The Master of Human Rights Law and Policy will be offered at UNSW, in the Faculty of Law in 2009. The university said the one-year full-time degree may help graduates find work in the expanding international field and will be the only postgraduate human rights law degree in NSW open to both lawyers and non-lawyers.

Already the degree has attracted support from high-profile experts, including Nobel Peace Laureate and East Timor President Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, who said the degree would assist anyone pursuing a career in the field of human rights. “The opportunities and challenges for those with a sense of mission in life are many, as long as one is equipped with the proper training,” he said.

Australian Human Rights Commissioner Graeme Innes believes the degree will focus Australia’s commitment to human rights. “The course will provide people qualified to lead the trend towards a stronger human rights culture in Australia,” he said.

According to program co-ordinator Gillian Moon, the degree will equip human rights professionals for future challenges in the region. “In recent decades, there has been a great expansion in thinking about and applying human rights concepts and standards, including in Australia and our region,” she said. “This degree will have an important impact on this growing field of expertise.”

Applications for semester one close at the end of November.