The General Law programme at Aberdeen is one of the best programmes in terms of scope and areas of interest you can choose to study at advanced level. If your first degree was in a specific area of law there is nothing preventing you from choosing another area of law completely or a complementary area. You could study environmental law areas such as oil and gas law, energy and environmental law, low carbon energy transition with further environmental regulation. If you are more interested in criminal law you could look at Criminology, the politics of human rights, humanitarian law. If you are more interested in business you might choose international law, intellectual property law, world trade organisation or for business with a creative aspect you might think about specialist in cultural property issues or law for business and arts and museums law. There are many possible mixes of these general areas of law you might want to explore. Employment possibilities are huge from this range of areas of law and include all notable areas to practise law and careers within the legal profession to welfare sectors such as employment, business, HR and finance.
Law careers
You may become a Barrister if you wish to represent people at High Court and Magistrates court to put legal argument forward for decision. You could start off as a legal executive to later qualify as a solicitor with further training or after a number of years experience you may wish to become a judge. If you want some work experience you could become a court usher. Other careers include a Paralegal. This role undertakes much of a lawyers role in drafting documents, meetings and contracts. If you decide your law degree is useful for other areas you may look at Civil Service careers, become a politician, work in the police, city, or teach.
This programme is ideal if you want to be a generalist to an advanced level rather than a specialist in a specific area of law. You develop your analysis and research skills and you have the option of wide ranging courses to choose from which stretches your intellectual thinking capabilities in a top 10 School of Law (Complete University Guide 2018)
Courses listed for the programme
Semester 1
Compulsory
Optional (4 courses 2 in Semester 1 and 2)
Semester 2
Optional
Semester 3
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With globalisation, international law is becoming increasingly important and this course prepares you for a future career in the international arena. Our LLM is one of the oldest and most popular courses in international law in London. It attracts students from every nationality and background, not only those who have previously studied law, but also those with a degree in political science, international relations, or other relevant discipline. This creates a uniquely vibrant and stimulating learning environment in which to study international Law.
The LLM International Law at Westminster Law School is taught in our central London campus, just a short distance from most major British institutions and international organisations. The Course can be taken full-time or part-time, and we have both a September and a January start each year.
Our teaching team is composed of world-renowned scholars that are leading the way in their respective subjects, including - but not limited to - international human rights law, the law of armed conflict, development law, energy and climate change law, international cyber security law, refugee law, the law of the sea, international courts and tribunals. In past years, the teaching team organised study visits to international organisations and to international courts in London and The Hague.
We also have a Research Group, International Law at Westminster, which conducts important research projects on topical international law issues. These projects have received external funding because of their importance and their potential impact. The Group also regularly organises events in which students are invited to participate.
Westminster Law School hosts the local Chapter of the International Law Students Association (ILSA), of which interested students can become members. The Chapter organises events in close collaboration with the International Law at Westminster research group.
Every year, the Oxford University Press Prize is awarded to the best LLM International Law student.
The course will enhance your understanding of the key principles of public international law, the main developments within the public international law framework and the process of globalisation and its significance for international law.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Please note that option modules are subject to student demand and staffing availability, therefore not all modules will necessarily be offered in the same academic year.
Core modules
Option modules
LLM International Law graduates have worked for organisations such as Amnesty International, the United Nations, EU organisations, law and consultancy firms such as Deloitte, professional associations like the European Banking Federation, or in legal departments within governments.
After being awarded the LLM, some graduates have undertaken further academic study by doing a research (PhD) degree.
The International Law programme offered at Aberdeen differs from International Commercial Law with Professional Skills and Dissertation within the optional modules you take. There is less emphasis on intellectual property law and commercial business law and more emphasis on International Law in a general sense internationally. You study areas such as family law, human rights, criminal law and humanitarian law plus private laws in many cases within your options so you can potentially specialise within your choices. You also do combine some area of commercial law such as arbitration, energy and environmental law and international trade and finance law which can be applied to individuals and businesses, charities and NGOs plus some level of cultural property law. These could be options if you want to mix your modules a bit within the first and second semester. If you want to get the most from your Master's degree and have a range of specialisms in international private and commercial law this may be an ideal solution due to the range of modules to choose from.
The LLM in International Law offers a range of courses covering both public and private international law. It enables students to undertake advanced legal research and writing in this field and educates students in the analysis of international treaties and case law with an international law dimension.
Semester 1
Optional
Semester 2
Semester 3
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*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
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This pathway allows international law and international relations to inform each other. It covers the general methods, scope and theories of international law, international humanitarian law and international relations. It provides a detailed understanding of the role, potential and limitations of public international law in international affairs. Its interdisciplinary approach is particularly suited to those involved with, or hoping to work for, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, foreign affairs departments and international law firms.
Students studying International Law with International Relations are encouraged to participate in the activities of the Centre for Critical International Law (CeCIL) at Kent. These include workshops, trips to international courts and tribunals, and guest lecture series.
Students can choose to spend one term (either Autumn or Spring) at our Canterbury campus and one (either Autumn or Spring) at our Brussels centre (returning to Canterbury to complete the dissertation) under our split-site option for this programme. The split site option is charged at a different rate. Please see under Fees below for more information. Programmes at our Brussels centre are offered primarily in International Law and Human Rights Law. Students are responsible for organising their own accommodation in Brussels. Please contact the University's Accommodation Office for information about the availability of short term accommodation in Canterbury.
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 pathway open until after you arrive - your pathway being determined by the modules you choose.
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.
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.
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.
Kent Law School is one of the leading law schools in the UK; we are ranked 14th in The Times Good University Guide 2018, 15th in The Guardian University Guide 2018 for law and 19th in The Complete University Guide 2018.
The Law School has an excellent international reputation; ranked 50th in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for law 2018, it is also listed amongst the top 100 law schools in the world in both the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017 and the Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2017.
The fees for the Canterbury-only delivery of this programme are the same as those for the standard LLM programme. However, fees for our split-site option (which is taught in Canterbury and Brussels) are charged at a different rate. Please refer here for the current fees for the split-site 90 ECTS option.
The University has a generous postgraduate scholarship fund in excess of £9m available to taught and research students studying at Kent. There are also scholarships specifically for Law School students including a Taught Overseas Scholarship and Taught Home/EU Bursaries. Kent Law School has also established a major fund to support students who are from or who have studied in Kenya, Nigeria or Thailand, and who undertake a Master's in Law (LLM) at the Canterbury campus of the University of Kent.
Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.
Our current module handbook is available to download on our website. The modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
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 are normally assessed by a 4-5,000-word essay. Students undertaking an LLM degree must write a dissertation of 15,000 words.
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.
Kent has an excellent record for postgraduate employment: over 96% of our postgraduate students who graduated in 2015 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.
Information for international students
Under the programme, students must complete four compulsory modules, and choose from a range of optional modules. Modules will be delivered primarily through small group seminars. Attendance is mandatory for these seminars, which have been chosen as the primary means of delivering material to students due to the advanced nature of the course. Small group seminars encourage participation and the development of communications skills. They also allow students to benefit from close contact with the academics teaching on the programme, many of which are also experienced practitioners and consultants in their respective fields of expertise.
The compulsory modules ensure that students develop an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of international law and governance and become familiar with current debates in the field.
Optional modules then allow students to explore particular aspects of international law and governance, such as aspects of international and regional law, international dispute settlement, international human rights, international humanitarian law and international economic law, in greater depth.
The completion of optional modules, together with the dissertation, allow for development of students’ subject specific knowledge as the programme progresses. The development of the students’ skills is achieved mainly through the combination of the compulsory module in Applied Research Methods in Law, taught in Michaelmas term, and the students’ pursuit of the dissertation, supervision for which begins at the start of Epiphany term. Through these modules, students can practise their skills intensely, whilst continuing to acquire a deeper level of specialised knowledge on their chosen topic.
An important objective of the LLM in International Law and Governance programme is to provide students with skills that will enable them to thoroughly analyse and interpret legal sources, literature, and cases, and to research and formulate an independent opinion on international legal questions. Students will also learn to clearly present their findings both orally and in writing to international legal specialists, to participate actively in academic debate, and to apply this advanced academic knowledge in public international law in a professional context.
As such, an LLM in International Law and Governance will provide students with an excellent foundation to pursue an international law career, whether it is in legal practice, employment in international institutions, or employment in non-governmental organisations. The LLM qualification will also be an excellent vehicle for the further development of research skills and, as such, also offers entry into further postgraduate study and, in particular, doctoral research.
Please note: not all modules necessarily run every year, and we regularly introduce new modules. The list below provides an example of the type of modules which may be offered.
This programme involves both taught modules and a substantial dissertation component. Taught modules are delivered by a mixture of lectures and seminars. Although most lectures do encourage student participation, they are used primarily to introduce chosen topics, identify relevant concepts, and introduce the student to the main debates and ideas relevant to the chosen topic. They give students a framework of knowledge that students can then develop, and reflect on, through their own reading and study.
Seminars are smaller-sized, student-led classes. Students are expected to carry out reading prior to classes, and are usually set questions or problems to which they will apply the knowledge they have developed. Through class discussion, or the presentation of student papers, students are given the opportunity to test and refine their knowledge and understanding, in a relaxed and supportive environment.
The number of contact hours in each module will reflect that module’s credit weighting. 15-credit modules will have, in total, 15 contact hours (of either lectures or seminars); 30-credit modules will have 30 contact hours. Students must accumulate, in total, between 90 and 120 credits of taught modules for the programme (depending upon the length of their dissertation).
In addition to their taught modules, all students must produce a dissertation of between 10,000 and 20,000 words. The dissertation is intended to be the product of the student’s own independent research. Each student is allocated a dissertation supervisor, and will have a series of (usually four) one-to-one meetings with their supervisor over the course of the academic year.
Finally, all taught postgraduate students on this programme, are encouraged to attend the various events, including guest lectures and seminars, organised through the School’s research centres, including Law and Global Justice at Durham, the Human Rights Centre, the Centre for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, and the Durham European Law Institute.
In this advanced master’s programme, you will gain a thorough understanding of the legislation that governs international relations in an increasingly complex global society. You will learn in-depth about a wide range of aspects that affect our world, in addition to getting the opportunity to specialise your area of study. Through focused seminars and workshops, you will be challenged to develop your own views on the role and functioning of public international law.
For this programme, you will choose one of the following specialisations:
To view the full programme outline, please choose the link to one of the specialisations.
Professional skills
During the programme, you will develop the skills to:
The Public International Law programme is a good fit for you if you have a sincere interest in the field and:
The programme caters to those who are working in or would like to pursue a career in international organisations, governmental institutions, international non-governmental organisations or in academia. You can follow the programme full-time for one year or part-time for two years.
Core courses
Specialisation courses: International Criminal Law
Specialisation courses: Peace, Justice and Development
Please select one of the specialisations to view the full prospectus and a more detailed programme description.
If you want to work internationally in law Public International Law gives you an opportunity to utilise your skills within nation states and international organisations. It consists of rules and general applications of states and intergovernmental organisations. If you want to work as a public international lawyer you can specialise with the programme at Aberdeen within discipline areas such as human rights law, world trade or international environmental protection. The School of Law is ranked in the top 10 (Complete University Guide 2018) and your lecturers come from across Europe and are published in several languages. You can be involved in the many student run societies and law projects which allow students to gain valuable real world insight. You can also attend events run by the Centre for Sustainable International Development, the Centre for Security and Governance and you can attend research seminars and guest lecturers to provide you with unique and current insights into legal issues.
The programme provides students with a thorough knowledge of public international law while also discussing recent trends and current developments in this area of law. The school prides itself in producing highly skilled graduates for the legal profession and you benefit from guest speakers from Public International Law. 98% of students felt that their LLM had added value to their career prospectus and 97% would recommend their programme to others. The programme is run by highly skilled lawyers and academics in their own right and you have access to these teaching staff whenever you need their support.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Optional
Semester 3
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Find out more about fees on the programme page
*Please be advised that some programmes also have additional costs.Find out about international fees:
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If you want a bit more understanding about how large countries operate, large organisations and multinationals in terms of strategy you can adopt to benefit the business or organisation you work in or you want to understand the different types of trading conditions and political landscapes you many encounter International Law and Strategic Studies LLM is a good option. Within the legal side of the programme you get a good knowledge and understanding in Critical Thinking and Scholarship, problem solving international challenges, humanitarian issues and rights. This gives you an ability to understand the types of challenges you may face in specific countries You combine this legal knowledge with understanding of security challenges, terrorism, use of force in countries where trade may need more care and attention on a global and local level and where managing risk needs to be carefully considered.
The programme looks at international and transnational actors to achieve political and security objectives looking at the evolution of International Law in a World Crises, organisational law and International Humanitarian Law.
Semester 1
Semester 2
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*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/" target="_blank">funding database via the programme page and the https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/finance-funding-1599.php " target="_blank">latest postgraduate opportunities
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International Law focuses on contemporary governance and its inter relationship with international relations within countries. Countries, laws and relationships are constantly evolving, providing challenges and potential areas of conflict. You learn an interdisciplinary perspective on a range of contemporary areas of global governance and you gain understanding about how certain laws evolved from specific crisis, use of force and conditions within countries. The programme was designed with international law experts in the field and academics to provide a rigorous area of study within the inter relationship areas of the two disciplines and the resulting challenges, laws and developments. The programme allows you to learn many useful areas of law with essential critical thinking, contextualise challenges and understand the human elements of law and human rights.
You are taught in a Law School ranked in the top 10 in the UK (The Complete University Guide 2018) by international legal experts with expertise in Public International Law. Law has been taught at Aberdeen since the inauguration of Kings College in 1495. An exit poll ranked the LLM as adding value to career prospects when 99% of students felt that it had added value and 97% would recommend their course to others. You will be able to attend events and seminars whilst you study in other areas of law and Centre of Sustainable International Development plus the Centre for Global Security and Governance.
Compulsory
Optional
Semester 3
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International Relations and International Law give you a wider access to employment within international development and trade, plus government and political areas.
If you want to enjoy a career within international relations you may be looking at positions within policy making within government and the civil service within foreign affairs. You can also go into the defence area, development and human rights. A lot of graduates choose to go into advocacy, research and project management from this degree working for NGOs. Some others follow careers in regional and global institutions such as the EU or UN and others go into the armed forces or international media working as journalists and reporters. Other careers our graduates have followed have been in international risk management and international corporations in trade and finance. The postgraduate degree can make a real difference in terms of having a postgraduate qualification to allow you to continue on your career path or change careers.
The programme gives you engagement with key issues in contemporary International Relations including development and political economy, critical and human security, gender, identity and human rights and more. You learn the debates about globalisation, international institutions, international development and global political economy. This includes culture and identity, citizenship and stabilisation of power. The programme gives you an interdisciplinary perspective on global governance and law including areas such as; technology, economics, history, geography, sociology, criminology, diplomacy, international security, finance, human rights and more. Additional modules within international law mean you have a great range of knowledge and employment options in an advisory role.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Optional
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
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Find out more from the programme page
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page and the latest postgraduate opportunities
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One of these unique programmes will enable you to:
The course commences with an induction weekend in Leicester which takes place on 14th-16th September 2018, and the Core Module, (worth 30 credits) is then studied from September 2018 through to the end of December 2018 and is assessed by written coursework.
From January to December 2019, students choose two 30 credit modules or one 30 and two 15 credit modules (giving a total of 90 credits for the first year of study).
In the second year, January to December 2019, students take either one 30 credit module or two 15 credit modules and write a 15,000 word dissertation on a topic of their choice on a legal issue.
Students will all study a Core Module and will then specialise by choosing from the optional modules listed below. Please see the Course Structure section for a full explanation.
Core Module
For the LLM Law choose from:
Business Law in the UK and EU
Employment Law in Context in the UK and EU
Introduction to Medical Law and Ethics
International Human Rights Law
Foundation of Sports Law and The Sports Regulatory Regime
Environment, Legal Control and EU Regulation
Food Law in the UK and EU
For the LLM International Law:
International Law
Optional Modules
For the LLM Law:
15 credit modules:
· Consent and the Situation of Incapacitated Patients
· Medical Negligence
· Coroners Law
· Philosophy of Healthcare
· Medical Research
· Dental Law, Practice and Ethics
· Public Procurement Law and Practice
· Civil Liberties in the Workplace
· Collective Labour Law
· US Labour Law
· Alternative Dispute Resolution
· Food Sources Protection Law
· Aspects of Discrimination in Business
· The Law of Financial Transactions
· Civil Liberties in the Workplace
· Business Taxation
· Social Justice
· Collective Labour Law
· European e-Commerce Law
· Corporate Insolvency Law
· Personal Insolvency Law
· Patient Safety, Quality and Professional Regulation in Healthcare Law
· Sale and Supply of Goods
· International Environmental Law
· Noise Pollution Law
· Light Pollution
· Environmental Crime
· Nuclear Law
· Sports Governance
· Representing the Athlete/Player
· Event Management
· The Sports Participant and the Courts
· European Convention on Human Rights
· International Humanitarian Law
· Gender, Sexuality and Human Rights
· The Protection of Refugees in International Law
· International Law
· Negotiated Study
30 credit modules:
