Masters Degrees (Environmental Law)

Understanding the development and functioning of environmental law across different levels of environmental governance is an important issue of our time. This requires moving beyond the traditional approach to teaching international, regional, EU and national environmental law in isolation from one other.

There's also a growing need to understand the relevance for environmental governance of the legal practices of indigenous peoples and local communities, business entities, local administrations, and transnational environmental practitioners.

The programme aims to help students critically appraise and creatively contribute to environmental regulation and governance at the international, transnational, national and local levels.

Studying this course, you'll be equipped with a wide range of expertise in environmental law, in areas like:
-Biodiversity
-Land
-Food and agriculture
-Climate change and energy
-Corporate accountability
-Environmental justice
-Water and oceans
-Human rights
-Sustainable development

You'll focus on the global dynamics of environmental law. In particular, you'll look at the mutual influences and interactions among different regulatory levels.

The programme draws both on cutting-edge academic research on global environmental law, and on first-hand professional experience in environmental law and governance at different levels.

Employability

Your ability to gain international employment is at the heart of this course. It'll equip you with the skills and expertise you need to pursue a career in:
-International organisations
-National governments involved in international, EU and/or transnational law matters
-Non-government organisations that operate at a regional, sub-national, national or international level
-Private companies concerned with international, EU and/or transnational environmental law

Work experience

We have a successful track record of helping LLM students obtain competitive international internships with United Nations organisations. These are optional, and their duration and conditions vary depending on the host organisation. They usually start towards the end of the course.

Our programme directors are currently concluding formal agreements with selected international organisations to secure a number of internships for LLM students each year.

Career advice

Our course directors will provide advice on international careers. They can give you some insider tips on how to apply for jobs with, for example, the United Nations and will be available to review job applications.

Network with other professionals

LLM students will become part of a closed alumni group on LinkedIn. This will give you the opportunity to network with other professionals in environmental law and governance. It'll also ensure you're updated on selected job opportunities.

Course content

Core classes
-International Environmental Law 1
-International Environmental Law 2
-Global Environmental Law: Issues of Sustainability and Equity
-Legal Research

Elective classes
The opportunity to select from our range of elective classes gives you the chance to pursue your personal interests and tailor your degree to your intended career path. Options include:
-EU Environmental Law 1
-EU Environmental Law 2 - External Dimensions
-International Climate Change Law
-Oceans Governance & the Law of the Sea
-Other elective classes

Learning & teaching

The course will be taught primarily through face-to-face sessions in the form of weekly interactive seminars. Seminars give you the chance to make sure you've fully understood the subject matter, but also to develop and discuss ideas with your peers, and to develop specific research interests.

You'll be expected to draw on the knowledge and skills you've developed in your undergraduate studies, as well as on other professional or academic experience you've acquired since then, and share them with fellow course participants.

In addition to taught seminars, you'll benefit from a wide-range of activities organised by the Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law & Governance to allow you to broaden your knowledge of and skills in environmental law and policy.

Assessment

Assessment is based on your performance in coursework and/or written exam papers. Students seeking award of the Master’s Degree (LLM) will need to complete a dissertation. Some of the assessments will be based on real-life assignments that the teaching staff have engaged with in the context of their practical experience in international consultancies, with a view to developing your skills of immediate relevance to global employers.

Careers

This course has been designed to equip you with the knowledge, understanding and analytical skills necessary for pursuing a career with a strong international focus. You may go on to work as:
-Legal advisors and legislative drafters for national and local governments
-Legal advisors to local, national and international think tanks and non-profit organizations
-Legal and policy officers for international organizations (United Nations, European Commission)
-Legal and policy advisors to private companies
-Associates in international and transnational environmental law firms
-PhD researchers and university lecturers

Our course directors have a track record of successfully supporting students in obtaining highly competitive international internships and jobs with reputable research institutes, international organisations and non-government organisations. Supporting activities include:
-Review of applications
-Provision of targeted career advice
-Integration of new students in a vibrant, cross-programme alumni community, so as to foster networking activities
-Collaborations on matters pertaining to environmental law after the completion of the LLM

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The MA in Environmental Law and Sustainable Development provides a unique specialisation in one of the most rapidly developing areas of law. Environmental law is one of the most challenging fields that has grown very rapidly over the past four decades and is now one of the key areas of both domestic and international law. At SOAS, we understand the environment in a broad sense which includes not only environmental issues strictly speaking but also all the links that they have with other areas such as natural resources, human rights, economic development trade or intellectual property rights.

The SOAS degree offers a distinct mix of modules that covers all the main areas of environmental law in their international and national dimensions. The international and global nature of many environmental issues makes the international law component a key part of the MA in Environmental Law and Sustainable Development. We offer all the general topics that make up the core of international environmental law. Additionally, we focus specifically on the North-South dimension of international environmental issues given the key role this plays in most international environmental negotiations.

The MA in Environmental Law and Sustainable Development specifically seeks to put international environmental law in its national context and examines the broad legal frameworks negotiated at the international level in the context of their implementation in selected countries of the South. It thus provides a much more grounded context to the study of environmental law.

Further, we also study the legal regimes of individual countries of the South to provide much more specific analysis of the discipline at the level of its implementation in specific contexts. The MA in Environmental Law and Sustainable Development gives specific emphasis to different regions of the South, including South Asia, China and sub-Saharan Africa.

For further information about the general structure of the MA in Law programme at SOAS, please visit the General MA in Law (MA in Legal Studies) page (http://www.soas.ac.uk/law/programmes/ma/maintcomplegstud/).

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/law/programmes/ma/ma-in-environmental-law-and-sustainable-development/

Structure

To facilitate the study of law, all MA students are required to attend a two-week Preliminary Law, Legal Reasoning and Legal Methods in the September before beginning the MA programme.

Every student will be required to take modules equivalent to four (4.0) full units including the dissertation. Students who wish to graduate with a specialised MA are required to take at least two (2.0) of the three (3.0) taught units within their chosen specialism. The third unit can be chosen from either the general Law Postgraduate Modules List or the following courses associated with the Environmental Law and Sustainable Development specialisation:

Please note: Not all modules listed will be available every year. Please see the individual module page for information.

Full Module Units (1.0):
- Climate Change and Energy Law and Policy - 15PLAC154 (1 Unit)
- Law, Environment and Sustainable Development in a Global Context - 15PLAC118 (1 Unit)
- Law and Natural Resources - 15PLAC126 (1 Unit)
- Water Law and Development: Conflicts, Governance and Justice - 15PLAC177 (1 Unit)

Half Module Units (0.5):
- Water and Development: Conflict and Governance - 15PDSH049 (0.5 Unit)
- Water Law: Justice and Governance - 15PLAH044 (0.5 Unit)

Examples of non-Law module options:
- Energy Policy in the Asia-Pacific - 15PFFH011 (0.5 Unit)
- Global Energy & Climate Policy - 15PFFC017 (1 Unit)

Dissertation (1.0):
- Dissertation in Law - 15PLAC999 - (1 Unit)

The Department

Key facts:
- LLB (QLD), BA (joint honours), LLM, MA & research degrees

- unique focus on both the developed and developing world

- research and teaching strengths in comparative, regional, international & global law

School of Law in UK top 5 for proportion of publications judged to be 'world-leading':
18 December 2014: the School was also graded in the top 20 nationally for its research environment. Find out more...

Our strengths:
We have unrivalled expertise in comparative law (China, Africa, South/South-East Asia, the Middle East), complemented by specialists in international and transnational law, human rights, transnational commercial law, environmental law and socio-legal method.

Facts and figures

- We are introducing student exchange programmes with leading universities in the US and China

- We achieve one of the highest percentages of training contracts with Magic Circle Law firms awarded to UK Law Schools

Teaching:
- 91% satisfaction for teaching (National Student Survey 2012/13): 96% of law students agreed that our staff are good at explaining things and 91% said their course was ‘intellectually stimulating’

- Excellent staff/student ratio

- Ranked 10th in UK (Guardian University Guide 2015)

Research:
- Thriving research culture with a packed schedule of seminars and conferences across our research centres and specialisms

- Close links with the internationally-renowned Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS) and the Van Vollenhoven Institute, Leiden University

- Each year a number of distinguished Lawyers join SOAS as Research Fellows

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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The LLM in Environmental Law provides a unique specialisation in one of the most rapidly developing areas of law. Environmental law is one of the most challenging fields that has grown very rapidly over the past four decades and is now one of the key areas of both domestic and international law. At SOAS, we understand the environment in a broad sense which includes not only environmental issues strictly speaking but also all the links that they have with other areas such as natural resources, human rights, economic development trade or intellectual property rights.

The SOAS degree offers a distinct mix of modules that covers all the main areas of environmental law in their international and national dimensions. The international and global nature of many environmental issues makes the international law component a key part of the LLM in Environmental Law. We offer all the general topics that make up the core of international environmental law. Additionally, we focus specifically on the North-South dimension of international environmental issues given the key role this plays in most international environmental negotiations.

The LLM in Environmental Law specifically seeks to put international environmental law in its national context and examines the broad legal frameworks negotiated at the international level in the context of their implementation in selected countries of the South. It thus provides a much more grounded context to the study of environmental law.

Further, we also study the legal regimes of individual countries of the South to provide much more specific analysis of the discipline at the level of its implementation in specific contexts. The LLM in Environmental Law gives specific emphasis to different regions of the South, including South Asia, China and sub-Saharan Africa.

For further information about the general LLM at SOAS and a list of all the modules, please visit the General LLM description (http://www.soas.ac.uk/law/programmes/llm/llm/).

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/law/programmes/llm/llmenvlaw/

Duration: One calendar year (full-time)
Two, three or four years (part-time, daytime only)
We recommend that part-time students have between two-and-a-half and three days a week free to pursue their course of study.

Structure

Every student will be required to take modules equivalent to four (4.0) full units. Students who wish to graduate with a specialised LLM are required to take at least three (3.0) of the four (4.0) units within their chosen specialism, including the dissertation. The assessment of one of the chosen full units (within the LLM specialism) will be by means of a 15,000 word dissertation. The fourth unit can be chosen from either the general Law Postgraduate Modules or the following modules associated with the Environmental Law specialisation:

Please note: Not all modules listed will be available every year. Please see the individual module page for information.

Full Module Units (1.0):
- Climate Change and Energy Law and Policy - 15PLAC154 (1 Unit)
- Law, Environment and Sustainable Development in a Global Context - 15PLAC118 (1 Unit)
- Law and Natural Resources - 15PLAC126 (1 Unit)
- Water Law and Development: Conflicts, Governance and Justice - 15PLAC177 (1 Unit)

Half Module Units (0.5):
- Water and Development: conflict and governance - 15PDSH049 (0.5 Unit)
- Water Law: justice and governance - 15PLAH044 (0.5 Unit)

Examples of non-Law module options:
- Global Energy and Climate Policy - 15PFFC017 (1 Unit)
- Energy Policy in the Asia-Pacific - 15PFFH011 (0.5 Unit)

Dissertation (1.0):
The dissertation module unit forms part of the required three (3.0) units within the chosen LLM specialism. Please see the dissertation module units below. You will need to attend the teaching on the module and then submit a dissertation in place of the module method of assessment.

- Climate Change and Energy Law and Policy - 15PLAD154 (1 Unit)
- Law, Environment and Sustainable Development in a Global Context - 15PLAD118 (1 Unit)
- Law and Natural Resources - 15PLAD126 (1 Unit)
- Water Law and Development: Conflicts, Governance and Justice - 15PLAD177 (1 Unit)

Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (L&SS)

Welcome to the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at SOAS. The faculty is the largest in the School in terms of student and staff numbers and consists of the departments of Development Studies, Economics, Financial and Management Studies, Politics and International Studies and the School of Law, as well as the Asia-Pacific Centre for Social Sciences, the Centre for Gender Studies, the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, the Centre of Taiwan Studies and a number of department-specific centres. All five departments offer undergraduate programmes, and all but Finance and International Management offer joint undergraduate degrees which can be combined with other disciplines from across the School. Each department also offers a range of masters-level programmes with a regional or disciplinary specialism, as well as a postgraduate research programme. The range of course options and combinations is one of the most distinctive characteristics of studying at SOAS and all students are given the option of studying an Asian or African language, either as part of or on top of their degree.

Staff in the faculty come from all over the world and combine regional knowledge with disciplinary specialisms. Teaching draws heavily on academic staff’s individual research which allows the faculty to maintain a large portfolio of courses, often exploring cutting-edge issues. Many faculty members have played a significant part in public debates and policy-making in relation to Asia and Africa. Academics in the faculty are regularly consulted by governments, public bodies and multilateral organisations including the United Nations and the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, European Commission, DFID and other country-specific organisations and NGOs.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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The Kent LLM (and associated Diploma programme) allows you to broaden and deepen your knowledge and understanding of law by specialising in one or more different areas.

This specialisation stimulates a critical awareness of the operation of international environmental law and policy, and features a particular focus on topics that are perceived to be controversial or in a state of evolution. You develop a sound knowledge and systematic understanding of the institutional structures, key principles of law and policy, and the contexts within which international law operates.

You study the theoretical, social, political and scientific perspectives that underlie the substantive areas of law, as well as the practical situations in which international environmental law operates. Graduates of the LLM take with them the knowledge and expertise required to pursue a professional or academic career in this contemporary and developing discipline.

Studying for a Master's in Law (LLM) at Kent means having the certainty of gaining an LLM in a specialist area of Law. The Kent LLM gives you the freedom to leave your choice of specialism open until after you arrive, your specialism being determined by the modules you choose.

About Kent Law School

Kent Law School (KLS) is the UK's leading critical law school. A cosmopolitan centre of world-class critical legal research, it offers a supportive and intellectually stimulating place to study postgraduate taught and research degrees.

In addition to learning the detail of the law, students at Kent are taught to think about the law with regard to its history, development and relationship with wider society. This approach allows students to fully understand the law. Our critical approach not only makes the study of law more interesting, it helps to develop crucial skills and abilities required for a career in legal practice.

The Law School offers its flagship Kent LLM at the University’s Canterbury campus (and three defined LLM programmes at the University’s Brussels centre). Our programmes are open to non-law graduates with an appropriate academic or professional background who wish to develop an advanced understanding of law in their field. You study within a close-knit, supportive and intellectually stimulating environment, working closely with academic staff. KLS uses critical research-led teaching throughout our programmes to ensure that you benefit from the Law School’s world-class research.

Our programmes are open to non-law graduates with an appropriate academic or professional background who wish to develop an advanced understanding of law in their field. You study within a close-knit, supportive and intellectually stimulating environment, working closely with academic staff. KLS uses critical research-led teaching throughout our programmes to ensure that you benefit from the Law School’s world-class research.

National ratings

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, research by Kent Law School was ranked 8th in the UK for research intensity. We were also ranked 7th for research power and in the top 20 for research output, research quality and research impact.

An impressive 99% of our research was judged to be of international quality and the School’s environment was judged to be conducive to supporting the development of world-leading research.

Course structure

You can tailor your studies to your particular needs and interests to obtain an LLM or Diploma in a single specialisation, in two specialisations jointly, or by choosing a broad range of modules in different areas of law to obtain a general LLM or Diploma in Law.

Your choice of specialisation will be shaped by the modules you take and your dissertation topic. To be awarded an LLM in a single specialisation, at least three of your six modules must be chosen from those associated with that specialisation and your dissertation focusing on that area of law. The other three modules can be chosen from any offered in the Law School. All students are required to take the Legal Research and Writing Skills module. To be awarded a major/minor specialisation you choose three modules associated with one specialisation, and three from another specialisation, with the dissertation determining your 'major' specialisation.

For example, a student who completes at least three modules in International Commercial Law and completes a dissertation in this area would graduate with an LLM in International Commercial Law; a student who completes three Criminal Justice modules and three Environmental Law modules and then undertakes a dissertation which engages with Criminal Justice would graduate with an LLM in Criminal Justice and Environmental Law.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of this specialisation stream. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation and student demand. Most specialisation streams will require you to study a combination of subject specialisation modules and modules from other specialisation streams so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

LW852 European Union Environmental Law and Policy

LW906 International Environmental Law – Legal Foundations

LW884 International Environmental Law – Substantive Legal Aspects

LW888 Climate Change and Renewable Energy Law

Assessment
The postgraduate programmes offered within the Law School are usually taught in seminar format. Students on the Diploma and LLM programmes study three modules in each of the autumn and spring terms. The modules normally are assessed by a 4-5,000-word essay. Students undertaking an LLM degree must write a dissertation of 15-20,000 words.

Programme aims

This programme aims to provide:

1. LLM: The opportunity to develop (a) expert knowledge and a sophisticated understanding of particular areas of law; (b) advanced research, writing and oral communication skills of general value to postgraduate employment.
PGDip: The opportunity to develop (a) expert knowledge and a sophisticated understanding of particular areas of law; (b) written and oral communication skills of general value to postgraduate employment.

2. LLM: A sound knowledge and systematic understanding of the institutional structures, key principles of law and policy and influential ideas, theories, assumptions and paradigms of particular areas of law.
PGDip: A sound knowledge and systematic understanding of the institutional structures, key principles of law and policy and influential ideas, theories, assumptions and paradigms of the subjects studied.

3. LLM & PGDip: A degree of specialisation in areas of law and policy chosen from the LLM option streams available and an opportunity for students to engage with academic work at the frontiers of scholarship.

4. LLM & PGDip: A critical awareness of the operation of law and policy, particularly in contexts that are perceived to be controversial or in a state of evolution.

5. LLM: The skills to undertake supervised research on an agreed topic in their specialisation and to encourage the production of original, evaluative analysis that meets high standards of scholarship.

6. LLM & PGDip: Critical, analytical and problem-solving skills that can be applied to a wide range of contexts.

7. LLM & PGDip: The skills of academic legal research and writing.

8. LLM: A sophisticated grounding in research methods.

Careers

Employability is a key focus throughout the University and at Kent Law School you have the support of a dedicated Employability and Career Development Officer together with a broad choice of work placement opportunities, employability events and careers talks. Details of graduate internship schemes with NGOs, charities and other professional organisations are made available to postgraduate students via the School’s Employability Blog.

Law graduates have gone on to careers in finance, international commerce, government and law or have joined, or started, an NGO or charity.

Kent has an excellent record for postgraduate employment: over 94% of our postgraduate students who graduated in 2013 found a job or further study opportunity within six months.

Information about the internship programme for LLM students can be found on the Kent Law School Employability blog - http://blogs.kent.ac.uk/klsemployability/postgraduates/llm-internships/

Learn more about Kent

Visit Us - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/visit/openday/pgevents.html

International Students - https://www.kent.ac.uk/internationalstudent/

Why study at Kent? - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/why/

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About the course

This course is particularly suitable for people who work for regulatory bodies, whether in legal departments or as field or enforcement officers, environmental consultants, planners, solicitors, barristers, those who work in regulated industries, such as waste or water, and academics.
•Informa
This course is delivered in partnership with Informa Professional Academy, an organisation dedicated to working with leading academic bodies to provide high-calibre and well respected distance learning postgraduate courses
•Develop your own personal pathway
This course combines one core module with a diverse range of optional modules
•Study at your own pace
Enjoy flexible distance learning, with the option to exit at one of several points with a postgraduate award
•Differentiate yourself in the job market
Gain a competitive edge by increasing your knowledge of Environmental law
•Boost your employability
Improve your career and employability options in a globalised job market

Environmental Law modules:

The Environment and Legal Control – in this module you will look at the historical development of the legal regulation of the environment. You will further examine the UK and EU legal systems in which environmental law is framed and gain an understanding of use of civil penalties in an environmental law context.

You will also select elective modules which might include:
•Atmospheric Pollution Law
•Biodiversity Impact and Nature Conservation Law
•Environmental Assessment
•Environmental Permitting & Climate Change
•International Environmental Law
•Law of Environmental Crime
•Law of Health and Safety
•Light Pollution Law
•Negotiated Study
•Noise Pollution Law
•Planning Law
•Waste Management and Contaminated Land
•Water Pollution Law
•Nuclear Law

Dissertation
You must also undertake a dissertation, providing an invaluable opportunity to work in depth on a particular aspect of the law. You will need to apply and enhance your technical knowledge and critical awareness in a subject of your choice. In order to obtain the LLM in Environmental Law and Practice it is necessary to write a dissertation with an environmental law theme.

Note: All modules are subject to change in order to keep content current.

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Part of our comprehensive range of LLM programmes, the LLM in Environmental Law and Sustainable Development allows you to deepen your understanding of law relating to the environment and associated development issues.

You will engage with the legal and ethical challenges posed by sustainable development, and explore global environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity protection, water management and renewable energy, from the perspective of both developed and developing countries. By encouraging innovation in assessing current environmental problems, the course will prepare you to work in legal practice, whether you choose to go into a commercial organisation, the public sector or a non-governmental organisation.

Course detail

Pursuing an LLM allows you to focus in on a particular area of law by delving deep into the subject and undertaking independent research and learning. The modules available cover a diverse range of legal topics, making it possible to tailor the course towards the specific areas of law you wish to explore further.

Structure

The LLM in Environmental Law and Sustainable Development consists of nine modules in total, including a dissertation of up to 15,000 words.

To gain the Postgraduate Certificate, you will study two compulsory modules (Research Methodsand International Environmental Law) and two optional modules.

To gain the Postgraduate Diploma, you will complete the necessary modules to gain the Certificate (as above), one further compulsory module (Natural Resources Law) and another three optional modules.

To achieve the LLM, you will complete the necessary modules to gain the Diploma (as above) and also write a dissertation.

Modules

• Globalisation and the Law
• International Human Rights Law
• International Environmental Law
• Natural Resources Law
• World Trade Organisation Law
• European Environmental Law and Policy
• Shipping Law
• Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility
• International Employment Law
• Dissertation

Format

The flexible nature of the course allows you to study with us full or part time. The course involves both extensive independent research and discussion in the context of workshops, designed to encourage the development of your critical, analytical and reflective skills. You will be expected to prepare for each workshop and to participate actively in discussion with your tutors and peers.

Assessment

Taught modules on the LLM Environmental Law and Sustainable Development course are assessed through a combination of written coursework assignments and oral presentations. The culmination of the course is a dissertation of up to 15,000 words, which constitutes an original contribution to the corpus of legal knowledge within an area of environmental law.

Careers / Further study

Studying for an LLM provides an ideal opportunity to develop specialist skills that will be favoured by employers, both in the legal world and beyond. It opens up a range of career opportunities and gives our students the edge over other graduates.

The in-depth knowledge you will acquire in a particular area of law will give you a thorough grounding in the subject area and raise your employability prospects, enabling you to become a specialist within your organisation. It is for this reason that many of our LLM graduates choose to go on to complete a PhD or go into teaching and research.

Recent graduates from Bristol Law School have gained positions in local government, solicitors firms, the Ministry of Defence and other organisations including Marks and Spencer plc, Direct Line and Lloyds TSB.

How to apply

Information on applications can be found at the following link: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/study/applyingtouwebristol/postgraduateapplications.aspx

Funding

- New Postgraduate Master's loans for 2016/17 academic year –

The government are introducing a master’s loan scheme, whereby master’s students under 60 can access a loan of up to £10,000 as a contribution towards the cost of their study. This is part of the government’s long-term commitment to enhance support for postgraduate study.

Scholarships and other sources of funding are also available.

More information can be found here: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/students/feesandfunding/fundingandscholarships/postgraduatefunding.aspx

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About the course

This course is particularly suitable for people who work for regulatory bodies, whether in legal departments or as field or enforcement officers, environmental consultants, planners, solicitors, barristers, those who work in regulated industries, such as waste or water, and academics.
•Informa
This course is delivered in partnership with Informa Professional Academy, an organisation dedicated to working with leading academic bodies to provide high-calibre and well respected distance learning postgraduate courses
•Develop your own personal pathway
This course combines one core module with a diverse range of optional modules
•Study at your own pace
Enjoy flexible distance learning, with the option to exit at one of several points with a postgraduate award
•Differentiate yourself in the job market
Gain a competitive edge by increasing your knowledge of Environmental law
•Boost your employability
Improve your career and employability options in a globalised job market

Course modules

The Environment and Legal Control – in this module you will look at the historical development of the legal regulation of the environment. You will further examine the UK and EU legal systems in which environmental law is framed and gain an understanding of use of civil penalties in an environmental law context.

You will also select elective modules which might include:
•Atmospheric Pollution Law
•Biodiversity Impact and Nature Conservation Law
•Environmental Assessment
•Environmental Permitting & Climate Change
•International Environmental Law
•Law of Environmental Crime
•Law of Health and Safety
•Light Pollution Law
•Negotiated Study
•Noise Pollution Law
•Planning Law
•Waste Management and Contaminated Land
•Water Pollution Law
•Nuclear Law

Dissertation
You must also undertake a dissertation, providing an invaluable opportunity to work in depth on a particular aspect of the law. You will need to apply and enhance your technical knowledge and critical awareness in a subject of your choice. In order to obtain the LLM in Environmental Law and Practice it is necessary to write a dissertation with an environmental law theme.

Teaching and assessment

The LLM is studied by distance learning and is fully assessed by coursework and a dissertation. The distance learning mode involves optional attendance at Leicester De Montfort Law School, for a maximum of ten Saturday study days during the period of study. The course is structured in a way that allows you to exit at one of several points, if desired, each with a postgraduate award.

Graduate careers

This career development course equips you to enter legal and other work relating to the operation and regulation of businesses, both in the UK and overseas.

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About the course

The Environmental Law and Management LLM allows you to study from home by Distance Learning – whether in the UK or overseas – and keep in contact with tutors by email, telephone, fax and/or post. You can also maintain contact with one another, both during and after your studies, offering invaluable peer support and networking opportunities.

You are guided through each of the LLMs by a module handbook containing notes, reading lists and self-assessment questions. All the documents on the reading lists are provided either electronically through the University’s electronic resources, by direct links to the worldwide web, as digitised documents on Blackboard (the University’s on-line learning/teaching facility) or, exceptionally, as hard copy. Core text books are issued on loan with the module handbook and returned with the module assignment. Staff-student interchange is facilitated by coursework materials, telephone contact, email and written responses to coursework submissions.

The weekend residential schools provide the opportunity to meet with tutors, guest lecturers and fellow students and to reinforce your understanding of the subjects during lectures, discussion sessions and tutorials.

This degree will suit you:


• If you want to study an area of law with urgent contemporary significance and practical relevance.
• If you wish to develop a critical appreciation of legal responses to environmental and human rights issues.
• If you wish to nurture a legal career within government, non-governmental or corporate structures.
• If distance learning is your preferred option for study.

Course structure

There are two start dates for the Environmental Law and Management LLM by distance learning in each academic year - 1 April and 1 October. Although you are allowed up to a maximum of five years to complete the course, it is possible to complete six modules per academic year. However, the flexible nature of the programmes means that you can work at your own pace through the modules. Each of the twelve modules is worth 10 credits and the dissertation is worth 60 credits. To gain the LLM qualification you will be required to complete 180 credits worth of study – 120 from taught modules and 60 from the dissertation. It will be possible to complete 60 credits (six modules) to gain a Postgraduate certificate recognising your achievement. On completion of all twelve modules but in the absence of the dissertation, you will be eligible for a Postgraduate Diploma in law. You can also choose to study individual modules to enhance your knowledge in a particular area. All the modules are assessed by an assignment of up to 5000 words.

The dissertation (13000-15000 words) provides you with an excellent opportunity to study an aspect of the law in your chosen area of study which is of particular interest to you. Students often, but not exclusively, select project topics which have a direct bearing on their professional lives. The standard of the work produced is very high indeed and several of our students have graduated with distinction.

Attendance at the biennial residential weekends is highly recommended. The programme of lectures, seminars and workshops at the study schools both stimulates and encourages, as well as providing an invaluable opportunity for debate and discussion with staff, visiting lecturers and fellow students.

Course content

Core modules:

Dissertation

Optional modules:

Agriculture, Law and the Environment
Climate Change Law and Policy
Control of Pollution Law 1
Control of Pollution Law 2
EIA: Theory & Practice
Food, Ecology and E.U. Law
International Business, Environment & Human Rights
International Environmental Law
International Law of the Marine Environment
Introduction to Environmental Law
Introduction to Environmental Science
Nature Conservation Law
Planning Law and Land Use
Principles of European Community Environmental Law
Study Skills
The Nature of Environmental Audit
Waste Management Law and Policy

Assessment

Assessment takes the form of coursework essays (120 credits). Each student will complete then a master’s dissertation (60 credits) which deals with an area of chosen study.

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Climate change is a universal problem with far reaching consequences for all governments, industry, societies and individuals. The LLM in Environmental Law examines all the political and legal issues concerning environmental protection, climate change policies, natural resources law, with an overarching emphasis on the impact of gas and oil.

The LLM in Environmental Law is an interdisciplinary programme, encompassing legal, political and human rights issues of environmental protection, whilst drawing on expertise from colleagues in other Queen Mary departments, including geography, human rights and physics.

Your fellow students will come from the UK and more than 80 other countries, each able to draw on prior academic and in many cases professional experiences from different jurisdictions to enrich discussion and debate in class.

Modules:

To specialise in this area, you must select 90 credits of modules from this list and do your compulsory dissertation in the field of Environmental Law (45 credits). The additional 45 credits of taught modules can be in this area or can be unrelated and therefore selected from the full list of LLM available modules.

All modules are 22.5 credits unless otherwise stated below.

Note: Not all of the modules listed will be available in any one year and semesters listed can be subject to change. Any modules not available in the forthcoming academic session will be marked as soon as this information is confirmed by teaching academics.

The updated module list below represents the result of our ongoing modularisation of the LLM which is intended to offer students greater flexibility and choice of module options.


◦ QLLM055 International Environmental Law (45 credits)
◦ QLLM058 International Law of the Sea (45 credits)
◦ QLLM096 Climate Change Law and Policy (45 credits) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM097 International Natural Resources Law (45 credits)
◦ QLLM098 European Environmental Law (45 credits) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM155 Principles of Regulation (Sem1)
◦ QLLM379 Energy Law: Renewable and Nuclear (sem 2)
◦ QLLM380 Energy Economics: A Legal Perspective (sem 1)
◦ QLLM381 Energy Economics: Applied Analysis (sem 2)
◦ QLLM382 Energy Law and Ethics (sem 1)
◦ QLLM383 / QLLG008 International Regulation of Shipping (sem 1)
◦ QLLM384 Law of the Sea, Navigational Freedoms and Practice (sem 2)
◦ QLLM400 United States Energy Law, Regulation and Policy (sem 1)

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The LLM programme in Environmental Law aims to give law graduates and others a conceptual understanding of the main legal issues related to environmental protection and more widely, sustainable development. You will be encouraged to critically evaluate current research and practice in the field.

Why study Environmental Law at Dundee?

Interest in and concern about environmental issues is accelerating and the law has a crucial part to play in shaping our response.

Both public and private sectors are becoming subject to increasingly onerous environmental obligations, from detailed rules on pollution control to wider duties in relation to biodiversity and climate change, whilst environmental impact assessment is now an everyday requirement.

This course will prepare students for the challenges lawyers face in understanding the impact of the physical changes, and to help legislate for the future and to support those grappling with the increasingly complex regulatory setting.

Here at Dundee, the research expertise of the Law School's staff covers all aspects of environmental law and this is reflected in the diverse range of modules offered.

Registered students also have full access to all the electronic databases available to the University, enabling study to be undertaken at times and places to fit your own convenience.

What's so good about Environmental Law at Dundee?

In the Times Good University Guide 2012 Dundee Law School was placed 7th in the United Kingdom law school rankings, and we were ranked 1st in Scotland in the 2011 National Student Survey (NSS).

In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise Dundee Law School was one of only two law schools in the United Kingdom to achieve a 100% international standard classification, with half of our submissions being graded internationally excellent or world leading. Our commitment on is to provide high quality instruction, with a focus on matters of practical relevance, to prepare students for a successful legal career, whether at home or abroad.

Postgraduate culture

Dundee Law School prides itself as being a friendly Law School where all members of staff are accessible and students are treated as individuals and valued members of our legal community.

We offer all new students an induction programme at the start of each semester, to ensure that all students have the necessary understanding of the UK and European legal systems as well as core principles of public and private law.

We seek to integrate all LLM students into the life of the Law School, and invite you to all guest lectures and seminars. We also have an annual reading party to a beautiful country house location, where you are joined by senior staff and can work on academic skills and dissertation preparation.

Who should study this course?

This course has been developed for those individuals with a background in law who wish to specialise and expand upon their existing knowledge and ability in the area of environmental law.

The taught LLM can be taken over one or two years. The programme can be started in September or January and attendance at class in Dundee is required (two or three classes a week for full-time students; one for part-time students)

How you will be taught

Students are taught through a mix of lectures, seminar discussions and tutorials.

What you will study

The programme aims to give law graduates and others a conceptual understanding of the main legal issues related to environmental regulation as well as knowledge of the subject sufficient to encourage the critical evaluation of current research and practice in the field. Students can choose from a range of modules designed to develop their knowledge and understanding of issues connected with the environment and the law. Possible modules include Sustainable Development, Environmental Regulation, Ecosystems & International Law and Environmental Justice.

How you will be assessed

Substantive modules: continuous assessment plus end of semester examinations in December and March/April. Compulsory dissertation: 15,000 words.

Careers

Dundee graduates have reached the highest levels of success in the profession as senior partners, Queen's Counsel, judges and front bench politicians.

We have close links with employers and we offer programmes to support and develop the employability of our students. Our good reputation throughout the profession and close links to employers help Dundee graduates find employment.

The Law School runs an annual Law Fair which attracts law firms and employers from around the UK and further afield. Law firms also regularly visit the law school on an individual basis for recruitment purposes.

While many students study law in order to qualify to practise, the skills acquired in a law degree are also attractive to many prospective employers in professions such as:

The Police
Banking
Journalism
Management
Civil service

Find out more about legal careers from our Careers Service.

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The Kent LLM (and associated Diploma programme) allows you to broaden and deepen your knowledge and understanding of law by specialising in one or more different areas.

This specialisation gives you the opportunity to study environmental law in depth, within its policy context, exploring law at national, EU and global levels and comparing legal regimes.

The programme equips you with a broad expertise which will benefit you in careers in government departments and agencies, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, private practice, policymaking or in an advisory capacity. The degree also provides an excellent foundation for further research.

The specialisation is for graduates with a first degree in law and students with other relevant academic and professional backgrounds.

Studying for a Master's in Law (LLM) at Kent means having the certainty of gaining an LLM in a specialist area of Law. The Kent LLM gives you the freedom to leave your choice of specialism open until after you arrive, your specialism being determined by the modules you choose.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/115/environmental-law-and-policy

About Kent Law School

Kent Law School (KLS) is the UK's leading critical law school. A cosmopolitan centre of world-class critical legal research, it offers a supportive and intellectually stimulating place to study postgraduate taught and research degrees.

In addition to learning the detail of the law, students at Kent are taught to think about the law with regard to its history, development and relationship with wider society. This approach allows students to fully understand the law. Our critical approach not only makes the study of law more interesting, it helps to develop crucial skills and abilities required for a career in legal practice.

The Law School offers its flagship Kent LLM at the University’s Canterbury campus (and two defined LLM programmes at the University’s Brussels centre). Our programmes are open to non-law graduates with an appropriate academic or professional background who wish to develop an advanced understanding of law in their field.

You study within a close-knit, supportive and intellectually stimulating environment, working closely with academic staff. KLS uses critical research-led teaching throughout our programmes to ensure that you benefit from the Law School’s world-class research.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of this specialisation stream. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation and student demand. Most specialisation streams will require you to study a combination of subject specialisation modules and modules from other specialisation streams so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

LW839 Environmental Quality Law

LW852 European Union Environmental Law and Policy

LW906 International Environmental Law – Legal Foundations

LW837 Conservation and Natural Resources Law

LW838 Land Development Law

LW884 International Environmental Law – Substantive Legal Aspects

LW888 Climate Change and Renewable Energy Law

Assessment

The postgraduate programmes offered within the Law School are usually taught in seminar format. Students on the Diploma and LLM programmes study three modules in each of the autumn and spring terms. The modules normally are assessed by a 4-5,000-word essay. Students undertaking an LLM degree must write a dissertation of 15-20,000 words.

Programme aims

This programme aims to provide:

1. LLM: The opportunity to develop (a) expert knowledge and a sophisticated understanding of particular areas of law; (b) advanced research, writing and oral communication skills of general value to postgraduate employment.
PGDip: The opportunity to develop (a) expert knowledge and a sophisticated understanding of particular areas of law; (b) written and oral communication skills of general value to postgraduate employment.

2. LLM: A sound knowledge and systematic understanding of the institutional structures, key principles of law and policy and influential ideas, theories, assumptions and paradigms of particular areas of law.
PGDip: A sound knowledge and systematic understanding of the institutional structures, key principles of law and policy and influential ideas, theories, assumptions and paradigms of the subjects studied.

3. LLM & PGDip: A degree of specialisation in areas of law and policy chosen from the LLM option streams available and an opportunity for students to engage with academic work at the frontiers of scholarship.

4. LLM & PGDip: A critical awareness of the operation of law and policy, particularly in contexts that are perceived to be controversial or in a state of evolution.

5. LLM: The skills to undertake supervised research on an agreed topic in their specialisation and to encourage the production of original, evaluative analysis that meets high standards of scholarship.

6. LLM & PGDip: Critical, analytical and problem-solving skills that can be applied to a wide range of contexts.

7. LLM & PGDip: The skills of academic legal research and writing.

8. LLM: A sophisticated grounding in research methods.

Careers

Employability is a key focus throughout the University and at Kent Law School you have the support of a dedicated Employability and Career Development Officer together with a broad choice of work placement opportunities, employability events and careers talks. Details of graduate internship schemes with NGOs, charities and other professional organisations are made available to postgraduate students via the School’s Employability Blog.

Many students at our Brussels centre who undertake internships are offered contracts in Brussels immediately after graduation. Others have joined their home country’s diplomatic service, entered international organisations, or have chosen to undertake a ‘stage’ at the European Commission, or another EU institution.

Law graduates have gone on to careers in finance, international commerce, government and law or have joined, or started, an NGO or charity.

Kent has an excellent record for postgraduate employment: over 94% of our postgraduate students who graduated in 2013 found a job or further study opportunity within six months.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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The International Community increasingly faces the task of addressing a plethora of environmental challenges. The LLM Environmental law provides an insight into the international legal response to these various challenges which include global warming, ozone layer depletion, the over-exploitation by mankind of wildlife species and the destruction of vital habitat sites.

Many environmental problems require an international response. This course aims to provide the student with an insight into international environmental law with a focus on the general themes and principles in this area, the law relating to the protection of biodiversity, and that which endeavours to prevent or at least minimise the impact of transfrontier pollution.

The modules taught on this course cover a wide range of issues of contemporary relevance. The underlying purpose is to provide a solid grounding in the basic principles of European Community and international environmental law as applied in a particular context.

How has international environmental law evolved historically? Who are the main actors in the field? What key principles underpin regulation? What do we mean by the pursuit of “sustainable development”? How is the law in this area enforced? Treaty regimes explored include those relating to acid deposition, climate change, ozone layer depletion, nuclear contamination and freshwater pollution. In addition, an insight will be given to the various treaty regimes that seek to address the continuing pressures on the world’s biodiversity. For example, how is commercial whaling now regulated? What system is in place to regulate trade in endangered species? What of the protection of wetlands, Antarctica, world heritage and of migratory species?

Modern techniques of environmental regulation are also addressed, such as the funding mechanisms for international environmental treaties (e.g. Biodiversity Convention, Ozone Layer Convention) and the procedural requirement for environmental impact assessment of certain activities under international and European Community law.

Since its introduction in 1987, our LLM programme has continued to grow in popularity and prestige. Offering a wide and diverse range of over 50 options, the programme now attracts some 150 to 180 candidates each year, from more than 50 countries, confirming its status as one of the leading and most exciting LLM programmes available.

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Your programme of study

If you are fascinated by protecting the environment across all areas that impact our ability to provide a clean environment in the sea/water, earth/soil and air and you are interestd regulation of harmful pollutant effects on all life on this planet this programme will really interest you. You could decide to work for an energy company or any industry within its environmental regulation and protection area whilst it grows and trades or you could be the regulator and work in central government. You could also work for NGOs and activist organisations such as Client Earth to clean up industries that appear to be affecting our potential future life on earth or consultants assisting individuals and groups to seek environmental justice.

The programme is ideally situated in the heart of the energy industry in Aberdeen City where regulators and energy providers work alongside. For the wide ranging environmental aspect you also benefit from highly protected environments nearby such as National Parks and restrictions on planning and development specifically to protect environment. In every day life you can be assured that there will be a constant demand for your skills as a consultant to work with business, groups and individuals to protect environment with the 'Polluter Pays' principle in terms of protecting basic rights relating to environment. There are many instances where our environment needs protecting in our daily lives from poor planning decisions to poorly regulated polluters.

At Aberdeen you get a full range of experts in energy law, drawing from historical and close links with the energy industry in the city and environmental law experts covering renewables, corporate environmental responsibility, and regulation.

Courses listed for the programme

Introduction

All students must take to LS50xx courses

Compulsory

Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship

Optional

International Energy and Environmental Law

Oil and Minerals for Good

Low Carbon Energy Transition: Renewable Energy Law 

Semester 2

Optional

Principles of Environmental Regulation

Low Carbon Energy Transition: Nuclear Energy and Carbon Capture and Storage

Corporate Environmental Liability

Downstream Energy Law

Semester 3

Energy and Environmental Law Professional Skills

Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/928/energy-and-environmental-law-with-professional-skills/

Why study at Aberdeen?

• Aberdeen is an ideal city to study energy and environmental law due to energy industry connections in the city
• You are taught by wide ranging experts and you gain first hand experience of practise in your specialism at Aberdeen
• Law is ranked in the top 10 at Aberdeen (Complete University Guide 2018)
• Increasing development, demands upon environment and pollution highlight employability in this discipline is growing

Where you study

• University of Aberdeen
• 12 or 24 months
• Full Time or Part Time
• September or January

International Student Fees 2017/2018

Find out about fees:

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/tuition-fees-and-living-costs-287.php

*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.

Scholarships

View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/finance-funding-1599.php

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/

Living in Aberdeen

Find out more about:

• Your Accommodation
• Campus Facilities
• Aberdeen City
• Student Support
• Clubs and Societies

Find out more about living in Aberdeen:

https://abdn.ac.uk/study/student-life

Living costs

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/finance.php

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The Master of Environmental Law (MEL) has been designed to meet the needs of both Australian environmental specialists and those from other countries. You can select from a wide range of units of study, including international and comparative environmental law, which focuses on the Asia-Pacific region.

As the provider of Australia’s largest postgraduate environmental law course, Sydney Law School offers candidates the opportunity to study their chosen areas of specialisation in the format that suits them best. This includes intensive units of study that are taught over a period of four to five days and the opportunity to take units from other related disciplines. The depth and innovation of the course is complemented by its well-reputed academic staff and visiting lecturers. The course includes an International Faculty which brings experts from various countries to lecture in specialist units.

To ask a question about this course, visit http://sydney.edu.au/internationaloffice/

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There is growing public concern over environmental issues. Both public and private sectors are subject to growing environmental obligations.

We need to achieve global sustainability in the context of increasingly complex regulatory settings. This means there could not be a more crucial time to study this area of the law.

Our course prepares you for the challenges lawyers face in helping to regulate environmentally harmful behaviour. You study both theoretical issues and practical ‘law in action’.

How will I study?

You’ll learn through taught modules over the autumn and spring terms. The course combines core modules and specialist options, so you gain a solid theoretical, methodological and practical foundation while also having the opportunity to explore your particular interests.

You undertake a supervised dissertation in the summer. You will be assessed through a range of formats including briefing papers, presentations, case scenario analyses and essays.

Scholarships

Our aim is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to despite financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique individuals.

Chancellor's International Scholarship (2017)
-25 scholarships of a 50% tuition fee waiver
-Application deadline: 1 May 2017

HESPAL Scholarship (Higher Education Scholarships Scheme for the Palestinian Territories) (2017)
-Two full fee waivers in conjuction with maintenance support from the British Council
-Application deadline: 1 January 2017

USA Friends Scholarships (2017)
-A scholarship of an amount equivalent to $10,000 for nationals or residents of the USA on a one year taught Masters degree course.
-Application deadline: 3 April 2017

Faculty

The LLM in Environmental Law is taught by faculty members with strong expertise and experience in the areas of:
-International environmental law
-International trade law, the environment and development
-Environmental governance
-Property law aspects of sustainability
-International, regional and national biodiversity conservation law
-Liability for natural resource damage

Careers

You'll finish the course with a thorough grounding in the role of environmental law in the pursuit of global sustainability. You will also have a high level of understanding of environmental problems, and the role that law plays in trying to tackle these challenges.

This will enhance your prospects of achieving employment or advancement in:
-Private legal practice
-Public legal practice (government departments and agencies) international or regional organisations
-Environmental NGOs.
-You'll also be prepared for work in a wide range of other positions, such as policy work. It may also act as a springboard to further, doctoral-level research.

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