Human rights and Welfare Policies - Master
Postgraduate course
- ECTS credits
- 10
- Teaching semesters
- Autumn
- Course code
- JUS3513
- Number of semesters
- 1
- Teaching language
- English
- Resources
- Schedule
- Reading list
Course description
Objectives and Content
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge
By the end of the course, students are expected to have solid knowledge and understanding of
- human rights law and underpinning values
- notions and significance of universality and relativity
- relationship between different rights
- state obligations, especially related to socio-economic human rights
- core content of rights and state obligations
- the duty of non-discrimination
- negative and positive aspects of rights and state obligations
- conflicting rights and duties in welfare law and policies
- the notion and significance of state´s margin of appreciation
- theories of state´s complying with socio-economic human rights.
Skills
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- explain and discuss the content of central human rights instruments and sources
- identify and apply relevant sources and arguments in human rights assessments of welfare law and policies
- make independent and critical assessments of state´s human rights performance in welfare law and policies
- identify conflicting rights and obligations in welfare law and policies, and to discuss how to balance them
- compare and assess different theories and possible strategies of states to fulfil socio-economic human rights
- contribute to the discussion on how to effectively protect human rights in welfare law and policies
- Cooperate with law students from other countries, and gain perspectives on common legal challenges from students from a legal background different than their own
- Contribute with perspectives from their own country and legal background.
General competence
After successful completion of the course, students should have general competence in:
- human rights law, analysis and communication, especially in the field of socio-economic human rights
- academic legal discourse, presentation and writing skills
- critical thinking and independent legal assessments
- Presenting and evaluating legal analyses and points of view in English, both orally and in writing
ECTS Credits
Level of Study
Semester of Instruction
Place of Instruction
Required Previous Knowledge
Recommended Previous Knowledge
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
Combined with JUS276-2-A Human Rights Law: Special Focus on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, JUS276-2-C Human Rights and Welfare Policies or JUS2313 Human Rights and Welfare Policies - Bachelor this course will generate no new credits.
This course combines well with
JUS250-2-D Velferdsrett
Access to the Course
The course is available for the following students:
- Admitted to the five-year programme in law
- Admitted to the two-year master programme in law
- Admitted to the master's programme in sustainability
- Granted admission to elective courses at the Faculty of Law
- Granted additional right to study following completed master in law degree at UiB
- Exchange students at the Faculty of Law
The pre-requirements may still limit certain students' access to the course
Teaching and learning methods
Lectures, master classes or paper writing seminars with paper presentations.
Master classes look to go one step further than regular lectures - requiring more in-depth and specific preparation (i.e. reading of specific cases, articles, reports etc.), and charging students with responsibility for teaching and learning from each other through the use of flipped classrooms, group and/or individual presentations and debates.
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
Forms of Assessment
The exam consists of two parts:
1. Paper of max 3000 words.
Individually chosen topic, approved by the course supervisor. The paper constitutes 60% of the final grade.
2. Four-hour digital school exam. The school exam constitutes 40% of the final grade.
Information about digital examination.
Exam language
Exam question: English
Answer: English
Grading Scale
Assessment Semester
Autumn
Students who fail the home exam may re-sit this part before the school exam. It is a requirement that the home exam is approved in order to be allowed to sit the school exam.
Students who do not pass the school exam may re-sit in the following semester, provided that the home exam and other mandatory activities have been approved and when the examination result is due to
- legitimate reason for non-attendance (see Section 3-4, paragraph 3 b ii in the Supplementary Regulations)
- failed result
For rules regarding voluntary re-sit, (see Section 3-4, paragraph 1 c.)
Reading List
Course Evaluation
Examination Support Material
Support materials allowed during the school exam
Students may bring their own copy of a bilingual dictionary to/from English and any other language, in one or two volumes.
For further info see section 3-9 of the Supplementary Regulations for Studies at the Faculty of Law at the University of Bergen.
In addition: Course compendium supplied by the Faculty of Law.