The LLM in Advanced Legislative Studies offers a unique opportunity to drafters, legal officers, policy makers, and those interested in the process of lawmaking and in drafting to study the legislative environment and legislation as a tool for regulation. The programme aims to promote an understanding of the principles of legislative studies, and an in-depth awareness of what constitutes legislative quality and how this can be achieved. The programme is not prescriptive and allows participants to naturalize their knowledge and apply it in their own national environments. Capped class numbers allow individualized tuition. Alumni are usually employed by governments and international organizations.
Legislative drafting is often perceived as a technical skill, which one learns on the job. The view of the Sir William Dale Centre, as eloquently put by its founder and its staff in numerous publications, has always been that legislative drafting is a phronetic discipline requiring awareness of the theoretical principles of drafting along with experience on the job. Legislative drafting has evolved to become the bedrock of political, economic and social transformation. It is still, however, relatively unexplored as an academic discipline. The LLM examines issues related to the policy process, the legislative process, and the drafting process. Legislation is viewed as a tool for regulation. Effectiveness of regulatory aims is the scope and aim of the drafting process.
LLM in Advanced Legislative Studies is also offered via distance learning (DL).
The LLM in ALS via DL includes a compulsory week-long intensive residential course in London. This gives students a chance to meet the tutors and other students, and to start their studies with the maximum level of support.
Teaching methods for the remainder of the course include extensive online materials per session, such as PowerPoint presentations, hand-outs, and a number of academic sources for essential and further reading; online discussions with tutors and fellow students on the traditional LLM and the LLM via DL; private reading and independent research; individual tuition and support via email for coursework and dissertation for which a dissertation supervisor is assigned.
LLM in ALS - Degree code: JTALS | Credit value: 180
LLM in ALS via DL - Degree code: JTDIL | Credit value: 180
The LLM is divided into two pathways: the Common Law direction and the EU direction.
The Common Law direction core modules:
Comparative Legislative Studies 1 and 2
Legislative Drafting 1 and 2
Themes of Legislative Studies 1 and 2
The EU direction core modules:
EU Legislative Studies 1 and 2
The Jean Monnet Module ‘Legislating for EU Membership and Accession’
The Jean Monnet module ‘Theories of European Integration’
Themes of Legislative Studies 1 and 2
Plus a dissertation of 10,000-15,000 words
Students take all modules from the selected pathway and the dissertation.
Assessment is by coursework, namely by two written essays of 3,500 words each for each of the courses of the LLM. For the two modules students are assessed by one essay of 5,000 words. The pass mark for all examinations and the dissertation will be fifty per cent (50%), the Merit Award will be between 65 and 69% and the mark for Distinction will be seventy per cent (70%), as required by Regulation 10.25 of the Regulations for Taught Masters Degrees.
12 months full-time or 24 months part-time.
Part-time students take four modules in the first year of study, and two modules and the dissertation in the second year of study.
LLM via distance learning: 24 months part-time only. Part-time students take four modules in the first year of study, and two modules and the dissertation in the second year of study.
This programme provides you with the necessary qualification to pursue a legal traineeship. Undertaken after obtaining your LLB, it is the next step towards a career as a solicitor or advocate in Scotland. Our aim is that the Glasgow Diploma comes to be regarded as the trademark of excellence, ensuring that you are not just employable but actively sought after by employers. It will equip you with the hands-on skills necessary to practise law as a “day one ready trainee” in the 21st century, as well as excellent opportunities to develop your own professional network to support you throughout your career.
You will take five core and three optional courses. The core courses are required by the Law Society of Scotland, which regulates Scotland’s legal profession. Optional courses allow you to select additional subjects of study that suit your areas of interest or meet the requirements of your future employers in the legal profession. Courses are delivered through a combination of online resources, e-modules, lectures and small group tutorials. As our programme aims to equip you with the abilities and attributes of a “day one ready trainee”, each course will enable you to develop not only your written communication skills, but your verbal communication skills. Tutors will expect you to come to each class prepared to contribute.
Students contemplating a career as an advocate in Scotland are required by the Faculty of Advocates to take courses in International Private Law and Roman Law. These can be studied at the University of Glasgow at the same time as undertaking the Diploma and at no additional cost.
Upon successful completion of the programme you will be eligible to progress through your traineeship to work as a solicitor or advocate in Scotland. The Diploma is a requirement for entry into these roles in the legal profession. The Diploma is a requirement for entry into these roles in the legal profession, in addition to providing employment opportunities in related legal disciplines. As well as working with colleagues in the School of Law and the University’s Career Service, we strive to increase your employability through our strong links across the legal profession by liaising with human resources and training partners in our tutors’ organisations. In addition, we run a series of networking events where you can meet lawyers from all areas of the industry and at all levels, from trainee to partner. Our goal is not only to prepare you for life as a trainee and to make you as attractive to employers as possible, but to support and guide you to help make the correct career choices.
