Deadline:
July 31, 2025
Location(s)
South Africa
University of Pretoria
Overview
Details
Overview
The LLM/MPhil in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa (HRDA - GC Africa)
is a prestigious and highly competitive programme that aims to equip young professionals and human rights defenders with the necessary skills, knowledge and commitment to advance human rights and democratisation throughout the African continent.
The programme awards 200 credits through a blend of academic instruction and practical training; it involves field visit, internships, and a dissertation component, fostering a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the region.
Programme Structure
– 1st Semester: January to July | University of Pretoria
Students are taught by leading international human rights scholars and practitioners who place emphasis on classroom participation. Courses cover a wide range of topics, including:
- Module 1: Methodology of human rights research and human rights education
- Module 2: Democratisation and globalisation in Africa
- Module 3: International and comparative human rights
- Module 4: Human rights in Africa
- Module 5: Introduction to the South African legal system and Bill of Rights
- Module 6: Human rights in the field
- Language Module: French, English, Portuguese or Arabic
Throughout the first semester, each student is assigned to a ‘clinical group‘ which works on a practical human rights or democratisation issue. Students also undertake study visits and have a week set aside for field work where they in groups or individually investigate a human rights or democratisation issue.
– 2nd Semester: August to December | Member Universities Across Africa
Students are placed at one of the universities in the GC Africa network (ideally not in their sub-region of origin), where they take an elective human rights-related module and further language classes, complete a supervised internship at a local human rights institution, and begin work on their dissertations.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Entry Requirements and Selection Criteria
- University Degree: A law degree allowing access to the legal profession (e.g. LLB or licence en droit) or an Honours degree in a discipline relevant to human rights and democratisation
- Academic Track Record: weighted average of at least 65% at final-year level
- English Language Proficiency: for applicants who did not obtain their qualifications in English: TOEFL, SAT1 or IELTS Test certificate.
- Motivation: demonstrated professional, academic and personal interest in human rights and democratisation in Africa; and an indication that the applicant would be likely to put the qualification to good use in his or her future career, preferably in his or her country of origin (the ‘multiplier effect’)
- Representation: geographical (the programme has a pan-African scope), gender, and equitable representation of persons from vulnerable communities
Maximum Number of Accepted Students: 30
Dates
Deadline: July 31, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
Fees and Scholarships
- US$ 15,000 (approximate cost)
- Up to 25 full scholarships are available for African citizens
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
