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2025-2026 / DROI1272-1

Human Rights Law

Duration

24h Th

Number of credits

 Bachelor in law5 crédits 
 Master in political sciences : general, professional focus in public administration5 crédits 
 Master in law, professional focus in economic and social law5 crédits 
 Master in law, professional focus in public law5 crédits 
 Master in political sciences : general, professional focus in European policies5 crédits 
 Master in law, professional focus in private law5 crédits 
 Master in political sciences : general, professional focus in international relations5 crédits 
 Master in political sciences : general (60 ECTS)5 crédits 
 Extra courses intended for exchange students (Erasmus, ...) (Faculty of Law, Political Science and Criminology)5 crédits 

Lecturer

Christophe Deprez

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course focuses on human rights law. It builds on the basic knowledge that students have already acquired in this field, either directly or indirectly, throughout their curriculum. The approach will be inclusive: for each section of the course, the contribution and the specificities of all spheres of human rights protection (domestic, regional, universal) will be covered. However, particular attention will be given to the Council of Europe (European Convention on Human Rights).

The course will be structured into four major sections:

I.- General introduction

II.- Human rights institutions and mechanisms

III.- Human rights: substantive aspects

IV.- Human rights: procedural aspects.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

By the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of the main institutional, substantive, and procedural mechanisms of human rights protection. They will be able to use these tools in a practical way, in litigation and other contexts comparable to those encountered by professionals working in this field.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

- Basic knowledge of key principles of public international law

- Ability to use English as a working language

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The teaching method for this course will vary.

Lectures will be the basis of sections I, II and IV.

For section III (substantive aspects), students will be invited to familiarise themselves with the relevant human rights and their judicial interpretation in a proactive, self-directed manner. A collective and cooperative approach will be applied, with detailed information provided before the start of the semester.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Additional information:

Course sessions will normally take place on campus. Sessions for section III of the course may however be held online if their format so requires.

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Specific ressources will be provided ahead of the semester in connection with section III of the course.

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- Remote

written exam ( open-ended questions )

Written work / report

Continuous assessment


Further information:

The assessment method will be twofold:

i) The final grade will be mainly determined based on a take-home exam for which students will be invited - by consulting any type of resources they wish - to resolve one or more practical exercises on human rights issues.

ii) A maximum of 20 % of the final grade (i.e. a maximum of 4 points out of 20 - further details will be provided in this respect before the semester begins) may be awarded based on the attendance, participation and/or overall performance in connection with section III of the course described above. For this purpose, students may for instance be asked, in small groups, to present a human rights judgment to the class, or to submit a short paper following collaborative activities with fellow students.

As an alternative, the instructor may offer some students - on a voluntary basis and after being shortlisted - to participate in and be assessed (once again, with a maximum of 4 points out of 20) on the basis of a concrete human rights project. Participation in this form of law clinic cannot be guaranteed and will depend on availability of concrete opportunities arising over the academic year.

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A resit oral exam will be organized in August/September, that will count for 100 % of the final grade.

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Contacts

Christophe Deprez (Christophe.Deprez@uliege.be)

Association of one or more MOOCs