International Law - LLM
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The LLM International Law analyses how international law operates within the key areas of international human rights and international business law. The end of the Second World War has witnessed not only the creation of numerous international organisations, but also an increased level of global interconnection and the creation of common standards in many areas....
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Full Time
- Award LLM
- Start date January 2025
- Fees View course fees
- Subject
- Location City Centre
This course is:
Open to International Students
Overview
The LLM International Law analyses how international law operates within the key areas of international human rights and international business law.
The end of the Second World War has witnessed not only the creation of numerous international organisations, but also an increased level of global interconnection and the creation of common standards in many areas. International Law has become an important area of study because of the role it plays in regulating the relationships between states and how different states shapes their laws and legal systems.
Therefore, the knowledge and understanding of the legal aspects of international law and how international law operates in the areas of international business and international human rights law is an important attribute that is highly regarded by prospective employers such as academic institutions, non-governmental organisations and charities, policy and research organisations, and international organisations.
Professional Placement option
For our International Law LLM degrees, you will have the opportunity to take the Professional Placement version of the course, which is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.
This will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability and transferable skills. The placement experience will allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.
You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement. The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study, with support from our Careers+ team as well as advice and guidance from your Faculty.
Please note that placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course.
For full details, please click here.
What's covered in this course?
Our LLM International Law brings together different areas of international law and enables you to critically examine how international law operates within the fields of human rights and business law. The course examines international law with the underlying philosophy of providing a structured course characterised by sound theory and application to produce students capable of engaging with international institutions through their understanding of how law operates at the international level.
Additionally, our LLM provides an opportunity to acquire, or build upon existing skills gained from your undergraduate course - enhancing employment opportunities in the legal profession and providing a basis for progression to doctoral studies.
You will analyse and critically evaluate principle features of international law, including fundamental concepts, values, principles and rules, and the main institutions and procedures. You’ll also learn to evaluate complex legal issues, communicate complex and abstract ideas, and employ strategic transferable skills.
Why Choose Us?
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You will learn from a dedicated and passionate teaching team, who have experience with the international human rights institutions and who have track record of research in the field of international business Law.
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You don’t need a degree in Law to be eligible to study this course.
- The course covers transnational jurisdictions, so it is international in scope.
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You can commence studies either in September or in January.
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Studying of the LLM International Law will provide you with an opportunity to engage with the work of the Law School’s Centre for Human Rights.
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You will have an opportunity to enhance your employability skills by completing a placement.
- Our Law Clinic can give you opportunities to volunteer with local charitable legal advice providers and to work alongside legal professionals undertaking pro-bono work, allowing you to make a genuine difference to the lives of Birmingham residents.
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Birmingham City University has just launched the UK's first Centre for Brexit Studies, researching all aspects of the UK's vote to leave the EU, including the impact it has on domestic law and legislation.
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You will be able to benefit from the newly-introduced postgraduate loans. For more information, visit UCAS.
Find out more
OPEN DAY
Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.
Next Event: 24 November 2024
Entry Requirements
Essential requirements
Essential Requirements
Typical Offers (UK Students) | ||
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Minimum 2:2 class UK degree or international equivalent in any subject area. |
Additional information for EU/International students
Essential | ||
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Applications from international applicants with equivalent qualifications are welcome. Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In additional to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require the qualifications detailed in this table. |
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English language requirements 2020/21 | ||
IELTS |
6.5 overall with 6.0 minimum in all bands If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information. |
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Other accepted qualifications | Visit our English language page |
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: LLM
Starting: Jan 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 15 Months
- £9,710 in 2024/25
- Full Time
- 18 Months (Professional Placement)
- £10,685 in 2024/25
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: LLM
Starting: Jan 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 15 Months
- £19,020 in 2024/25
- Full Time
- 18 Months (Professional Placement)
- £20,925 in 2024/25
Personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.
Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.
Course in Depth
Modules
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):
This module examines the principles and operations of the most important elements of public international law. This is a potentially vast subject (in fact the subject of entire LLM programmes in its own right) so the module content will focus on the fundamental principles which underpin the legal relations between states. In particular the law of Treaties and the law of the United Nations will form the principal bases of study.
This module enables you to gain enhanced knowledge and understanding of the techniques needed for advanced legal research. It serves a double purpose. As a foundation to other Level 7 modules in law, it supports you in acquiring the knowledge of research methods and skills in applying those methods required to succeed in postgraduate legal research – both in scholarship and for practitioners.
The aim of this module is to provide a framework for you to undertake a substantial piece of disciplinary-relevant research the output of which may be either a placement, integrated project or dissertation. This is founded upon Birmingham City University’s teaching and learning philosophy which integrates theory into practice.
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 80 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules. You must select at least one optional module marked with an asterisk (*):
This intellectually stimulating and exciting module engages with the law and practice of the United Nations for resolving international crisis situations. It provides students with critical knowledge of the UN. Charter, international humanitarian law and international human rights law, for solving humanitarian disasters. It presents an overview of the Charter of the United Nations and engages with the International Bill of Rights and associated international legislation.
The module will provide an introduction to the two fields of women’s rights and children’s rights, looking at these in an international context. These will be studied within an overarching ‘rights’ context, allowing students to identify and explore differences and interrelationships between the two fields.
The principal legal vehicle for business in all developed economies is the limited liability company. Therefore any study of international business law must include a coherent and rigorous examination and analysis of:
- The legal framework of corporate law adopted in a range of relevant jurisdictions
- The problems and issues faced by the law in this field
- The similarities and differences of the choices made and solutions instituted
- The aims, experiences and outcomes of the operation of company law in those jurisdictions
In contemporary times there has been a large growth of international commerce which has resulted in an expanding use of cross border commercial transactions. This module aims to consider commercial law in the globalised world.
This module considers the role of corporate structures and their global operations, and how these may lead to fraud, corruption and tax evasion. The role of intermediaries (such as banks, insurance companies, and law firms), tax havens, and tax evasion methods are considered in terms of how they may facilitate corporate criminality.
Medical Law and Ethics is an optional module that forms one of your choices on the programme to provide an introduction for you to the ever-growing body of law, policy and ethics concerned with the global health and some of the ethical dilemmas advances in this field.
This module examines the relationship between human rights and the rights of the environment. At a time when the effects of climate change are increasingly compromising the realisation of human rights a module such as this is essential to demonstrate the inter-dependence of environmental quality and human well-being.
The aim of this module is to introduce you to a number of important themes in the area of international intellectual property law. More specifically, it is intended to provide you with an intellectually stimulating and academically rigorous education on the operation of intellectual property law at international level, and the challenges faced by the operation of that law.
This module aims to inspire a new generation to rethink traditional approaches to conflict and conflict resolution. ADR is a fast-growing area and offers a challenging and satisfying career through an array of emerging professional roles. As a consequence, this module significantly enhances student employability.
The importance of international criminal law has grown considerably in recent years. Similarly to domestic criminal law, international criminal law aims to prohibit and penalise certain actions when committed by individuals. Unlike domestic criminal law however, the crimes that concern international community are particularly serious: prohibitions such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression involve conduct that is capable of affecting large numbers of the world's population.
This module will provide you with a thorough grounding in key concepts and issues in international refugee law. It will also explore what it means to be displaced or on the move in a border-restricted world by engaging with critical legal studies perspectives.
Competition law has affected trade and business in many and diverse ways this module will explore the impact that regulation has had upon multinational corporations and small and medium sized enterprises. The EU and the U.S will be considered alongside other international law in order to compare and contrast the legal systems.
International firms are often subject to several international and domestic regimes which determine the acceptable standards of business behaviour. Corporate compliance revolves around how firms respond to the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to their business activities. This module aims to provide a theoretical foundation for compliance requirements. Hence, the module provides a contextualised discussion on the theoretical justifications for regulatory intervention in business activities.
The module reflects the rapid growth in the development of corporate insolvency law, practice and regulation globally. The module generally focuses on legal responses to incidences of corporate insolvency and students will acquire an evaluative understanding of the structure and objectives of corporate insolvency law in an international and comparative context.
All core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
Professional Placement Year
In order to qualify for the award of LLM International Law with Professional Placement, a student must successfully complete all of the Level 7 modules listed above as well as the following Level 6 module:
This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to undertake a credit bearing, 20-week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.
Download course specification
Download nowOur LLM is taught by an outstanding team of professionals. You must complete six taught modules and either a dissertation, project or placement.
Our approach is experiential and practice-led and will give you opportunities to apply your learning and to develop skills to enhance your employability and career.
This course will support you in becoming an independent learner during the teaching, learning and assessment process. During induction we will support you in developing key study skills. Throughout the course you will have the chance to complete activities which will enable you to practice legal skills including legal research, problem-solving, advocacy and drafting in order to develop and practice.
These activities also enable you to practice transferable skills including structuring and presenting arguments, working independently or in teams to complete tasks, oral and written communication, and time management. These skills will be valuable whatever your final choice of future career.
During the September and January terms you will study three 20-credit modules, thereafter you will study one 60-credit module: the LLM dissertation/placement/project module. The 20-credit Advanced Legal Research Methods module (studied in the January term) is delivered online via the Virtual Learning Environment, providing maximum flexibility.
Employability
You will have the opportunity to undertake a placement as an alternative to a dissertation. In addition we have active, student-led Legal, Mooting and Debate Societies.
Our Student Mooting Society is one of the most successful in England, with our students reaching five finals in the past six years, regularly beating teams from some of the country’s most prestigious universities.
We also have a staff and student led Pro-Bono Unit that provides legal advice to the public.
International
Birmingham City University is home to students from a wide number of countries studying traditional Law degree programmes and short-term international courses both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
A legal education at Birmingham City University is widely recognised and many of our international students return to their home country to either pursue legal practice or requisite professional qualifications in their jurisdiction.
As a law student you will not only develop and refine knowledge in discrete areas of English and international law but also develop key transferable skills designed to enhance your employability profile. Many international students have travelled thousands of miles to study at Birmingham City University. We offer you an engaging and diverse study experience based in the city of Birmingham which is the second largest city in the UK.
Due to our proximity close to the legal and business district of the city we enjoy strong links with Birmingham Law Society and law firms around the West Midlands. The benefit of these links is passed directly onto you so that you can enhance your network of contacts whilst seeking relevant legal practice experience to enhance your employability profile.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Details of the entry requirements for our courses
- Some of the good reasons why you should study here
- How to improve your language skills before starting your studies
- Information relevant to applicants from your country
- Where to find financial support for your studies.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Facilities & Staff
Our Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and have spent £260 million on learning facilities.
The Curzon Building
This course is based at the City Centre Campus – and specifically The Curzon Building, alongside other Law, Business and Social Sciences courses.
The £63m building offers students a unique social learning space, including a dedicated student hub incorporating student support services, in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside development.
The facilities at the Curzon building include two bespoke Law Courtrooms, replicating a Crown court and a Magistrates court. These rooms will play a key part in your learning experience, allowing you to try your hand in mock court cases, whilst also being the venue for our Mooting and Debating Societies.
On top of this, the Curzon building houses an extensive Law library, with books covering every aspect of Law history.
The Curzon Building also features:
- An impressive library with access to over 65 million full text items and stunning views of Eastside City Park
- Your Students’ Union which is located in a beautifully restored 19th century pub, The Eagle and Ball
- A modern 300-seat food court with space to study and socialise
- Accessible IT facilities with full Office365 for all students for free
- Shared facilities with the wider campus including the Parkside Building and Millennium Point
Our staff
Dr Alice Storey
Senior Lecturer, Associate Director Centre for Human Rights
Dr Alice Storey is a Senior Lecturer in the College of Law, Social and Criminal Justice and Associate Director of the Centre for Human Rights. She leads the Human Rights in America LLB modules and teaches on the US internship programme. Alice is also the College Academic Lead for Unit of Assessment 18 (Law), leading on Law’s REF2029 submission...
More about AliceDr Amna Nazir
Reader in International Human Rights; Associate Director Centre for Human Rights
Dr Amna Nazir is an interdisciplinary academic with research expertise in international human rights law and Islamic theology. She holds key senior and strategic roles as Associate Director of the flagship Centre for Human Rights, College Academic Lead for Research Environment, Impact and Engagement, and has previously served as Course Director of...
More about AmnaProfessor Jon Yorke
Professor of Human Rights and Director of the Centre for Human Rights
Jon Yorke is the Professor of Human Rights and the Director of the Centre for Human Rights (CHR). His qualifications include LL.B. (Hons) (BCU), LL.M. and Ph.D. (Warwick).
More about JonDr Olia Arustamyan
Lecturer
Dr Olia Arustamyan is a Lecturer in Law. Her main research interests are in philosophy of law and moral philosophy more generally. Olia lectures in criminal law and criminal evidence at undergraduate level, and human rights law in the LLM.
More about OliaSuresh Birdi
Senior Lecturer in Law
Suresh Birdi is a Senior Lecturer in law at Birmingham City University and is the director of the LLM International Business Law course. Suresh’s qualifications include an LLB from the University of Wolverhampton where he received an award for the most outstanding student in the European Union law module, gaining recognition for the work he did in...
More about SureshDr Ewan Kirk
Deputy Head of College of Law, Social and Criminal Justice
Ewan is Deputy Head of College of Law, Social and Criminal Justice, responsible for the suite of LLB courses. He joined the university in 2001 after completing his PhD in Copyright Law and the Internet.
More about Ewan