HRTD6901: Semester 1, 2026

Units HRTD6901 Semester 1 2026 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

HRTD6901: Human Rights and the Human Rights System

Semester 1, 2026 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This unit provides a foundational understanding of the content and philosophical justifications for human rights norms. Philosophical, historical and positivist perspectives will be brought together in this unit to allow students to grasp the content of human rights and the justification for norms that become domestic and international law. The unit covers institutional protection mechanisms, including UN treaty and charter bodies, and offers an exploration of core human rights treaties and their social and political context.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Sociology and Criminology
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Ihab Shalbak, ihab.shalbak@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written work	Essay Answer an essay question based on one of the topic areas from Weeks 2-5	35%	Week 05 Due date: 29 Mar 2026 at 23:59	1500 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Debate	Online participation excercise Interactive discussion of 3 posts based on Week 8 topic	25%	Week 08 Due date: 23 Apr 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 27 Apr 2026	1000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Research report Report analysis on a contemporary human rights violation	40%	Week 13 Due date: 30 May 2026 at 23:59	2000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a Credit a good standard, and a Pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Moral, normative and legal human rights claims	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	Moral, normative and legal human rights claims	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 02	Duty, natural law, utilitarianism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Duty, natural law, utilitarianism	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	Sovereignty	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Sovereignty	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	International Human Rights Law (IHRL) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	International Human Rights Law (IHRL) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL)	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	United Nations, the human rights framework and NGOs	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	United Nations, the human rights framework and NGOs	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	Civil and political rights	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Civil and political rights	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Economic and social rights	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Economic and social rights	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	Racism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Racism	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Women's rights	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Women's rights	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	Torture	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Torture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Disability rights	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Disability rights	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Indigenous rights	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Indigenous rights	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library’s reading list system Leganto, available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. have a sound knowledge of the basic content of the major international and regional human rights instruments
LO2. debate the philosophical justifications for human rights norms, including critiques of human rights as a normative framework
LO3. understand the historical and ongoing development of human rights norms and the ongoing contestation and expansion of the normative content of human rights
LO4. understand some of the key critiques of a human rights approach to advocacy and some limits of the approach
LO5. engage with cultural and religious challenges to the universality of human rights and to mount effective arguments concerning the effectiveness of human rights in diverse cultural contexts
LO6. understand the role and obligations of non-state actors vis-à-vis human rights
LO7. understand the relationship between international laws, treaties or agreements, and domestic obligations and practices.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links