Roosevelt House

Overview

Two undergraduate programs are offered at Roosevelt House.

Human Rights

This program aims to give students the tools they need to address human rights problems intelligently and constructively, whether as advocates, scholars, researchers or informed citizens. Via academic study and hands-on experience, students will explore both the theoretical and practical underpinnings of current human rights debates.

By learning about human rights law, theory and practice, students in the program will understand how human rights norms and aspirations can shape public policy, international relations, and corporate behavior. They will learn about issues such as accountability, humanitarian intervention, freedom of expression, and the rights of immigrants. They will be introduced to the structure of human rights enforcement mechanisms, assessing the way in which international treaties and multilateral institutions influence the behavior of national governments.

Public Policy

The Roosevelt House public policy program is based on the understanding that the preparation of informed individuals is the key to a vibrant participatory democracy. The program prepares students by providing essential research and analytical skills that are important goals of a strong liberal arts education. Our graduates are unique: they span many majors from Anthropology to Political Science, Women & Gender Studies to Biology. Students have an opportunity to interact first-hand with policy experts and practitioners, both in the classroom and outside, and learn how policies are created, how communities come together to demand change, who benefits from specific policies, and how public policy impacts can be best measured. These are important skills that enable students to enter competitive graduate school programs, or to embark on careers in public affairs and the nonprofit sector at the local, national or global level.