Units / LAW4155
LAW4155 · International human rights
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 4Faculty of Law
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
This unit is a general introduction to international human rights law. It is concerned with human rights standards as they exist in international law and the international mechanisms for enforcing these standards. The unit will consider a selection of specific human rights, limitations to human rights (e.g. derogation in time of emergency) and some major contemporary international human rights issues.
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Clayton | Summer semester B | Teaching activities are on-campus and in a block period (ON-BLK) |
| Clayton | Summer semester A | Teaching activities are on-campus and in a block period (ON-BLK) |
Assessment
The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Critical analysis assessment | Written | 40% | — |
| 2 | Written assessment | Written | 60% | — |
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.
Learning outcomes
- Analyse key international human rights standards and evaluate relevant mechanisms for redressing violations of human rights.
- Explain and critically discuss the content of various human rights, by reference to the law of the UN treaty monitoring committees and other human rights courts.
- Investigate and critically evaluate some of the philosophical bases of, and problems with, international human rights law in light of contemporary human rights issues.
- Communicate effectively about human rights law and issues.
Workload
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Workshops | 36 hours |
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