Human Rights Pathway Guide

Preparation for Transfer as a Human Rights Major

The following sequences are suggested courses to take in your semesters prior to transferring to SMU as a human rights major. For students attending a Texas public community college or university, Texas Common Course Numbers (TCCNS) are listed. If you are transferring from a college or university outside of Texas, click on the SMU course for a course description which may be used to select/compare courses at your current institution.

CC listings refer to SMU’s Common Curriculum, which all undergraduates are required to complete. Refer to the Common Curriculum Transfer Guide   for a list of courses satisfying CC components. Interactive equivalency guides organized by transfer institution are available on the Transfer and Transition Services’ website.

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The SMU Human Rights Program

SMU is the first university in the South and the fifth of only seven in the nation to offer an undergraduate degree in human rights. Students study the topics of social justice and human rights and are offered opportunities for engaged learning abroad and at home, community service, and the links between art and human rights. Students explore local, national and global problems related to political violence; terrorism; social, gender and racial equality; and environmental destruction, poverty and hunger.

The SMU Human Rights Program educates and trains human rights advocates. Providing an interdisciplinary curriculum for students, the program supports human rights research and travel by offering human rights-related internships, seminars and conferences.

Research and Travel Opportunities

Research and travel opportunities are available to students through a variety of travel programs offered over winter and spring breaks as well as during the summer. These trips provide stark reminders of the importance of human rights and include a 10-day trip to Poland to study the Holocaust (an annual faculty-led student trip since 1996) and other experiential trips to destinations such as Rwanda, China, Latvia, Germany, Nigeria, Israel, Argentina, Hungary, Vietnam/Cambodia, South Africa, and more.

Students who participate in these travel programs have the option to receive 3-hours course credit by enrolling in an Independent Study (HRTS 4390) and completing a research papers on relevant topics studied while abroad.

Human Rights Council

The SMU Human Rights Program’s Human Rights Council (HRC) gives exceptionally-motivated students the opportunity to grow their leadership skills an to address human rights issues through projects that combine academic study and activism.

HRC is a student-led initiative focused on providing interesting and engaging opportunities for the SMU student body while perpetuating universal human rights and enriching the educational quality of SMU. Through participation in HRC, future leaders are equipped with the skills to understand global and local human rights violations as well as empower, inspire and affect sustainable global change through human rights activism.

Human Rights Graduates

Recent graduates from the human rights department have entered the Peace Corps, broadcast journalism, public sector/non-profit work, medical school, and careers in the U.S. military. Graduates also enter law school; some have become practicing human rights attorneys specializing in the areas of women’s rights, children’s rights, and refugee rights.

Majoring in Human Rights

The Human Rights Department offers two degree tracks from which to choose:

• B.A. with a Major in Human Rights, Gender and Human Rights Track  
• B.A. with a Major in Human Rights, Public Policy and Human Rights Track  

Given the interdisciplinary nature of the study of human rights, students are required to complete a second major or minor in a related field.  Common second majors or minors include history, international business, journalism, psychology, public policy, women and gender studies, and world languages.

Minoring in Human Rights

A Human Rights Minor  is available and consists of a minimum of 18 credit hours.

Human Rights Courses for a Major or Minor

Transfer courses may be used to satisfy core requirements for the two tracks of the human rights major. Look for courses in the following areas:

Gender and Human Rights Track  

• Sociology - courses on race, ethnicity and community
• Anthropology - courses on health and human rights

Public Policy and Human Rights Track (choose one)

• Anthropology - courses exploring global cultures
• Philosophy - ethics course
• Political Science - multiple offerings

Elective courses for either track (choose one)

• Humanities - advanced-level course
• Human Rights - many electives and various directed reading topics courses
• Philosophy - course covering religious philosophy
• Psychology - course examining social psychology

SMU Degree

A degree from SMU is typically comprised of a minimum of 120 hours, 60 of which must be completed through SMU, 42 of which must be in courses at the 3000 and higher levels. Components of the degree include:

• Courses in your major
• Courses required for the Common Curriculum (CC)  
• Elective courses.  These electives may also be used to add a second major or minor. 

The Common Curriculum (CC)

The Common Curriculum is required of all undergraduate students and consists of three main components: 

1. Foundations - 6 hours of Writing courses, 3 hours of Quantitative Reasoning courses, proficiency in a second language. 
2. Breadth - 7 Breadth courses which may double count with majors and minors.
3. Proficiencies and Experiences - 8 Proficiencies and Experiences requirements, met through coursework or approved, noncredit activities.                                                                                                                           

NOTE: If you transfer with 23 or fewer credit hours and/or transfer in your first year out of high school, transfer work earned prior to high school graduation (dual/concurrent credit) will not satisfy CC requirements.

Apply Now!

Click here for more information about transferring to SMU.