AUP Launches MSc in Human Rights and Data Science

The American University of Paris is pleased to announce the launch of the new MSc in Human Rights and Data Science – recruiting now for the 2021–22 academic year – which joins existing graduate programs in global communications, management, diplomacy and international law, and international affairs. 

We live in a changing world. As developments in Big Data, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things transform the careers of the future, the world must develop concurrent principles for the ethical use of such technologies. The MSc in Human Rights and Data Science prepares graduates to engage with the exciting, emerging field of digital technologies – embedding an emphasis on the ethical ramifications of scientific progress throughout. Students will engage with fields as varied as digital commerce, warfare and humanitarianism, witnessing how comprehensive legal frameworks define and protect individuals’ rights to data privacy and govern the use of artificial intelligence in daily life. 

“The new MSc in Human Rights and Data Sciences exemplifies AUP’s commitment to providing graduate programs that engage with the vital global issues of our times,” said AUP’s Provost, William Fisher. “Our close-knit graduate community means a high level of interaction with our dedicated faculty, who are both academic experts and industry professionals working in the fields of technology and human rights.”

The program allows graduates to future-proof their careers with a transferable skill set relevant to a wide range of rapidly evolving tech-based industries. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has established a new normal of data privacy regulation for companies and organizations across the world. Employment opportunities in data protection are growing fast; the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) has estimated that as many as 75,000 data protection officers needed to be appointed globally in response to the GDPR.  

The program material draws extensively on faculty expertise, building on the research of Professors Susan Perry and Claudia Roda; their book, Digital Tightrope: Human Rights and Digital Technologies, was published in 2016.

Alongside a strong academic grounding, students taking the new MSc will be trained to sit a widely recognized professional privacy certification from the IAPP. This certification offers a vital competitive edge in an increasingly relevant field. The Data Science Industry Practicum, a series of workshops with industry professionals, will ensure a varied exposure to real-world examples, putting classroom theory into practice. Other highlights include AUP's long-established Ecole de Guerre Practicum – a conflict simulation held in collaboration with the French War College – and the opportunity, for a selected number of students, to take part in the Oxford University Human Rights Summer School.  

Admissions are now open for the 2021–22 academic year. For more information about the program, visit the AUP website.