society.
The Bachelor of Arts degree requires a minimum of 120 credit hours. All BA students will complete the Liberal Studies Curriculum as part of their degree plan. This Curriculum provides students with a breadth of study and experiences in the humanities, the creative and performing arts, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. It provides a distinct complement to the specialized study in a major and presupposes, builds upon and enhances the University’s Common Academic Program (CAP). No credits may double-count toward CAP or the first major and also the Liberal Studies Curriculum requirements, including the language context course options.
| Liberal Studies Curriculum | ||
| Language Proficiency 1 | 0-9 | |
| Breadth and Depth Requirements 2 | 24 | |
| Breadth: Earn 3 credits in each of the five categories: | ||
Arts | ||
Humanities | ||
Social Sciences | ||
Natural Sciences and Mathematics | ||
CAS Interdisciplinary Programs (options include courses with HRS, WGS, MST, RCE, SEE, DST, and INS prefixes) | ||
| Depth: Take 9 additional credits of CAS courses from any combination of breadth categories | ||
| Total Hours | 24-33 | |
| 1 | Students demonstrate basic practical communication in a language other than English. |
| 2 | No more than 12 of the 24 credit hours may come from 100- or 200-level courses. None of the 24 credit hours may also count toward CAP or the first major. If students take a 3-credit context course toward language proficiency, those credits may count here. |
| Major Requirements 2 | ||
| HRS Core Curriculum | ||
| HRS 200 | Introduction to Human Rights | 3 |
| HRS 497 | Capstone Seminar in Human Rights Studies | 3 |
| POL 333 | Politics of Human Rights | 3 |
| Choose one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Sociology of Human Rights | ||
| Law & Society | ||
| Anthropology of Human Rights | ||
| Choose one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Philosophy & Human Rights | ||
| Faith & Justice | ||
| Faith Traditions: Human Rights | ||
| Choose one course from the following: | ||
| Literature & Human Rights | ||
| History of Human Rights | ||
| Applied Skills (Writing, Communication, & Organization Management)-Choose one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
| Publication Design | ||
| Audio Production | ||
| Fundamentals of Video Production | ||
| Multimedia Design & Production I | ||
| Persuasion | ||
| Argumentation and Advocacy | ||
| Principles of Public Relations | ||
| Health Communication | ||
| Communication & Conflict Management | ||
| Media Writing | ||
| Free Lance Writing | ||
| Scriptwriting for Media Production Platforms | ||
| Writing in Organizations | ||
| Report & Proposal Writing | ||
| Writing for the Web | ||
| Writing for Grants and Non-Profits | ||
| Grantwriting | ||
| Introduction to Legal Research, Writing & Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Accounting | ||
| Introduction to Financial Accounting | ||
| Business Cases and Communications for Non-Business Majors | ||
| Finance for the Common Good | ||
| Survey of Marketing | ||
| Introduction to Public Administration | ||
| Leadership in Nongovernmental Organizations | ||
| Leadership in Building Communities | ||
| Strategic Planning for Nonprofit & Community Organizations | ||
| NGO Management & Development | ||
| Nonprofit Financial Management | ||
| Research Methods - Choose one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Social Research Design | ||
| Political Science Research Methods | ||
| Research Methods | ||
| Historiography | ||
| Latinx and Latin American Studies Theories and Methods | ||
| Indigenous Studies Theories and Methods | ||
| Feminist Theory and Methodology | ||
| Research Methods in Communication | ||
| System Modeling for Sustainability | ||
| Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Human Rights | ||
| Experiential Learning - Choose one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Standing Rock: Sovereignty and Indigenous Rights | ||
| Moral Courage Project | ||
| Service Learning in Women's & Gender Studies | ||
| Community Field Experience | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Directed Research | ||
| Independent Study & Research | ||
| Internship | ||
| Senior Project Capstone | ||
| Leadership in Building Communities | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| HRS Electives - Choose 3 courses from 3 different disciplines: | 9 | |
| CMM | ||
| History and Analysis of Propaganda | ||
| Rhetoric of Social Movements | ||
| Religious Rhetoric | ||
| Dialogue, Power, and Diversity | ||
| DST | ||
| Foundations of Disability Studies | ||
| ENG | ||
| Social Justice & Dramatic Literature | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| Gender and Fiction | ||
| Monsters, Women, Jews: In the Margins of Christendom | ||
| American Indian Literature | ||
| US Prison Literature and Culture | ||
| Asian American Literature | ||
| Colonial & Postcolonial Literature | ||
| Appalachian Literature and Culture | ||
| US Latinx Literature | ||
| Jewish-American Experience in Literature and Film | ||
| Health Literacy and Social Justice | ||
| Theories of Language and Power | ||
| Images of Disability in Literature | ||
| SOC | ||
| Theories of Crime & Justice | ||
| Culture and Power | ||
| Community Practice & Research | ||
| Perspectives on Education and Social Justice | ||
| Law, Harm & Injustice | ||
| Sociology of Extremism | ||
| Youth, Justice & Law | ||
| Racial & Ethnic Relations | ||
| Sex, Crime, and Law | ||
| Social Inequality | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| Sociology of Extremism | ||
| Bioessentialism and Constructions of Bodies | ||
| Immigration & Immigrants | ||
| The Sociology of Civil Rights | ||
| Feminist Social Change | ||
| Food Justice | ||
| ANT | ||
| Culture & Power | ||
| Language & Culture | ||
| Topics in Medical Anthropology | ||
| Place, Culture, and Social Justice | ||
| Immigration & Immigrants | ||
| BIO | ||
| Ecology | ||
| Culture, Biodiversity & Resources Management | ||
| Bioessentialism and Constructions of Bodies | ||
| Global Environmental Biology | ||
| Ecological Restoration | ||
| SWK | ||
| Community Practice & Research | ||
| Social Services in the Health Field | ||
| Mental Health Services | ||
| Law & Human Services | ||
| Social Work & Environmental Justice | ||
| International Social Work | ||
| Advocacy Practice in Social Work | ||
| Health and Inequality | ||
| POL | ||
| Political Issues | ||
| Policy, Administration, & Regulation | ||
| Morality Policy | ||
| Health Policy | ||
| Twentieth-Century Political Thought | ||
| Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia | ||
| Nationalism & Ethnopolitics | ||
| United Nations System: Theory and Practice | ||
| Gender, Women’s Rights and Global Politics | ||
| Media and Democracy | ||
| Disaster Policy & Administration | ||
| The Politics of International Economic Relations | ||
| Human Rights and Development in Africa | ||
| International Law & Organization | ||
| Constitutional Law | ||
| Leadership in Building Communities | ||
| Civil Liberities | ||
| Political Violence | ||
| HST | ||
| Making of the Modern Middle East | ||
| Dangerous Work and Disaster Capitalism | ||
| Age of Democratic Revolutions | ||
| Americans and the Middle East | ||
| History of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict | ||
| History of Africa - 19th Century to the Present | ||
| Gandhi, Non Violence and Resistance around the World | ||
| The European Holocaust | ||
| LGBTQ History: Comparative European and USA | ||
| American Gender & Women's History to 1870 | ||
| History of Women & Gender in the Middle East | ||
| American Urban History | ||
| History of Transnational Feminism | ||
| U.S. Legal & Constitutional History I | ||
| U.S. Legal & Constitutional History II | ||
| History of Displaced Persons | ||
| Global Immigration History | ||
| Native American History | ||
| History of Human Rights in Modern Latin America | ||
| Capitalism and Crisis in History | ||
| Animal History: A Global History of Human-Animal Relations | ||
| Climate History: A Global History of the Human-Climate Interface | ||
| History of South Africa: From Prehistory to Present | ||
| Black Women in America | ||
| African American History before 1877 | ||
| African American History Since 1877 | ||
| REL | ||
| Magic, Medicine, or Miracles: Disability in the Ancient World, the Bible, and Today | ||
| Hst Cath Soc Action | ||
| Faith Traditions and Care for the Earth | ||
| Hinduism | ||
| Eastern Orthodoxy | ||
| Buddhism | ||
| Topics in Judaism | ||
| Islam | ||
| Afro-Latin Religions | ||
| Latino/Latina Religious Experiences | ||
| Peacebuilding | ||
| Liberation Theologies | ||
| Christian Ethics | ||
| The Holocaust: Theological & Religious Responses | ||
| Liberation Theology | ||
| PHL | ||
| Social Philosophy | ||
| Philosophy of Law | ||
| Ethics of War | ||
| Philosophy of Peace | ||
| Philosophy of Punishment | ||
| Genocide, Mass Atrocity and Transitional Justice | ||
| Philosophy & Ecology | ||
| Hip Hop and Philosophy | ||
| Comparative East-West Philosophy | ||
| Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Philosophy | ||
| Radical Philosophy | ||
| Marxist Philosophy | ||
| African Philosophy | ||
| Race, Gender and Philosophy | ||
| Afro-Caribbean Philosophy | ||
| Political Philosophy | ||
| Values & Economics | ||
| Latin American Philosophy | ||
| WGS | ||
| Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies | ||
| Feminist Social Change | ||
| Global South Feminisms | ||
| SEE | ||
| Introduction to Sustainability, Energy & the Environment | ||
| Sustainable Communities | ||
| Earth Systems & Global Climate Change | ||
| Constructions of Place | ||
| Cities and Energy | ||
| Sustainable Goals | ||
| PSY | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Forensic Psychology | ||
| Interviewing & Counseling | ||
| HSS | ||
| Community Nutrition | ||
| Food Justice | ||
| VAR/VAH | ||
| History of Art and Activism | ||
| Visual Ethics | ||
| Art and Social Practice | ||
| History of Photography I | ||
| History of Photography II | ||
| PostColonial and Global Art Histories | ||
| SPN | ||
| Performing Human Rights in Latin/x America | ||
| THR | ||
| Social Justice & Dramatic Literature | ||
| Applied Theatre | ||
| MPA | ||
| Nonprofit & Community Leadership | ||
| CJS | ||
| Comparative Criminal Justice Systems | ||
| Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy | ||
| Restorative Justice | ||
| ECO | ||
| Capitalism, Civil Society and the Common Good | ||
| Economic Development & Growth | ||
| GLC | ||
| Post-Soviet Popular Cultures | ||
| Immigrants, Refugees, and National Images: German-American Relations | ||
| Gender, Sexuality & the Holocaust | ||
| Nazi Cinema and Mass Manipulation in the Third Reich | ||
| The Holocaust in Literature, Film & Culture | ||
| The French-Speaking World through Cinema | ||
| French and Francophone Ecosystems | ||
| Latin/x America and Performing Human Rights | ||
| Haiti : Pearl of The Antilles Then and Now | ||
| HRS | ||
| Genocide, Mass Atrocity and Transitional Justice | ||
| Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy | ||
| Human Rights and Development in Africa | ||
| MUS | ||
| Ethics and American Popular Music | ||
| RCE | ||
| Introduction to Race and Ethnic Studies | ||
| Total Hours | 33 | |
| Breadth | ||
| ASI 150 | Introduction to the University Experience | 1 |
| Total hours to total at least | 120 | |
| 1 | Majors must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by passing a University proficiency examination or by completing a language course at the 141 level or higher with a minimum grade of C in one of the following languages: |
| 2 | May include CAP Components. |
| 3 | The English Literature requirement for the HRS major also satisfies the Literature requirement in the Liberal Studies Curriculum. |
Minor in Human Rights Studies (HRS)
The interdisciplinary minor in Human Rights Studies provides students an opportunity to address issues related to human rights from various disciplinary approaches. The universal nature of human rights issues may directly relate to a major, while in other cases this minor will provide an opportunity for broadening one's exposure to these important topics.
The Human Rights Studies minor requires 18 semester hours. It is recommended that the required course be taken in the sophomore year. Students should consult with the Director of Human Rights Studies to ensure that the courses selected from the elective pool display a significant degree of coherence. Courses taken from this minor may be applied to other minors and to breadth and general education requirements.
A minor in human rights studies consists of 15 semester hours of interdisciplinary instruction focused on contemporary understandings of human dignity, justice, and equality through legal, historical, philosophical, political, social, economic and/or religious perspectives. The minor requires 9 hours of foundational human rights courses and 6 hours of courses that explore the practical application of human rights, 3 of which can be completed through an experiential learning opportunity.
| Human Rights Studies (15 hours) | ||
| Introduction to Human Rights 1 | ||
or HRS 497 | Capstone Seminar in Human Rights Studies | |
| Human Rights Foundations (select two): | 6 | |
| Anthropology of Human Rights | ||
| Literature & Human Rights | ||
| History of Human Rights | ||
| Philosophy & Human Rights | ||
| Politics of Human Rights | ||
| Faith Traditions: Human Rights | ||
| Sociology of Human Rights | ||
| Human Rights Applied (select two): 1 | 6 | |
| CMM 356 | Argumentation and Advocacy | 3 |
| HSS 384 | Food Justice | 3 |
| POL 334 | Politics of Human Rights II | 3 |
| RCE 310 | Standing Rock: Sovereignty and Indigenous Rights | 3 |
| SEE 325 | Sustainable Goals | 3 |
| SWK 370 | Advocacy Practice in Social Work | 3 |
| THR 313 | Social Justice & Dramatic Literature | 3 |
| VAR 350 | Art and Social Practice | 3 |
| WGS 350 | Feminist Social Change | 3 |
| or WGS 351 | Global South Feminisms | |
| 1 | Students can enroll in HRS 497 if they have added the minor in junior or senior year. |
| 2 | Students can also complete 3 credit hours of experiential learning with permission of HRS Director to meet 3 of the 6 hours required in this category. |
Bachelor of Arts, Human Rights Studies
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ASI 150 | 1 | HUM 102 (CAP Humanities Commons) | 3 |
| HUM 101 (CAP Humanities Commons) | 3 | CMM 100 (CAP Oral Communication) | 3 |
| HRS 200 (Or Elective) | 3 | HRS 200 (Or elective if already completed) | 3 |
| CAP Mathematics Course | 3 | CAP Natural Science Course w/ Lab | 4 |
| CAP Arts Course | 3 | Language 141 | 3 |
| Language 101 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENG 200 (CAP Second-Year Writing) | 3 | ANT 325, SOC 326, or SOC 371 | 3 |
| POL 333 | 3 | PHL 371, REL 363, or REL 261 | 3 |
| ENG 346 or HST 390 | 3 | CAP Interdisciplinary Investigations Course | 3 |
| BA Arts Course | 3 | CAP Advanced Philosophical Studies Course | 3 |
| Language 201 or Contextual Course | 3 | Applied Skills Course (HRS Major requirement) | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Research Methods Course (HRS Major requirement) | 3 | Experiential Learning Course (HRS Major requirement) | 3 |
| HRS Major Elective | 3 | HRS Major Elective | 3 |
| BA Natural Science or Math Course | 3 | BA Social Science Course | 3 |
| CAP Social Science Course | 3 | CAP Advanced Religious Studies/Faith Traditions Course | 3 |
| CAP Advanced Historical Studies Course | 3 | CAP Diversity and Social Justice Course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HRS Major Elective | 3 | HRS 497 (Satisfies CAP Major Capstone) | 3 |
| BA Humanities Course | 3 | BA Interdisciplinary Programs Course (other than HRS) | 3 |
| CAP Practical Ethical Action Course | 3 | BA Elective | 3 |
| BA Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| BA Elective | 3 | General Elective | 1-3 |
| 15 | 13-15 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120-122 | |||
Courses
HRS 200. Introduction to Human Rights. 3 Hours
Exploration of the rights of individuals and groups at global, national and local levels. Examination of basic questions about what humans are and what rights are, and a careful consideration of the foundations of rights claims and the myriad of mechanisms for defending and enforcing rights. Investigation into the key social, political, historical, and economic factors that lead to human rights violations and ways in which human rights research methods inform human rights theory and practice.
HRS 329. Genocide, Mass Atrocity and Transitional Justice. 3 Hours
Study of the causes of mass atrocities, the moral and legal challenges involved in responding to them, and the steps individuals can take to raise awareness of these urgent issues.
Prerequisites: PHL 103 or HST 103 or ASI 110 or ASI 120 or equivalent.
HRS 360. Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy. 3 Hours
Exploration of human trafficking at global, national, and local levels with a focus on advocacy and disruption efforts.
HRS 375. Moral Courage Project. 3 Hours
Preparation only for those students selected to engage in the Moral Courage Project, a cohorted program of the UD Human Rights Center. Selected through a competitive process, participating students develop skills and content knowledge in advance of the program’s immersive fieldwork phase, following the semester. Areas of study include foundations of human rights, media studies and narrative storytelling, interviewing and audio production techniques, and subject matter knowledge of a particular human rights event that will be identified for each cycle.
HRS 392. Human Rights and Development in Africa. 3 Hours
Study of human rights and development in Africa. Topics may include racial and other inequalities, poverty, debt, foreign aid, food security, land reform, population, migration and displacement, environment, corruption, and illicit transfer of capital.
HRS 451. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Human Rights. 4 Hours
This course introduces the concepts and implementation of analysis in geographic information systems (GIS), and applies the GIS tool to different human right situations or investigations. This course is cross-listed with GIS 451 and GIS 551.
HRS 497. Capstone Seminar in Human Rights Studies. 3 Hours
Examination and reflection of scholarship and experiential learning activity related to interdisciplinary major. Project and public presentation on a contemporary human rights challenge demonstrating practical wisdom and critical evaluation of our times. Exploration of leadership, advocacy and service opportunities in human rights and humanitarian assistance as vocation.
HRS 498. Independent Study. 1-6 Hours
Research or special readings on problems of interest to the student under the guidance of a Human Rights Studies faculty or staff member. Permission of department chairperson.