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Overview
The LLM in Public Law is very wide-ranging programme, covering human rights, constituional law and theory, international law, justice, and more. It is aimed to help you think more deeply about public law issues and put such arguments into legal form, whether for the purposes of litigation or law reform. The relationships between law and democracy, and law and social and political affairs are key themes in this specialism and are central to all its courses.
UCL Laws offers exceptional talent in the field of constitutional and legal theory, adding depth to classroom discussions and the overall learning experience. It is also home to the UCL Public Law Group and the newly established Centre for Democratic Constitutionalism, providing opportunities for students to engage in debates and lectures at the forefront of public law.
Why choose this programme?
This specialism offers a range of modules, allowing you to tailor your studies to suit your interests. You can opt to specialise more on UK and EU law and constitutional affairs, including on national security and data-protection law; or on comparative studies through comparative constitutional law, constitutional theory, and law and religion. The specialism can be taken in a more practice-oriented UK direction or towards a more theoretical and comparative direction.
Who should apply?
Students taking this specialism should have an interest in constitutional, administrative and human rights law, as well as related subjects such as EU law, data-protection, and law and regulation. Students should also be looking to enhance their understanding of how law interacts with democracy, and social and political affairs, which are key themes in the specialism. Please visit our LLM applying and entry requirements page 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 for seminars and tutorials.
Assessment in taught modules is often by examination, an assessed coursework essay, or through 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
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.
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 Laws Graduate Law Society.
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 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.
- 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.
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 in Public Law
Access to Justice: Theory & Practice
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Comparative Constitutional Law
Comparative Human Rights Law
Constitutional Theory
Decolonizing Law
Environmental Lawyering
Foreign Relations Law
Human Rights at Work
International and European Refugee Law
International and Global Environmental Law
International Human Rights Law
Principles of Civil Justice
Privacy, Data and Surveillance Law- LLM Law modules
Advanced Foundations of Environmental Law
Advanced Foundations of International Law of Foreign Investment
Aspects of National Security
Carriage of Goods by Sea
Commercial Remedies
Comparative Corporate Governance
Competition Law (EU & UK)
Competition Law, Regulation and the Intangible Economy
Copyright and Related Rights, Law of
Corporate Finance
Corporations, Finance and the Environment
Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions
Foundations and Principles of International Law
International and Commercial Trusts Law
International and Comparative Secured Transactions
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
Regulation of Financial Markets
The Law and Regulation of Banks and FinTech Services
The Rule of Law in the European Union
Trade Marks and Unfair Competition in the UK, Europe and the United States
Career Prospects
The specialism allows you develop your skills and knowledge for legal practice in a range of settings. Students have gone on to work as public law barristers or solicitors either in government, private practice or for the not-for-profit sector. Some students have gone on to study for a PhD and pursue a career in academia.