HU100-5-FY-CO:
Foundations of Human Rights

The details
2025/26
Human Rights Centre (Essex Law School)
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 26 June 2026
30
08 August 2025

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

HU200, HU925

Key module for

(none)

Module description

For anyone interested in human rights work or study, this module is critical. This module offers a comprehensive foundational knowledge of human rights from a multidisciplinary and global perspective.

Module aims

The aims of this module are to:



  • Foster knowledge and understanding of human rights, their foundations, content, limits and key principles.

  • Ensure awareness of the challenges and the particular circumstances of individuals and groups at greater risk of harm, disadvantage and discrimination.

  • Develop appreciation of how and where human rights intersect with a wide range of disciplines, including International Law, International Relations and International Political Economy.

  • Develop an awareness of human rights concerns in the UK.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the definition and content of human rights.

  2. Understand and critically examine the evolution of the human rights movement, and the theoretical and conceptual foundations as well as limits of human rights.

  3. Analyse and critically evaluate how and where human rights intersects with a wide range of disciplines.

  4. Critically assess how human rights handles a range of contemporary issues and challenges.

  5. Be able to apply skills and knowledge to analyse the various critical perspectives upon human rights.

Module information

Indicative Syllabus


This module covers key principles of human rights (freedom, equality, non-discrimination, universalism), a selection of key rights recognised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (life, freedom of expression, health, free trial, etc.), and some of the main challenges facing groups at greater risk of harm, disadvantage and discrimination (children, women, migrants and refugees, minorities).

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

  • One 2-hour lecture per week
  • One 1-hour tutorial per fortnight

Students are expected to undertake the reading before classes and be prepared to engage in discussion.

Bibliography

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Forum Participation - Continuous Assessment (HU100 Foundations of Human Rights)    50% 
Coursework   Essay (HU100 Foundation of Human Rights)  16/01/2026  50% 
Exam  Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 24hr during Summer (Main Period) 
Exam  Reassessment Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 24hr during September (Reassessment Period) 

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
50% 50%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
0% 100%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Tuba Turan, email: tturan@essex.ac.uk.
The Law Education Admin Team - lawschoolug@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
Yes
Yes
No

External examiner

No external examiner information available for this module.
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 54 hours, 50 (92.6%) hours available to students:
4 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

 

Further information
Human Rights Centre (Essex Law School)

Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.