2016-2017 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Minor in Human Rights
Human rights have become the moral language of today in fields as disparate as philosophy, international politics and health care, as well as other service professions. This program provides students with both intellectual and practical opportunities to engage with human rights in preparation for encountering a wide variety of twenty-first century political issues, social problems, and employment opportunities.
The human rights curriculum is distinctively interdisciplinary, mirroring the world of human rights today. Completing the minor will equip students with key concepts and opportunities within this world, such as:
- The political, philosophical and legal development of human rights concepts within academic scholarship and political practice
- The role of human rights in international relations and law
- The growth of human rights institutions, courts, tribunals, and the emergence of human rights law as a profession
- The explosive growth of humanitarian organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) dedicated to human rights activism and practice.
- The incorporation of human rights concerns in the corporate world regarding job relocation, human resources, and international investment.
Admission Requirements
Anyone admitted to GVSU as a degree-seeking student can declare the human rights minor.
Minor Requirements
Students must complete 19 credits, including the introductory and capstone courses, two courses from the core course lists, and three additional elective courses. A maximum of 3 of the core and elective courses may be from the same prefix.
Required Courses: 4 credits
- HRT 105 / PLS 105 - Introduction to Human Rights Credits: 3 OR HNR 263 - Theory and Practice of Rights I (3 credits)
- HRT 450 - Reflection on Human Rights Credits: 1
Core Courses: 6 credits
Take two courses (3 credits each), one each from core courses list A and B; each course must have a different prefix.
Core List A (choose 1 course)
- CJ 325 - Criminal Justice and Human Rights Credits: 3
- HST 378 - Contesting Human Rights Credits: 3
- HRT 316 / PLS 316 - Human Rights in International Politics Credits: 3
- HRT 319 / HST 319 / LIB 319 - Human Traffic and Trafficking Credits: 3
Core List B (choose 1 course)
- AAA 341 - Civil Conflicts in Africa Credits: 3
- HRT 320 / LIB 320 - Voices of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States Credits: 3
- HRT 335 / PLS 335 - Theory of Human Rights Credits: 3
- PLS 240 / HNR 231 - The Holocaust Credits: 3
Elective Courses: 9 credits
Take three courses (3 credits each) from elective courses list, with no more than two courses from a single major/designator. Courses from core courses lists A and B may also be counted as elective courses, but a single course may not count both as a core course and an elective.
- AAA 319 - African Politics Credits: 3
- AAA 352 - Black Women's Cultures and Communities Credits: 3
- ANT 345 - Perspectives on Globalization Credits: 3
- ANT 370 - Crosscultural Perspectives on Gender Credits: 3
- CLA 367 - Thinking Like a (Roman) Lawyer Credits: 3
- CJ 305 - Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties Credits: 3
- CJ 320 - Crimes Against Women Credits: 3
- CJ 482 - Culture, Crime and Justice Credits: 3
- ECO 350 - Economics of Gender Credits: 3
- ENG 335 - Literature of American Minorities Credits: 3
- ENG 336 - Lesbian, Gay and Queer Literature Credits: 3
- ENG 392 - Language and Power Credits: 3
- GPY 335 - Globalization and Development Credits: 3
- GPY 351 - Geography of Africa Credits: 3
- HNR 334 - Sex, Power, and Politics Credits: 3
HRT 380 - Special Topics in Human Rights Credits: 1-3
- HRT 389 - Study Abroad in Human Rights Credits: 3
HRT 399 - Independent Study in Human Rights Credits: 1-3
- HRT 490 - Internship in Human Rights Credits: 3
HRT 499 - Independent Research/Thesis Credits: 1-3
- HST 316 - U.S. Civil Rights Movement History Credits: 3
- HST 318 - History of Democracy in America Credits: 3
- HST 332 - Emergence of Modern India and South Asia Credits: 3
- HST 333 - Modern China Credits: 3
- HST 336 - Africa After 1870 Credits: 3
- HST 371 - Historical Perspectives on Gender and Sexualities Credits: 3
- HST 386 - 20th Century Europe Credits: 3
- IDS 350 - Civil Discourse Credits: 3
- LS 370 - Women and the Law Credits: 3
- LIB 325 - LGBTQ Identities Credits: 3
- LIB 342 - Food Matters Credits: 3
- LIB 350 - The Immigrant Experience in the U.S. Credits: 3
- MES 370 - Contemporary Issues in the Middle East: The Model Arab League Credits: 3
- PHI 320 - Social and Political Philosophy: Liberty and Justice Credits: 3
- PHI 370 - Sex Matters: Feminist Philosophy in the Contemporary World Credits: 3
- PLS 302 - Women, Politics, and Public Policy Credits: 3
- PLS 319 - African Politics Credits: 3
- PLS 334 - Sex, Power, and Politics Credits: 3
- PLS 338 - Citizenship Credits: 3
- SOC 313 - Race and Ethnicity Credits: 3
- SOC 315 - Social Class Inequality Credits: 3
- SOC 317 - Sociology of Gender Credits: 3
- SOC 318 - Sociology of Sexuality Credits: 3
- SOC 333 - Sociology of The Civil Rights Movement Credits: 3
- SOC 350 - Family and Gender in the Developing World Credits: 3
- WGS 302 - Women, Politics, and Public Policy Credits: 3
- WGS 310 - Sexual Orientation and the Law Credits: 3
- WGS 317 - Sociology of Gender Credits: 3
- WGS 318 - Sociology of Sexuality Credits: 3
- WGS 320 - Crimes Against Women Credits: 3
- WGS 334 - Sex, Power, and Politics Credits: 3
- WGS 336 - Lesbian, Gay and Queer Literature Credits: 3
- WGS 350 - Family and Gender in the Developing World Credits: 3
- WGS 352 - Black Women's Cultures and Communities Credits: 3
- WGS 370 - Women and the Law Credits: 3
- WGS 371 - Historical Perspectives on Gender and Sexualities Credits: 3