Minor in Human Rights

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

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 (PER)

These courses may be taken at UW Bothell, UW Seattle or UW Tacoma. Classes in this minor are offered primarily during the day-time hours.

Practical Experience Requirement

The purpose of the Practical Experience Requirement (PER) 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 (PER):

BIS 403 Washington, D.C. Human Rights Seminar

This course requires an application and selection. Deadline is generally in Spring quarter. See the Human Rights Seminar website for more information.

BIS 497 Political Internship in State Government

This course requires an application and selection. Deadline is generally in October. See the BIS 497 webpage for more information.

Advanced Seminar course

See list of example past Practical Experience courses. Courses not listed can be petitioned using the PER form.

Study Abroad program

Complete a Study Abroad course for at least 3 credits, with a human rights component.

Internship Experience

Complete an internship related to human rights and register in the BIS 495 Internship Course for least 3 credits.

How to report internship hours:

If you select an internship experience, provide confirmation of hours from a supervisor via email to IASAPPLY@uw.edu

Volunteer or Organizing

Complete volunteer service or an organizing experience that deals with a human rights issue.

How to choose a volunteer or organizing experience:

Appropriate volunteer or organizing experiences are placements with agencies or organizations whose activity involves the promotion of human rights. Typically, these are advocacy, activist groups or NGOs, government agencies, and non-profits which facilitate access to claims and benefits which might be deemed. While traditional charity work may be laudable, it is not typically conceived in human rights terms and may not be accepted for a practical experience requirement.

How to report volunteer hours:

If you select volunteer service, provide confirmation of hours from a supervisor via email to IASAPPLY@uw.edu

How to complete the Practical Experience Requirement

  1. Complete your selected PER course, experience, or volunteer activity.
  2. Submit the Practical Experience Requirement form.
    • Note: Students may be required to submit a reflection statement on how their experience connects to the Minor in Human Rights
  3. Submit any additional materials via email to IASAPPLY@uw.edu.
  4. Verify with your Academic Advisor that all requirements for the Human Rights Minor are completed.
    • Note: The PER form must be submitted and received in full before an advisor can confirm that graduation requirements have been met.

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 165 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
  • 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
  • B HLTH 462 Global and Local Health Inequalities and Interventions

Human Rights Minor Resources

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

Resource Guide – Resources and research tips for the study of human rights.