University of Alabama at Birmingham students will have even more opportunities to engage with the community and human rights thanks to the new Bachelor of Arts in Human Rights (HRT) launching this fall. The novel, interdisciplinary degree program is the first and only of its kind at a public university in the Deep South. It is inspired by the rich civil rights history of Birmingham, Alabama, and seeks to educate and prepare students for a variety of careers that directly promote human rights.
The College of Arts and Sciences recently sat down with HRT Program Director Tina Kempin Reuter, Ph.D., to discuss the program and what students can expect from it. Reuter also serves as the Director of the Institute for Human Rights and is a professor in the departments of Anthropology and Political Science and Public Administration.
Tina Kempin Reuter, Ph.D.CAS: How did the human rights degree come to be?
R: When I came [to UAB] in 2016, it was clear to me that for the [Institute for Human Rights] to flourish it needed an educational component ideally both in the undergraduate and the graduate worlds. The establishment of the institute coincided with the creation of the Master’s in Anthropology of Peace and Human Rights, but there was nothing at the undergraduate level.
So, the first step was to set up the minor in Human Rights that came about in 2018. We started working on the major shortly after [until the COVID-19 pandemic hit]. It took a little while, but now we’re very proud and happy to have the human rights major.
CAS: What sets the B.A. in Human Rights apart from other degree programs?
R: If you want to change the world for the better, this is a degree that will show you how. It will give you the basics, skills, and knowledge you need to be effective.
The program is truly interdisciplinary. It is supported by many departments in the College of Arts and Sciences and even beyond. We have classes from philosophy, history, public health, political science, anthropology, sociology, social work, African American studies... It’s a kind of novel concept that thinks of human rights broadly. Most human rights degrees tend to be very law focused. I think that students today need different perspectives to understand and solve complex problems.
CAS: What can students gain from pursuing this degree program?
R: Students in this program can customize the curriculum to fit their interests such as selecting different tracks that approach human rights either theoretically or through research. Students who select a more research-focused path end their curriculum with a capstone class.
This major is also designed to be applied. If a student prefers a more applied approach to human rights, then they can complete their curriculum with a human rights internship. Human rights interns learn things like grant writing, organizational management, and skills they can apply in the work they will do with community organizations.
I think the human rights major can also lend itself well as a second major. For example, it could be a complement to a computer science degree. There’s so much related to technology and artificial intelligence that has an impact on human life. When we talk about human life, we talk about human rights.
CAS: How do you and your colleagues feel about this program?
R: I think there’s excitement especially because we’re the only university in the South that offers this program, and we’re doing this in Birmingham, Alabama. We’re just a great place to do and study this. Like, if this is truly your passion and your interest, then this is the place to be.
It’s very idealistic at heart, but that’s what we need. We need more idealism.
To learn more about the B.A. in Human Rights, visit their website.
