Minor in Human Rights

Minor Description

The minor in Human Rights is an option for students who are interested in the rapidly emerging field of human rights. The minor is a tri-campus initiative (UW Bothell, UW Seattle, and UW Tacoma). Students may, but are not required to, take courses from more than one campus in order to earn the minor.

Students who may benefit from the minor:

  • Students who are applying to law school
  • Students who want to work in international human rights NGOs or humanitarian non-profits
  • Students who are interested in working in government
  • Students who are interested in the issue of globalization of industry and labor
  • Students who interested in environmental justice issues or environmental law

Minor Requirements

Students pursuing the Human Rights minor must complete 25 credits in the following areas:

  • 10 credits in Human Rights Core courses
  • 5 credits in Human Rights Broad Context courses
  • 10 credits in either Human Rights Core or Broad Context courses
  • Completion of the Practical Experience Requirement

These courses may be take at UW Bothell, UW Seattle or UW Tacoma.

The equivalent of 3 credits of a practical experience in a human rights-related area is required within the 25 credits.

Note: Classes in this minor are offered primarily during the day-time hours.

Practical Experience Requirement

The purpose of the practical experience requirement for the human rights minor is to ensure that students connect with real world issues during their university experience as they pursue the human rights minor.

Students may choose one of the following activities to satisfy the Practical Experience Requirement:

  • Take the course BIS 403 Washington, D.C., Human Rights Seminar;
  • Take a course with a substantial service learning component: (i.e. CELR course);
  • Year-long participation in a registered student human rights club;
  • Volunteer/Intern with an organization that works with a vulnerable population (app. 30 hours);
  • Complete a Study Abroad course with a Human Rights component

To fulfill the requirement:

  1. Download the Practical Experience Form
  2. Meet with Professor Ron Krabill to get approval for proposed activity;
  3. Fill out the top portion of the Practical Experience Form;
  4. Have it signed by Professor Krabill.
  5. Complete proposed activity.
    • If volunteer or internship work, provide confirmation of hours from a supervisor.
  6. Provide a 2-3 page reflection paper on your experience, emphasizing what new human rights lessons you learned from the experience or what human rights issues you confronted;
  7. Submit completed reflection paper and Practice Experience Form to Professor Krabill and the IAS Office (UW1-360 or email IASAPPLY@uw.edu);

We will be unable to confirm that graduation requirements have been met for the minor until the completed Practical Experience form is received by the IAS Office. If you have not met with Professor Krabill for a signature by the second week of the quarter, your graduation date may be delayed.

Human Rights Minor Courses at UW Bothell

Core Courses

  • BIS 324 Gender, Human Rights, and Global Cinema
  • BIS 335 Human Rights in America
  • BIS 353 Human Rights in Theory and Practice
  • BIS 403 Washington, D.C. Seminar on Human Rights
  • BIS 414 Topics in Human Rights
  • BIS 466 Human Rights and Resistance
  • BIS 468 Human Rights and Sustainable Development

Broad Context Courses

  • BIS 164 Introduction to Ethnic Studies
  • BIS 167 People’s History of the United States
  • BIS 175 Introduction to American Government
  • BIS 183 Introduction to the Middle East
  • BIS 203 Economics of Gender
  • BIS 219 The Politics of Sex Education
  • BIS 224 Introduction to Feminist Studies
  • BIS 226 Foundations of U.S. Social Services
  • BIS 227 Rad Women in the Global South
  • BIS 249 Introduction to Labor Studies
  • BIS 264 Africa on Film
  • BIS 275 Social Problems
  • BIS 282 Introduction to Globalization
  • BIS 284 International Relations
  • BIS 305 Issues in Social and Political Philosophy
  • BIS 307 Environmental Justice
  • BIS 310 Women, Culture and Development
  • BIS 313 Issues in Media Studies (Topic: Human Rights in Public Culture)
  • BIS 326 Race, Space, and Segregation
  • BIS 332 Global Digital Industries
  • BIS 336 History of Mass Incarceration in the United States
  • BIS 348 Industrial and Organizational Psychology
  • BIS 356 Ethics and the Environment
  • BIS 365 Institutions and Social Change
  • BIS 367 Ethics and Society (formally BISSTA 359)
  • BIS 374 Middle East Politics
  • BIS 380 Bioethics
  • BIS 394 Comparative Economic Development
  • BIS 415 Public Policy and Law
  • BIS 416 U.S. Constitutional Law
  • BIS 420 Colonizing History in Sub-Saharan Africa
  • BIS 431 Issues in Sexual Politics and Cultures
  • BIS 433 Gender, Work, and Family
  • BIS 441 Global Labor Markets
  • BIS 445 Meanings and Realities of Inequality
  • BIS 448 Social Policy
  • BIS 450 Decolonizing Psychology
  • BIS 459 Conservation and Sustainable Development
  • BIS 470 Art, Politics, and Social Change
  • BIS 483 Community Organizing
  • BISAES 364 Public Memory and Dissent in American Culture
  • BISAES 367 Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration
  • BISGST 303 History and Globalization
  • BHLTH 462 Global and Local Health Inequalities and Interventions

Repeatable Course Topics

approved for the Broad Context requirement

  • BIS 293 Special Topics: Intro to Disability Studies
  • BIS 341 Study of Culture: Law, Rights and Literature
  • BIS 351 Topics in American Culture: Crossing Race, Crossing Sex
  • BIS 361 Topics in American Literature: Literature of the Civil Rights Movement
  • BIS 393 Special Topics: Politics of Economic Development
  • BIS 393 Special Topics: Public Controversies & the Supreme Court
  • BIS 393 Special Topics: Race, Crime & Law
  • BIS 393 Special Topics: Criminal Justice & Society
  • BIS 490 Advanced Seminar: Gender Violence, Policing and the Law
  • BISGST 397 Topics in Global Studies: Gender & Globalization

Questions?

Professor Ron Krabill
UW2-326
(rkrabill@uw.edu)

Human Rights Minor Resources

Tri-Campus Human Rights Minor – All courses for the minor from UW Seattle, UW Tacoma and UW Bothell.