Admissions
Applications to this course must be made via the Graduate Admissions Office of the University. Full details about the application process and how to apply can be found in the 'Apply' section of the Graduate Studies Prospectus. The information below provides an overview and gives course-specific information but does not cover the application process in detail. Please ensure therefore that you read the relevant sections of the Graduate Studies Prospectus including the Application Guide before making an application.
There is a £50.00 application fee for all applications to this course. This is payable by credit card on submission of each online application, and by cheque, money order or banker's draft on submission of each paper application.
Summary
A summary of the application process is set out below.
- Check that you meet the admissions critera for the course (see below)
- Submit an application and all supporting materials using either the online or the paper application form in time for one of the three application deadlines
- The Department for Continuing Education and Faculty of Law assess your application
- The Department and Faculty decide whether to make you an offer (all offers contain financial conditions and may contain other conditions)
- If you are made an offer, your application is considered by your chosen college (or by the college selected on your behalf if you indicated no college preference)
- If places are available, the college may also make you an offer (if no places are left at your choice of college, your application will be considered by other colleges with places available and an offer made)
- The college makes you an offer and may also set financial conditions
- You meet all conditions and provide suitable evidence of this to the department and college
- A final contract letter is sent to you
- You return the contract
- You register online and start your course
Who should apply?
We welcome applications from persons in all fields of human rights practice: from international, governmental and non-governmental agencies, private practice, academics, the armed forces, medicine, the media, etc. Most human rights work is done within a national and local context and you need not have international experience to be eligible. The programme seeks the widest possible diversity in both its students and faculty. The degree is designed primarily for early and mid-career lawyers with a demonstrated commitment to the advancement of human rights. About 70 percent of our students are lawyers but non-lawyers are most welcome to apply. The course is enriched by the variety of student backgrounds and the evidence indicates that non-lawyers perform as well on the course as lawyers. If you are in doubt about applying, or in doubt about your chances of admission, we encourage you to take a chance and apply anyway. Many people think that admission to Oxford is beyond their reach and this is often not so.
Admissions criteria
Within equal opportunities principles and legislation, applications will be assessed in the light of a candidate’s ability to meet the following criteria:
- Proven academic ability
- Professional/work experience
- Commitment to human rights
- Contribution to class and its diversity
- Access to computing facilities sufificient to take an online course
- English language requirement
Explanation of admissions criteria
Proven academic ability
Your past degree(s) should be to a 'high standard'. This usually means in British terms a high 2.1 (67% or higher) and in North American terms a grade point average of 3.5. If you have earned more than one degree, your full academic record is considered. If you are unsure how your degree compares to those of UK universities a useful source of information and advice can be found at UK National Academic Recognition Information Centre (UK-NARIC).
In practice, applicants with a 2.2 at a British University or a G.P.A. in North America lower than 3.0 are very unlikely to be admitted. This is true even if you took your degree long ago, have extensive experience or hold a senior position, such as a judgeship or ambassadorship. We have found that grades, no matter how old, are the best indicator of success on the degree programme. If your marks are anywhere in the 2.1 range or above a 3.0 G.P.A, we encourage you to apply. You also must provide your transcript(s) (not just a copy of your diploma) even if you went to university long ago.
Professional/work experience and commitment to human rights
The selection committee looks closely at your statement of purpose and work experience to assess your eligibility. Work experience in human rights may be either paid or voluntary. No matter how outstanding your academic record, if you cannot demonstrate a commitment to human rights based on your work, volunteer activities or concentration on human rights and international law at university, you stand no chance of admission.
Diversity
Your degree experience will be enriched by the diversity of your classmates. How one views human rights is influenced by one’s background. Diversity means more than gender and nationality, although these of course are considered. The sector you work in is also important, as are other factors. The course does not ‘preach to the converted’ and applicants from all ideological, religious and cultural backgrounds are most welcome. Diversity is an important admissions criterion, but your academic record, work experience and commitment to the advancement of human rights are more so.
Access to computing facilities
The computing facilities required to take this course are set out at www.conted.ox.ac.uk/onlinecoursescomputingrequirements. In particular, you will need to have reliable email and internet facilities plus access to a conventional computer (either a PC or a Mac) to submit coursework assignments. Advice about using mobile devices for an online course such as this (e.g. iPad) can be found at www.conted.ox.ac.uk/onlinecoursescomputingmobiledevices.
English language requirement
If your first language is not English, you must supply suitable evidence that you have reached the relevant level of language competence before any offer of a place can be confirmed. Evidence of your English proficiency needs to be in the form of a certificate of an English language test taken within two years of the date your programme will commence (September 2012). The University recognises only certain English tests. The requirements are given in full, along with details of recognised English tests, in the guidance notes for international students. The level of English competence required for this course is the higher level.
A Tier 4 student visa is not required for this course and therefore applicants to this course do not need to meet the UKBA English requirements (i.e. having to provide an English language certificate if your first language is English but you are not a national of the UK, Ireland or a majority English-speaking country recognised by the UKBA). Students will need to obtain permission to enter the UK as a 'student visitor' to attend the residental sessions, a 'visitor' visa does not allow any study at all. Further information about this will be provided to admitted students, or is available on the visas and immigration section of the university website.
The requirement to provide proof of English language proficiency may be waived, at the discretion of the University, in cases where you have successfully completed, or are currently completing, a full-time degree-level course of a minimum of nine months at a recognised institution where the medium of instruction and assessment is entirely in English.
For further information about language skills, submitting proof of your English ability and applying for a waiver, please see the language skills section of the Application Guide.
Appropriate indicators of academic ability and professional experience
Your academic ability and professional experience will be assessed using the information you provide in your application form and in the supporting materials you are required to submit as part of the application:
Academic/professional references
You will need to provide three references. These should be from people who can comment in detail on either your work experience or academic record. At least one of your referees should be familiar with your academic performance. The closer you are to your past university experience, the more important your academic references are. If you have been working for some years and have not been at university for some time, we take this into consideration and you may wish to instead use referees who can comment on your communication, publishing and study-related skills.
Transcript(s) of previous higher education
You should submit a detailed official record of your higher education up to the present, including programmes of study taken and grades achieved. This should be produced for you as an official document by the institution where you studied. Please note that a degree certificate is not considered a valid transcript. For further details about transcripts please visit the Application Guide.
CV / Resumé
This should include a summary of your recent achievements, including details of qualifications, publications and any experience relevant to your application.
Statement of purpose
Your ‘statement of purpose’ should explain your motivation for applying to this particular course and should focus on your academic, professional and voluntary experience in the human rights field. The statement should be no more than 500 words in length and in English.
Please note: Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process for this course and written work is not required (please do not include additional written work).
Admissions questions
If your admissions question is already answered on our website or you write asking for a quick assessment of your chances based on an email summary of your record, we shall be unable to reply due to the volume of such requests. If, however, you have an admissions-related question that is not answered here, please contact iphumrts@conted.ox.ac.uk.
The selection panel cannot provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants about their reasons for not being admitted. The reasons for rejection usually relate to (a) grades; (b) insufficient experience in human rights; (c) limited evidence of a commitment to human rights; or, occasionally, (d) lacklustre references.