Human Rights & Social Justice
Certificate in the School of Undergraduate Studies
The Human Rights & Social Justice Bridging Disciplines Program (BDP) certificate introduces students to the interdisciplinary study and practice of human rights at home and around the world.
Students in this BDP will learn about the forms of oppression, marginalization, and violence that concern human rights researchers and practitioners. Through coursework drawn from the humanities, social sciences, law, fine arts, and public policy, students will develop their knowledge of the issues and debates that dominate human rights and social justice scholarship today, including an understanding of the regional contexts within which contemporary human rights violations take place. At the same time, students in this BDP will learn about the historical, theoretical, and institutional underpinnings of international human rights advocacy and social justice movements, from the legacies of colonialism and imperialism to the international institutions that were formed in the wake of World War II. Finally, through the Connecting Experience component of the program, students will have the opportunity to complement their coursework with hands-on experience in an organization working on human rights and social justice concerns.
Declaration Requirements
ShowDegree-seeking undergraduates in good academic standing at The University of Texas at Austin are eligible to apply to the BDPs. Students must be in at least the second semester of their freshman year to be eligible to apply. Students must plan to be enrolled at UT as a degree-seeking undergraduate for at least two semesters after the semester in which they apply to the BDP. The BDPs are open to undergraduate students from every college and school at UT. However, because there is significant overlap in program focus and coursework, some majors and BDP certificates may not be combined. View eligibility information for more details.
How to Declare
ShowApplications for the Bridging Disciplines Programs are accepted twice a year, during the fall and spring semesters. Learn additional information and how to apply to the BDPs. Interested students can attend an information session, which are offered throughout the semester.
Required Courses
ShowWith 19 credit hours of coursework and Connecting Experiences, students may earn a BDP certificate in Human Rights & Social Justice. View a complete list of courses and requirements.
Personality
ShowStudents in the Human Rights & Social Justice BDP form a community with shared interests in learning about the history and status of social movements and human rights in the U.S. and across the world. Human Rights & Social Justice students have come from a wide range of majors at UT, including Anthropology, Government, Political Communication, Rhetoric, Plan II, Pre-Med, Sociology, Biology, and many others.
View student profiles to learn about personal experiences in the Human Rights & Social Justice BDP.
Skills
ShowAfter completing 19 credit hours consisting of coursework, as well as research and/or internship experiences, students earn a certificate that will be recognized on their transcript, demonstrating a secondary area of specialization that complements their major. By pursuing an interdisciplinary certificate, students in the BDPs learn to become more flexible, versatile thinkers, better prepared for a professional world that values innovation and collaboration. Students in the BDPs gain access to unique research and internship experiences at UT and around the world, giving them hands-on experience applying what they have learned in the classroom.
