Study Human Rights from the Uniquely Catholic Perspective
Students meet with Dr. Mary Ann Glendon, pictured third from right, at the State Department
The Master of Arts in Human Rights, developed by the Institute for Human Ecology (IHE), is designed for students who wish to study human rights from a distinctly Catholic perspective. It draws upon existing courses of several schools at The Catholic University of America. The interdisciplinary degree is awarded by the School of Arts and Sciences. The program’s director is human rights expert William Saunders, J.D. The distinguished Advisory Board consists of experts in Catholic social thought and human rights – Robert George (Princeton), Mary Ann Glendon (Harvard), John Keown (Georgetown), Fr. Kevin Flannery, SJ (Gregorian), Helen Alvare (George Mason), John DiIulio (Pennsylvania), and Thomas Farr (Religious Freedom Institute).
Graduates Will:
- Become knowledgeable about the international legal structure of human rights
- Understand the Catholic anthropology of the human person
- Understand the natural law of rights and the place of rights in the political order
- Be able to analyze and discuss whether claimed “rights” are defensible as such
- Understand the intersection of human rights concepts and Catholic social thought
- Be prepared to contribute to the building of a culture of human rights that advances the good of the human person in community
- Learn about cutting edge human rights issues with lecturers such as Chen Guangcheng, the Barefoot Lawyer
For program information, please email program director William Saunders at saunderswl@cua.edu
For admissions questions, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies.
116 McMahon Hall
The Catholic University of America
620 Michigan Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20064
Phone: (202) 319-5247
Fax: (202) 319-6174
Email: cua-graduatestudies@cua.edu
Admission Requirements
Applicants must submit
- Application fee
- A letter indicating the reasons for pursuing the degree
- Official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work with a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score or a Miller Analogies Test (MAT) score
- Three letters of recommendation
- An admissions interview with the program director, William Saunders
International applicants must submit:
- Application fee
- A letter indicating the reasons for pursuing the degre
- An official translation of foreign transcripts from an approved source (e.g., through World Education Services)
- Scores on the IELTS or TOEFL in accordance with university policy
- Three letters of recommendation in English
- An admissions interview with the program director, William Saunders
Application Deadlines
Priority deadline for scholarship consideration: February 1
Deadline for international applicants: June 15
Deadline for domestic applicants: August 1
Testimonies from the Program
Ruth shares how God led her from Ecuador to the Catholic University of America’s MA in Human Rights program. Coming from a non-Catholic institution, she felt something was missing in her studies—human dignity was reduced to the material, with no attention to the spiritual. At CUA, she found the holistic perspective she was seeking.She describes how supportive professors, close friendships with classmates, and a Catholic vision of the human person transformed her outlook. The program didn’t just deepen her understanding of human rights—it gave her the strength to truly impact the communities she serves.
Meet Timea, a graduate of CUA’s Master of Arts in Human Rights program. She shares how the mix of theology, sociology, business, and law prepared her for real-world impact. From supportive professors to lasting friendships and a hands-on internship, the program equipped her to bring Catholic social teaching into today’s human rights discourse. Now, she’s putting it into action as a marketing specialist and youth leader in Slovakia.