Democracy and Human Rights
The Muwatin Institute for the Study of Democracy and Human Rights offers a program of study leading to the MA degree in Democracy and Human Rights. The Program seeks to develop interdisciplinary research and study skills, and knowledge production and innovation related to the development of a more democratic public sphere in Palestine and the world, with a focus on the protection of human rights and human dignity. Develop a national emancipatory understanding and practice related to the questions of democracy and human rights.
The Program addresses itself to students who are interested in any aspect of Democracy and Human Rights, including educators (schools, institutes, and universities), workers in government and civil society organizations, and academic researchers interested in democracy and human rights issues.
The M.A Program in Democracy and Human Rights
The training of experts in various areas including: teaching democracy and human rights, working on question of democracy and human rights in various sectors, and knowledge production on issues of democracy and human rights, and contributing to the building and consolidation of democracy and the respect and protection of human rights, and fostering social justice.
- Capable graduates, who can contribute to building and consolidating democratic societies that respect and protect human rights and human dignity.
- Interdisciplinary academic research oriented towards contributing to achieving a better life for Palestinians through developing democratic structures and the respect of human rights.
Education sector (schools, institutes and universities), civil society organizations, the public sector, international organizations, and all institutions that need personnel with knowledge in issues of democracy and human rights.
- Accepted applicants are expected to sit for an English language test whose result will determine whether the applicant needs to take a remedial course of 3 credit hours in the English language. The remedial course must be taken before the third semester of enrolment in the Program, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the School of Graduate Studies at Birzeit University
- In order to graduate, a student must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours distributed as follows:
- Compulsory courses: completion of 16 credit hours.
- Elective courses: students must complete 14 credit hours: Choice of electives must comply with requirements and restrictions indicated below.
- Completion of 6 credits in the form a thesis Track “A”, or as two research seminars for Track “B”.
List of Courses, Requirements and Restrictions Applicable to Programme Students
|
Type of Course |
Course No. |
Course Title |
Requirements and Restrictions |
Prerequisite(s) |
|
Remedial Courses |
English Language for Studying Social Sciences |
Required as per results of examination |
|
|
|
Advanced Introduction to Social Sciences |
Required as per letter of admission |
|
||
|
Using the Library, Data bases, Search Engines, and Scientific Documentation |
|
|
||
|
Critical Reading and review of Literature |
|
|
||
|
Scientific Writing and Argument Construction |
|
|
||
|
Research Proposal Writing |
|
|
||
|
Field Work |
|
|
||
|
Quantitative Analysis |
|
|
||
|
Required Courses (16 Credit Hours) |
Democracy in Theory and Practice |
Required 6 hours |
|
|
|
Human Rights in Theory and Practice |
||||
|
Introduction to Studying and Researching Interdisciplinary Issues in Social Sciences |
Required 3 hours |
|||
|
Issues of Transitions to Democracy |
Required 3 hours |
|||
|
History of Democracy |
||||
|
International Human Rights Law |
Required 3 hours |
|||
|
International, Regional, and National Mechanisms for the Protection of Human Rights |
||||
|
Internship (practicum) |
Required 1 hour |
Program consent |
||
|
Documentation of Violations (practicum) |
Program consent |
|||
|
Strategic Planning |
Program consent |
|||
|
Managing Campaigns and Activities |
Program consent |
|||
|
Elective Courses (14 Credit Hours) |
Theories of Rights and Human Rights |
|
||
|
Democracy and Social Justice |
|
|||
|
Democracy and the Deconstruction of Hegemonic Structures |
|
|||
|
Political Theories and the Sources of Legitimacy |
|
|||
|
Democracy and the Questions of Identity, Culture and History |
|
|||
|
Civil Society |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Democracy, Human Rights, and Globalization |
|
|||
|
Democracy and Human Rights in Education |
|
|||
|
The Legislative Process |
|
|||
|
Basics of International Criminal Law |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Basics of International Humanitarian Law |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Basics of International Humanitarian and Criminal Law and the Palestinian Cause |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Democracy as an Interest and a Value |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Democracy and Citizenship |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Democracy, International Relations, and the World Order |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Political Parties in Palestine |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Palestinian Civil Society Organizations |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Refugee Rights |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Human Rights and Current Laws in Palestine |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Interaction with Current Debates in The Field |
|
|
||
|
Issues of Democracy and Human Rights Under Occupation |
|
|||
|
The Condition of Human Rights in Palestine |
|
|||
|
Interaction With Current Debates In The Field |
|
|
||
|
Current Issues |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Critiques of Democracy and Human Rights |
|
Completion of required courses or Program consent |
||
|
Democracy and Political Transformations in the Global South |
|
Completion of required courses or Program consent |
||
|
Democracy and Human Rights in Contemporary Arab and Islamic Thought |
|
Completion of required courses or Program consent |
||
|
Human Dignity, Democracy, and Human Rights |
|
Completion of required courses or Program consent |
||
|
The Philosophy of Human Rights |
|
Completion of required courses or Program consent |
||
|
Arab State, Revolution, and Political Transformation |
|
Completion of required courses or Program consent |
||
|
Hegemony, Democracy, and Human Rights in the World and in Palestine |
|
Completion of required courses or Program consent |
||
|
|
Selected Conceptions of Democracy and Human Rights |
|
Program consent |
|
|
Selected Models of Human Rights Practices |
|
Program consent |
||
|
Selected Models of Democratic Practice |
|
Program consent |
||
|
|
Contemporary Issues |
|
Program consent |
|
|
|
Special Topic |
|
Program consent |
|
|
Requirements for Graduation in Track “A” |
Thesis |
Required 6 hours |
Completion of required courses and Program consent |
|
|
Requirements for Graduation in Track “B” |
Seminar 1 (in Democracy) |
|||
|
Seminar 2 (in Human Rights) |
Admission Requirements
- Applicants are expected to have a specialization that falls within Humanities, Social Sciences or Law. Applicants from other disciplines may be considered. Program Council reviews applications and may require completion of (no more than) 6 credit hours (90 hours of class meetings) in remedial course work which the Council will specify. Remedial course credit hours do not count towards graduation.
- Interviews shall be required in cases where the Program Committee deems necessary. Applicants may be asked to write an essay in lieu of the interview. Nature and specifications of the essay will be determined by the Committee.
Continuation Requirements
Accepted applicants are expected to sit for an English language test whose result will determine whether the applicant needs to take a remedial course of 3 CH in the English language. The remedial course must be taken before the third semester of enrolment in the Program, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the School of Graduate Studies at Birzeit University
Choice of Track “A” or “B”
Students must choose between a Thesis Track (Track “A”) which requires writing a graduation thesis, and a non-Thesis Track (Track “B”) which requires taking additional courses in lieu of writing a thesis. Students must indicate their choice by applying for either Track “A” or “B”. Applications will be approved by Program Committee on the basis of student aptitude and enrolment capacity in each Track. Change of Track is subject to relevant rules and regulations of the School of Graduate Studies.
Graduation Requirements
In order to graduate, a student must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours distributed as follows.
- Required courses: 6311, 6312, 6313, 6321 or 6322, 6331or 6332.
- Elective courses: students must complete 15 credit hours: (6161-6184), 6190, (6351-6359), (7120-7190), (7311-7317), 7390. Choice of electives must comply with requirements and restrictions indicated below.
- Completion of 6 credits in the form a thesis, Track “A” (Thesis 8600), or as two research seminars for Track “B” (8302, 8301).
