Human rights centre

Working in the Human Rights Centre Clinic

A persons arm pushed up against riot shields with police behind them.

Gain experience in real world issues

Working within the Human Rights Centre Clinic is an option for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Participating in our stand-alone projects and our module-based projects and being part of the Clinic gives you a fantastic opportunity to work on real-world issues and for organisations working in the field of human rights. This experience gives you an insight into the world of human rights both from a practical and academic perspective. Through the Clinic, you will learn substantive human rights law, develop professional techniques and explore different models/theories for the effective promotion of human rights.

The work you'll be involved in combines both hands-on practical experience in human rights and classroom study. You'll work in teams with the guidance of a supervisor to investigate and document human rights violations and/or strengthen human rights initiatives, through collaboration with the many partners with which the Clinic works. Our partners include governments, NGOs and international organisations such as Amnesty International and the United Nations.

If you're a student at Essex and you'd like to work in the Human Rights Centre Clinic, you can explore more information about our projects below, including details on how to apply.

Applications for 2022-23 are now closed and will reopen in the summer term.

Students’ work supports prisoners facing Death Row

What should courts consider when deciding whether to impose a death sentence? Essex students undertook vital work, piecing together the complex life stories of prisoners facing Death Row.

Read the article
 

Applying to work in the Human Rights Centre Clinic

Who can apply for module-based projects? 

The module-based projects are open to postgraduate students on the Human Rights Master’s programme (LLM/MA).

If you are selected to work on a module-based project then you will be automatically enrolled on the Human Rights Centre Clinic module. (This is an optional module - course code: HU902).

Browse our postgraduate human rights degrees

How to apply for module-based projects

When can I apply?

If you want to join the module-based projects, applications will reopen in the summer term for 2023-24 entry. For more information, please email humanrightscentreclinic@essex.ac.uk.

What to include in your application

The application should include two attachments:

  • your CV (two pages maximum)
  • a 400-word statement explaining why you want to join the Clinic and what you expect to learn from it. The statement should include your preferred three module-based projects in order of preference. We would do our best to accommodate your choices

Interviews

Interviews usually take place at the start of term. Decisions are communicated following this with an expectation for teams to be placed shortly after.

Important:

  • students taking part in any of the six module-based projects will also need to enrol in HU902 (Spring Term and two sessions in Autumn Term)
  • the process described above applies to module-based projects only, not to stand-alone projects which follow their own application process. Students on stand-alone projects do not need to take HU902
  • students are free to apply to module-based projects and to stand-alone projects at the same time, but note that the module-based projects will require approximately 8-10 hours of your time per week from late October to the end of June on top of the coursework for all other modules. We recommend you do not overstretch your commitments

There are a limited number of places available on module-based projects. Accordingly, all students who wish to participate go through a selection process. If you are a postgraduate student and would like to participate in one of our module-based projects, you will be expected to submit your application first. Should you be successful, you will automatically be registered for the optional module HU902.

 

Explore this year's module-based projects

Who can apply for stand-alone projects?

Stand-alone projects are open to postgraduate human rights students as part of the Human Rights Centre Clinic Module (HU902).

How to apply for stand-alone projects

When can I apply?

If you want to join the module-based projects, applications will reopen in the summer term for 2023-24 entry. For more information, please email humanrightscentreclinic@essex.ac.uk.

What to include in your application

Applications usually require three attachments: a) your CV (two pages maximum), including reference to any foreign language abilities; b) a statement (between 200 and 300 words) explaining why you want to take part in a module-based project and what you expect to learn; and c) a writing sample (max 5 pages - this can be an excerpt from a piece of university work or any other formal writing. It does not need to be written specifically for your chosen module-based project and can concern any topic or discipline. Additionally, it can be in English, French or Spanish).

Interviews

Interviews usually take place via Zoom at the start of term. A decision is communicated following this, with teams expected to be placed shortly after.

 
Important:

  • module-based projects are open to all postgraduate students at the University of Essex from any discipline (it is not restricted to law and human rights students)
  • students on stand-alone projects do not need to take HU902 (but if you still wish to take the module you're welcome to apply)
  • students are free to apply to module-based projects and to stand-alone projects at the same time, but note that the stand-alone project will require 4-6 hours of your time per week from late October to the end of June (and the module-based projects will require approximately 8-10 hours of your time per week from late October to the end of June) on top of the coursework for all other modules. We recommend you do not overstretch your commitments

2022-23 stand-alone project

"An invaluable experience in discovering what it means to be in a truly diverse team with the conflicts and opportunity for learning that it can bring. I believe I came out of it a more rounded human rights advocate"
Elizabeth Mangenje LLM international human rights law: economics relations, 2017
 
 

Module-based projects for 2022-23