King's University College

Bachelor of Arts in Human Rights Studies

Human Rights are predicated upon the belief that every human being deserves to be treated with equal dignity and that every person has inherent value. Even though we say that everyone is entitled to these basic rights and freedoms, many individuals and groups in Canada and around the world still are systematically deprived of these rights, often by powerful actors like governments and industry. There is an urgent need to understand what human rights are, where they come from, and how they can be used today to protect vulnerable individuals and groups from powerful institutions and actors. The Human Rights Studies program at King's interrogates how we fulfill these ideals but also how we fail to do so in different times and places. It equips students with the intellectual and practical skills they need to explore, understand, and act to become protagonists in the equal granting of all human beings the status and the rights associated with their being. Your experiences in studying Human Rights at King’s will prepare you to recognize and understand the variety of rights violations you will encounter throughout your lifetime. Students engage with expert faculty and practitioners on a wide range of topics related to the origins and development of human rights and to their contemporary application in various fields of study and practice, including law, education, journalism, humanitarian relief, and law enforcement. Across any discipline, the ability to fulfill your mandate in all areas of service to humanity will be enhanced by the knowledge, skills, and experience you will acquire in this area of study.