Program Requirements

The Honours BA in Human Rights and Human Diversity is only available at the Brantford Campus. It consists of 20.0 credits of which no more than 7.0 credits may be at the 100 level.

All students in the program must complete successfully the Foundations curriculum: BF190, BF199, BF290, BF299.

Required Courses (10.0 credits)

1. HR100
2. Human Rights: CT260/HR260 and two of: HR231, HR301/OL301, HR320/YC320, HR321/JN321, CC325/HR325, CC326/HR326, HR329/HS329, HR360
3. Human Diversity: HR261 and one of: HR263, HR355/CT355, HR361, HR365/YC365, HR370/CT370
4. HRHD Professionalization Seminar: HR300
5. Institutions and Implementation: HR323/LY323, HR328
6. Philosophy of Human Rights: HR401
7. Capstone Course: One of: HR402, HR460
8. Methods: CC233/HS233/OL233, and one of: CC315/OL315, CC327, JN334, OL334, OL335
9. 2.0 additional credits of HR-designated courses.
10. 1.5 additional credits composed of additional HR-designated courses and/or selected from among the following: CT403*, EN211, EN280, EN310, FR250, FR251, HI271, HI338, HI349, HI375, HI396, HI397, ID201, OL480*, OL481, PP213, RE212*.

Students should be aware that some of these courses have prerequisites. Although these prerequisites may be waived by the program or department administering the course, it is the responsibility of the student to make such arrangements.

Notes

1. Refer to the University Regulations chapter of the academic calendar for progression and course regulations and the earlier section regarding Regulations for All Honours Programs.
2. HR360 and HR460 are irregular courses. Each topic will be assigned to either the Human Rights or Human Diversity category as appropriate.

The Honours BA Human Rights and Human Diversity (Sussex LLB Stream) enables students who successfully complete its requirements to earn an Honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Laurier and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom (UK) in six years.

Honours BA Human Rights and Human Diversity Component

The Honours BA in Human Rights and Human Diversity is only available at the Brantford Campus. It consists of 20.0 credits of which no more than 7.0 credits may be at the 100 level. A minimum of 10.0 credits are required for the Human Rights and Human Diversity major.

All students in the program must complete successfully the Foundations curriculum: BF190, BF199, BF290, BF299.

Prior to departing for studies at the University of Sussex, students must have completed the 10.0 credits that are listed under Year 1 and Year 2 below. Due to the compacted nature of the Sussex Stream, students are strongly encouraged to pursue their degree in the following manner:

Year 1 Courses (Total 5.0 credits)

• HR100, HR163, HR260;
• BF190, BF199, BF290, BF299;
• 1.5 elective credits.

Year 2 Courses (Total 5.0 credits)

• HR261, HR323, HR328, OL233/CC233/HS233;
• 1.0 credits selected from: HR231, HR301/OL301, HR320/YC320, HR321/JN321, CC325/HR325, CC326/HR326, HR329/HS329, HR360;
• 0.5 credit selected from: HR263, HR355/CT355, HR361, HR365/YC365, HR370/CT370;
• 1.5 additional 200 or 300 level HR credits.

Years 3-5

• Students pursue an LLB at the University of Sussex. Upon successful completion of their LLB, students will be awarded 5.0 transfer credits equivalent to HR300, 1.5 senior HR credits and 3.0 senior elective credits.

Year 6 Courses (Total 5.0 credits)

• HR401, HR402;
• One of: CC315/OL315, OL334, OL335, CC327 (Pending Senate approval), JN334;
• 3.5 additional credits including courses to be offered by Laurier to prepare students to write the National Accreditation exams leading to legal practice in Canada.

Progression Requirements

Progression to Year 2 requires completion of five credits during Year 1 with a minimum cumulative GPA of 7.00 in all Human Rights and Human Diversity courses and a minimum cumulative GPA of 8.00 in all 5.0 credits. All credits taken during Year 1 will be included in the GPA requirements for progression into Year 2. These course and GPA requirements must be achieved by August 31.

To be recommended for application to the Sussex LLB program in year three, students must have maintained a minimum overall GPA of 8.0 (B) over all credits completed over their first three full terms (i.e, minimum 7.5 credits). These course and GPA requirements must be achieved by December 31 of the students’ second year.

Refer to the University Regulations chapter for progression and course regulations and the earlier section regarding Regulations for All Honours Programs.

Application to Sussex

Students will apply to Sussex via the standard Sussex application procedures. Students will apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) for entry. Students will provide Sussex full application documents, including high school and University transcripts, references (Laurier students will submit references on a standardised reference form), and a personal statement, in line with normal admissions procedures. Sussex will consider applications according to its normal procedures. Students will be guaranteed an offer of a place if they meet the progression requirements described above and where students have achieved Sussex's standard English language entrance requirements, where appropriate.

Note: The University of Sussex reserves the right not to provide a guaranteed offer after consideration of any relevant unspent criminal convictions a student may have. Sussex recommends that if students have a conviction, Laurier contact the Admissions Office to discuss this before proceeding further.

Transfer Students into Year 2 (WLU only):
In exceptional cases, first-year students outside of the Sussex BA/LLB Program may apply to transfer into the Program. Admission into the Program is at the sole discretion of the Sussex Admissions Committee. Normally, a student’s application will not be accepted unless the following non-exhaustive conditions are met:

• As of May 1 of the applicant’s first year, the student has completed 5 credits, and;
• The student’s overall GPA is at least 8.0, and at least 7.0 for all courses within the student’s major, and;
• The Program at WLU or at Sussex has space for more students, and;
• The Committee believes that the student will succeed in the Program, according to any evidence it deems relevant.

Inquiries about a transfer into the Honours BA/LLB program should be made through the Academic Advising Centre.
Application for transfer into Year 2 of the Honours BA/LLB program should be made by May 1 by submitting a Program Transfer Request Form

The Combined Honours BA in Human Rights and Human Diversity is only available at the Brantford Campus. It consists of 20.0 credits of which no more than 7.0 credits may be at the 100 level (6.0 credits if it is combined with a Faculty of Arts program).

All students in the program must complete successfully the Foundations curriculum: BF190, BF199, BF290, BF299.

Required Courses (7.5 credits)

1. HR100
2. Human Rights: CT260/HR260 and two of: HR231, HR301/OL301, HR320/YC320, HR321/JN321, CC325/HR325, CC326/HR326, HR329/HS329, HR360
3. Human Diversity: HR261 and one of: HR263, HR355/CT355, HR361, HR365/YC365, HR370/CT370
4. HRHD Professionalization Seminar: HR300
5. Institutions and Implementation: HR323/LY323, HR328
6. Philosophy of Human Rights: HR401
7. Capstone Course: One of: HR402, HR460
8. Methods: CC233/HS233/OL233
9. 0.5 additional credit of HR-designated courses.
10. 1.0 additional credit composed of additional HR-designated courses and/or selected from among the following: EN211, EN280, EN310, FR250, FR251, HI271, HI338, HI349, HI375, HI396, HI397, ID201, OL480*, OL481, PP213, RE212*.

Students should be aware that some of these courses have prerequisites; not all will be offered at the Brantford Campus, and some may require prior permission of the Faculty of Arts. Although these prerequisites may be waived by the program or department administering the course, it is the responsibility of the student to make such arrangements.

Notes

1. Refer to the University Regulations chapter for progression and course regulations and the earlier section regarding Regulations for All Honours Programs.
2. HR360 and HR460 are irregular courses. Each topic will be assigned to either the Human Rights or Human Diversity category as appropriate.

Senate/Editorial Changes

Senate Addition April 13, 2016: Course additions; effective Sept. 1, 2016.

Many students are interested in Human Rights and Human Diversity (HRHD) because they intend to positively impact on the world through careers in the field of international development. The Specialization in International Development is intended to enable Honours Human Rights and Human Diversity students to develop knowledge and skills that, when combined with the Honours BA in HRHD, will prepare them to assume entry-level positions with international development organizations or to pursue their education further in postgraduate programs in international development. Completion of the specialization will result in a “International Development Specialization” designation appearing on students’ official university transcripts. Students who complete the HRHD Specialization in International Development cannot also receive credit for the International Development Option.

All HRHD majors are eligible to apply to have a specialization or specializations (two maximum) added to their Honours major beginning in Year 2 of their program. To do so, students must complete and submit the appropriate program selection form. After a student’s eligibility has been confirmed, the specialization(s) will be added to their program.

To graduate with this specialization, students must:

1. Complete the requirements of the HRHD Honours BA or Honours BA in Combination with another Honours BA Program; and
2. Complete the courses described below.

Where applicable, the courses described below may also be counted towards the requirements of the Human Rights and Human Diversity BA and BA in Combination with another Honours BA program.

Required Courses (2.0 credits)

• EC140 - Introduction to Macroeconomics
• HR163 - Introduction to International Development
• HR263 - The Developing World
• HR301/OL301 - Development Theories, Strategies and Issues

Elective Courses (1.0 credit)

Additional credits chosen from the following list of elective courses. Students should be aware that some of these courses have prerequisites and not all will be offered at the Brantford Campus. Although these prerequisites may be waived by the program or department administering the course, it is the responsibility of the student to make such arrangements.

• CC325/HR325 - Crimes Against Humanity
• CC326/HR326 - Transitional Justice
• CT203/HS203 - Disease and Society
• EC120 - Introduction to Microeconomics
• FR150 - Practical French I or FR250 - Language through Popular Culture I, or SP101 - Introduction to Spanish I [or similar university course in other international languages-consult program co-ordinator for approval]
• HR223/JN223 - Understanding Public Policy for Issue Advocacy
• HR231 - Human Rights and the Environment
• HR232 - Women, Rights, and Equality
• HR320/YC320 - Children's Rights
• HR322/OL322 - Non-Governmental Organizations
• HR329/HS329 - Global Health and Social Justice
• HR391 - Canadian Internship/Field Placement
• HR392 - International Internship/Field Placement
• HR394* - Extended International Internship/Field Placement
• JN327/MX327 - Social Documentary
• OL251/HR251 - Workplace Diversity in the 21st Century

Senate/Editorial Changes

Senate Addition April 13, 2016: New Specialization; effective Sept. 1, 2016.

Many students are interested in Human Rights and Human Diversity (HRHD) because they intend to positively impact on the world through careers in the non-profit sector. The Specialization in Non-Profit Career Skills is intended to enable Honours Human Rights and Human Diversity students to develop career-relevant transferrable skills that will be valuable to them both in obtaining positions and progressing within this sector.

Completion of the specialization will result in a “Non-Profit Career Skills Specialization” designation appearing on students’ official university transcripts.

All HRHD majors are eligible to apply to have a specialization or specializations (two maximum) added to their Honours major beginning in Year 2 of their program. To do so, students must complete and submit the appropriate program selection form. After a student’s eligibility has been confirmed, the specialization(s) will be added to their program.

To graduate with this specialization, students must:

1. Complete the requirements of the HRHD Honours BA or Honours BA in Combination with another Honours BA Program; and
2. Complete the courses described below.

Where applicable, the courses described below may also be counted towards the requirements of the Human Rights and Human Diversity BA and BA in Combination with another Honours BA program.

Students must complete all of the following courses (2.0 credits).

• HR322/OL322 - Non-Governmental Organizations
• HR305 - Fundraising
• HR306 - Human Rights Education
• MB207 - Introduction to Financial Accounting or BU127 - Introduction to Financial Accounting

Students must complete at least two courses selected from among the following courses (1.0 credit).

• CC315/OL315 - Evaluation Research
• HR223/JN223 - Understanding Public Policy for Issue Advocacy
• HR312/JN312 - Advocacy Journalism: Principles and Practice
• HR252/JN252 - Designing Digital and Social Media
• OL251/HR251 - Workplace Diversity in the 21st Century
• OL370 - Power and Governance in Organizations
• HR391 - Canadian Internship/Field Placement
• HR392 - International Internship/Field Placement
• HR394* - Extended International Internship/Field Placement
• MB105 - Business in a Networked Society
• OL481 - Project Management

Senate/Editorial Changes

Senate Addition April 13, 2016: New Specialization; effective Sept. 1, 2016.

The minor consists of 3.0 credits: CT260/HR260 and an additional 2.5 credits in HR-designated courses. (HR-designated courses include courses in other programs that are cross-listed with HR courses.)

Notes

1. BSW students may also count SK311 as a 0.5 credit of the additional 2.5 credits.
2. No more than 1.0 irregular credit may be counted toward a general degree (only students admitted prior to Sept 1, 2007), and no more than 3.0 toward an honours degree.
3. HR360 and HR460 are irregular courses. Each topic will be assigned to either the Human Rights or Human Diversity category as appropriate.
4. Refer also to the Regulations Governing Minors.

If you are a Human Rights and Human Diversity (HRHD) major at Laurier Brantford, Foundations courses are part of your program requirements. You cannot graduate without finishing the four Foundations courses.

Because the following two courses are the most directly relevant to the HRHD program, we strongly recommend that you complete them in your first year. Senior-level HRHD courses may expect you to be familiar with the material covered in these courses.

• BF190: Modernity and the Contemporary World: This course and its successor, BF199, will help you contextualize the discussions that you will encounter in your HRHD classes, and will give you the intellectual background to form stronger arguments.
• BF290: Academic Literacy: Social Sciences: HRHD requires your ability to process information from all areas and bring it to bear on the literary text in question. The ability to engage texts dealing with human rights and human development with scholarship from the social sciences will make you a more versatile and ultimately more successful student.

The skills and knowledge covered in the following courses are also highly relevant to HRHD. If it weren’t for the fact that we’d like you to take lots of electives in first year, we’d encourage you to take these in first year as well, so we strongly recommend you take them by the end of your second year.

• BF199: Critiques of Modernity: This course, the successor to BF190, will also provide essential context for the discussions that you will encounter in your HRHD classes, especially those dealing with texts written since the beginning of the 20th century.
• BF299: Academic Literacy: Humanities: This course will help you read more carefully, analyze texts more precisely, discern and form better arguments, and write clearer, sharper, better organized essays.