Study on the Relevance of a Master's Program in Human Rights Education

Abstract

Human rights education plays a fundamental role in building just and equitable societies, serving as a foundation for sustainable development and the promotion of a culture of peace. In this context, it is crucial to understand the academic and social relevance of postgraduate programs that contribute to the training of professionals in this field. This article presents the results of a relevance study for a proposed master's program in human rights education, conducted to assess its potential implementation at the Higher Education Academic Unit of the Autonomous University of Zacatecas, Mexico. The study comprised two phases; the first involved documentary research with an analytical approach to understand the landscape of existing master's programs in human rights in the country. The second phase involved a survey of potential applicants and employers to gauge their perceptions. The results show a shortage of master's programs in human rights education in Mexico. Furthermore, according to the survey data, the proposed master's program is perceived as a formative space that can significantly address current demands in human rights issues in the state. These findings underscore the urgent need to fill the existing educational gap and highlight the potential of the proposal to contribute to the training of professionals in human rights with an educational focus.