Human Rights & Documentary Media
Graduate Certificate
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Explore how documentary media can be used to advance human rights. Whether you are a current or recent undergraduate student, a graduate with an MA or PhD in fields like anthropology, public health, sociology, development practice or arid lands, or a human rights stakeholder in a non-governmental organization, this program will allow you to explore how documentary media can be used to advance a cause.
You will have the opportunity to engage with distinguished filmmakers and media activists through videoconferences, internships, class projects and mentorships. This program will be guided by an international advisory board made up of distinguished documentary filmmakers that share your passion for social justice and human rights.
*Residents of some U.S. Territories may not be eligible. Please see our Eligibility & State Authorization page for more information.
The core curriculum for this program is comprised of 15 credits:
Explore human rights practice and activism. The first part of the course will focus on the history of human rights with an emphasis on the growth of international organizations for advancing human rights. The second part of the course focuses on critical skills needed to become more effective activists for advancing human rights.
Survey current models for making and using documentary media in the service of human rights practice and activism. Develop individual term projects in consultation with the instructor, combining research, production and exhibition.
Acquire and further strengthen your camera, sound and editing skills, and learn to conceptualize, develop, shoot and edit short documentary projects geared toward your research interests, whether you have no prior production training or are experienced in the field.
Review the critical role played by first-person testimonies, especially of marginalized populations, in human rights work. We will consider how testimonies are used in a variety of media including official reports, documentaries, and published works.
Advancing Human Rights Through Filmmaking
Filmmaker Magazine's feature on the Human Rights and Media graduate certificate and how it aims to engage filmmakers and those interested in visual storytelling.
