International Law

This programme includes Global Governance Through Law as a compulsory module, 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.

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

These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Modules Year 1

Compulsory modules

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

Optional modules

• European Human Rights 15 credits
• Alternative Dispute Resolution 15 credits
• Corporate Social Responsibility 15 credits
• International Banking Law: Capital Markets and Loans 15 credits
• World Trade Organisation Law 15 credits
• International Economic Law 15 credits
• International Human Rights 30 credits
• Human Rights and Disabled People 1 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.