HUMR5191 – Human Rights Methodology: Research, Analysis and Thesis Preparation

Course content

The course will give you insight into research methodologies in legal and social sciences relevant for writing a thesis in the field of human rights. It will discuss basic issues and controversies in the conduct of scholarly research, and will offer you necessary tools and guidelines for researching and writing a good scholarly thesis based on independent thinking and sound argument.Students writing their thesis in the field of social sciences should also be given insight in legal methods, and students writing their thesis in the field of law should also be given insight into social science. The course will further allow you to develop and discuss your thesis ideas.

Learning outcome

This course provides insight into research methodologies in the legal and the social sciences as well as the humanities relevant for writing a thesis in the field of human rights. It will also assist the student in refining the thesis project.

After having completed this course the student will have acquired detailed knowledge about:

• The basic features of legal methods and method in international law and how to apply them to human rights problems
• The basic features of the methodological approaches in the humanities and the social sciences and how to apply them
• The basic issues and controversies surrounding scholarly theory and method in international law, the humanities and the social sciences

After having completed this course the student will have the skills to:

• Choose a research strategy that is relevant to and useful for investigating and understanding a human rights issue
• Carry out a legal analysis and/or analysing a human rights problem with the tools offered in the social sciences and the humanities
• Formulating a research question and structure a scholarly thesis accordingly

Having completed this course the student will have the general competence to:

• Participate in academic discussion of research designs
• Reflect on your own research and writing process
• Plan a large-scale project for successful completion
• Deal with data protection and management issues in a responsible manner

Admission to the course

Admission is limited to students undergoing the programme Theory and Practice of Human Rights (master's two years).

Teaching

Lectures and seminars with active student participation. 

Examination

Examination consists of a master thesis research proposal with a maximum of 5000 words. 

Front page, contents page (optional) and bibliography are not included. If footnotes are used in the text (at the bottom of each page), they are included in the word limits. 

Papers that exceed the word limit will not be accepted.

You must familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to exam support materials, and the use of sources and citations. If you violate these rules, you may be suspected of cheating or attempted cheating. You can read about what the university considers cheating, and the consequences of cheating here.

Examination support material

All available exam resources are allowed when answering this exam. Rules for source referencing are crucial for determining whether the use of resources is permitted.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.

Marking criteria: This guide is used by examiners for grading this course.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.