Ethics and human rights are always hot topics, both domestically and internationally. The LLM International Human Rights Law will enable you to explore a wide range of subjects in this area, examine the latest developments and critically analyse the arguments on all sides of the debates. The two compulsory modules – International Human Rights Law and Medical Law and Ethics – will offer you a firm foundation for human rights specialisation, particularly with an ethical and medical law perspective. Practical work and case studies underpin solid theoretical teaching, equipping you with everything you need to work in this dynamic and challenging area of international law.
In the International Human Rights Law module you will gain a critical understanding of human rights law from a comparative and cross-cultural perspective. The module also includes examination of theoretical and philosophical discussions on human rights, international and regional systems of human rights protection and the effectiveness of the United Nations system, and a focus on civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights.
The Medical Law and Ethics module offers analysis of a wide range of areas within medical law and ethics, particularly from an international perspective. You will cover topics such as medical negligence and legal and ethical dilemmas, medical law and ethics from ‘birth to death’, the impact of modern technologies in areas such as gene editing, embryo testing, surrogacy and organ donation, and the law and ethics of end-of-life issues, such as assisted suicide.
You can be sure that the teaching you receive is up to date and highly relevant to twenty-first-century global human rights issues, taught as it is by specialists at the forefront of their disciplines and underpinned by the latest research and practice. Practical, innovative teaching methods combined with traditional class seminars ensure that you are equipped with the knowledge and skills that you will need for your career in the arena of human rights.
The two compulsory modules will be complemented by two from a range of optional modules on offer, enabling you to tailor your course according to your particular ambitions and aspirations.
In addition, the University’s co-curricular programme offers a wide range of options that will further enhance your skills.
Level 7
Core Modules
Optional
A range of innovative theoretical and practical teaching methods are used on this course, from class seminars to large group discussions, small group work to collaborative projects, role plays to debates. All this will enable you to develop those vital intellectual, transferable, interpersonal and practical skills, and to enhance your abilities in the areas of negotiation, presentation, debating, and so on. These skills can be boosted further by participation in our peer mentoring scheme.
The compulsory modules are assessed by way of written coursework, so independent study is, of course, essential to consolidate and broaden your learning and to demonstrate your ability to formulate arguments and seek solutions to contemporary global human rights challenges.
The knowledge, skills and critical understanding of medical law and ethics you will gain on this course will equip you to serve and support human rights efforts in a wide variety of positions and sectors. Whether you choose to work in the public sector, health, international organisations or civil society, or even to follow an academic or research career, you can be sure that your degree will be the launching pad you need for an exciting and stimulating future.
Individual and population health is a matter of growing social concern. Achieving good health and delivering effective healthcare demands innovation. A variety of fields have a role to play, including law.
As a student on this programme you will examine topics that reflect some of the main contemporary legal and ethical challenges faced by those working in medicine, and place them in their social and historical context. These include issues that arise in the context of genetics, assisted reproduction, abortion, standards of medical treatment, transplantation medicine, mental health, advance decisions, assisted suicide, medical research, and the allocation of scarce resources.
We offer you the opportunity to study the fundamentals of medical law and ethics, both international and domestic, at an advanced level, and the opportunity to take more specialised courses on issues of contemporary significance, encouraging and supporting the development of research skills necessary for a career in medical law or ethics.
The legal and ethical experts who deliver this programme come from a wide range of disciplines from across the University, and they benefit from a close association with the J Kenyon Mason Institute for Medicine, Life Sciences and Law.
You must complete 180 credits of study – 60 credits are taken in the compulsory dissertation and the remaining 120 credits are taken in taught courses.
You will experience a range of teaching styles on these courses, led by members of Edinburgh Law School's academic community and experienced legal and industry practitioners.
You are expected to prepare in advance by reading the required materials and by reflecting on the issues to be discussed, and your participation in classes will be assessed.
For the dissertation you will have a supervisor from whom you can expect guidance and support, but the purpose of the dissertation is to allow you to independently design and conduct a piece of research and analysis.
Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.
By the end of the programme, you will be able to:
You will engage with different learning environments and modes of class participation, and will draw upon and develop a range of skills. The programme will foster imaginative ways of unpacking and responding to contemporary issues in ways that do not necessarily follow or merely apply existing paradigms or legal constructs.
You will demonstrate a sound grasp of the foundational elements of medical law and ethics, including the role of the law and its various mechanisms (eg: consent, confidentiality, reasonableness, negligence) and the cross-cutting human rights dimensions.
You will develop critical thinking informed by ethical analysis, and apply that thinking to comment on and critique the law’s role in regulating medicine, healthcare services, research, and nascent fields.
Other skills you will develop include:
This programme can lead to a range of employment opportunities and specialised academic work, including: specialised training for solicitor or advocate work with an emphasis on health related issues; professional care providers; ethics review panel members; health policy and/or patient advocates (e.g. NGOs); or health policy designers (e.g. governmental legal advisers, consultants, etc).
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:
This conversion course provides a route into the legal profession and will help you stand out from the crowd in this highly competitive field. Combining all the core modules required by the relevant professional bodies in law, this course will prepare non-law graduates for the next step towards becoming a solicitor or a barrister.
You will study foundation elements of legal theory, and your independent research project will give you the opportunity to focus on an area of law that interests you. Taught by experienced tutors, including qualified solicitors and barristers with significant professional expertise in all areas of law, the breadth of knowledge and skills in Leeds Law School will ensure you receive specialist support on a wide variety of topics, from medical negligence to anti-terrorism law.
Teaching will be delivered in small face-to-face classes combined with online lectures that can be accessed at a time and place to fit with your busy schedule.
Changes to legal education and training
Legal education and training is currently under detailed review by professional regulators in the legal sector. The review will examine the routes currently open and the qualifications required to become a solicitor or barrister, and includes a reflection on changes to and removal of existing routes, as well as the possibility of establishing new ones.
Currently, students can complete a qualifying law degree, the Graduate Diploma Law (GDL) and then the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) to become a barrister, this route will remain unchanged until summer 2017 at the earliest. The route of a qualifying law degree or GDL, and then the Legal Practice Course to qualify as a solicitor will remain in place until summer 2019.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Bar Standards Board (BSB) will announce their findings as soon as possible and their decisions will then affect the available routes to qualification as a solicitor or barrister.
For more information visit the SRA and BSB websites.
You will be taught by lecturers who have worked in some of the top UK firms, including DLA Piper, Eversheds, Walker Morris and Herbert Smith Freehills. As well as excellent academic teaching, our staff will provide you with professional and practical support to help you progress your career.
Law qualifying courses have been taught by our Leeds Law School since 1979 and many of our alumni now act as mentors to our students, helping them to get ahead by offering careers advice, work experience and even job opportunities.
A specialist study room, accessible only by students on our postgraduate courses, is fitted with computer terminals and legal texts. We also have a courtroom where you can put theory into practice in simulated trials.
Leeds is one of the largest legal centres outside London and offers a wealth of job and placement opportunities. You'll benefit from our close links with firms in the city and from the contacts and possible career opportunities provided by your professional mentor.
You could progress to the next stage of legal training by undertaking our Legal Practice Course to train as a solicitor, or the Bar Professional Training Course to become a barrister. Your course will also open up roles that require a deep-rooted and broad knowledge of the law, such as a paralegal. You could also apply your expertise to roles in marketing, local government, mental health or social work.
This course is for students who have completed their LPC at The City Law School, are looking to enhance their CVs, and demonstrate commitment to legal practice.
After finishing the LPC at City, through the LLM programme, students can demonstrate their commitment to a specific area of legal practice by completing research and a dissertation. The course aims to strengthen students’ CV and enhance employability.
Students will develop a dissertation proposal, and subject to acceptance, carry out research and writing with the support of an experienced supervisor from within The City Law School.
Choice of topic is entirely down to the student, although LPC tutors can provide guidance on this. Previous topics have included:
As a City Law School student you will benefit from everything the Institution has to offer including the Learning Success department and Lawbore, an online resource designed to help you find the information you need for the course modules. All course modules have online depositories through Moodle.
The City Law School has its own dedicated administration team and you also have access to two legal libraries, one at the Gray’s Inn campus and the other based on site at our Northampton Square campus.
As part of the University of London you can also become a member of Senate House Library for free with your student ID card.
Our excellent location in London puts us within walking distance of the British Librarywhich has a collection of over 150 million items and extensive law resources.
This is a distance learning module with no taught lessons. However an induction session will be provided around the time of registration for each cohort. This session will give guidance on research methods, resources and the supervision process.
Students will be provided with ongoing supervisor support throughout the research process and dissertation writing.
Students complete a 15,000 to 20,000 word dissertation which is submitted online at one of three submission dates.
Dissertation
The choice is wide but your proposal could include:
Previous students have worked on a broad range of topics including the implications of European free movement, cultural attitudes to domestic violence and the practice implications of company directors’ duties.
The course has been developed to enhance the employability of its graduates. Students who have a training contract can use the dissertation to demonstrate commitment to an area of practice. Students seeking a training contract or pursuing an alternative legal career can use the qualification to strengthen their CV.
The MA in Healthcare Ethics & Law course aims to provide the highest quality of training in health care ethics and health care law in a flexible and interdisciplinary way. There is an emphasis on the application of bioethical and legal theory to real world scenarios, thus catering to the practical needs of health care and legal professionals and those in related fields. Students gain an expert knowledge and understanding of bioethical and medico-legal theories, and the skills needed to apply them to real world scenarios in a diverse range of contexts. They will also develop the ethical and medico-legal knowledge and research skills required for writing a Masters-level dissertation, and will be well prepared for further research if they so desire.
You study a wide variety of ethical and legal subjects including autonomy, consent, refusal of treatment, confidentiality, the moral status of the foetus, resource allocation, genetic testing, HIV testing, medical malpractice, clinical negligence, organ and tissue transplantation, fertility treatment, genetic manipulation, research ethics, stem cell research and euthanasia.
Teaching tends to defy the traditional boundaries associated with lectures and seminars. Generally, each class in a course unit has a duration of 2 or 3 hours per week, and is split roughly equally between a formal, didactic period and a structured discussion period (most often based on the so-called challenge-response model). Nevertheless, each class is considered a seminar or lecture, and attendance of all classes of a course unit for which a student is enrolled is thus compulsory . For course units of 15 credit value there will generally be 15 hours of face-to-face teaching throughout the semester in which the unit is delivered, and twice that amount for 30 credit units.
Assessment of all taught course units (to a total of 120 credits) is by assessed coursework in the form of essays of 4,000 words per 15 credit course unit and up to 7,000 words for the two 30 credit core course units. In addition, students who wish to complete the MA must submit a 12,000 to 15,000 word dissertation by independent research (60 credits); no dissertation is required for the PGDip or PGCert. Part-time students undertake a supervised dissertation in the summer months of year two. Please note that the part-time students can extend their registration for extra 3 months to submit their dissertations in December of their second year, instead of September (you will be advised of the exact date on the second year of the course).
Those who do not successfully complete the MA you may be considered for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma.
Those who do not successfully complete the Postgraduate Diploma may be considered for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate.
The awards of the MA or Postgraduate Diploma are classified according to Pass/Merit/Distinction. The Postgraduate Certificate is awarded unclassified.
Students will be required to complete 180 credits: 120 credits comprised of taught course units (each of 15 or 30 credits value), and an independent research element of the course worth 60 credits by way of a Masters dissertation of between 12,000 and 15,000 words, which is undertaken over the summer months of the course. The dissertation should be predominantly law-based.
On the full time course, the 120 taught credits can be split in one of two ways: (1) 60 credits in each of the two semesters; or (2) 75 credits in semester one and 45 credits in semester two.
Students registered on the MA in Healthcare Ethics and Law would need to select a majority of their optional courses from the 'ethics' list (Ethics, Genetics and Genomics; Research Ethics). Global Health Law and Bioethics can count as an ethics or law course.
Details of all current course units available in the School of Law can be found on the Faculty of Humanities website.
The School is offering a number of awards for students applying for masters study. To find out more please visit our Master's funding opportunity search page .
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: [email protected]
Successful graduates are able to progress within a wide variety of roles in both medical, legal and ethical fields. Graduates from previous years have, for example, proceeded to specialise in medico-legal practice and academic careers, and the degrees have enhanced the careers of healthcare professionals.
The MA Healthcare Ethics and Law course aims to provide you with the highest quality of training in health care ethics and health care law in a flexible and interdisciplinary way, thus catering to the practical needs of healthcare and legal professionals and those in related field.
You will gain an expert knowledge and understanding of bioethical and medico-legal theories, and the skills needed to apply them to real world scenarios in a diverse range of contexts.
You will study a wide variety of ethical and legal subjects including autonomy, consent, refusal of treatment, confidentiality, the moral status of the foetus, resource allocation, genetic testing, HIV testing, medical malpractice, clinical negligence, organ and tissue transplantation, fertility treatment, genetic manipulation, research ethics, stem cell research and euthanasia.
You are provided with a comprehensive set of course materials at the beginning of each course unit. These interactive specially designed materials provide an introduction to the issues and skills central to each unit and direct you to other study components such as further reading.
Each unit is supported by a virtual learning environment where you can access all course materials, online reading lists, podcasts, and the University's online library. You are encouraged to use the VLE to discuss issues raised in the course materials with your course tutor and fellow students. Tutors are also available to provide one to one support by telephone, skype, e-mail and face to face meetings. You will have access to a wide range of online resources to support your learning via the library website. An optional study day is held each year giving you an opportunity to meet tutors and colleagues face to face on campus. Students studying by distance learning are welcome to attend the regular research seminars that take place on campus during term time.
At the end of each of the course units for our distance learning courses, you are required to submit an essay of 4,000 words (for course units to the value of 15 credits) or 7,000 words (for course units to the value of 30 credits). In addition, MA students must submit a supervised 12,000 to 15,000 word dissertation by independent research (60 credits). As a part-time student, you will undertake a dissertation in the summer months of year two. Please note that you can also extend your registration for extra 3 months to submit a dissertation in December of your second year, instead of September (you will be advised of the exact date on the second year of the course).
Those students who do not achieve success in the MA may be considered for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma. The award of the MA is classified according to Pass/Merit/Distinction.
Students will be required to complete 180 credits: 120 credits comprised of taught course units (each of 15 or 30 credits value) and the independent research element (dissertation) worth 60 credits. On the distance learning course students complete 60 credits of taught course units in the first year and 60 credits in the second year, together with a dissertation of between 12000 -15,000 words, which is undertaken over the summer months in year 2.
The Core course units for the distance learning course are:
Students must choose optional course units to a total value of 30 credits from the following list:
Details of all current course units available in the School of Law can be found on the Faculty of Humanities website
The School is offering a number of awards for students applying for masters study. To find out more please visit our Master's funding opportunity search page .
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: [email protected]
Successful graduates of the MA are able to progress within a wide variety of roles in both medical, legal and ethical fields.
Graduates from previous years have, for example, proceeded to specialise in medico-legal practice and academic careers, and the degrees have enhanced the careers of health care professionals.
The LLM Healthcare Ethics and Law aims to provide the highest quality of training in healthcare ethics and healthcare law in a flexible and interdisciplinary way.
There is an emphasis on the application of bioethical and legal theory to real world scenarios, thus catering to the practical needs of healthcare and legal professionals and those in related fields.
You will study a wide variety of ethical and legal subjects including autonomy, consent, refusal of treatment, confidentiality, the moral status of the foetus, resource allocation, genetic testing, HIV testing, medical malpractice, clinical negligence, organ and tissue transplantation, fertility treatment, genetic manipulation, research ethics, stem cell research and euthanasia.
This course will allow you develop an expert knowledge and understanding of bioethical and medico-legal theories, and the skills needed to apply them to real world scenarios in a diverse range of contexts.
You will also develop the ethical and medico-legal knowledge and research skills required for writing a master's level dissertation, and will be well prepared for further research if you so desire.
Campus based course
Teaching tends to defy the traditional boundaries associated with lectures and seminars. Generally, each class in a course unit has a duration of 2 or 3 hours per week, and is split roughly equally between a formal, didactic period and a structured discussion period (most often based on the so-called challenge-response model). Nevertheless, each class is considered a seminar or lecture, and attendance of all classes of a course unit for which a student is enrolled is thus compulsory . For course units of 15 credit value there will generally be 15 hours of face-to-face teaching throughout the semester in which the unit is delivered, and twice that amount for 30 credit units.
Assessment of all taught course units (to a total of 120 credits) is by assessed coursework in the form of essays of 4,000 words per 15 credit course unit and up to 7,000 words for the two 30 credit core course units. In addition, students who wish to complete the LLM must submit a 12,000 to 15,000 word dissertation by independent research (60 credits); no dissertation is required for the PGDip or PGCert. Part-time students undertake a supervised dissertation in the summer months of year two. Please note that the part-time students can extend their registration for extra 3 months to submit their dissertations in December of their second year, instead of September (you will be advised of the exact date on the second year of the course).
Those who do not successfully complete the MA you may be considered for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma.
Those who do not successfully complete the Postgraduate Diploma may be considered for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate.
The awards of the MA or Postgraduate Diploma are classified according to Pass/Merit/Distinction. The Postgraduate Certificate is awarded unclassified.
Students will be required to complete 180 credits: 120 credits comprised of taught course units (each of 15 or 30 credits value), and an independent research element of the course worth 60 credits by way of a Masters dissertation of between 12,000 and 15,000 words, which is undertaken over the summer months of the course. The dissertation should be predominantly law-based.
On the full time course, the 120 taught credits can be split in one of two ways: (1) 60 credits in each of the two semesters; or (2) 75 credits in semester one and 45 credits in semester two.
Students registered on the LLM Healthcare Ethics and Law would need to select a majority of their optional courses from the law list (Mental Health Law and Policy; Medicine, Law and Society; Children, Medicine and the Law). Global Health Law and Bioethics can count as an ethics or law course.
The School is offering a number of awards for students applying for masters study. To find out more please visit our Master's funding opportunity search page .
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: [email protected]
Successful graduates are able to progress within a wide variety of roles in both Medical, Legal and Ethical fields. Graduates from previous years have, for example, proceeded to specialise in Medico-Legal practice and academic careers, and the degrees have enhanced the careers of health care professionals.
