Social Justice and Human Rights, MA
Advocacy, Community, Equality, Equity, Global, Immigration, Justice, Legislation, Policy, Refugees
In communities here and around the world, oppressed people respond in novel and creative ways to contest and transform injustice whenever it may occur. You can gain deeper knowledge to better understand these troubles and work toward solutions.
Students in the Master of Arts program in social justice and human rights explore key topics, such as labor, migration, education and the environment, and the legal, political, historical and cultural frameworks that contextualize them. The program is well suited to those who aim to channel their interests and passions toward ethical responses to social injustice and human rights abuses.
Students may focus on specific issues in international or domestic contexts, including refugee resettlement, immigration and citizenship, human trafficking, racialized violence, and international human rights law and organizations. In theoretically and methodologically rigorous courses taught by experienced faculty from various disciplines, students develop an understanding of how social justice and human rights issues are defined by multiple and intersecting forms of inequality and social identity, including gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality and nationality.
Many students complete internships domestically or internationally; interns typically work alongside other researchers and advocates for social justice to grasp the complexities of the issues and to hone their abilities to work effectively in research and advocacy contexts. Internships may also inform the basis of the culminating experience: a traditional MA thesis, an applied project or a capstone course.
Students gain deeper insight into the theory and practice of social justice, human rights and humanitarian efforts, and they develop practical skills in research and grant writing.
- College/school:
New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
- Location: West Valley or Online
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
30 credit hours and a thesis, or
30 credit hours including the required applied project course (JHR 593), or
30 credit hours including the required capstone course (JHR 549)
Required Core (6 credit hours)
JHR 501 Proseminar in Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
JHR 502 Foundations in Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
Professional Development (3 credit hours)
JHR 506 Grant Writing for Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
JHR 515 Power and Inequality in Academia and Activism (3)
JHR 584 Internship (3)
Research (6 credit hours)
JHR 500 Research Methods (3)
JHR 525 Critical Methodologies in Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
Electives (9 or 12 credit hours)
JHR 503 Gender-based Violence and Sex Trafficking (3)
JHR 504 International Law and Organizations (3)
JHR 505 Migration, Asylum and Refugees (3)
JHR 510 Problem-based Seminar in Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
JHR 540 Critical Humanitarianism (3)
JHR 550 Global Justice (3)
JHR 598 Topic: Global Racial Justice (3)
Culminating Experience (3 or 6 credit hours)
JHR 549 Capstone in Social Justice and Human Rights (3) or
JHR 593 Applied Project (6) or
JHR 599 Thesis (6)
Additional Curriculum Information
Campus students pursuing JHR 593 or JHR 599 complete nine credit hours of electives coursework. All online students and campus students who select JHR 549 Capstone in Social Justice and Human Rights complete 12 credit hours of electives coursework. All students select one course to complete the professional development requirement.
Course availability depends on the semester and modality. Students select professional development and elective courses based on academic and professional interests and course availability. Additional elective courses may be approved by the academic unit.
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.
Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree, in any field, from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate application and application fee
- official transcripts
- statement of purpose
- two letters of recommendation
- an academic writing sample (preferred) or professional writing sample
- resume or curriculum vitae
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
The statement of purpose should be a concise and well-written response to the following prompts:
- Describe your academic or career goals and how a MA degree in social justice and human rights will help you achieve these goals.
- Social justice and human rights is a discipline with a wide variety of topics. Briefly describe what area of social justice and human rights you are most interested in and why.
It is preferred that the letters of recommendation come from faculty members who know the applicant's work well; if this is not possible, letters of recommendation from individuals in supervisory or professional roles are accepted. It is strongly preferred that at least one letter come from a faculty member.
A writing sample is recommended but not required for students applying to the digital immersion program. If the applicant does not meet the minimum GPA requirements, the application may still be considered.
Applicants should see the program website for application deadlines.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
Studying abroad is possible for graduate students. There are more than 50 program opportunities, with programs on every continent.
Faculty-directed programs tend to be the best fit for graduate students. Taking courses with ASU professors over the summer or during academic breaks offers students close mentorship and professional network growth in many fields of study while they earn ASU credit. Exchange program participation is also possible with careful planning.
More information on available programs can be found on the Global Education Office website.
Graduates with a master's degree in social justice and human rights can begin or advance their careers in advocacy work in nonprofit or government agencies, humanitarian work, international law and advocacy, as well as in roles that enable them to address forced migration, trafficking, and gender-based or racialized violence.
Career examples include:
- advocate or lobbyist
- community organizer
- grant writer
- humanitarian aid worker
- policy analyst or researcher
- program officer
- public defender (with further education)
- social justice specialist or consultant
- social service worker
Graduates from this program are well positioned to pursue additional graduate education, such as law school or doctoral programs.
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
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FAB N101
ncgradadvising@asu.edu
602-543-3000
Admission deadlines
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
