Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Master of Social Justice

Available in three streams: Development Studies, Peace and Conflict, and Human Rights.

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Making a real difference to justice, peace and sustainability in the world today requires ingenuity and expertise as well as imagination and integrity.

The Master of Social Justice equips students to address some of the globe’s most challenging social, political, and environmental issues.

What will I learn?

The coursework in the Master of Social Justice consists of a carefully designed combination of conceptual analysis, empirical study, and skills training. In a supportive, collaborative environment meant to encourage community building among Master of Social Justice students, you will:

  • debate the ideas that serve as a foundation for social justice principles; 
  • gather empirical evidence from specific case studies from a range of topics and geographical locations; 
  • and apply this knowledge through classes that enhance and stretch your skills in strategic thinking, communication and advocacy. 

The complexity of contemporary social justice issues demands multi-layered responses, and our classes – covering topics such as peace and reconciliation, Indigenous justice, poverty, refugees and migration, and the United Nations – will provide you with the critical knowledge you need to develop imaginative, ethical and evidence-backed approaches to make a real, sustainable difference in the world.

What’s the difference between the Master of Social Justice's three streams?

You will select one of three streams:

  • Development Studies - confront the challenges of achieving just and sustainable development outcomes that will improve people’s social, economic and cultural lives.
  • Peace and Conflict Studies - explore the intellectual and practical approaches of attaining peace with justice, covering topics such as peace journalism, transitional justice, reconciliation and conflict transformation
  • Human Rights - gain a critical understanding of the roots of human rights violations and the tools and mechanisms deployed to promote and protect them, while developing key skills in research, analysis, communication and advocacy that can be applied in domestic, regional and international contexts.

What are my career opportunities?

Employers in the fields of peace, human rights, and development know that a broad, interdisciplinary perspective is critical to doing social justice work. It is also the cornerstone of deeply analytical research. Students who have studied these fields at the University of Sydney have established themselves as university academics as well as in challenging, exciting jobs all over the globe, including:

  • in media (Guardian and ABC News);
  • in government positions (AusAid and DFAT);
  • at intergovernmental organizations (the World Bank, the International Labour Organization, and the United Nations);
  • in NGOs (the World Wildlife Fund, Amnesty International, and Oxfam); and
  • in the private sector (Deloitte Australia, Westpac, and Woolworths).

I am not sure about a full-time 18-month degree. Are there other options?

Absolutely! Your options include: 

With a Graduate Certificate of Social Justice, you take four units, through which you will gain a sense of how our program engages with social justice from an interdisciplinary perspective.

In this eight-unit course, you will focus on one of our three streams, allowing you to obtain a strong understanding of either peace and conflict studies, development studies, or human rights.

*All of the above options can be converted into a Master of Social Justice.

Meet some of our teachers

Our teaching staff draw on high-level practical and professional experience in the three tributary fields of peace, human rights and development, as the wellspring of their critical scholarship.

With their expert support, you can bridge the streams to synthesise your own distinctive, integrated approach to vital issues in your life and career.