Academic Programs
Costa Rica
July 29 - August 21, 2012
The Human Rights Law in the Americas Summer Program
combines an intensive study of international human rights law
with an immersion in Costa Rican culture. The program
provides an overview of the basic principles of international
law, in-depth discussion of the Inter-American Human Rights
System, and consideration of how human rights ideas, advocacy
and activist strategies have transformed Latin American law,
society, politics and economics. The program is composed of
three comprehensive courses, guest lectures by prominent
academics and human rights leaders, and site visits to key
institutions within the Inter-American Human Rights System.
Educational Program
DePaul’s partner institution is Universidad Nacional in Heredia, located 13 miles outside the capital city of San Jose. The program is held on campus, where students have library privileges and Internet access.
Curriculum: The program offers three courses on the theory and practice of international human rights law in Latin America. All classes and lectures are conducted in English and meet in modern classrooms.
- Protecting Rights in the Americas: Critical Reflections on the Inter-American Human Rights System presents an overview of the Inter-American Human Rights System and reviews regional conventions, major cases and jurisprudence, as well as the impact of the Inter-American Commission and Court on improving state and regional responses to issues such as torture, disappearances and indigenous rights. (2 credit hours)
- New Directions in Latin American Human Rights: Law, Democracy and Economic Justice focuses on the way human rights ideas influence the relationship between law, democracy and economic justice in the Americas. The course includes several case studies and considers both the limitations and possibilities of human rights law for facilitating broad economic and social change. (2 credit hours)
- Rule of Law in Latin America: Comparative Criminal Procedure examines the expansion of the Latin American civil law system to include elements of the common law system used in the United States. These changes impact every phase of criminal procedure including search and seizure, arrest, pretrial detention, interrogation, exclusionary rules, victims’ rights, the role of counsel, juries, allocation of the burden of proof and appeal. (1 credit hour)
ABA-Approved Credits: The program is accredited by the American Bar Association and participants earn five (5) credit hours upon successful completion of all required coursework. Acceptance of credit or grade for any course taken in the program is subject to determination by each student’s home school.
Students: To facilitate interaction between U.S. and Latin American law students, a number of Universidad Nacional students who are fluent in English participate in classes and extracurricular activities.
Program Activities
Site Visits: The program includes site visits to institutions and nongovernmental organizations working on human rights and governance in the Americas. Visits include:
- Inter-American Court of Human Rights
- Inter-American Institute of Human Rights
- The Center for Justice and International Law
Guest Lecturers: The program routinely hosts international human rights law experts as guest lecturers. Guest lecturers have included:
- Roberto Cuellar, Executive Director, Inter- American Institute of Human Rights
- Soraya Long, Director, Center for Justice and International Law
- Sonia Picado, Former Judge, Inter-American Court of Human Rights
- Pablo Saavedra, Secretary, Inter-American Court of Human Rights
