STUDENTS

E.MA is open to EU and non-EU citizens.

Students are selected on the basis of their academic ability and background, experience, motivation, and language competence. Whilst the minimum academic requiremet is 180 ECTS, additional study and practical experience in the area of human rights in inter-governmental, governmental, or non-governmental organisations are helpful and enrich the learning environment. On average, each year the E.MA class includes 25% of students with prior practical experience.

The prevalent background is Law, although each year there has been a steady increase in participation of students with other degrees (Political Science, International Relations, Humanities, Languages).

Motivation is also a key element characterizing E.MA students. A typical class is composed of committed individuals who choose E.MA for a variety of reasons:

• Practitioners looking for more formal preparation to enhance their practical knowledge and skills
• Students with personal experiences of difficult human rights situations wishing to articulate their responses and strategies more effectively
• Scholars at the earliest stages of their academic career aspiring to further develop their research abilities
• Young graduates keen on specialising and gaining conceptual and practical knowledge in preparation to a human rights career

As English and French are the official working languages of the E.MA programme, students are fluent in English and possess the ability to understand lectures and read academic texts in French. Given the variety of backgrounds and countries of origin, many students can also speak one or two additional languages.