Human Rights
Master of Laws (LL.M.)
Where Science meets Practice
The LL.M. program “Human Rights” provides you with a comprehensive academic and practical understanding of the principles, systems, and challenges of human rights protection. As a one-year, hybrid program taught entirely in English, it offers a structured combination of legal theory, methodological skills, and applied perspectives. You develop a solid understanding of human rights frameworks, institutions, and enforcement mechanisms while working with instructors from academia and practice.
Designed for participants with diverse educational backgrounds, the program welcomes both lawyers and non-lawyers. You gain insight into legal reasoning, explore current human rights issues such as technological developments, and participate in interactive teaching formats. The Moot Court allows you to train legal argumentation in simulated court proceedings. Upon graduation, you are equipped to integrate human rights considerations into your professional work in public administration, international organizations, NGOs, academia, or the private sector.
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Michael Lysander FremuthWe are proud to have the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights as a program partner, ensuring a perfect combination of academic excellence and practical skills.
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael Lysander Fremuth, Academic Director
News
Events
Here you can find all upcoming events of the program. Feel free to check back regularly for the latest updates.
Occupational Fields and Careers
As a graduate of the LL.M. program “Human Rights”, you can work in a wide range of professional fields. You develop the legal and analytical skills to address human rights issues in complex institutional environments and contribute to responsible decision-making in public, private, and civil society contexts.
Typical career paths include positions in international organizations, NGOs, ministries, diplomatic services, research institutions, and legal practice. You strengthen your ability to interpret human rights norms, assess violations, and use legal tools in advocacy, strategic litigation, or organizational compliance.
Modules
You follow a structured study path that combines theoretical foundations with practical skills. You complete either an Introduction to Legal Studies module (mandatory for non-lawyers) at the beginning of the program or a Moot Court module (mandatory for lawyers) in the summer semester. If your educational background does not clearly match either option, the decision which of the two alternative compulsory modules to attend is subject to prior permission by the academic director.
This module provides essential legal concepts and methods for participants without a background in law. You learn how legal systems work, how to read legal texts, and how to apply basic reasoning in human rights contexts.
Courses:
- Introduction to Legal Studies for Non-Lawyers
- Introduction to Legal Studies for Non-Lawyers – Application and Exercises
This module trains legal argumentation and case analysis in a court-like simulation. You work with human rights cases, prepare submissions, and develop persuasive legal reasoning.
Course:
- Moot Court
You explore the foundations, legal sources, interpretation methods, and enforcement mechanisms of human rights. This module strengthens your analytical understanding of how human rights norms emerge and operate.
Courses:
- Definition, History, Justification and Dimensions of Human Rights
- Human Rights and the Law: Legal Sources, Methodology and Interpretation
- Human Rights: Monitoring and Enforcement Mechanisms
- Assessing Human Rights Violations, Filing Human Rights Complaints and Strategic Litigation
You examine human rights systems at national, regional, and international levels. This module shows how different institutions interact and how the principle of subsidiarity shapes protection mechanisms.
Courses:
- The Nation-State as Basic Unit for the Protection of Human Rights and the Principle of Subsidiarity
- UN Human Rights Systems and Mechanisms
- Regional Human Rights Systems
This module focuses on substantive rights and contemporary issues affecting human rights protection today. You work with cases involving vulnerable groups and emerging global issues.
Courses:
- Human Rights Generations and Dimensions
- Persons in Vulnerable Situations, Equality and Diversity
- New Challenges for Human Rights
You gain practical skills relevant for human rights work, including monitoring, advocacy, litigation, and educational approaches. You apply tools used by professionals in various institutional settings.
Courses:
- Human Rights Practice, Approaches and Human Rights Education
- Human Rights in an Organizational Context, Monitoring and Advocacy
- Human Rights Litigation, Legal Mediation and Advice
You complete your studies with a master’s thesis that reflects your ability to work with human rights topics using academic and methodological standards.
What our Graduates say
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Studio NEXTThrough the program, I learned that rights are rarely fixed guarantees, but negotiated and uneven in practice. This Master’s stands out for its intellectual friction, created by an interdisciplinary cohort and faculty.
Rebecca Caric, LL.M., Graduate
Insights
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The video has been loaded and can be found below on the page.
Admission Process
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Requirements
Admission requirements include the following:
- A university degree in Legal Studies or in Economic, Natural, Social Sciences or Humanities (minimum 180 ECTS Credits)
- English proficiency at B2 level
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Application
Please submit the following documents via the application form:
- Curriculum Vitae (2 pages)
- Letter of motivation (1–2 pages)
- University diploma
- Proof of English proficiency (minimum B2)
- Photo ID-card
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Further Procedure
Applications are continuously reviewed by the academic director. You will receive timely updates regarding your admission status.
Ready for your next step?
Funding and Financing
Your continuing education is an investment in your future. The Postgraduate Center supports you in finding the right funding opportunities. Find out about educational grants, tax deductions, and financial support options: Funding and Financing
Take the opportunity to find out about state grants, scholarships, and employer subsidies – there are many paths to continuing education.
LL.M. Scholarships
At the University of Vienna, scholarships for students of the Faculty of Law are awarded at regular intervals. The grant supports participation in an LL.M. program and is funded annually by the Hochschulstipendienstiftung für Hörer der Rechte an der Wiener Universität (Higher Education Scholarship Foundation for Law Students at the University of Vienna). These scholarships are awarded once a year – typically at the end of the summer semester – for the upcoming academic year.
Scholarships are usually announced in June. Please refer to the calls and further information: LL.M. Scholarships.
FAQs
The LL.M. program “Human Rights” starts every October.
No. The program is open to graduates from law and other disciplines. Depending on your background, you complete either the Introduction to Legal Studies or the Moot Court module.
Our courses take place weekly – typically on Thursdays from 5:00 to 9:00 pm, Fridays from 4:00 to 9:00 pm, and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
The program follows mainly a hybrid format with on-site teaching and live streaming. Some sessions take place exclusively on-site or exclusively online.
Yes. The program is designed as an extra occupational master’s degree and aligns with the schedules of working professionals.
You learn through lectures, discussions, group work, presentations, simulation games, and creative formats.
Yes. The language of instruction is English, and the program welcomes an international and diverse cohort.
Please note that it is your responsibility to take care of matters such as visa applications, funding, and financing, as well as finding an accommodation. As these processes can take up to several months, we advise to start in a timely manner.
Find out more about living and studying in Vienna here.
You train legal argumentation and case handling in a simulated court environment, strengthening practical skills relevant for many career paths.
Academic Director
Michael Lysander Fremuth
Academic Director
Contact
Annleena Backhaus
MA
Program Management
Postgraduate Center
Campus of the University of Vienna
Spitalgasse 2, Court 1
Entrance 1.14.1
1090 Vienna
+43-1-4277-10865
humanrights(at)univie.ac.at
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