The Global Campus of Human Rights
European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation (EMA)
Venice, Italy
Master degree
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 6,300 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* (plus enrolment fee of 150 euro)
Key Summary
The European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation (EMA) is an intensive one-year course aimed at educating 90 professionals in the field of human rights and democratisation.
The Master’s Degree is also an action and policy-oriented approach to learning that combines legal, political, historical, anthropological, and philosophical perspectives with skill-building activities, and in-depth study of the following areas: Human Rights Institutions, Mechanisms and Standards; Human Rights in Context: Historical, Philosophical, Religious and Anthropological Perspectives; Globalisation, Development and Human Rights; Building and Protecting Democracy; Human Rights, Peace and Security.
EMA provides the foundation for a successful career in national, international, governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations, as well as academic institutions dealing with human rights and democratisation.
EMA is both a residential and an exchange programme. The first semester from September to January is organised at the Global Campus Headquarters in Venice and the second semester from February to July takes place in one of the 43 participating universities within the member states of the European Union plus the UK and Switzerland.
After graduation EMAlumni can be found worldwide in key international human rights organisations and academic institutions, but also in field missions or in their home country working for their Ministries of Foreign Affairs, development cooperation agencies, or national NGOs.
EMA is one of seven Regional Master’s Programmes organised by the Global Campus of Human Rights - a unique network of more than one hundred universities around the world seeking to advance human rights and democracy through regional and global cooperation for education and research.
The academic year of the European Master's Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation (EMA) is divided into the following components:
- First Semester – September to January in Venice, Italy (worth 50% of the total mark, equivalent to 30 ECTS credits)
- Second Semester – February to July in one of the 43 participating universities located throughout the European Union plus the UK and Switzerland (worth 15% of the total mark, equivalent to 9 ECTS credits)
- Thesis – research and thesis submission at one of the participating universities, graduation in September/October in Venice, Italy (worth 35% of the total mark, equivalent to 21 ECTS credits)
EMA’s academic excellence in teaching, research and practical training is a testament to the spirit shared by professors, experts, students and staff: genuine dedication to the advancement of global values and human dignity through inter-university cooperation, interdisciplinarity and an action-oriented approach. In order to achieve these aims, the programme successfully combines two objectives: on the one hand, to provide a solid theoretical preparation and, on the other hand, to offer a good understanding of the operational requirements and challenges of practical work.
Specifically, EMA was established with the following aims:
- To educate high-level professionals in the field of human rights and democratisation qualified to work as academics, staff members or field workers for inter-governmental, governmental, and non-governmental organisations;
- To provide its graduates with both a solid theoretical understanding of issues related to human rights and democratisation and with operational skills enabling them to perform practical work in this area;
- To create and maintain a European network of curriculum development and staff exchange among universities in the field of human rights and democratisation.
The growing number of EMA graduates (more than 2000 so far) and their careers reflect the far-reaching impact of EMA: a source of inspiration and the creator of a community of competent specialists working in the field of human rights and democratisation at the local, regional, national, international level both in the governmental and non-governmental sectors as well as in academia.
The Global Campus of Human Rights does not offer full scholarships. However, there is a total of 9 partial scholarships available for qualified candidates. All scholarships include a full tuition waiver and a modest stipend of €4500,00 as a contribution toward living expenses. This stipend is paid in two instalments: the first half mid-way through the first semester, and the second half at the beginning of the second semester providing that the student has successfully completed the first semester.
Candidates who wish to apply for these scholarships should specify it in the online application form, to be submitted according to the deadline for applications. It is only possible to apply for one type of scholarship.
Deadline for scholarship applications: 1/02/2026
The majority of EMA graduates work with human rights organisations (governmental and non-governmental, international and national) both at their headquarters and in field missions (e.g. electoral observation, human rights monitoring, international cooperation projects). A number of graduates are also involved in human rights-related activities with their Ministries of Foreign Affairs or are seconded by them to work for international institutions. Some graduates pursue further academic study and research and a some have become the representatives of EMA participating universities.
The Global Campus itself has facilitated the entry of its graduates into the human rights job market through the EMA Internship Programme: every year the EMA programme, with the support of the European Union, offers a paid internship in the field of human rights to the 15 graduates who achieved the highest results during their academic year. These internships in inter-governmental, governmental and non-governmental organisations give the selected graduates an opportunity to immediately put into practice the knowledge acquired during the course.
Our added value
EMA has a diverse faculty of around 70 academics from European and non-European universities as well as experts from international IGOs and NGOs; a multicultural group of students from dozens of countries across the world; and extra-curricular online and in-person activities with students from other GC Master’s programmes hosted in one of the Global Campus regional headquarters.
Together our 43 participating universities and associated institutions are able to present rich and varied perspectives on human rights and democratisation that no single department or faculty can offer. The EMA programme also attracts students from all over the world, from different academic disciplines and varied professional backgrounds. This creates a dynamic learning environment and a unique opportunity for informal, peer-to-peer learning. Our graduates are also connected to a thriving EMA alumni community of professionals who work on human rights and democratisation issues across Europe and the world.
As a mark of our success in inter-university cooperation the EMA programme was accredited through the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes in 2025. This approach defines the European standard for joint degrees that are based on the agreed tools of the European Higher Education Area. Led by Ruhr University Bochum, this positive accreditation decision is strong evidence of the high quality of the EMA programme and its basis in inter-university cooperation which has been developed over the course of nearly 30 years of delivering postgraduate human rights education.