International Mental Health Law, Policy & Rights-Based Services
(Certificate Course and Postgraduate Diploma)
An internationally recognised programme on mental health, human rights, and law, running for over a decade and equipping learners to influence rights-based policy and practice worldwide
About the Programme
The International Mental Health Law, Policy & Rights-Based Services programme, launched in 2008 by the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy, Indian Law Society, Pune, equips professionals to influence mental health law, policy, research, and practice across diverse contexts.
Formerly known as the International Diploma in Mental Health, Human Rights & Law, the programme has built a global community of 172 graduates from 65 countries across 17 cohorts.
Grounded in the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), this programme explores their application to mental health legislation, policy, services, and practice. Centred on the values of social justice, inclusion, and systemic transformation, the programme is designed to equip participants to drive meaningful social change for people with psychosocial disabilities across diverse contexts.
This year, we are introducing a new learning format—in addition to the Postgraduate Diploma, the programme is now also offered as a Certificate Course, providing two distinct learning pathways to suit differing needs.
Programme structure
Applications for the 2026–2027 cohort are now open.
Last date to apply: 30 September 2026
Programme Structure: Two learning pathways
To make the programme accessible to a wider audience, the International Mental Health Law, Policy & Rights-Based Services programme has been reimagined this year to offer two distinct learning pathways: a standalone Certificate Course and a Postgraduate Diploma. Grounded in the UNCRPD, both pathways provide a rights-based understanding of mental health law, policy, and services, with the Postgraduate Diploma offering advanced study and practical application.
Pathway 1: Certificate Course
A standalone foundational programme for professionals, including people with lived experiences and caregivers, to introduce rights-based approaches to mental health through a 12-week series of online lectures led by global experts.
Pathway 2: Postgraduate Diploma
An advanced programme for professionals, including people with lived experience and caregivers, seeking in-depth knowledge and practical skills in mental health law, policy, and rights-based services. Building on the 12-week online lectures, professionals enrolled in the Postgraduate Diploma will participate in an in-person residential session and further develop their practical skills through peer-learning, assignments, a final project, and mentorship from experts.
Which pathway is right for you?
|
Certificate Course |
Online | Foundation level | 12-week course | Certificate awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Postgraduate Diploma |
Online + Residential | Advanced level, building on the Certificate Course | Year-long programme | Postgraduate Diploma awarded |
Thematic Areas
Across both learning pathways, the programme addresses mental health law, policy, services, social determinants of mental health and their interplay with human rights. The programme is delivered across the following thematic areas:
| Theme | Topics | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundations of Mental Health and Law | Building a foundational understanding of mental health, gaps in mental health treatment and care, and access to care, as well as key legal concepts and systems relevant to mental health. |
| 2 | Human Rights and Mental Health | Exploring international human rights frameworks, including the UNCRPD, and their application to mental health through concepts of legal capacity, consent to treatment, and the ongoing tensions between autonomy and coercion. |
| 3 | Policy and Planning | Examining mental health policies, legislation, service organisation, and the relationship between mental health systems and legal frameworks. Exploring approaches to developing, reforming, implementing, and advocating for effective mental health policies and systems. |
| 4 | Rights-based Services | Examining models and concepts relating to rights-based service-delivery, including deinstitutionalisation, community-based mental health services, inclusion, independence, and guardianship. |
| 5 | Specialised Areas | Applying rights-based approaches to specialised areas such as mental health of children and young people (including the UN Convention on the Human Rights of Children); gender and sexuality; humanitarian emergencies; and the intersection of mental health with criminal justice. |
Certificate Course
A 12-week online Certificate Course comprising weekly lectures, quizzes, and reading materials.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Certificate Course, participants will develop the ability to:
- Grasp the foundational concepts in mental health, human rights, law, policy, and rights-based services;
- Understand how the UNCRPD and other international instruments apply to people with psychosocial disabilities;
- Understand how to apply rights-based approaches in their own work on mental health.
Eligibility
The Certificate Course is designed for early- and mid-career professionals and/or people with lived experience seeking to strengthen their understanding of mental health law, policy, human rights, and rights-based services.
Fees
| Country | Tuition Fee* |
|---|---|
| Indian residents | INR 28,500 |
| Lower-Middle Income Country (LMIC) Residents | USD 300 |
| Upper-Middle Income Country (UMIC) Residents | USD 600 |
| High-Income Country Residents (HIC) Residents | USD 1,000 |
*Fees exclusive of 18% Goods & Service Tax. The fee includes access to online sessions, the online learning platform, and course materials.
Country income classifications are based on the World Bank’s current income classification. Please check the income status of your country before paying the fee.
Postgraduate Diploma
The Postgraduate Diploma builds on the Certificate curriculum and includes advanced coursework, supervision, assessments, and a residential programme in Pune, India.
Learning Outcomes
In addition to the learning outcomes of the Certificate Course, participants completing the Postgraduate Diploma will develop the ability to:
- Critically engage with and appreciate the central role of the international human rights framework and how it relates to people with psychosocial disabilities;
- Draft, adopt, and enact mental health legislation, policy, and services;
- Monitor the implementation of mental health legislation, policy, and services;
- Advocate for the protection and promotion of the rights of people with psychosocial disabilities.
Course Structure
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Online Lectures | 12-week series of expert lectures and quizzes (Certificate Course) |
| Residential Sessions | In-depth lectures, case discussions, and applied learning in Pune, India |
| Self-study Phase | Graded monthly assignments and reading materials |
| Final Project |
Project proposal or critical essay under faculty supervision Online viva voce examination on completion |
| Advocacy Workshop | Online workshop on rights-based advocacy |
Assessment
| Component | Weightage | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Assignments | 60% | Five monthly assignments, each covering one of the thematic areas |
| Final Project | 40% | One project proposal or critical essay submitted as the final assessment |
Award of the Postgraduate Diploma
- Diploma (Pass): For participants achieving an overall score of 50%–74%.
- Diploma (Distinction): For participants achieving an overall score of 75% or above.
Eligibility
The Postgraduate Diploma is designed for professionals working in mental health, law, human rights, policy, research, advocacy, and service delivery.
Academic Requirement
- Applicants must hold a graduate degree from a recognised university in a relevant discipline, including but not limited to law, medicine, psychiatry, nursing, psychology, social work, social sciences, or natural sciences.
- We strongly encourage applications from persons with psychosocial disabilities and family members or caregivers, recognising their important role in shaping mental health systems, driving reform, and advocating for rights-based change. For these applicants, a graduate degree from a recognised university in any discipline is sufficient.
- Selection is based on the applicant’s educational and professional background, statement of purpose, and potential to contribute to rights-based mental health law, policy, services, and advocacy.
- Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing the rights and inclusion of persons with psychosocial disabilities within their own contexts.
Fees
| Country | Tuition Fee* |
|---|---|
| Tuition Fee* | INR 1,42,500 |
| Lower-Middle Income Country (LMIC) Residents | USD 1,500 |
| Upper-Middle Income Country (UMIC) Residents | USD 3,000 |
| High-Income Country Residents (HIC) Residents | USD 5,000 |
*Fee exclusive of 18% Goods & Service Tax. The fee includes access to all online sessions, learning platform, course materials, assessment of assignments, and final project supervision and mentorship. Course fee also includes accommodation and dail breakfast, as well as lunch on all teaching days during the residential session in Pune, India.
Country income classifications are based on the World Bank’s current income classification. Please check the income status of your country before paying the fee.
Timeline & Key Dates
| Date | Activity | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 27 July 2026 | Applications open | Certificate Course and Postgraduate Diploma |
| 30 September 2026 | Applications close | Certificate Course and Postgraduate Diploma |
| 30 October 2026 – 11 February 2027 |
Expert lectures held online every Friday from 6:00–8:00 PM IST (a 3-week gap in December) |
Certificate Course and Postgraduate Diploma |
| 25 February – 5 March 2027 | Eight-day residential programme at the Indian Law Society, Pune | Postgraduate Diploma only |
| April – September 2027 | Monthly assignments and final project development | Postgraduate Diploma only |
| October 2027 | Online viva voce examination | Postgraduate Diploma only |
FAQs
What is the difference between the Certificate Course and the Postgraduate Diploma?
The Certificate Course is a standalone foundational programme delivered entirely online. It introduces rights-based approaches to mental health, law, policy, and services.
The Postgraduate Diploma builds on this foundation through additional online modules, an intensive residential programme in Pune, graded assignments, and advanced learning activities such as a final project and mentorship designed to strengthen practical application and leadership in the field.
I can only do the Certificate Course now. Can I use this to later enrol in the Postgraduate Diploma?
Yes. The Certificate Course forms the foundational component of the Postgraduate Diploma pathway. Participants who progress to the Postgraduate Diploma will not need to repeat the Certificate curriculum and will continue into the advanced components of the programme.
How will the Postgraduate Diploma help my career?
The Postgraduate Diploma equips participants with the knowledge and practical skills to contribute to rights-based mental health law, policy, services, and implementation. It prepares professionals to engage in policy development, service reform, advocacy, research, and systems strengthening aligned with the UNCRPD and other international standards.
With structured assignments, peer learning, and individual mentorship toward a final project, this pathway also provides a strong foundation for further academic study, with many alumni going on to pursue doctoral research or leadership roles in mental health. To learn how past participants have applied their learning, please visit our Testimonials page.
Where do the programme fees go?
The programme is offered by the Indian Law Society on a not-for-profit basis and is self-funded. Programme fees support faculty honoraria, international and domestic travel, accommodation for the residential programme, learning materials, online learning platforms, programme administration, and other operational costs required to deliver a high-quality learning experience.
Who awards the Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma?
The Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma are awarded by the Indian Law Society, which is an autonomous institution established in 1923 for furthering legal education. The Indian Law Society is a not-for-profit charity registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950 in the Indian jurisdiction.
