MAS in Children's Rights (MCR) :: Children's Rights Academy

The Master of Advanced Studies in Children's Rights (MCR) is a part-time international and interdisciplinary postgraduate programme on children's rights, which takes place over two years. The Programme is designed for professionals who work with children’s rights issues, including lawyers, psychologists, sociologists, judges, social workers, government officials, staff of non-governmental organisations, academics and journalists. The participation of students with different backgrounds and career levels in an interactive learning environment helps foster exchanges at both theoretical and practical levels. Students who participated in the MCR programme are holding staff positions for national and international governmental and non-governmental organisations such as OHCHR, HCR, UNICEF, Human Rights Watch, Save the Children, BICE, and national and regional administrations and academic institutions.

Description of the Programme

Objectives

The learning objectives of the MCR are:

To acquire extended and specialised knowledge in children’s rights in their theoretical and practical dimensions.
To deepen understanding of the role of international instruments on children’s rights in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes.
To develop critical thinking on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Participants

The MCR is designed for professionals who work with children’s rights, these may include: lawyers, psychologists, sociologists, judges, social workers, government officials, staff from non-governmental organisations, academics and journalists. The participation of students from different backgrounds and levels of professional experience in an interactive learning environment helps to foster exchange at both theoretical and practical levels.

Partners

Children's Rights European Academic Network (CREAN)
International Institute for the Rights of the Child (IDE)

Programme

Overview

The Master of Advanced Studies in Children’s Rights (MCR) is an interdisciplinary and international part-time, two-year postgraduate master programme. The 13th cycle of the MCR will begin in February 2027 and the deadline for online applications is 15 November 2026.

Study programme and venues

The programme takes place over a two-year period and requires participants to attend seven week-long modules combined with the completion of exercises and examinations based on the required readings. Students are also expected to: write a paper, complete a group project, participate in an external seminar/conference and write a master’s dissertation. A team of professors and academic staff members will guide them through the process.

13th Cycle 2027-2028

Module 1	Children's rights and childhood studies	22-26 February 2027	Online learning
Module 2	International children’s rights law	10-14 May 2027	University of Geneva, Switzerland
Module 3	Child protection strategies and policies	20-24 September 2027	Online learning
Module 4	Children’s rights and migration	22-26 November 2027	Online learning
Module 5	Child labour and education	27-31 March 2028	Online learning
Module 6	Children’s rights and criminal justice	29 May - 2 June 2028	Online learning
Module 7	Children’s rights policy implementation and monitoring	6-10 November 2028	Valais Campus (Bramois / Sion, Switzerland)

Evaluation

The programme includes exercises and examinations based on the required readings. Students are also expected to write a paper, complete a group project, participate in an external seminar/conference and write a master’s dissertation.

Pedagogical Methods

The MCR combines residential teaching and distance learning and exposes students to international expertise with unique networking opportunities. Lectures are given by international experts in the field of children’s rights from the academic world, intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental institutions.

Lecturers and Speakers

Lectures are given by international experts in the field of children’s rights from the academic world, intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental institutions, ensuring multidisciplinary and cultural perspectives on children’s rights.

Complementary Information

Admission Criteria

The applicants are required to hold a university degree (or equivalent), and are expected to have at least two years experience that is relevant to the programme.

The 13th cycle of the MCR will begin in February 2027 and the deadline for online applications is 15 November 2026.

Study Regulations

Study Regulations FR
Study Regulations EN

Certification

At the end of the programme, participants who have met all of the requirements for completion of the academic programme receive a degree conferred by the University of Geneva. The degree awarded is the ‘Master of Advanced Studies in Children's Rights’.

Fees

Registration fee:
CHF 150.- (non-refundable)

Tuition fee

The total tuition fee for the two-year programme is CHF 15'000.-. This sum is for the MCR Programme and does not include travel or living expenses.

Two Modules with two exams and final paper (12 ECTS Credits) Certificate of Advanced Studies in Children's Rights (CAS): CHF 5000. Online application.

Single module students (certificate of attendance): CHF 2'300.

Direction and Coordination

Directors

Prof. Karl Hanson
Dr Roberta Ruggiero

Steering Committee

Prof. Karl Hanson, Prof. Daniel Stoecklin, Dr Roberta Ruggiero and Simon Nehme, Centre for Children’s Rights Studies, University of Geneva

Scientific Committee

Prof. Abdeljalil Akkari, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Alan Kikuchi-White, SOS Children's Villages International, Elena Patrizi, PhD candidate at the University of Geneva’s Centre for Children’s Rights Studies, Prof. Maya Hertig Randall, Faculty of Law, UNIGE, Paola Riva Gapany, International institute for the Rights of the Child (IDE), Dr Yvan Droz, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies IHEID