At UC Berkeley Law, we are known for our strong commitment to human rights advocacy and education. With a curriculum that emphasizes global justice, social equity, and the protection of individual freedoms, we foster a deep understanding of the legal frameworks that uphold human dignity. Students are encouraged to engage in real-world human rights issues through clinical programs, field placements, and opportunities for hands-on advocacy. By preparing future legal professionals to tackle pressing human rights challenges, UC Berkeley Law aims to cultivate leaders who are not only skilled in law but also dedicated to advancing justice on a global scale.
Curriculum
At UC Berkeley Law, you’ll find a range of courses on human rights and related topics in international law, environmental law, health law, and social justice, among others. Offerings may include:
Human Rights & War Crimes Investigations- Health & Human Rights
- International Environmental Law
- Human Rights Clinic Seminar
- Genocide
- Global Rights Innovation Lab Clinic Seminar
- Human Rights and Social Justice Writing Workshop
- Geneva Field Placement Seminar
Not all courses are offered every semester.
Human Rights Clinic
One of the first human rights clinics in the country, this clinic designs and implements innovative human rights projects to advance the struggle for justice on behalf of individuals and marginalized communities through advocacy, research, and policy development.
Global Rights Innovation Lab Clinic
The Global Rights Innovation Lab (GRIL) stands at the cutting edge of global rights advocacy, harnessing the transformative power of data science and digital technology to drive change. Our mission is to revolutionize how rights are protected and enforced in the digital age.
Death Penalty Clinic
Founded in 2001, the clinic seeks justice for individuals facing the death penalty by providing them with high-quality representation; offers students a rich opportunity for meaningful hands-on experience in high-stakes, complex litigation; and exposes problems endemic to the administration of capital punishment.
Human Rights Center
The Human Rights Center researches and investigates war crimes and human rights violations; develops standards for policymakers and practitioners; and trains investigators, students, and advocates. Using evidence-based methods and multidisciplinary frameworks, the center collaborates with impacted communities, builds blueprintable solutions to address some of the most significant human rights challenges of our time, and supports efforts to hold perpetrators accountable.
Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality & Anti-Discrimination Law
A group of over 1000 activists, advocates, and academics from six continents, the center is committed to the study and enforcement of anti-discrimination law. We work together to increase understanding at a global level of how nations and legal systems address the problem of inequality and discrimination. Issue-focused working groups on important current topics include Gender-Based Harassment and Violence, Global Systemic Racism, The Equality Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Pay Equity, Climate Change, Digital Equality, Equity and Criminal Justice, and LGBTQI+ Rights.
Student-Initiated Legal Services Projects (SLPS)
UC Berkeley Law SLPS enable you to develop lawyering and leadership skills while serving the community. Interact with clients and get valuable hands-on experience as early as your first year of law school, while earning pro bono hours and pursuing your passion. Choose from as many as 40 SLPS options, many with a human rights focus, such as the International Human Rights Workshop, the International Refugee Assistance Project, the Arts and Innovation Representation Project, or the Climate Migration & Displacement Project.
Field Placements
The Field Placement Program offers qualified students the opportunity to expand their legal education beyond the bounds of the law school, both domestically and overseas, while earning academic credit. Many human rights related field placements have been offered locally, nationally, and around the world, at organizations and locations such as The Hague, INHR in Geneva, Human Rights Watch, Root and Rebound, Law for Black Lives, and the National Immigration Law Center.
Human Rights Center Student Fellowship Program
The student fellowship program is the longest legacy of the Human Rights Center, providing opportunities for students to pursue meaningful human rights work domestically and internationally. Students will contribute to an organization’s work while also gaining practical experience that may influence their area of research, academic focus, or career trajectory.
Human Rights Center Investigations Lab
The Human Rights Center Investigations Lab trains students in using social media and other publicly available, internet-based sources to develop evidence for advocacy, media, and legal accountability. Students have the opportunity to collect and authenticate information on war crimes and human rights abuses and will have an opportunity to engage in one or more real-world investigations.
International Law Certificate
Overseen by the Miller Institute for Global Challenges and the Law, the Certificate of Specialization in International Law is awarded to law students who have followed a specialized curriculum focusing on developing a broad background in fundamental areas of law while receiving advanced training in international law.
Student Journals
UC Berkeley Law oversees thirteen law journals, many of which cover legal topics related to human rights. Students can join journals such as the Berkeley Journal of International Law and the Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice.
Student Organizations
UC Berkeley Law has dozens of student organizations to meet the vast range of our students’ interests and affinities, including many that touch on human rights and social justice.
