Masters Degrees in Public International law, United Kingdom

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 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 taking this specialisation can choose to spend one term at our Canterbury campus and one at our Brussels centre (returning to their primary location 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.

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.

Think Kent: International Law with International Relations

There is no universally agreed precise legal, technical or political definition of either the boundaries separating airspace from outer space or of the term ‘outer space’ itself. Yet two separate legal regimes exist for the regulation of these two environments. In this lecture, Dr Gbenga Oduntan, Senior Lecturer in International Commercial Law at the University of Kent, critiques the leading theories that have been postulated to solve this problem, and proposes an original solution regarding the spatial demarcation boundary point issue in air and space law.

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.

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.

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. The double specialisation International Law with International Relations is slightly different to the other LLM Specialisations offered at the Kent Law School. International Relations is a ‘minor’ stream which is only available when combined with the International Law ‘major’ stream. For the award of a degree titled ‘Master of Laws in International Law with International Relations’ you should study at least three modules from the International Law stream together with your dissertation. You must then choose two modules from the International Relations ‘minor’ stream. The remaining module can be chosen from any of the other law modules offered on the LLM.

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.

LW814 Public International Law

LW844 Legal Aspects of Contemporary International Problems

LW906 International Environmental Law – Legal Foundations

LW843 International Human Rights Law

LW846 International Criminal Law

LW884 International Environmental Law – Substantive Legal Aspects

LW886 Transnational Criminal Law

LW922 Labour Rights in a Global Economy

LW925 Cultural Heritage 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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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 is taught primarily by examining current international events and the theoretical bases of international law. It is particularly suited to those involved with, or who are hoping to work for, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, international law firms and foreign affairs departments. Students studying Public International Law 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 taking this specialisation can choose to spend one term at our Canterbury campus and one at our Brussels centre (returning to their primary location 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.

Think Kent: International Law

The field of international law continues to be understood both by the general public and in the academy as existing in opposition to national and local laws and realities. In this lecture, Dr Luis Eslava engages with the expansive and ground-level operation of international law by discussing the ways in which international norms and aspirations shape local, everyday life across the world.

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. The split site option is charged at a different rate. Please see under Fees below for more information.

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.

LW814 Public International Law

LW844 Legal Aspects of Contemporary International Problems

LW906 International Environmental Law – Legal Foundations

LW843 International Human Rights Law

LW846 International Criminal Law

LW884 International Environmental Law – Substantive Legal Aspects

LW886 Transnational Criminal Law

LW922 Labour Rights in a Global Economy

LW925 Cultural Heritage 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

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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The Specialist LLM course in Public International Law provides a critical understanding of the principles within which public international law operates, raising issues of treaty interpretation and enforcement across a range of sub-disciplines.

Who is it for?

This course will be of interest to individuals who seek a deeper understanding of the many dimensions of public international law from both a theoretical and practical perspective. As this course has an international dimension it will appeal to students from around the world and at all stages of their legal education and professional experience.

Objectives

The Specialist LLM in Public International Law concentrates on the development of a thorough and critical understanding of Public International Law, the law governing the interaction of states. The last decade or so has seen tremendous challenges for International Law including matters relating to armed conflict, commercial relations and human rights. This course gives you the opportunity to trace and evaluate some of these practical and theoretical developments guided by leading academics and expert practitioners.

City's LLM in Public International Law takes a contemporary approach to the study of international law. You may choose from an extensive list of electives including the law of treaties, human rights, economic law, law of the sea and others.
All electives adopt a curriculum that is cutting edge in its theoretical approach and a skill-based methodology to enable you to develop your knowledge and skills in the subject in the best manner possible.

Placements

Each year a small number of internships become available and you will be provided with information about such opportunities and how to apply during the year of your study.

Academic facilities

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.

As part of the University of London you can also become a member of Senate House Library for free with your student ID card.

You will benefit from City, University of London’s extensive library of hard copy and electronic resources, including its comprehensive database of domestic and international caselaw, legislation, treaties and legal periodicals. There are two law-specific libraries – one at the Gray’s Inn campus and one at our Northampton square campus - with individual study spaces and dedicated rooms for group work.

Additionally, we are a short walk away from the British Library and the Law Library of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

Teaching and learning

This course is taught by leading academics as well as visiting practitioners including barristers and solicitors who work in private practice and in legal departments of major companies.

Assessment

All modules are structured as 10-weekly two-hour seminars which comprise both lectures as well as interactive tutorials. All modules are supported by our online learning platform - Moodle. Assessment is by way of coursework which comprises 100% of the final mark in each module. Each module carries the same weight in terms of the overall qualification.

You will be allocated a dedicated supervisor for your dissertation who will help you develop a specific topic and provide support in terms of resources, content and structure.

Modules

As with all LLM specialisms at City, University of London, you may take either five modules and a shorter dissertation (10,000 words) or four modules and a longer dissertation (20,000 words). All modules are of the same duration and are taught per term (September – December or January – April) rather than the whole academic year. If you take four modules you will take two per term in each term and if you take five modules you will have three in one term and two in the other. Dissertations are written during the summer term when there are no classes.

In order to obtain this specialism, you must choose at least three modules from within this specialism and write their dissertation on a subject within the specialism.
-10,000 word Supervised Dissertation (30 credits)
OR
-20,000 word Supervised Dissertation (60 credits)

Specialism modules - choose from the following 30 credit modules:
-Air and Space Law
-Comparative Constitutional Law
-International Law of the Sea
-Public International Law
-Law of Treaties
-International Human Rights in Law and Practice
-International Investment Law
-Minorities and Indigenous Peoples in International Law
-International Dispute Settlement
-International Responsibility of States and International Organisations
-Law of International Organisations
-International Law and the Global Economy
-International Criminal Law: the Practitioner Perspective
-International Criminal Law: Crimes and Institutions
-Law and War
-World Trade Law

For your remaining modules you can choose from more than 50 modules covering a diverse range of subjects.

Career prospects

As a graduate of this specialist LLM in Public International Law you will be well placed to pursue careers in this area of law in private practice, in house in a legal practice, policy and government, non-governmental organisations, and a wide range of non-legal careers in the field of publc international law.

The City Law School has a vibrant Pro Bono programme including our award-winning commercial law clinic for tech start-ups Start-Ed. Students who complete the LLM may wish to continue their academic studies by enrolling in a PhD offered by The City Law School. Master and research students are encouraged to play an active role in our activities, which include a series of seminars organised by the International Law and Affairs Group at the City Law School.

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Overview

International law is an increasingly important field of study and practice. Never before has international law taken such a central position in public debates. The regulation of financial markets, environmental protection, the management of migrations or the prosecution of war criminals are all areas in which international law plays a major role. International law does not only affect the behaviour of states and intergovernmental institutions. Neither is it simply a discipline of diplomats, academics and philosophers. International law today dominates the activity of transnational corporations, NGOs and individuals, from footballers to victims of human rights violations. As a result, governments, international institutions, NGOs, businesses and law firms are increasingly looking for individuals capable of dealing with complex issues of transnational law.

Why Study International Law at Keele?

The Keele Law School has a long tradition of academic expertise in the field of international law. International law has been taught at Keele by world-renowned experts such as Michael Akehurst and Patrick Thornberry. In recent years, the Keele Law School has invested heavily in the area of international law. Students will be taught be dynamic academic staff with a wide range of expertise and research interests.

The Keele LLM in International Law differs from most existing LLMs in several important respects:

- Flexibility: the programme is based upon a ‘pathway’ structure, where students tailor their degree according to their needs and preferences. Depending on their choice of electives, students can graduate with any one of the following degrees: LLM in International Law; LLM in International Law and Politics; LLM in International Law and Human Rights; LLM in International Law and the environment; LLM in International Law and Business.

- Interdisciplinarity: students can choose from a wide range of electives offered not only within the Law School, but also within the School of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy (SPIRE) and the Keele Management School (KMS).

- Skills: students can study modern languages – including key UN languages – as part of their degree, increasing their range of professional skills. Keele currently offers courses in: Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.

- Professional opportunities: students interested in more hand-on practical experience have the possibility to do work placements as part of their degree, with any one of our partner institutions (UN agencies, international tribunals, non-governmental organisations, law firms, etc. – places are limited).

Keele is located on a beautiful and safe campus – the largest of its kind in the country – and has been ranked in the top 5 universities in the UK for student satisfaction.

See the website https://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/internationallaw/

Course Aims

The aims of the LLM in International Law are to:
- Provide students with a practical and theoretical understanding of the role, nature and functioning of international law.

- Encourage students to develop a critical awareness of the social, historical and political contexts in which international law operates.

- Provide a degree of specialisation in areas of international law of professional or intellectual interest to students.

- Develop students’ research skills in the context of supervised research on an agreed topic in public international law and encourage the production of original and creative scholarship.

- Encourage students to develop critical, analytical and problem-solving skills which can be applied to a wide range of legal and non-legal contexts.

- Provide a strong educational foundation that enhances a student’s prospects of professional, commercial or academic employment.

Teaching & Assessment

The LLM in International Law is taught by a team of talented academics and practitioners. Members of our staff hold degrees from the most prestigious Universities in Europe and North America (Sorbonne, Oxford, Cornell etc.). They have published widely on questions of United Nations law, international trade law, international investment law, dispute settlement, international criminal law, human rights law, international environmental law, or international legal theory. They have acted as legal advisers to governments and international organisations, have worked as human rights field officers, and have been consulted by the House of Lords on burning issues such as human trafficking.

The programme is taught principally through semester-long modules. During each taught module, students take part in lectures, tutor-led seminars and discussions, small group exercises, and case studies. Each module is accompanied by extensive independent study and throughout the course students are encouraged and required to undertake independent reading.

The programme is assessed principally, though not exclusively, through written work. Written work may be in the form of research essays, final examinations, blog discussions or reflective portfolios. Through the essays, students demonstrate their understanding of a particular area of international law (or one of the other taught subjects, i.e. human rights/environment/politics/business) as well as their ability for original thinking and high-level written communication skills.

The final form of assessment is the dissertation, which is an extended (15,000 – 20,000 words) and in-depth piece of writing that brings together all of the skills that students have learned throughout the programme. As part of the dissertation, students are also required to prepare a dissertation proposal and give an oral presentation (as part of the graduate research workshop).

Additional Costs

Modules across the programme will include recommended core and supplemental texts. Costs will vary depending on the particular text (Law textbooks vary between £20-40).

Apart from additional costs for text books, inter-library loans and potential overdue library fines we do not anticipate any additional costs for this post graduate programme.

Careers Development

The LLM in International Law will enable entry into a range of occupations where specialist expertise knowledge is needed. It provides an ideal basis for those seeking employment as international law practitioners in relevant national and international organisations (government agencies, UN bodies, NGOs), multinational corporations, or transnational law firms. Equally, the programme will equip students for further study in the form of a postgraduate research programme, such as a PhD, by providing appropriate research training and an introduction to key thinkers and scholarship.

Find information on Scholarships here - http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/bursariesscholarships/

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The LLM in Public International Law will offer you a unique opportunity to study a wide range of courses on the role and place of law in international affairs. Questions of international Law are increasingly an important part of domestic litigation in almost all jurisdictions. The modules are designed to equip you for a career in private legal practice, diplomatic service, or work with non-governmental organisations. All courses are taught by top class academics with extensive experience in the study and application of international law.

Taught 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 Public International 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 modules.

All modules are 22.5 credits unless otherwise stated.

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.

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.


◦ QLLM023 Courts in Comparative Perspective (45 credits) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM047 International and Comparative Social Justice (45 credits)
◦ QLLM053 International Criminal Law (45 credits)
◦ QLLM055 International Environmental Law (45 credits)
◦ QLLM057 International Law of Armed Conflict and the Use of Force (45 credits)
◦ QLLM058 International Law of the Sea (45 credits)
◦ QLLM059 International Law on the Rights of the Child (45 credits)
◦ QLLM062 International Tax Law (45 credits)
◦ QLLM068 Law of Economic Crime (45 credits)
◦ QLLM069 Law of Finance and Foreign Investment in Emerging Economies (45 credits)
◦ QLLM071 Law of Treaties (45 credits)
◦ QLLM096 Climate Change Law and Policy (45 credits) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM097 International Natural Resources Law (45 credits)
◦ QLLM127 International Human Rights Law (45 credits)
◦ QLLM167 Indigenous Rights: Selected Issues in Practice and Theory (Sem 1) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM168 International Law and Indigenous Peoples (Sem 2)
◦ QLLM173 Terrorism and Human Rights: Constitutional Perspectives (Sem 1)
◦ QLLM174 Migration, Security and Human Rights (Sem 1)
◦ QLLM176 International Refugee Law (Sem 1)
◦ QLLM177 International Migration Law (Sem 2) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM187 International Investment Law (Sem 1)
◦ QLLM188 Regulation of International Investment and Public Policy (Sem 2) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM314 Transnational Law and Governance (Sem 1)
◦ QLLM315 Transnational Law and Governance in Practice (Sem 2)
◦ QLLM323 State Crime (sem 2)
◦ QLLM347 The Law of Geographical Indications (GIs) (sem 2)
◦ QLLM351 Cybercrime: Substantive Offences (sem 1)
◦ QLLM352 Cybercrime: International Co-operation and Digital Investigations (sem 2)
◦ QLLM358 Cyberspace Law: Internet Jurisdiction and Dispute Resolution (sem 2) (not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM365 Legal Aspects of Financing Development (sem 2) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM370 WTO Law: Market Access and Non-Discrimination (sem 1)
◦ QLLM371 WTO Law: Trade Remedies and Regulatory Issues (sem 2)
◦ QLLM376 International Economic Law (sem 1)
◦ QLLM377 EU Financial and Monetary Law (sem 1)
◦ 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)
◦ QLLM387 International Trade and Investment Law of the EU (sem 1) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM388 Trade, Climate Change and Energy: EU and International Perspectives (Sem 2)
◦ QLLM397 Investment Treaty Arbitration (sem 1)
◦ QLLM398 Investment Arbitration: Substantive Protection (sem 2)
◦ QLLM400 United States Energy Law, Regulation and Policy (sem 1)

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With over 30 years of expertise, LSBU Law has shaped the professional futures of thousands of law students.

This LLM course covers the concepts and enforcement of international criminal law, It focuses on international crimes that fall under the jurisdiction of international criminal courts and tribunals (genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression). The core principles, law, and institutions of international criminal law are contextualised against international law and human rights, and international humanitarian law.

You'll study the following subset categories of International Law:International Criminal Law, International Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law by exploring the contours of the duty to prosecute those who commit international crimes. And, focus on the application of domestic and international law to the question of jurisdiction over international criminal activities, including universal jurisdiction of national courts.

The course explores the procedural aspects of international cooperation in criminal matters, with particular attention to extradition and problems associated with obtaining evidence from abroad.

Modules

International criminal law
International criminal procedure and practice
International law and human rights
Research methods
Dissertation

Plus two options from:

International humanitarian law
International human rights and development
Terrorism
Case management
Advocacy
Migration and development

Assessment

Content, knowledge and understanding is assessed through coursework, or coursework, presentations and on-line assessments.

Assessment methods reflect the development of legal skills within particular modules, for example the advocacy presentation within the Advocacy Module and the Case study within the Case Management Module. Oral assessments assess your ability to effectively and critically research, evaluate, write and present a coherent legal analysis of a particular issue drawing upon relevant law reform proposals, assessing conflicting interpretations of the International Criminal Law and proposing new hypotheses relevant to the topic being assessed.

Coursework

Coursework can take many forms (based on the practical or theoretical content of the module) including essays and reports. Typically coursework pieces will be 6,000 words in length. Students will explore a topic covered in depth, providing a critical, practical, insight into the topic analysed.

Professional links

A number of Visiting Professors and Lecturers will teach on the course. All are leading practitioners with a national reputation in the fields of international criminal law and human rights.

Recent guest lecturers:

• Ko Aung, Burma Human Rights Campaigner;
• Joel Bennathan, QC, Barrister;
• Sir Geoffrey Bindman, Solicitor;
• Imran Khan, Solicitor;
• Roger Smith, Director of Justice.

Employability

New international criminal law:

This programme is particularly relevant if you're looking for careers in the new international criminal law institutions such as the International Criminal Court or in agencies with rapidly increasing criminal justice competencies such as the UN or the EU.

You'll acquire in-depth knowledge of international criminal law and procedure, international human rights law and international humanitarian law. You'll have the necessary knowledge and skills to practice international criminal law before international tribunals or national courts.

This LLM will appeal to you if you're interested in the increasing trend in international human rights law to criminalize and prosecute mass human rights atrocities, both in domestic courts and international tribunals, like the International Criminal Court.

Non-governmental organisations:

Other graduates may embark on careers in non-governmental organisations, such as Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch, or in the area of international legal practice. The LLM is also highly relevant for law graduates and criminal law practitioners both from the UK and abroad. Moreover it is particularly relevant for graduates from Commonwealth Common Law jurisdictions, wishing to study international criminal law and practice while developing their legal and professional knowledge and skills in the field of international litigation.

The LLM aims to produce reflective practitioners, capable of using their professional experience in combination with theoretical insights to contribute to public debate on international criminal justice policy and practice.

LSBU Employability Services

LSBU is committed to supporting you develop your employability and succeed in getting a job after you have graduated. Your qualification will certainly help, but in a competitive market you also need to work on your employability, and on your career search. Our Employability Service will support you in developing your skills, finding a job, interview techniques, work experience or an internship, and will help you assess what you need to do to get the job you want at the end of your course. LSBU offers a comprehensive Employability Service, with a range of initiatives to complement your studies, including:

direct engagement from employers who come in to interview and talk to students
Job Shop and on-campus recruitment agencies to help your job search
mentoring and work shadowing schemes.

• Direct engagement from employers who come in to interview and talk to students
• Job Shop and on-campus recruitment agencies to help your job search
• Mentoring and work shadowing schemes.

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About the course

International Human Rights Law LLM is a unique programme designed to enable students to progress to become human rights practitioners and specialists in this dynamic area of law.

Students will critically engage with many of the human rights issues that feature strongly in public debate today, gaining comprehensive understanding of international human rights law and its interconnection with international criminal and comparative criminal law.

This course places particular emphasis on the radical transformations that international human rights law has experienced since the beginning of the 21st century, with the genesis of the International Criminal Court, the on-going process of the United Nations reform and the post 9/11 shift to a more securitarian approach to criminal process values, especially regarding the war against terror.

The course offers:

A detailed analysis of the theory, history and development of human rights, and an examination of the main regional mechanisms of human rights protection.

An overview of a variety of contemporary human rights topics, including the examination of major developments and recent tendencies in the field of international human rights protection.

Analysis of contemporary topics and challenges of international human rights protection including:
the emergence of the right to development and the so-called third- generation rights;
human rights advocacy and global governance though NGOs and non-State actors;
the crystallisation of group rights, minorities and indigenous peoples’ rights;
the challenges posed to international human rights law by international migration and the enhanced need of protection of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees;
women’s rights and the rights of the child, including protection against victims of human trafficking;
the crystallisation of general equality and the development of human rights advocacy for sexual and gay rights.

Brunel Law School has an excellent reputation in this field. The International Human Rights Law Review - a peer-reviewed international journal - is edited at Brunel Law School. The School is able to attract a number of leading guest speakers to support further debate and learning’s around the complexity of human rights, and provides students with a wider variety of perspectives particularly in the international context.

The programme is available full-time:
September (12 months)
January (15 months due to dissertation submission requirements)

And also part-time:
September (24 months)
January (27 months due to dissertation submission requirements)

The course is aimed at graduates from all over the world who are keen to develop an expertise in the evolving discipline and develop a career in international human rights law.

Aims

You will develop an expertise in the corpus and complexities of international human rights law.

You will acquire critical and analytical skills in the complex field of international human rights law.

You will be able to demonstrate through original research the application of knowledge, practical understanding and critical appreciation that can contribute to the discourse on international human rights law.

You will gain professional skills required to develop a career in international human rights law.

You will gain detailed knowledge of the European system of human rights protection in particular, both at a theoretical and practical level, including the ability to handle cases before the European Court of Human Rights.

Course Content

The LLM consists of both compulsory and optional modules, a typical selection can be found below. Modules can vary from year to year, but these offer a good idea of what we teach.

Compulsory modules:

Term I

European System of Human Rights Protection (15 credits) 1 or 2
Foundations of International Human Rights Law (15 credits) 1 or 2

Term II

Theory and Practice of International Human Rights (15 credits) 1
Regional Systems of Human Rights Protection: America, Africa, Asia (15 credits) 1

Optional modules:

Term I

International Human Rights and Islamic Law (15 credits) 2
Public International Law (15 credits) 1 or 2
International Humanitarian Law 2
Multiculturalism and Human Rights (15 credits) 2
International Criminal Law (15 credits) 2

Term II

International Environmental Law (15 credits) 2
Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility (15 credits) 2
World Trade Organisation (WTO) abd Human Rights Law (15 credits) 2
Human Rights of Women (15 credits) 2
Counter-terrorism and Human Rights (15 credits) 2

** The superscript 1 or 2 indicates which year of study each module will normally take place in for part-time students.

Assessment

The faculty places great emphasis on the creation of a unique learning experience. In addition to attending seminars and preparing coursework and exams, students will also learn by participating in research centre activities and research trips, contributing to newsletters, making oral presentations, attending law film screenings as well as participating in debating events and reading group sessions.

Assessment methods in this programme range from coursework, seen examinations and a dissertation (15,000 words) to oral presentations and assessment by contribution in seminars.

Special Features

Research Centres
The Law School benefits from active research centres which regularly host research seminars and workshops. Many of these have been on the topic of international human rights. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF2014) we were ranked 14th in the UK for REF Intensity in Law.

Extra-curricular Activities
The Law School offers students numerous opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities, including a Reading Group, a Law Film society, mooting and debating societies and research workshops organized by the research centres based at the school. LLM students are expected to play a leading role organising and participating in these activities.

Research Skills
The Law School offers an elaborate scheme of research and writing skills sessions designed to facilitate students’ learning and to equip them with appropriate transferable skills.
Some of the modules in this programme also integrate skills training, for example on how to answer essay questions, make use of electronic legal databases and cite legal authorities.

Career Support
Students benefit from the university's award winning 'Professional Development Centre' which offers specialist workshops, interview skills, and one-to-one advice sessions to help prepare graduates for their chosen career.

Teaching Expertise
Brunel Law School has an excellent reputation in this field. The International Human Rights Law Review - a peer-reviewed international journal - is edited at Brunel Law School. The school is able to attract a number of leading guest speakers to support further debate and learnings around the complexity of human rights, and provides students with a wider variety of perspectives particularly in the international context.
This is a challenging programme that is at the forefront of thinking in International Human Rights Law. It is taught by leading academics with a wide range of expertise in human rights practice, policy, activism and governmental, international and non-governmental organisations. As a result, the programme is research-led, and some of the reading required for the programme is based on books published by our academics.

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International trade is a complex and ever evolving area, requiring practitioners to be at the cutting edge of the subject.

On the LLM International Trade Law you will acquire a wide range of knowledge on issues relevant to international trade, such as international sale contracts, carriage of goods and international dispute resolution and in areas such as international finance, intellectual property, international energy law and transnational competition law. You will gain specialist legal knowledge within a practical context, whilst developing expertise in these areas and enhancing your research skills.

With maximum flexibility in mind, this distance learning course allows you to work towards your LLM in stages. To access the LLM you will have previously completed the awards of Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma.

Students are required to pass three modules: Legal Research, International Sale Contracts, and Carriage of Goods. There are no examinations for each module. Instead, students research and write a 3,000 word essay on a topic selected by the module tutor. They graduate with the PgCert International Trade Law and may, if they wish, continue on to study for the PgDip International Trade Law the next academic year.

Learn From The Best

Study on the LLM International Trade Law and you will learn from inspirational academics that have a real passion for their subject. The course is accredited by the Law Society of England and Wales and the General Council of the Bar of England and Wales, and is shaped by internationally excellent research to ensure the course is up-to-date and relevant.

Lecturers on this course have research expertise and practice-based experience in the areas of international business transactions; international commercial litigation; international commercial arbitration, international public procurement regulation; comparative corporate and financial law, and EU law; knowledge that you can draw on for your LLM project.

The course is delivered by Northumbria Law School, three times winners of the prestigious “Best Law School” accolade, awarded by the Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards.

Teaching And Assessment

On this innovative distance learning LLM International Trade Law course you will acquire a wide range of knowledge on issues relevant to international trade, such as international sale contracts, carriage of goods and international dispute resolution and in areas such as international finance, intellectual property, international energy law and transnational competition law. There is an emphasis on reflective practice and applying what you have learnt to your own organisation.

You will learn through a combination of online lectures and seminars and eLearning technology, able to tailor the course to suit your interests and career aspirations. Modules are assessed through coursework and for the award of LLM, you will complete a 15,000-17,000-word project, based on an area related to your own practice or intended practice.

Module Overview
LW7003 - Legal Research (Core, 20 Credits)
LW7036 - Carriage of Goods (Core, 20 Credits)
LW7051 - International Sale Contracts (Core, 20 Credits)

Learning Environment

The eLearning Portal provides students with written materials that are the equivalent to ten (10) one-hour lecture periods and five (5) two-hour workshop periods on the FT LLM International Trade Law. Written lecture materials tend to focus on the delivery of a particular legal topic and written workshop materials tend to focus on the actual application of topics in practical situations which business persons or lawyers would encounter. The DL PgCert/PgDip/LLM International Trade Law is practically oriented.

There is an on-line surgery at the beginning of each module with the module tutor, and an optional Study Day is held on campus on a Saturday near the beginning of each module. The Study Day is recorded using Panopto so that students who are unable to attend in person can view and listen to the day’s learning activities. There is no difference in the substantive content of each module between the DL PgCert/PgDip International Trade Law and the FT LLM International Trade Law.

Research-Rich Learning

Research rich learning (RRL) is embedded through the programme. Law School research focuses on the areas of Law and Society, Legal Education and Professional Skills, and the Centre for Evidence and Criminal Justice Studies. These internationally recognised groups act as a focus for research activity across the Law School, and their work feeds into the courses to ensure taught course content is informed by research developments in the sector.

The LLM culminates in the project module in which you will undertake a piece of independent legal research, informed by current practice and advanced scholarship and research, including a critical awareness and evaluation of current issues and developments in the field.

Give Your Career An Edge

The LLM is designed to enhance your career prospects in the international trade law arena. You will be encouraged to reflect upon your own practice, applying legal skills to the common problems you are experiencing or are likely to experience in practice, examine policies and undertake independent legal research to update your knowledge. You will have the opportunity to produce a project in your chosen field undertaking research and personal development in an area of particular relevance to your work.

The course is accredited for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) by the Law Society of England and Wales and the General Council of the Bar of England and Wales.

Your Future

The LLM International Trade Law course has been designed to meet the needs of practitioners in business and industry and law firms engaged in the area of international trade law.

You will graduate fully equipped with expert legal knowledge, greater awareness of legal commercial issues, and the ability to critically evaluate legal issues in the context of international trade law. You will be able to further develop your intellectual curiosity, to recognise uncertainty in the law, to produce and present reasoned arguments and to offer creative solutions to complex legal and ethical problems. You will develop your critical, analysis, research and the professional and reflective skills necessary for practice in this exciting field.

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This course is for you if you need to improve your English language skills and subject knowledge of international commercial and business law before going on to a Masters course. You improve your language fluency and academic vocabulary, develop your academic skills, and gain experience of western methods of teaching and learning so that you can progress onto a relevant Masters course in our School of Law.

At Essex, you can progress onto our LLM International Commercial and Business Law.

Our International Academy offers some of the best routes for international students to enter higher education in the UK. Our innovative courses and programmes have proved very successful with international students and have also attracted UK students because of the distinctive learning environment we offer.

If you are an international student, you may find that the education system in the UK is slightly different from other countries and, sometimes, that the transition to the British system can be challenging. Our courses help you to settle in and adapt to life in the UK.

Alongside improving your academic English skills, you also develop an understanding of the substantive issues of law necessary for the successful study of law at Masters level, improving your knowledge in the subject area and familiarising you with the legal terminology and concepts.

Our law course will develop your intellectual and critical faculties, encourage you to think independently and teach you to present rational, coherent and accurate arguments orally and in writing. It will provide you with an excellent foundation for any career.

At Essex we specialise in commercial law, public law, and human rights law. We are Top 20 in the UK for research excellence (REF 2014), and we are ranked among the top 200 departments on the planet according to the QS World [University] Rankings [2016] for law.

Our expert staff

Our internationally diverse community of staff and students gives us a breadth of cross-cultural perspectives and insights into law and justice around the world.

This community, combined with opportunities to study abroad during your time with us, ensures you graduate with a genuine worldview and a network of international contacts.

Specialist facilities

By studying within our International Academy, you will have access to all of the facilities that the University of Essex has to offer:
-We provide computer labs for internet research; classrooms with access to PowerPoint facilities for student presentations; AV facilities for teaching and access to web-based learning materials
-Our new Student Services Hub will support you and provide information for all your needs as a student
-Our social space is stocked with hot magazines and newspapers, and provides an informal setting to meet with your lecturers, tutors and friends

You can also take advantage of our extensive law facilities:
-Volunteer at the Essex Law Clinic where you can work alongside practicing solicitors to offer legal advice to clients
-Gain commercial awareness at our Business and Legal Advice Clinic
-Work on key human rights projects at our Human Rights Clinic
-Test your mediation and negotiation skills in our Client Interviewing Competition (sponsored by Birkett Long Solicitors)
-Join our Model United Nations society, which can improve your skills of argumentation, oral presentation and research
-Network at our student-run Law Society, Human Rights Society, and Bar Society, which provides legal advice to the Commonwealth Students’ Association (CSA)
-Our Essex Street Law project is one of the first of its kind and is the primary pro-bono project provided by our Law Society
Take advantage of networking opportunities with visiting law firms

Example structure

-Legal Research and the English Legal System
-English for Academic Purposes
-Advanced English for Academic Purposes
-Extended English for Academic Purposes Project
-Critical Reading and Seminar Skills
-International Trade Law
-Criminal Law
-Tort Law (optional)
-Equity and Trusts (optional)
-Public Law II (optional)
-Family Law (optional)
-Introduction to Public International Law (optional)
-Selected Issues in Public International Law (optional)
-European Human Rights Law (optional)
-Banking Law (optional)
-Company Law (optional)
-Investigating Miscarriages of Justice (optional)
-Race Equality Law I (optional)
-Medicine & the Law I (optional)
-Medicine & the Law II (optional)
-Clinical Legal Education (Law Placement) (optional)
-Consumer Contract Law (optional)
-Commercial Contract Law (optional)
-Employment Law and Practice
-Understanding Judges (optional)
-Jurisprudence I (optional)
-Law of the European Union (optional)
-Land Law (optional)
-Law of Evidence (optional)
-Intellectual Property Law (optional)
-Commercial Property I (optional)
-Cybercrime (optional)
-Competition Law (optional)
-Internet Law and Regulation (optional)
-Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice: Law, Policy and Practice (optional)
-Music Law (optional)
-Project: Law (optional)
-Advanced Legal Advice Case Work (optional)
-Criminology (optional)
-Justice (optional)

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This course is for you if you need to improve your English language skills and subject knowledge of international trade law before going on to a Masters course. You improve your language fluency and academic vocabulary, develop your academic skills, and gain experience of western methods of teaching and learning so that you can progress onto a relevant Masters course in our School of Law.

At Essex, you can progress onto our LLM International Trade Law.

Our International Academy offers some of the best routes for international students to enter higher education in the UK. Our innovative courses and programmes have proved very successful with international students and have also attracted UK students because of the distinctive learning environment we offer.

If you are an international student, you may find that the education system in the UK is slightly different from other countries and, sometimes, that the transition to the British system can be challenging. Our courses help you to settle in and adapt to life in the UK.

Alongside improving your academic English skills, you also study international trade law and legal systems, evaluate sources critically, and learn to produce a synthesis of relevant doctrinal and policy issues.

Our law course will develop your intellectual and critical faculties, encourage you to think independently and teach you to present rational, coherent and accurate arguments orally and in writing. It will provide you with an excellent foundation for any career.

At Essex we specialise in commercial law, public law, and human rights law. We are Top 20 in the UK for research excellence (REF 2014), and we are ranked among the top 200 departments on the planet according to the QS World [University] Rankings [2016] for law.

Our expert staff

Our internationally diverse community of staff and students gives us a breadth of cross-cultural perspectives and insights into law and justice around the world.

This community, combined with opportunities to study abroad during your time with us, ensures you graduate with a genuine worldview and a network of international contacts.

Specialist facilities

By studying within our International Academy, you will have access to all of the facilities that the University of Essex has to offer:
-We provide computer labs for internet research; classrooms with access to PowerPoint facilities for student presentations; AV facilities for teaching and access to web-based learning materials
-Our new Student Services Hub will support you and provide information for all your needs as a student
-Our social space is stocked with hot magazines and newspapers, and provides an informal setting to meet with your lecturers, tutors and friends

You can also take advantage of our extensive law facilities:
-Volunteer at the Essex Law Clinic where you can work alongside practicing solicitors to offer legal advice to clients
-Gain commercial awareness at our Business and Legal Advice Clinic
-Work on key human rights projects at our Human Rights Clinic
-Test your mediation and negotiation skills in our Client Interviewing Competition (sponsored by Birkett Long Solicitors)
-Join our Model United Nations society, which can improve your skills of argumentation, oral presentation and research
-Network at our student-run Law Society, Human Rights Society, and Bar Society, which provides legal advice to the Commonwealth Students’ Association (CSA)
-Our Essex Street Law project is one of the first of its kind and is the primary pro-bono project provided by our Law Society
-Take advantage of networking opportunities with visiting law firms

Example structure

-Legal Research and the English Legal System
-English for Academic Purposes
-Advanced English for Academic Purposes
-Extended English for Academic Purposes Project
-Critical Reading and Seminar Skills
-International Trade Law
-Criminal Law
-Tort Law (optional)
-Equity and Trusts (optional)
-Public Law II (optional)
-Family Law (optional)
-Introduction to Public International Law (optional)
-Selected Issues in Public International Law (optional)
-European Human Rights Law (optional)
-Banking Law (optional)
-Company Law (optional)
-Investigating Miscarriages of Justice (optional)
-Race Equality Law I (optional)
-Medicine & the Law I (optional)
-Medicine & the Law II (optional)
-Clinical Legal Education (Law Placement) (optional)
-Consumer Contract Law (optional)
-Commercial Contract Law (optional)
-Employment Law and Practice
-Understanding Judges (optional)
-Jurisprudence I (optional)
-Law of the European Union (optional)
-Land Law (optional)
-Law of Evidence (optional)
-Intellectual Property Law (optional)
-Commercial Property I (optional)
-Cybercrime (optional)
-Competition Law (optional)
-Internet Law and Regulation (optional)
-Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice: Law, Policy and Practice (optional)
-Music Law (optional)
-Project: Law (optional)
-Advanced Legal Advice Case Work (optional)
-Criminology (optional)
-Justice (optional)

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This programme focuses on the public international law aspects of international trade and, in particular, the regulation of international trade by international law and international institutions, including the World Trade Organisation.

You’ll examine the significant role that international law has played in the redistribution of wealth and the reform of the global economic order, and develop a specialised and detailed knowledge of the law concerning international trade. You’ll also investigate and apply the complex rules of international trade law to novel problems, and real-world and hypothetical scenarios.

The course also gives you the opportunity to critically evaluate the legal rules and underlying policies concerning International Trade Law.

LLM International Trade Law is offered within the dynamic Centre for Business Law and Practice with all the facilities that a leading research-led university offers. This includes opportunities for co-curricular activities that enhance transferable skills and develop a knowledge of law’s impact in the wider world. The Centre for Business Law and Practice offers a wide range of experience and expertise in a number of fields, with links to the business community through, for example, the Advisory Board, which includes practitioners amongst its members. Industry and professional speakers regularly participate in conference and seminar events, which you’re encouraged to attend.

The Centre includes amongst its members internationally renowned researchers, and a number of teaching staff are qualified in the legal profession.

Course content

The compulsory modules studied over the course of the academic year will give you the opportunity to:

• examine the framework of international law governing the economic relations between states
• analyse bilateral investment and free trade treaties, and explore regional trade agreements
• investigate the workings of World Trade Organisation law
• study international trade regulation.

These modules will also enable you to hone your legal research and writing skills, culminating in your dissertation – an independent piece of research on your chosen topic.

If you study with us, you’ll also benefit from our academic skills programme. This 10-week programme runs alongside your taught academic programme, and is specifically designed to meet the needs of home and international students in the School of Law. It allows you to refine and develop the academic and transferable skills needed to excel during your taught postgraduate programme, as well as prepare for professional roles after graduation.

The wide-ranging list of optional modules means that you can explore a diverse range of related subjects of interest to you.

If you’re a part-time student, you’ll take four compulsory modules and choose two optional modules in your first year. You’ll then take the compulsory dissertation module and two optional modules in your second year to complete your programme.

Course structure

Compulsory modules

• The International Law of Foreign Investment 15 credits
• World Trade Organisation Law 15 credits
• Postgraduate Legal Research Skills 15 credits
• Dissertation 60 credits
• International Economic Law 15 credits

Optional modules

• International E-Commerce Law 15 credits
• International Competition Law 15 credits
• Corporate Social Responsibility 15 credits
• International Law of Credit and Security 15 credits
• International Trade Finance Law 15 credits
• International Sales Law 15 credits
• Trade Marks, Geographical Indications, Designs and Trade Secrets 15 credits
• Environmental Law - international permit-based control of pollution 15 credits

For more information on typical modules, read International Trade Law LLM Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information on typical modules, read International Trade Law LLM Part Time in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

Our compulsory and optional modules are taught through a range of smaller group seminars, and lectures depending on the module. All students meet weekly in the first semester for academic skills training. Support for the dissertation is provided via two group sessions, a number of one-to-one meetings and comment on draft work.

Independent study is integral to this programme – not just to prepare for classes but to develop research and other critical skills.

Assessment

Assessment is by a variety of methods but primarily involves the writing of an essay of up to 4,500 words at the end of each module. We assess the dissertation through your submission of a written piece of work of up to 15,000 words.

Career opportunities

The International Trade Law programme will enable you to embark upon a career in legal practice, or any career, where success is built upon the ability to understand, analyse and respond to developments in international trade law. Graduates have secured employment as lawyers, legal managers and international trade consultants. A number of our students remain with us to pursue a further research career as PhD students.

Careers support

The School of Law offers career and personal development support through the School of Law Careers Advisor. The School also arranges career development workshops, seminars and one-to-one sessions for students on all postgraduate programmes.

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

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International law is a dynamic subject which has to respond to real world problems. It directly affects states but is increasingly a matter of concern for public and private international and national organisations and individuals. Given contemporary and future global problems – for example, protecting human rights and security and the conservation of resources – the significance of international law is growing in a multipolar world.

This programme will enhance your understanding and challenge preconceptions of the complex legal and political nature of international law-making and governance and explore the often competing concepts that infuse the subject of international law.

You’ll investigate and apply the theories, principles and rules of international law to novel problems, real-world and hypothetical scenarios, and examine the rules, legal and political bodies such as the Security Council and the International Court of Justice and underlying policies governing international law.

You’ll benefit from the expertise of leading academics in a stimulating research environment. Our research groups include:

• Centre for Business Law and Practice (CBLP)
• Centre for Criminal Justice Studies (CCJS)
• Centre for Law and Social Justice (CLSJ)
• Law & Emerging Technologies Research Group (LET)

Course content

This programme includes Global Governance Through Law and International Human Rights Law as compulsory modules, and offers many optional modules in specialised subjects in international law. You’ll critically engage with a rich collection of contemporary themes set against the background of the concerns and activities of states and non-state actors in the international community.

You’ll also examine controversial areas of international law including how human rights laws are developed, how international laws are made and to what extent they are applied, the structure of relevant institutions such as the UN, the development of legal norms and the monitoring of states.

The programme will give you the opportunity to:

• explore the legal nature of international law on a global, regional and local level
• examine the impact of international law on contemporary problems
• consider how international law has failed to address certain issues and may be harnessed to tackle future problems
• investigate principles relating to sovereignty, universality, jurisdiction, territory, self-determination and human rights
• hone your legal research and writing skills, which you’ll demonstrate in your dissertation.

If you study with us, you’ll also benefit from our academic skills programme. This 10-week programme runs alongside your taught academic programme, and is specifically designed to meet the needs of home and international students in the School of Law. It allows you to refine and develop the academic and transferable skills to excel during your taught postgraduate programme, as well as prepare for professional roles after graduation.

The wide-ranging list of optional modules means that you can explore a mixture of related subjects of interest to you.

If you're a part-time student, you’ll take three compulsory modules in your first year and two optional modules. In your second year, you’ll carry out your dissertation and study one or two optional modules.

Course structure

Compulsory modules

• Postgraduate Legal Research Skills 15 credits
• Dissertation 60 credits
• Global Governance through Law 30 credits

Optional modules

• International Human Rights and Disabled People 15 credits
• European Human Rights 15 credits
• Alternative Dispute Resolution 15 credits
• International Corporate Rescue 15 credits
• World Trade Organisation Law 15 credits
• International Economic Law 15 credits

For more information on typical modules, read International Law LLM Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information on typical modules, read International Law LLM Part Time in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

Teaching is through seminars and lectures in which a high level of student engagement and discussion is expected. You are encouraged to carry out significant advanced levels of independent legal research.

Assessment

Most modules are assessed by essays. This is usually the most effective method for you to showcase advanced legal research.

Career opportunities

Students who have graduated from this degree often choose careers that centre on or involve understanding and applying international law and developing policies at organisational level. Further training is required but many also go on to practise as lawyers or legal advisors.

Our alumni include people working at the EU Commission, at the United Nations, non-governmental organisations and in the government sector.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website

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Your programme of study

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.

Courses listed for the programme

Semester 1

Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship

Optional

International Energy and Environment Law

Oil and Minerals for Good

The Politics of Human Rights

Private International Law: Jurisdiction in Business Transactions

Private International Law: Concepts and Institutions

World Trade Organisations: Gatt

International Commercial Arbitration (On Campus)

International Commercial Arbitration in the Asia Pacific

International Law: A Time of Challenges

Semester 2

Cultural Property Issues: Law, Art, and Museums

Choice of Law for Business

International Humanitarian Law

International Trade and Finance Law

International Human Rights Law

Carriage of Goods by Sea

International Criminal Law

Semester 3

Master of Law Dissertation

Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/150/international-law/

Why study at Aberdeen?

•            You are taught by a Law School ranked in the top 10 in the UK (The Complete University Guide 2018) 

•            98% of students felt their LLM added value to their career prospects and 97% would recommend their course to others

Where you study

• University of Aberdeen
• Full Time or Part Time
• 12 Months or 24 Months
• 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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Bangor University is a major international research centre in relation to the operation of national and European law and policies on public procurement law.

1 year LLM option (Full time programme)
2 years (Executive intensive block release programme for professionals)
The main educational aims of the programme include:

To provide candidates with postgraduate level knowledge and skills in the area of national (UK and Irish), European and International (WTO, World Bank and UNCITRAL) Public Procurement Law and Strategy.
To build up specialist legal skills and knowledge to equip candidates to operate in the interface between legal principles that apply in the Public Procurement environment and the strategic objectives of interests to organisations in the public and private sectors.
To provide a flexible programme enabling candidates to develop national, european and international perspectives on Public Procurement law issues and practice, which will open up a whole new area of opportunity for graduates.
A strategic element of the programmes is the presentation of learning from the perspectives of both the public procurement function and private sector supplier organisations, to help advance understanding of the complex issues organisations involved in public sector tendering face, and to develop more creative legally compliant public procurement solutions.

This is achieved through carefully designed module options and collaborative teaching involving the use of academic and expert procurement law and strategy specialists.

Employment Opportunities
Employment opportunities for graduates of the programmes include opportunities with public and private sector organisations (all of which have a procurement function), law firms, research centres and international organisations such as the United Nations, World Bank, World Trade Organisation and European Union. Having taken one of our programmes, there will, also be possibilities for academically inclined candidates to pursue careers in teaching and research. Candidates may also find employment opportunities with Social and Environment Rights Groups, many of which see procurement as a way of advancing social and environmental agendas. Candidates who are already working will develop expertise on procurement law issues which would advance their career prospects and upgrade their skills in this extremely complex and rapidly changing area of law.

Programme Content
LLM in Public Procurement Law and Strategy (1 Year programme)

Compulsory modules:

Public Procurement Research and Writing Skills
National and European Public Procurement Law
Applied Procurement Research Projects – work placement and research project (s) on any topic within the programme
Optional modules: (choose 5)

Risk Management in Public Procurement
Sustainable and Social Procurement
Contract Design and Management
Innovation in Public Procurement
Litigation Strategies and the Remedies Regime
International Procurement Regimes
Procurement Relationships and Ethics
Strategic Procurement and Leadership
European Internal Market Law
Executive LLM in Public Procurement Law and Strategy (2 Year programme)

Compulsory modules:

Public Procurement Research and Writing Skills
National and European Public Procurement Law
Risk Management in Public Procurement
Sustainable and Social Procurement
Contract Design and Management
Innovation in Public Procurement
Applied Procurement Research Projects – work placement and research project (s) on any topic within the programme
Optional modules: (choose 1)

Strategic Procurement and Leadership
International Procurement Regimes
Structure
Part 1

LLM in Public Procurement Law and Strategy (1 Year programme)

Part 1 will involve the study of 120 credits.

September intake: Part 1 will be undertaken in the period of September to June.

Teaching will mostly be seminar based which will promote group and individual interaction, which also ensures that every individual candidate is encouraged to contribute to discussions.


Executive LLM in Public Procurement Law and Strategy (2 Year programme)

Taught modules are undertaken over two academic sessions and will involve the study of 120 credits.

Teaching on the Executive stream will be in the form of structured lectures facilitated by the Lecturer and driven by class discussions and case study analysis.

Delivery will be on a block release basis with classes delivered over weekends – on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday – during two academic sessions. Accommodation for participants on the Executive stream is included in the programme fee. Participants will be accommodated at the Management Centre at Bangor University.
Collaborative learning will be an important part of the learning process for the stream.
The module will be taught using a combination of expert Procurement Law academic staff and legal practitioners from leading law firms and in-house legal departments.
Case studies will be used to help the candidates to contextualise active procurement legal problems against a background of realistic scenarios where they get the opportunity to apply the relevant rules of law that they will have been lectured on.
Candidates will be expected to have prepared essential reading on case law, legislation, and other procurement rules prior to the seminar, and will discuss the legal issues raised by the reading in an interactive fashion in order that the class can engage in problem solving facilitated by the lecturer.
Part 2

The Applied Procurement Research Projects (APRP) which is valued at 60 credits and is undertaken on successful completion of Part 1.

Candidates on the one year full-time programme undertake their project during the period of June to September (September intake).

Candidates on the two year programme will undertake their project in the final year of their programme).

The research project comprises a two week work placement in a procurement function and the submission by candidates of either:

One essay with a maximum length of between 18,000 and 20,000 words OR
Two essays not exceeding 10,000-words per essay OR
Four essays not exceeding 5,000-words per essay.
The APRP will be used to familiarise candidates with a broad range of current themes in Public Procurement Law and Strategy. Indicative areas where candidates may undertake applied research projects include national and European Procurement Law, Litigation Strategies, relationship between European Internal Market Law and Public Procurement Law, International Procurement Regimes, Sustainable Procurement, Public Procurement and Innovation, Procurement Relations, Procurement Ethics, Risk Management in Public Procurement, and Contract Design and Management. Other topics proposed by candidates may be acceptable subject to ratification by the Course Leader.

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The LLM programme is a single subject law programme that may be taken over a period of one year (full-time), or part-time over a period of two, three or four years. Every student will be required to take modules equivalent to four full units. The assessment of one of the chosen full units (which must be from your chosen specialism) will be by means of a 15,000 word dissertation.

The dissertation must be linked to a module offered at SOAS itself, and attendance on the module will be treated as being part of the process of supervision. With permission of the LLM tutor, students will be entitled to select one complementary subject or the equivalent from comparable Master’s module at SOAS including appropriate language modules. A complementary subject may be chosen in substitution for either a full or a half-subject.

Examinations for all taught modules will be held in May/June of each year and the dissertation will be due for submission by during September of the final year of registration. The assessment for each module may vary according to the extent to which the research component of each module is to be stressed. It is expected that all students will graduate with an LLM in law.

It is possible, however, for students wishing to graduate with a ‘specialist’ degree, to do so by way of opting to take three or more modules from the relevant subject groupings below. In each case, the student must undertake a dissertation in that subject grouping.

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

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 International 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 Law and Policy - 15PLAC154 (1 Unit)
- Human Rights in the Developing World - 15PLAC111 (1 Unit)
- International Commercial and Investment Arbitration - 15PLAC153 (1 Unit)
- International Environmental Law - 15PLAC118 (1 Unit)
- International Labour Law and Equality Rights - 15PLAC169 (1 Unit)
- International Protection of Human Rights - 15PLAC119 (1 Unit)
- Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post Conflict Societies - 15PLAC123 (1 Unit)
- Law and Natural Resources - 15PLAC126 (1 Unit)
- Law, Human Rights and Peace-building: the Israeli-Palestinian case - 15PLAC133 (1 Unit)
- Multinational Enterprises and the Law - 15PLAC140 (1 Unit)

Half Module Units (0.5):
- Colonialism, Empire and International Law - 15PLAH025 (0.5 Unit)
- Foundations of International Corporate Law - 15PLAH059 (0.5 Unit)
- Foundations of International Law - 15PLAH021 (0.5 Unit)
- Gender, Armed Conflict and International Law - 15PGNH005 (0.5 Unit)
- International Criminal Law - 15PLAH055 (0.5 Unit)
- International Refugee and Migration Law - 15PLAH057 (0.5 Unit)
- Law and Human Rights in China - 15PLAH054 (0.5 Unit)
- Law and Postcolonial Theory - 15PLAH050 (0.5 Unit)
- Law and Policy of International Courts and Tribunals - 15PLAH026 (0.5 Unit)
- Law, Rights and Society in Taiwan - 15PLAH058 (0.5 Unit)
- The Law of Armed Conflict - 15PLAH022 (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 Law and Policy - 15PLAD154 (1 Unit)
- Human Rights in the Developing World - 15PLAD111 (1 Unit)
- International Commercial and Investment Arbitration - 15PLAD153 (1 Unit)
- International Environmental Law - 15PLAD118 (1 Unit)
- International Labour Law and Equality Rights - 15PLAD167 (1 Unit)
- International Protection of Human Rights - 15PLAD119 (1 Unit)
- Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post Conflict Societies - 15PLAD123 (1 Unit)
- Law and Natural Resources - 15PLAD126 (1 Unit)
- Law, Human Rights and Peace-building: the Israeli-Palestinian case - 15PLAD133 (1 Unit)
- Multinational Enterprises and the Law - 15PLAD140 (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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