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This LLM specialism explores the law-human rights relationship, offering advanced insights across international, regional, and domestic contexts to tackle global challenges.
Overview
The LLM in Human Rights Law at UCL focuses on global human rights issues, taught by world-leading scholars. The program is intellectually challenging and dynamic, addressing significant global issues through a research-led approach that keeps graduates current with relevant Human Rights Law topics.
Studying human rights law is crucial for understanding and addressing violations worldwide, promoting justice, and protecting individual freedoms. The course covers international and comparative aspects of human rights law and prepares students to tackle the complex challenges in this field.
Why choose this programme?
The programme prepares students to work at an advanced level in Human Rights Law. This specialisation opens up career opportunities in international organisations, NGOs, advocacy groups, government agencies, and legal firms focused on human rights issues. It equips graduates with in-depth knowledge of international human rights treaties, regional human rights systems, and comparative case law, enhancing their legal expertise in this vital field. The interdisciplinary nature of human rights law, intersecting with international law, humanitarian law, and development studies, provides a rich learning experience. Ultimately, this programme empowers students to make a significant global impact, promoting and protecting fundamental freedoms and rights worldwide.This leads to a wide range of career options. You will learn from a community of academic staff who are widely considered to be experts in their fields.
Who should apply?
Studying an LLM in Human Rights Law is ideal for those who are passionate about social justice and the protection of human rights. Many students on this course come straight from an undergraduate degree in law, looking to specialise in human rights. Additionally, the programme attracts professionals already working in the field who seek to deepen their knowledge and advance their careers in human rights law. LLM applying and entry requirements to find out the exact requirements for this programme.
Programme structure
The programme is delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures, and tutorials. Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions, particularly in seminars and tutorials.
Assessment in taught modules is often by examination, an assessed coursework essay, or a combination of both. There may be other forms of assessments such as oral presentations, output for audience or group projects.
During the programme, you will research and write a 9000 word Research Essay which counts towards your final grade.
- Full-time students
Terms one and two
There are ten weeks of classes per term, with a break for reading week after week five. Throughout the term, you will be able to take advantage of the wide range of events held within the faculty and across UCL, including special lectures, mooting, debating and activities organised by the UCL Graduate Law Society. During the first week of term one, you will attend the LLM Induction Programme, which includes a series of events to welcome you to UCL Laws and to UCL as a whole, and to complete your formal registration onto the LLM programme. In the second week of term, you will begin your first classes. You will be asked to indicate your Research Essay topic in October and you will be allocated an RE advisor who provides guidance on choosing the topic and researching and writing the essay.
Term three
Your assessments, including any coursework essays are normally submitted in the first week of term three. All examinations take place during term three and can be scheduled at any time during this term. The examination schedule is published at the end of term two. During the entire year from September to June you will work on your Research Essay (RE) which will be submitted at the end of term three.
- Part-time students
You will follow the same programme as full-time students above, except for the following:
Your degree will be completed over two academic years In your first year, you will take 90 credits of taught modules. In your second year, you will take the remaining 45 credits of taught modules and the 45 credit Research Essay. You will therefore complete module selection twice: once at the start of your programme and again in the summer before you return to your second and final year.You will be invited to attend induction at the start of your first year with the full-time students.
Please note that you will be attending classes with full-time and flexi LLM students. Module teaching can be scheduled between 9am-8pm on weekdays. You will be able to reference the timetable when making your module selections each year.
- Modular/flexible students
You will follow the same programme as full-time students above, except for the following:
You will have up to 5 academic years to complete your degree. You can plan how you would like to complete your 135 taught module credits over that 5 year period based on your personal circumstances (or earlier if you plan to complete the degree in fewer than 5 years). We will prompt you to select modules each year.You will be invited to attend induction at the start of your first year with the full-time students.
Please note that you will be attending classes with full-time and part-time LLM students. Module teaching can be scheduled between 9am-8pm on weekdays. You will be able to reference the timetable when making your module selections each year.
- You may wish to have a year or more where you do not take any modules; this is possible.
- It is recommended that you only complete your Research Essay at the end of your degree, in the same year that you are due to complete all of your taught module credits.
Modules
Students will need to obtain a total of 180 credits consisting of taught modules and a Research Essay to successfully complete the programme. Students choosing a LLM specialist degree are required to select a minimum of 60 credits from the qualifying modules listed below. Students are required to write their Research Essay in the area of the specialism.
Students are advised to plan their modules choices and Research Essay carefully and in advance. You will select your modules at pre-enrolment, before arrival.
Below is an example of the suite of modules you can expect to chose from. The taught modules offered on the LLM programme vary from year to year. Please note that modules are subject to cancellation and change, including changes in module convenors and type of assessment and the modules listed below are to be confirmed for the 2025/26 session. Applicants and offer-holders are therefore advised to check this site regularly for further updates and changes prior to the start of the programme in September. Module places may be limited and will be subject to availability where there is a high demand and exceeds resources.
- Modules for LLM Human Rights
Access to Justice: Theory & Practice
Aspects of National Security Law
Comparative Constitutional Law
Comparative Human Rights Law
Decolonizing Law
International and European Refugee Law
International Human Rights Law- Modules across LLM Law
Advanced Foundations of Environmental Law
Advanced Foundations of International Law of Foreign Investment
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Carriage of Goods by Sea
Commercial Remedies
Competition Law (EU & UK)
Constitutional Theory
Corporate Finance
Corporations, Finance and the Environment
Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions
Environmental Lawyering
Foreign Relations Law
Foundations and Principles of International Law
Human Rights at Work
International and Commercial Trusts Law
International and Global Environmental Law
International Arbitration
International Commercial Litigation
International Criminal Law
International Trade Law
Jeremy Bentham and the Utilitarian Tradition
Jeremy Bentham and the Utilitarian Tradition A
Jurisprudence & Legal Theory
Jurisprudence & Legal Theory A
Law and Policy of Climate Change
Law and Policy of International Trade and the Environment
Law of Patents
Law, Economics and Society: The Foundations of Capitalism
Legal Aspects of International Finance
Liquidation and its Consequences
Marine Insurance Law
Principles of Civil Justice
Privacy, Data and Surveillance Law
Regulation of Financial Markets
The Law and Regulation of Banks and FinTech Services
The Rule of Law in the European Union
Careers
UCL LLM graduates are highly sought after and possess a distinct competitive advantage, well-equipped to pursue rewarding career opportunities. Our students leverage the human rights expertise gained on this LLM in various ways, and you could go on to work in:
- Human Rights private practice
- Policy and government
- International organisations
- Third sector and NGOs
This specialism will also provide you with an excellent foundation if you wish to go onto further research or pursue a PhD in human rights law and work in academia.