MA Social Justice and Human Rights at Arizona State University

Programme overview

In the Master of Arts program in social justice and human rights, you explore key topics such as labor, migration, education and the environment, and the legal, political, historical and cultural frameworks that contextualize them. If you aim to channel your interests and passions toward ethical responses to social injustice and human rights abuses, this program is well suited for you.

What you will study

30 credit hours and a thesis, or 30 credit hours including the required applied project course (JHR 593), or 30 credit hours including the required capstone course (JHR 549) Required Core (6 credit hours) JHR 501 Proseminar in Social Justice and Human Rights (3) JHR 502 Foundations of Social Justice and Human Rights (3) Professional Development (3 credit hours) JHR 506 Grant Writing for Social Justice and Human Rights (3) JHR 515 Power and Inequality in Academia and Activism (3) JHR 584 Internship (3) Research (6 credit hours) JHR 500 Research Methods (3) JHR 525 Critical Methodologies in Social Justice and Human Rights (3) Electives (9 or 12 credit hours) JHR 503 Gender Based Violence and Sex Trafficking (3) JHR 504 International Law and Organizations (3) JHR 505 Migration, Asylum and Refugees (3) JHR 510 Problem-based Seminar in Social Justice and Human Rights (3) JHR 540 Critical Humanitarianism (3) JHR 550 Global Justice (3) JHR 598 Topic: Global Racial Justice (3) Culminating Experience (3 or 6 credit hours) JHR 549 Capstone in Social Justice and Human Rights (3) or JHR 593 Applied Project (6) or JHR 599 Thesis (6) Additional Curriculum Information The MA program in social justice and human rights is delivered in person as well as online.

Career pathways

Graduates with a master's degree in social justice and human rights can begin or advance their careers in advocacy work in nonprofit or government agencies, humanitarian work, international law and advocacy, as well as in roles that enable them to address forced migration, trafficking, and gender-based or racialized violence. Career examples: advocate or lobbyist, community organizer, grant writer, humanitarian aid worker, policy analyst or researcher, program officer, public defender (with further education), social justice specialist or consultant.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: graduate application and application fee official transcripts statement of purpose one letter of recommendation a writing sample (required for applicants to the on-campus program) proof of English proficiency Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. The statement of purpose should be a concise response to the following prompts: Describe your academic or career goals and how an MA degree in social justice and human rights will help you achieve these goals.

Domestic applicants: USD 13,327 a year (2026-27). Arizona resident tuition. Tuition only for the graduate on-campus (Tempe/Downtown Phoenix/Polytechnic/West Valley) rate band in the ASU tuition estimator, 2026-27: Fall 2026 plus Spring 2027 term tuition summed (full-time flat rate; part-time credit loads Source

International applicants: USD 24,780 a year (2026-27). International tuition. Tuition only for the graduate on-campus (Tempe/Downtown Phoenix/Polytechnic/West Valley) rate band in the ASU tuition estimator, 2026-27: Fall 2026 plus Spring 2027 term tuition summed (full-time flat rate; part-time credit loads ar Source

Entry terms: Fall, Spring and Summer; the terms available for each programme are listed in Degree Search.

Graduate application deadlines are set by each programme office and listed in Degree Search; the application opens almost a year before the start term. The nonrefundable application fee is $75 for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, DACA and international online students outside the U.S., and $120 for international students on a nonimmigrant visa studying in the U.S. Apply with ASU's graduate application (Law applicants use the law college's site); GRE/GMAT requirements vary by programme.

Apply through the official page: https://admission.asu.edu/apply/graduate/admission

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