Human Rights History Across Cultures and Religions
PostgraduateCUR-CHRE5022023
Course information for 2023 intake View information for 2025 course intake
View human rights through the lenses of religious and cultural beliefs.Return to the Enlightenment and the birth of human rights. Adopt Buddhist, Christian and Islamic approaches. Ask how these perspectives intersect with the field of education.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Human Rights History Across Cultures and Religions
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- describe and critique ideas of human rights from a range of cultural and religious traditions
- describe and critique the role and practice of dialogue as a means of overcoming barriers to universal human rights
- use appropriate technologies to locate and critically appraise relevant human rights literature
- analyse and communicate ideas of human rights from particular cultural and religious traditions
- demonstrate an understanding of plagiarism, paraphrasing and the principles of Academic Integrity.
- Introduction - thinking about human rights, cultures and religions
- Universalism and cultural relativism
- Dialogue as a means of overcoming barriers to human rights across cultures/religions
- Constructing human rights beyond the limits of the modern western view
- Human rights and Christianity
- Human rights - an African perspective
- Human rights and Islam
- Human rights and Indigenous peoples
- Human rights and Buddhism
- Rights to cultural identity
This subject provides an overview of the development of the idea of human rights and related concepts in a range of cultures and religions. The subject begins with an exploration of the development of human rights in the Enlightenment tradition and then explores debates about the foundations of human rights. Other topics include cultural relativist critiques of human rights; non-western cultural traditions of human rights; the role and practice of dialogue; ideas of human rights in different religious traditions; colonialism and human rights; and Indigenous understandings of human rights and perspectives on rights protection, practice and education.
Please Note: If it’s your first time studying a Curtin University subject you’ll need to complete their compulsory ‘Academic Integrity Program’. It only takes two hours to complete online, and provides you with vital information about studying with Curtin University. The Academic Integrity Program is compulsory, so if it’s not completed your subject grades will be withheld.
Find out more about the Academic Integrity module.
- Readings report (30%)
- Presentation/engagement (30%)
- Final Essay (40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
Start your career with Curtin’s globally recognised courses and extensive industry connections. Through OUA, their online courses offer an interactive and collaborative learning experience that gets you the same degree as if you studied on campus. Curtin is a global university with a vibrant culture of innovation and collaboration and is ranked in the top one per cent of universities worldwide.
Learn more about Curtin University.
Explore Curtin courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 13
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 14
Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Additional requirements
- Equipment requirements - Audio/Visual equipment
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Why study a single subject?
Bite sized study
Try studying a particular area to see if online study suits you, or upskill in just a few months with a single subject that you’re interested in.
Pursue a dream
With thousands of single subjects to choose from, you can find topics that get you on the path to your higher education goals fast.
Gain Uni credit
Most single subjects are part of a full degree. That means if you’re keen to keep learning, you can gain credit for the subjects you’ve successfully completed.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
PostgraduateCUR-HRI-MAS
Graduate Certificate in Professional Practice
PostgraduateUNE-PRO-GCE
Master of Information Science (Extended)
PostgraduateCUR-ISE-MAS
PostgraduateCUR-ISC-MAS
Graduate Certificate in Human Rights
PostgraduateCUR-HRI-GCE
PostgraduateOUA-PSU-GCE
Single subject FAQs
What’s a single subject?
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
How can I use single subjects to get into a full degree?
First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
Our student advisors are here to help you take that next step, so don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready! We’ve also made it easier to figure out the right way to get started on our pathways page.
Can anyone help me choose a subject?
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
How do I pay for my subjects?
You can pay up front with your credit card, or you may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government depending on your citizenship status and where you’ll live during your studies.
For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
How do I enrol?
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.
When is the cut-off date for enrolling?
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.