Human Rights Online Courses

Take free human rights online courses offered by the United Nations (UN), leading NGOs and top universities. Learn how the United Nations and other human rights organizations tackle the most pressing human rights issues of our time. The directory below contains both, introductory level courses and advanced courses on specific human rights issues. All courses in our list are available for free to audit or try. You may choose to opt-in for a paid verified certificate issued by the course providers that include Harvard University, Stanford University, UNICEF, among others. Most of the human rights courses listed on this page are self-paced. You can enroll yourself anytime, anywhere it suits you and start with your learning experience instantly.

How do I register? | Are the courses free? | Certificates | Why take a course?

Child Protection: Children’s Rights in Theory and Practice

Harvard University
💬 English
🕔32 hours
⌛16 weeks
Learn how to protect children from violence, exploitation, and neglect through law, policy, and practice in a human rights framework.

International Women’s Health and Human Rights

Stanford University
💬 English
🕔58 hours
⌛8 weeks
This course focuses on women’s health and human rights issues from infancy through old age, including information about positive interventions relating to those issues. Learners are encouraged to interact with each other through interactive discussions.

International Human Rights Law

Université catholique de Louvain
💬 English
🕔60 hours
⌛12 weeks
Learn how an individual’s human rights are protected from both public and private power by international laws.

Humanitarian Response to Conflict and Disaster

Harvard University
💬 English
🕔15 hours
⌛5 weeks
Learn the principles guiding humanitarian response to modern emergencies, and the challenges faced in the field today.

Global Business and Human Rights

Zurich University of Applied Sciences
💬 English
🕔36 hours
⌛6 weeks
Explore how companies can understand, address and manage their human rights impacts. Discover links of business activities, global supply chains and human rights from different perspectives.

Children’s Human Rights

University of Geneva
💬 English
🕔11 hours
⌛7 weeks
Learn children's human rights in an interdisciplinary introduction from University of Geneva.

International Humanitarian Law

Université catholique de Louvain
💬 English
🕔48 hours
⌛12 weeks
Learn how international law regulates armed conflicts, protects individuals in wartime, and guarantees minimum compliance.

Operational Research for Humanitarians

University of Geneva
💬 English
🕔17 hours
⌛5 weeks
Learn how to conduct research for humanitarian practice from University of Geneva, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Aga Khan University.

International Humanitarian Law in Theory and Practice

Universiteit Leiden
💬 English
🕔20 hours
⌛5 weeks
“International Humanitarian Law in Theory and Practice” is the first MOOC of the Kalshoven-Gieskes Forum on International Humanitarian Law.

Asylum and Refugee Law

Université catholique de Louvain
💬 English
🕔72 hours
⌛4 weeks
What is asylum? What is the principle of non-refoulement? Who should be recognized and protected as a refugee? These notions are complex. Learn to understand and apply them!

International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes

Leiden University
💬 English
🕔17 hours
⌛4 weeks
This course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague.

International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague

Leiden University
💬 English
🕔18 hours
⌛5 weeks
International Law in Action explains the functions of each international court and tribunal present in The Hague, and it looks at how these institutions address contemporary problems.

International Organizations Management

University of Geneva
💬 English
🕔12 hours
⌛6 weeks
This course has been specifically designed for those who are interested in, collaborate with, or work with international organizations. No prior experience or prerequisites are required.

Gender and Sexuality: Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

University of Pittsburgh
💬 English
🕔16 hours
⌛4 weeks
What is sex? What is gender? What is sexuality? What do we mean by LGBTQIA? How are these concepts related to the workplace?

Housing Justice

Indian Institute for Human Settlements
💬 English
🕔17 hours
⌛7 weeks
Explore what housing justice means and how to take action through law, policy, programmes and projects.

Business Strategies for A Better World

University of Pennsylvania
💬 English
🕔32 hours
⌛16 weeks
You’re not just interested in making money. You’re interested in making a difference in the world too.

Refugees in the 21st Century

University of London
💬 English
🕔20 hours
⌛6 weeks
Learn about the ‘global’ system of refugee protection and how UNHCR tackles one of the most severe human rights crises of our time

International migrations: a global issue

Sciences Po
💬 English
🕔7 hours
⌛7 weeks
The world is moving, but not all opinions and governments are willing to accept this poorly understood reality.

Defending Dignity: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Amnesty International
💬 English
🕔3 hours
⌛1 weeks
Explore the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and learn how it empowers you to know, claim and defend your rights.

Queering Identities: LGBTQ+ Sexuality and Gender Identity

University of Colorado
💬 English
🕔8 hours
⌛2 weeks
In this course, you will explore the history of LGBTQ identities, experiences, and activism.

Social Norms, Social Change I

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
💬 English
🕔8 hours
⌛4 weeks
Learn how to make the distinction between social norms and social constructs, like customs or conventions.

Human Rights for Open Societies

Utrecht University
💬 English
🕔12 hours
⌛6 weeks
Equip yourself and learn more about what human rights are and how they work in this course by Utrecht University.

The United Nations in the World

University of London
💬 English
🕔12 hours
⌛7 weeks
The course offers a well-researched and broad-ranging primer to the United Nations system.

Global Health and Humanitarianism

University of Manchester
💬 English
🕔8 hours
⌛2 weeks
Welcome to the Global Health and Humanitarianism MOOC. We are delighted to have you with us, and hope that the next six weeks will provide an interesting and thoughtful experience for you.

Gender and Intersectionality

University of Iceland
💬 English
🕔12 hours
⌛6 weeks
Learn how gender intersects with cultural and social concepts in this course from University of Iceland.

The Science and Practice of Sustainable Development

SDG Academy
💬 English
🕔60 hours
⌛5 weeks
Learn the science & policies that drive sustainable development & how to achieve UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals

University of Copenhagen
💬 English
🕔6 hours
⌛3 weeks
The Sustainable Development Goals – A global, transdisciplinary vision for the future is an online course offered by the Sustainability Science Centre of the University of Copenhagen,

Terrorism and Counterterrorism

Leiden University
💬 English
🕔24 hours
⌛3 weeks
Delve into the research behind terrorism as you unpack the assumptions and impacts of both terrorism and counterterrorism.

The Best Start in Life: Early Childhood Development for Sustainable Development

SDG Academy
💬 English
🕔16 hours
⌛8 weeks
Learn how the neurological makeup affects children’s development and how factors such as forced migration impact a child’s future

Music and Social Action

Yale University
💬 English
🕔14 hours
⌛7 weeks
What is a musician’s response to the condition of the world? Do musicians have an obligation and an opportunity to serve the needs of the world with their musicianship?

Sustainable Development in Humanitarian Action

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
💬 English
🕔4 hours
⌛5 weeks
Discover the principles and practices of sustainable development, and how to bring them to life in humanitarian organisations.

How can I register?

The registration is not difficult. First you choose the course you would like to take. Click on the title or picture of the course. You will be redirected to a more detailed description of the course. On the course description page you will find a blue button to register. Once you clicked the button you will be redirected to the official page of the course provider. Depending on the platform the button will say “Enroll now”, “Join now” or a similar statement. Fill in the requested details and you are ready to start the course.

Are the courses free?

All course contents are available for free. You can additionally choose to obtain a verified certificate issued by the course provider such as Harvard University, UNICEF or Oxfam. You can add the certificate to your CV or resume.

How much is a certificate?

The fee for the certificate varies between $25 for short courses and $900 for a micromasters. The most common price for a certificate is between $49 and $99 USD. Financial aid is available for those who qualify through the hosting platforms. Please note that the processing of the application for financial aid may take several weeks.

Why take a course?

Taking an online course is an excellent way to explore your interests, equip yourself with essential skills, and demonstrate your commitment to a future employer. If you opt-in for a verified certificate you can add it to your CV and application materials. This can be especially useful if you are transitioning between careers or if you want to showcase expertise in a specific topic. Nevertheless, a short online course cannot replace a master's degree.