Internship Spotlight
Taylor Parker completed an internship at the Baltimore Hunger Project as part of the human rights and history minor.
Find Out MoreHuman Rights & History Minor
In the Human Rights and History minor, students study the history of human rights, in both U.S. and international contexts, with a focus on the development of human rights enforcement and advocacy.
Course and Internship Requirements
The Human Rights and History minor compliments a wide variety of majors and thoroughly prepares students for career opportunities through a carefully selected, required internship.
The minor pairs well with many majors, including:
- Economics
- Electronic Media & Film
- Environmental Science & Studies
- Geography
- History
- International Studies
- Mass Communication
- Political Science
- Sociology, Anthropology & Criminal Justice
The minor helps students contextualize the historical implications of human rights. Human Rights minors are required to complete 21 units with a grade equivalent of 2.00 or higher in each course taken. All Human Rights and History minors may transfer up to 9 units toward the minor. The minor is open to students in any major. Consult with an adviser to ensure your academic program prepares you for your career aspirations. View minor requirements in the TU Undergraduate Catalog.
Sample Course Outlines by Topic of Interest
These sample Human Rights & History course outlines will help guide you with your course selections. You may also contact the coordinator for the human rights and history minor, kkatz AT_TOWSON
- LGBTQ+/Gender Studies Outline (PDF)
- Environment Outline (PDF)
- Refugees/ Immigration Outline (PDF)
- Race and Racism Outline (PDF)
Why Study Human Rights and History?
The Human Rights & History minor will challenge students to think about issues historically, geographically and thematically. The minor will also investigate how human rights have been implemented, abused and restricted.
This program has been designed to allow students to take courses across the disciplines (with an emphasis on history) by offering a framework for understanding the roots of human rights controversies, theoretical approaches to understanding them and practical approaches to ameliorating their 21st century effects.
The minor is optimal for students pursuing a broad array of professional fields, including careers in government, international relations or the non-profit sector. It allows students to tailor their interests by connecting their coursework to an internship. Examples include courses on the environment, immigration and forced migration, race and society, gender, sexual violence and LGBTQ+ issues. Internships may address those or related topics.
Human Rights Lecture Series
The Human Rights & History minor hosts two annual lecture series introducing students to academic topics on human rights and to the work of human rights practitioners. Watch our past events.