Human Rights in the Digital Society

The MA in Human Rights in the Digital Society at Tallinn University is a full-time postgraduate programme designed to provide students with advanced legal knowledge and practical skills for addressing human-rights challenges arising from digital technologies and technological transformation. The programme combines human rights law, international regulation, data protection, AI regulation and ethics, and digital governance, enabling students to understand how fundamental rights can be protected and applied in increasingly digital societies.

The programme is taught in English and has a nominal duration of 2 years, consisting of 120 ECTS across four semesters. It is structured with evening classes, making it suitable for working professionals who want to develop their legal and digital-policy expertise while continuing their professional careers. Students learn through seminars, close academic supervision, case analysis, research activities, and applied learning based on Estonia’s highly digital public-sector environment.

Programme Focus

The programme focuses on the intersection of human rights, law and digital technology. Students develop advanced knowledge of human rights law and international legal principles while examining how these frameworks apply to contemporary technological issues.

Key areas covered by the programme include:

• Human rights law
• International law and regulation
• Data protection
• AI regulation and ethics
• Digital governance
• Privacy and accountability
• Algorithmic decision-making
• Digital markets
• Legal and ethical evaluation of digital systems

Students learn how to interpret and apply human-rights law to real technological questions and develop the ability to evaluate digital systems from both legal and ethical perspectives.

Practical and Applied Learning

A significant part of the programme is its practical orientation. Students work with cases and examples connected to Estonia’s functioning digital state, providing an opportunity to examine how legal and ethical frameworks operate in real digital-governance environments.

The curriculum includes a mandatory 6 ECTS internship, during which students apply their knowledge in a professional environment under the guidance of a working legal professional. This provides practical insight into digital-rights work and helps students connect academic learning with professional practice.

The programme also provides continuous development of research skills throughout the four semesters. Through seminars, case analysis and supervised learning, students develop analytical abilities alongside their legal expertise.

Study in Estonia’s Digital Society

Tallinn University provides an environment in which students can study digital governance in a country where many public services operate online. The programme highlights Estonia’s digital systems, including areas such as digital identity, healthcare services and online voting, as practical contexts for understanding the relationship between technology, law, ethics and fundamental rights.

This environment allows students to connect theoretical legal concepts with real digital-governance practices and examine the challenges created when fundamental rights intersect with technological development.

Flexible Evening Studies

The programme is designed with evening classes, allowing students to continue working while completing their master’s studies. This structure is particularly relevant for professionals working in human rights, policy, technology, regulation or related areas who want to develop specialised legal competence in digital-rights issues.

Students also study alongside a diverse cohort of professionals from technology, policy, human-rights and regulatory sectors, providing opportunities to develop a professional network across Europe and beyond.

Career Opportunities

Graduates develop legal and analytical skills relevant to organisations working at the intersection of digital transformation and fundamental rights. The programme prepares students for professional opportunities in a range of sectors, including:

Technology Companies

Graduates may work in areas such as responsible AI, data protection, compliance, sustainable innovation, policy and digital governance.

Public Institutions and EU Bodies

The programme provides knowledge relevant to digital-governance units, regulatory agencies and policy advisory positions within public institutions and European bodies.

Human Rights and Civil Society Organisations

Graduates can apply their expertise to digital-rights advocacy, strategic litigation and accountability projects involving technology and fundamental rights.

International Organisations

The programme also prepares students for work involving digital policy, rights monitoring and regulatory frameworks in international organisations.

Media Companies

Graduates can contribute to legal and policy issues involving freedom of expression, privacy, data protection and the ethical use of artificial intelligence.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the master’s programme must have a Bachelor’s degree or corresponding qualification. Applicants who are currently completing their final year of bachelor’s studies may initially submit a certificate showing their study results, but their final diploma and transcript of records must be submitted no later than July 1.

At least 60% of the possible maximum results is expected in order to qualify for studies at Tallinn University.

Entry qualification documents are accepted in English or Estonian. Applicants must upload all required documents with their application by the applicable application deadline.

The programme also has programme-specific admission requirements and assignments, which applicants are required to complete as part of the admission process.

English Language Requirements

The programme is taught in English, and applicants must provide evidence of English proficiency unless they qualify for an applicable exemption.

Applicants who completed their previous education fully in English in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Switzerland or EU/EEA countries may be exempt from submitting an international English language test, provided they submit attested proof from their previous educational institution.

Students who have completed International Baccalaureate studies may submit their graduation documents as proof of English proficiency.

Accepted English-language tests include:

• IELTS Academic: 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
• B2 First / B2 First for Schools: 169 overall
• C1 Advanced: 169 overall
• C2 Proficiency: 169 overall
• TOEFL iBT: minimum total score of 72 for exams taken before January 21,
• TOEFL iBT: minimum total score of 4 for exams taken on or after January 21,
• PTE Academic: 59 overall, with a minimum of 59 in each component

Test results must remain valid at the time of submission. Specific language-proficiency exemptions are also stated for applicants from Finland, Latvia and Lithuania who meet the conditions specified by Tallinn University.

Tuition Fees

The tuition fee for the programme is €2,500 per semester. In addition, an €100 one-time application fee applies.

Applicants who are citizens of Non-EU/EEA countries are required to pay the first semester’s tuition fee before the beginning of their studies.

Programme Duration and Award

The programme is a full-time postgraduate Master of Arts programme with a nominal duration of 2 years (120 ECTS). The curriculum is completed over four semesters and includes academic study, research-skills development and a mandatory 6 ECTS internship.

Successful students receive an MA degree.

Application Information

Tallinn University provides application guidance, required-document information and country-specific admission requirements for applicants. Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible so that admission specialists have time to provide feedback and allow applicants to update their applications if necessary.

Applications must be completed and signed by the applicants themselves, as Tallinn University does not accept applications submitted by third parties.

According to the provided source, the application period for this programme has ended.