Master in Human Rights and Multi-Level Governance
Padua, Italy
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
02 Feb 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
Oct 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 2,700 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Call one - EU and non-EU students
Key Summary
A course entirely delivered in English, aimed at providing the skills and tools to analyse, evaluate and manage the political, social and economic phenomena of our time and their impact. Taking this course will not just result in acquiring basic knowledge on human rights, children's rights, protection of refugee rights or microfinance for social change, but also being part of an international environment in which research and internship will be key experiences, also thanks to study trips. You may also be eligible to receive a double degree from the Polish University of Wroclaw or the Catholic universities of Lyon and Grenoble Alpes. After graduation, you may work in several fields, ranging from a local PA to international missions, from diplomacy to international organisations.
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.
1st Year
- International Law of Human Rights
- HR in International Politics
- Constitutional Development and Democratisation
- History of Genocides/History of International Organizations/International History of The Balkans
- Economic Globalisation and HR/Statistics for Social Science
- Refugee Human Rights Protection/Women’s Human Rights/ Children’s Rights
2nd Year
- Language of Advocacy
- Microfinance for Social Change/Economics of Human Capital
- Second Language
- Culture, Society and Human Rights/Religions and Human Rights
- Regional Human Rights Systems/European Union Law and Human Rights
- Human Rights and International Justice/Human Rights Practice
- Internship
Characteristics and Objectives
The MA program in Human Rights and Multi-level Governance is a contribution to developing a universal culture of human rights, as highlighted by UNESCO and the United Nations. Accordingly, it has a strong policy- and action-oriented approach. This master's degree is in full continuity with previous post-graduate programs in human rights taught in Italian, which the University of Padua has been delivering since 1988.
The MA aims to develop ad-hoc knowledge and skills to promote and fulfill human rights within the broader context of legal and political processes and multi-level policies. Human rights law, multi-level governance framework, and the concepts of 'human development' and 'human security' are the paradigms of reference throughout the course.
The multi-level approach makes it possible to combine international trends analysis and an in-depth study of local policies. The course's research and lecturing activities reflect the transnational and transcultural dimensions of human rights studies.
Courses, conducted in English, are in seminar form and promote the active participation of students in class. Internships in qualified agencies and supervised research are encouraged. The program includes special modules with the participation of practitioners from European and international organizations and academic institutions. The course encourages study experiences abroad financed under student mobility programs and bilateral agreements. Up to five students of the course can pursue a double degree in International Relations by spending the second year of the Master's Degree at the Polish University of Wroclaw or at Lyon-Catholic University / Grenoble Alpes.
The course promotes extra-curricular education opportunities in cooperation with the Human Rights Centre of Padova University and other non-academic institutions and bodies. Such initiatives include a study trip to the United Nations and European Human Rights bodies.
The Program assists students in finding suitable internship opportunities with qualified governmental and non-governmental institutions, in Italy and abroad.
The MA is aimed at training specialized operators for qualified positions in the field of multi-level governance connected to the implementation of human rights.
Job positions suitable for MA graduates include, among others: human rights officer in international organizations and agencies, in the diplomatic service, and in the local and national public sector; officer in ombudsperson and national institutions for human rights structures; expert staff in electoral observation and human rights monitoring missions; program and field officer of humanitarian aid, democratic institution-building, and technical assistance units; expert staff in any governmental or non-governmental structure implementing public policies on human rights, equal opportunities, non-discrimination, women's and persons with disabilities' rights; project manager of non-governmental organizations' specialized units; expert staff of intercultural mediation agencies; officer in social and consumers' rights advocacy agencies; expert staff of ethical committees; expert personnel of social responsibility units and international relations departments of corporate organizations; journalist and expert in the media sector; staff in research and planning structures of trade unions, political parties, non-profit organizations.