You can get involved in human rights no matter your course of study or major! Here are some classes and opportunities related to different academic disciplines.
Please note that a course's inclusion on this list does not imply approval as a Human Rights Certificate elective.
This guide was compiled by the Duke Human Rights Center's Student Advisory Board in fall 2025. If you have any additions or corrections to this list, please email dhrc.fhi@duke.edu.
Human Rights Certificate
The Human Rights Certificate offers students an in-depth and rigorous interdisciplinary study of human rights history, theory and practice, cultivating life-long learners and engaged citizens who have a deep and nuanced understanding of human rights. More information about the certificate here.
Opportunities by discipline
Cultural & Area Studies
Example courses: AAAS 102, AAAS 104S, AAAS 306, AMES 190S, AMES 191, AMES 416, LINGUIST 364
Internships, programs, and centers: Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity (AAS), internship with UNHCR and Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (German Studies), Duke in the Arab World (AMES)
Life & Health Sciences
Example courses: BIOLOGY 150, NEUROSCI 444S, EDUC 240, ENVIRON 287A, BME 230L, BME 460L
Internships, programs, and centers: Muser and Bass Connections, the Green Program, Center for Global Women's Health Technologies, Ignite
Mathematical & Computational sciences
Example courses: EGR 101L, COMPSCI 408, EGR 102L, EGR 190, EGR 190S, EGR 545, STA 470S, CEE 315-20
Internships, programs, and centers: Data+, Bass Connections, Coding It Forward
Visual & Performing arts
Example courses: DANCE 371, EDUC 330S, PUBPOL 213
Internships, programs, and centers: Doc+, Center for Documentary Studies, Arts+
Sociology & anthropology
Example courses: SOCIOL 178FS, SOCIOL 250, SOCIOL 264, CULANTH 204S, CULANTH 290S, CULANTH 302, CULANTH 309S, CULANTH 390
Internships, programs, and centers: Social Science Research Lab, Kenan Institute
History & Classics
Example courses: AMES 106FS, HISTORY 122, HISTORY 390
Internships, programs, and centers: History+, Trinity Summer Research Fellowship
Gender studies
Example courses: LINGUIST 364
Internships, programs, and centers: Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, The Gender and Race Research Award
Economics
Example courses: ECON 337S, ECON 390S
Internships, programs, and centers: Davies Fellowships, National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ)
Education
Example courses: EDUC 101, EDUC 101S, EDUC 240, EDUC 243S, EDUC 321S, EDUC 363
Internships, programs, and centers: StudentU, MAT Program Internship
Romance Studies
Example courses: SPANISH 306, SPANISH 307S, FRENCH 270T, FRENCH 325S, AMES 219, ROMST 389S
Internships, programs, and centers: Undergraduate Research Symposium, Center for French and Francophone Studies, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
International comparative studies
Example courses: ICS 426, ICS 489S
Internships, programs, and centers: Peter G. Fish Fellowship, Dewitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy, Hart Leadership Program
Linguistics, English, Literature, Thompson Writing Program
Example courses: LINGUIST 364
Internships, programs, and centers: Program in Linguistics Independent Studies (migration, language and politics, gender and language, and other topics)