This opinion is made in respect of the Master of Law in Human Rights programme at HKU only (“Programme”).

The Law Department offers its students many opportunities to be involved in extracurricular initiatives. For instance, the academic staff often hire student researchers and the Center for Comparative and Public Law frequently seek volunteers to assist in their seminars and conferences. One of the Programme’s most notable opportunities is a grant with Open Society Foundations called the ‘rights and governance internship’. The Law Department also has innovative street law and clinic initiatives. Further, many of its academic staff are legal practitioners and integrate anecdotes from their practices in the classroom, which is both interesting and beneficial to the learning environment. The class sizes are intimate and allow for in-depth discussions.

The elective selection could be broader (the electives are also subject to last minute changes) and the compulsory courses are not the best-fitted for all students. Since the Programme accepts students without a law degree, it is sometimes difficult to reconcile the different backgrounds and meaningfully begin a legal discussion. Some students are in the Programme for the purpose of getting an ‘easy’ masters-level law degree.

Overall, the Programme is terrific if you are proactive in seeking opportunities to advance your studies and pave a path for your next steps. You can build strong networks. Students entering with a more passive mindset may be disappointed with the experience though.