Postgraduate PCert, PDip, LLM
Law
The Kent LLM allows you to broaden and deepen your knowledge and understanding of law by specialising in one or more different areas.
The Kent LLM allows you to broaden and deepen your knowledge and understanding of law by specialising in one or more different areas.
Kent Law School, at the University of Kent, is a leading UK law school with recognised excellence in teaching and legal research. Our distinctive critical approach views the law within the broader social, political and economic contexts in which it operates. You study full-time or part-time and can begin your studies in September or January, so you can set your own pace for your learning and career.
You'll join a dynamic, diverse, and intellectually stimulating environment, working closely with supportive academic staff. You will engage with critical research-led teaching throughout our programmes to ensure that you benefit from the Law School’s world-class research at the forefronts of developments in Law.
Our innovative Master’s in Law degree has an international and contemporary focus. It offers an open choice of modules and pathway enabling you to tailor your LLM study to suit your needs and interests. Your specialism is left open until you arrive and is determined by the modules you choose. This way, your degree accurately reflects your ambitions and interests - making you ready to kickstart your legal career in whatever field you want to make your mark in.
You can develop in-depth expertise by studying one or two specialised subject pathways or study for a general Kent LLM with no specialist pathway.
Specialist pathways include:
Law at Kent was rose to 17th in the UK in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025. Study Law at a University employers recognise and respect.
In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, 100% of our Law research was classified as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ for impact and environment.
Following the REF 2021, Law at Kent was ranked 2nd in the UK in the Times Higher Education.
We provide dedicated careers support so you can realise your ambitions and carve out the legal career you want.
The extensive law collection in Templeman Library and our dedicated law librarian are there to support your studies and access legal databases.
Our broad range of modules and pathways mean you can study the issues that matter to you. And with starts in September or January, you work to your timeline.
In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, 100% of our Law research was classified as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ for impact and environment.
Following the REF 2021, Law at Kent was ranked 2nd in the UK in the Times Higher Education.
We require a first class or upper second class honours degree in law or a relevant subject, or an equivalent international degree and we also welcome applications based on a lower second class honours degree which we will consider on a case-by-case basis alongside your relevant professional experience and other qualifications.
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
This course requires a Very Good level of English language, equivalent to a high B2 on CEFR.
Details on how to meet this requirement can be found on our English Language requirements webpage.
Examples:
IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
PTE Academic 67 with a minimum of 59 in each sub-test
A degree from the UK
A degree from a Majority English Speaking Country
The following modules are offered to our current students. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
You take all compulsory modules and choose three from a list of optional modules.
This first extracurricular module provides an introduction to the legal research and writing skills required to carry out research at Masters level, bearing in mind the international character of our LLM student body. This may include an introduction to the English Legal System (particularly important for international students), a session on the various traditions of Critical Legal Thinking, a session on researching and writing for an LLM essay (particularly important for international students), plagiarism, oral skills, and workshops on using REFWORKS, OSCOLA and other library resources.
This second extracurricular module will enable students to acquire and develop the skills necessary to carry out a longer-term research project such as their LLM dissertations, learn about other forms of post-graduate studies and career development. Although the focus will be on research methods and theoretical frameworks, other sessions might include: a workshop on editing scholarly work, an introduction to doctoral research, a workshop on working with long documents, and writing a CV.
What question has particularly interested you in your LLM? How do you become an expert in a specific area of law? How can you design and carry out a research project under individual supervision from an expert?
You will submit a dissertation on a topic relevant to one of the subject specialisations of the degree programme (Criminal Justice, International Criminal Justice, International Commercial Law, Intellectual Property Law, Public International Law, International Law with international Relations, International Environmental Law, Human Rights Law, Law and Health, Law and Society or Law) under the supervision of an expert in this area. You will be able to apply the theoretical and practical principles of research methodology and theoretical frameworks that you have learnt during the first part of your studies.
What is an author? How has the law imagined its figure and its rights? How do we define a secret? And what is the link between copyright and secrecy?
Over the past few decades, the scope of the law of copyright and the action for breach of confidence have grown significantly. You will study these areas of Intellectual property laws from different angles to be able to assess this expansion. In so doing, you will examine these areas of law from historical, theoretical, and practical perspectives. The emphasis throughout the module is o reflexive critique. That is, you will consider the different modes of justifying copyright and the action for breach of confidence, and you will look at the past to try to find ways of thinking about the present situation of international legal regimes. On a more contemporary level, you will study the interaction between copyright and secrecy, the problems and the challenges posed by photographs, confidential memoranda and personal diaries, as well as the more practical question of the way of producing evidence in copyright and breach of confidence disputes.
What role does the international regulation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) play in the promotion of socio-economic well-being of countries? Do investment treaties strike a balance between protection of investments and respect for states’ right to regulate in the public interest? The regulation of multinational corporations investing in the host country and the legal relationship between the host country and multinationals have been matters of controversy between capital exporting and capital importing countries for decades. The emergence of the international law on foreign investment can be traced back to the immediate post-colonial period. This conflict has been reflected in both international and national legal regimes and has intensified with the call for a New International Economic Order (NIEO) since the 1970s. Despite the fact that the campaign for a NIEO has not been successful, there have been efforts at both the regional and multilateral levels to codify international law in the field. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the legal implications (practical and theoretical) of foreign direct investment regulation, placing these implications in their economic, social, political and historical context. Attention will be paid to the perspectives of states, investors, civil society actors and theorists.
Get ready to delve into the contemporary debates currently unfolding in intellectual property (IP) law. Throughout this module, you will engage with pertinent issues that prompt a re-evaluation of the boundaries of IP law. These encompass diverse areas such as access to medicine, biodiversity and climate change, fashion, and emerging technologies. You will explore beyond the surface-level, and question the very foundations of IP law, examining its underlying justifications and the way it shapes our cultural and scientific landscape. By the end of this module, you'll not only have a solid grasp of IP law, but you'll also be equipped with the tools to critically assess its broader impact and limitations. You will also draw from a wide range of disciplines like anthropology, history, economics, to provide a well-rounded assessment of IP law. So get ready to think critically, ask tough questions, and explore the fascinating world of IP law!
What are the rules, principles, and structure of our contemporary international legal order? Where does this order come from and where is it heading towards in the future? How can we assess its effectiveness and relevance in the face of rising global threats and crises, from climate change to war? Are ‘humanity’ and all nations equal members of an ‘international community’? By examining the history, theory and doctrine of international law, you will understand and critically evaluate international law-making and dispute settlement mechanisms, measures, and initiatives. You will gain knowledge of the operation of the major international institutions and the capacity to develop advanced legal arguments and institutional reform proposals in the area of public international law. You will also develop the ability to critically reflect on the broader relation between law and politics in the global context.
This module provides an introduction to global environmental law and a preface to regulatory themes, principles, values, and strategies that are examined in other modules.The module seeks to assess different models and strategies for environmental quality regulation against broader objectives for the environment in reflecting upon what it is that is to be regulated, and why, and whether actual approaches to regulation are the best way of achieving this.
What is the relationship between international trade law and the environment? What impacts does the increasing liberalisation of transboundary trade have on protection for the environment? You will learn about aspects of the legal relationship between international trade and the environment, a subject whose borders and principles are far from settled. You will study international, regional and/or national responses to the effects of transboundary trade, to enhance protection for the environment. You will critically appraise key international as well as regional or national rules seeking to exert controls over transboundary trade flows for the purpose of benefiting the environment.
Human rights occupy an important place in contemporary discussions about law, justice and politics at both the domestic and the international level. From different areas of government and bodies of law to diverse social movements, human rights are frequently invoked and debated. You will explore the role of human rights in the contemporary world from an international perspective, building a comprehensive and critical understanding of the limits and possibilities of framing problems and tensions within the language of human rights. You will examine the historical emergence of human rights before turning to their appearance in legal frameworks such as international treaties and institutionalisation at sites such as the United Nations. You will consider several substantive areas in which human rights are asserted, ranging from civil and political to economic, social and cultural rights.
When atrocities occur, for example during wars or other conflicts, how can the perpetrators be held to account? How does international law seek to do so? What kind of justice does international criminal law deliver, and for whom? By introducing you to key debates about the principles and practices of international criminal law, this module develops your ability to understand and critically assess the response of international law to crimes that are widely understood to touch on the interests of all humankind. You will gain knowledge about the core crimes in international criminal law (genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression) and the operation of key institutions, such as the International Criminal Court, and their relationships with national processes. You will gain understanding of the roles of key parties and participants in international criminal processes. By considering the theories that underpin the principles and practices of international criminal law, and the politics that constrain them, you will develop the ability to critically reflect upon international criminal law and its effects in a range of contexts. Through understanding the historical, political, economic and social contexts of international criminal law you will be able to evaluate the promise of international criminal law as well as its limitations in delivering justice after atrocity.
What role does world trade law and practice play in the global economic order? Does it help address or contribute to socio-economic inequalities between and within countries? Is the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in crisis and if so, what are the alternatives for governing global trade relations? The establishment of the WTO in 1995 was supposed to signal the beginning of a new era in international economic relations. Unlike the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), whose main purpose was the reduction of barriers on trade in goods, the WTO legal regime reaches deeper into more areas of policy-making - ranging from the regulation of services and investments to the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights - posing considerable environmental and developmental challenges for states and the international community. Furthermore, through its Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) the WTO generates case-law on the resolution of disputes under the agreements it covers. You will carry out a detailed study of WTO law and practice and the contribution it makes to the development of international economic law. You will appreciate the challenges it faces, in light of competing theories and ideologies of economic and social globalisation, and inter-state and inter-regional economic conflicts.
What is the role of the police within our society? Why are there tensions between the police and the public? You will reflect on what policing is, and on the social, organisational, legal and ethical frameworks within which it is delivered. You will consider the manner and extent to which policing is delivered outside of conventional organised police bodies, the manner and extent to which police functions can extend far beyond crime, order and public safety, the diverse range of bodies discharging a policing function, the extent to which police officers are able to rely on consent rather than power or authority, the extent to which police officers act beyond the law, and the extent to which the police use their power and resources to advance sectional or partisan interests. In confronting these challenges, you will offer a rounded and critical examination of what is encompassed by police powers and policing as a concept. Your studies will move beyond the traditional orthodox understandings of policing and enable you to subject the police to critical scrutiny from historical, social, political, legal and comparative perspectives.
How does international law respond to cross border crimes? How are the rights of defendants and victims safeguarded in cross-border crime criminal processes? What are the implications for states and individuals of the securitisation of transnational crime control? We will engage with key debates about the theories, principles and application of transnational criminal law, and the political assumptions that underpin them. We will critique the response of international law to transnational crimes, such as trafficking, terrorism, money laundering and corruption, and examine the legal mechanisms by which states co-operate to enforce their domestic criminal law. You will understand what transnational crimes are, and how they have developed, and what legal mechanisms (such as extradition) international law provides for states and other actors (such as INTERPOL) to co-operate in transnational crime control. You will critically explore the drivers of transnational criminal law, what legal mechanisms are used, the multiple and criss-crossing interests transnational criminal law reflects and how the rights of victims and defendants are protected in this system, especially where transnational crime control is securitised. You will also reflect on the limits of current knowledge and law’s ability to address the root causes of transnational crime.
The module examines the complex sets of laws and policies that inform the varied field of migration law with regard to the variety of its subjects. In particular, the module examines the context and history of controlling migration internationally, the role of the concept and practices of state sovereignty in conjunction with the development of international protections and regulations, the critical evaluation of international labour migration law, international asylum and refugee law, forced labour and human trafficking. In addition, the module offers, each year, a series of case studies on particularly prevalent contemporary issues such as environmental displacement, internal displacement, extraterritoriality and indefinite detention.
The module examines the complex sets of laws and policies that inform the varied field of migration law with regard to the variety of its subjects. In particular, the module examines the context and history of controlling migration internationally, the role of the concept and practices of state sovereignty in conjunction with the development of international protections and regulations, the critical evaluation of international labour migration law, international asylum and refugee law, forced labour and human trafficking. In addition, the module offers, each year, a series of case studies on particularly prevalent contemporary issues such as environmental displacement, internal displacement, extraterritoriality and indefinite detention.
This module is designed to examine and assess the core foundational legal principles and regulatory structures underpinning international environmental law and policy. Specifically, it considers the various core sources of international law relating to the environment, the principal international institutions involved in its development as well as legal issues involved relating to its implementation and enforcement.
Credit is the lifeblood of capitalism. The law that regulates household and commercial credit is of significant, economic, and social importance in developed and developing economies. The 2008 world financial crisis was triggered by failures in debt-markets associated with household financing. This module explores central ideas about the role of credit in the economy and its contribution to economic, social, political and cultural development. This module focuses on how law facilitates, shapes and determines the flow of credit to households and businesses domestically as well as internationally. It primarily explores the rationales that underpin the creation, production and supply of credit. It traces these to mainstream, economic thought and understandings of credit. The module critically examines and evaluates how these rationales take into consideration (or, indeed, fails to consider) principles of social justice and equality. Importantly, the module introduces historical, gendered, cultural, and sociological approaches to credit as viable alternatives to the dominant, mainstream understanding of consumer and commercial credit.
The module will explore emerging privacy and data protection issues. Students will be challenged to critically examine how e.g. personal, financial, health and transactional data are managed and who has access to this information. It will require students to assess emerging legal, regulatory, data protection and personal privacy issues raised by widespread access to personal information, including genetic data. The essential aims and objectives of the proposed LLM module are to equip students to undertake a sustained analysis of privacy and data protection law. Students will be asked to critically examine whether privacy protection, consent and confidentiality measures are proportionate to the legal requirements to protect personal information while balancing the requirements of economic commerce, the state and public administrations to collect, use and share personal information.
How and why does law shape economic life, and vice versa; and to whom does it matter? Explore relationships between economic life, especially the production, distribution and consumption of goods, services and capital; and legal life, especially the creation, use, abuse, and avoidance of legal rules and institutions. You will examine questions such as why and how do government actors seek to shape (constrain, facilitate, or generate) economic transactions; and when and how do they seek to shape the accumulation of capital? You will engage with a critical sociolegal approach, in which ‘the economy’ and ‘the law’ are interpreted as fundamentally social phenomena, and attention is paid to their moral and ethical subtexts. The module highlights how such an approach can address some of the conceptual, empirical and normative limitations of traditional legal and economic approaches. There is a strong practical and empirical emphasis, with examples drawn from current events and policy across the world.
Who does the money in your bank account legally belong to? Why does your bank card say ‘Visa’ or ‘Mastercard’? Why do we borrow money from and become indebted to a bank, a private corporation, and not the government for example? And what does the future of banking will look like in a world where how we see and use money is being shaped by financial technologies, regulatory technologies and artificial intelligence? This module will critically explore the present and future of banking, by introducing you to the national and international legal architecture governing the role and regulation of banks, central banks, the payment system, money laundering, credit and debt, the interplay between data protection and the bank-customer relationship; as well as evolving practices such as open banking, use of crypto currencies and central bank digital currencies. Focus will be on the English banking system throughout; however other jurisdictions will be drawn on for comparative purposes. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of banks in society and the tools to critically explore what the future of banking may look like in light of the ever- evolving technological and regulatory landscape.
The module spans environmental and ecological legal issues arising from contexts where land development and conservation are at issue. Land development places considerable stress upon wildlife conservation, natural resources and environmental quality. As an initial matter, development might contravene common law restrictions upon land use arising in the law of nuisance. However, in most legal systems the decision to grant planning permission is critical in determining whether a development goes ahead. The land use planning system and policy guidance give an opportunity for planning authorities to scrutinise the likely environmental and ecological impacts of a development proposal, before a development is authorised. The anticipatory approach is taken a step further when a proposed development is likely to have a significant effect upon the environment and where Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required before granting permission for development. The methodology of environmental assessment is also applied where Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is required of plans and policies, rather than individual developments. The need to implement requirements from European Union environmental law, with regard to EIA and SEA, is of critical importance.
How does intellectual property law work in practice? What are the distinctive features of creative and scientific industries?
You will study the legal framework in which the entertainment and knowledge industries operate. The course examines intellectual property law “in action”: you will gain an insight into the ways in which intellectual property rights are transacted, evaluated and litigated differently depending on the trade or industry. You will study the complex interplay between law, commerce, culture and communications and identify how these connections make intellectual property licensing possible.
You will be introduced to the key features of certain industries, such as life sciences, toys, newspapers, academia, museums, and finance, in order to embrace a different way of studying copyright, design, trademarks and patents.
The goal of the module is to provide an in-depth introduction to the laws of patents and trademarks (including passing off). Particular emphasis is placed on the political, socio-historical, cultural and economic contexts in which these laws operate, as well as on the implications of legal concepts on proprietary strategies. The module will take a distinctive approach towards the study of intellectual properties by focusing on concepts and their practical effects, the module will focus on key concepts in patents, trademarks and passing off and critically examine their implications for political economy, culture and science. Such key concepts may include: patents, novelty and invention, in trademarks and passing off: brands, sign and goodwill. No prior knowledge or study of intellectual property is required.
You will interrogate modes of ethical reasoning, and concepts from bioethics, relevant to healthcare decisions. In doing so, you will draw on critical theoretical and historical perspectives to situate in context major theories within the western tradition (including virtue ethics, deontology, consequentialism, principle-based moral reasoning), and explore alternative modes and concepts (such as from feminist and postmodern ethics). The kinds of healthcare decisions to which these concepts and modes of reasoning will be applied may include the nature of the physician-patient relationship; the appropriateness of medical, surgical or biotechnological intervention; the character, authority and use of medical knowledge; and public health and health systems governance.
You will also use a theoretically and historically situated understanding of ethical reasoning and bioethical concepts to identify and critically evaluate the policies or philosophies underlying medical and healthcare law. From this, you will critically explore relationships between ethics, society and law in the context of healthcare decision-making.
You will explore emerging issues of reproductive rights, reproductive justice, health law and regulation of reproductive autonomy and reproductive science. You will critically examine reproductive justice issues, legal and social policy tensions regarding the moral and legal status of the embryo and foetus and the ‘right to life’ as it applies in this context; regulation of embryo research and assisted reproductive technologies; surrogacy; and contraception, abortion, involuntary and voluntary sterilisation, and the regulation of contraception, pregnancy, and reproduction. You will assess emerging legal, governance and regulatory issues in reproductive justice and critically examine their implications for law, policy, the delivery of reproductive health services and the conduct of genomic and embryonic research. You will undertake a sustained analysis of UK, EU and International reproductive law, policy, and governance. You will critically examine how reproductive justice, including reproductive choice, the right to have children and to parent, and the right not to have children, have developed and are currently at the centre of rights advocacy for LGBTQ+ people, minority groups, and vulnerable populations.
This module will examine the scope and nature of a 'right to health' and how it has been put into effect. It will also study the manner in which law and other forms of regulation facilitate or impedes the achievement of health objectives in areas such as access to essential medicines, control of infectious diseases, cross-border medical research and treatment, reduction of tobacco usage, promotion of breastfeeding and so on. It will also explore the issues raised by 'health tourism', including for access to treatment which would be illegal or unavailable in the home country, e.g. for surrogacy, abortion and assisted reproductive technologies.
What should criminal ‘justice’ look like? What is at stake if the system fails to deliver? You will engage in a critical study of the contemporary challenges facing the English and Welsh criminal justice system. By introducing you to some of the political priorities of the recent past, you will learn to contextualise, analyse and critique recent policy and practice. You will be provided with the theoretical lenses – from fields of law, psychology, economics and politics – to enable you to articulate how the system is or is not delivering for victims, defendants, professionals and the public. The English and Welsh system is spotlighted but students may draw on other jurisdictions for comparative purposes. In the context of lengthy court delays, striking barristers, the rise to prominence of the role of the victim and concerns about defendant rights to access to justice, the functioning of the criminal justice system has never been more contested yet essential.
Who should the law hold to account for poor healthcare provision and standards? Should only patients who are physically injured receive compensation? Is compensation what injured patients and their families want when healthcare goes wrong? What should the standard for consent to treatment be in healthcare law and should this be different for different patients depending on their illness(es) or cognitive abilities? You will consider all these fascinating questions and more. Healthcare provision is a complex and risky, yet crucially important societal endeavour. We are all reliant on healthcare provision to lead a decent life. Healthcare provision and the legal concepts underpinning its regulation are routinely challenged by changing professional practice, new scientific developments and shifts in patient values and health needs. You will learn about the impact of these shifts and challenges on the legal regulation of healthcare provision in the UK’s NHS through the lens of key issues such as access to healthcare, regulation of clinical negligence, patient consent to/refusal of treatment and patient capacity to make healthcare decisions. You will also learn about the law’s role in underpinning and/or resisting societal inequalities concerning healthcare provision. You will analyse contemporary legal issues and challenges in healthcare practice through a series of weekly case studies, selected to showcase different theoretical perspectives and promote your critical thinking.
You take all compulsory modules and choose 6 from a list of optional modules.
This first extracurricular module provides an introduction to the legal research and writing skills required to carry out research at Masters level, bearing in mind the international character of our LLM student body. This may include an introduction to the English Legal System (particularly important for international students), a session on the various traditions of Critical Legal Thinking, a session on researching and writing for an LLM essay (particularly important for international students), plagiarism,oral skills, and workshops on using REFWORKS, OSCOLA and other library resources.
What question has particularly interested you in your LLM? How do you become an expert in a specific area of law? How can you design and carry out a research project under individual supervision from an expert?
You will submit a dissertation on a topic relevant to one of the subject specialisations of the degree programme (Criminal Justice, International Criminal Justice, International Commercial Law, Intellectual Property Law, Public International Law, International Law with international Relations, International Environmental Law, Human Rights Law, Law and Health, Law and Society or Law) under the supervision of an expert in this area. You will be able to apply the theoretical and practical principles of research methodology and theoretical frameworks that you have learnt during the first part of your studies.
What is an author? How has the law imagined its figure and its rights? How do we define a secret? And what is the link between copyright and secrecy?
Over the past few decades, the scope of the law of copyright and the action for breach of confidence have grown significantly. You will study these areas of Intellectual property laws from different angles to be able to assess this expansion. In so doing, you will examine these areas of law from historical, theoretical, and practical perspectives. The emphasis throughout the module is o reflexive critique. That is, you will consider the different modes of justifying copyright and the action for breach of confidence, and you will look at the past to try to find ways of thinking about the present situation of international legal regimes. On a more contemporary level, you will study the interaction between copyright and secrecy, the problems and the challenges posed by photographs, confidential memoranda and personal diaries, as well as the more practical question of the way of producing evidence in copyright and breach of confidence disputes.
What risks and rewards do international business transactions pose to those who engage in them? What are the risks and benefits to other businesses, the public sector, and wider society across time and space? What roles does and should law play in achieving an appropriate balance? You will explore these questions by examining the evolution of commercial customs (‘Lex Mercatoria’) into international legal frameworks such as the Vienna Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. You will consider key stages of international business transactions, such as the choice of law in contracts, jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgements, finance and transportation of exports, and customs law. You will trace key themes in the field, including ethical questions around corruption, and pragmatic questions around the management of long-term contracts. You will take a critical sociolegal approach, in which ‘transactions’ and ‘the law’ are interpreted as fundamentally social phenomena, and where attention is paid to their moral and ethical subtexts. The module has a strong practical and empirical emphasis, with examples drawn from current events and policy.
What role does the international regulation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) play in the promotion of socio-economic well-being of countries? Do investment treaties strike a balance between protection of investments and respect for states’ right to regulate in the public interest? The regulation of multinational corporations investing in the host country and the legal relationship between the host country and multinationals have been matters of controversy between capital exporting and capital importing countries for decades. The emergence of the international law on foreign investment can be traced back to the immediate post-colonial period. This conflict has been reflected in both international and national legal regimes and has intensified with the call for a New International Economic Order (NIEO) since the 1970s. Despite the fact that the campaign for a NIEO has not been successful, there have been efforts at both the regional and multilateral levels to codify international law in the field. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the legal implications (practical and theoretical) of foreign direct investment regulation, placing these implications in their economic, social, political and historical context. Attention will be paid to the perspectives of states, investors, civil society actors and theorists.
Get ready to delve into the contemporary debates currently unfolding in intellectual property (IP) law. Throughout this module, you will engage with pertinent issues that prompt a re-evaluation of the boundaries of IP law. These encompass diverse areas such as access to medicine, biodiversity and climate change, fashion, and emerging technologies. You will explore beyond the surface-level, and question the very foundations of IP law, examining its underlying justifications and the way it shapes our cultural and scientific landscape. By the end of this module, you'll not only have a solid grasp of IP law, but you'll also be equipped with the tools to critically assess its broader impact and limitations. You will also draw from a wide range of disciplines like anthropology, history, economics, to provide a well-rounded assessment of IP law. So get ready to think critically, ask tough questions, and explore the fascinating world of IP law!
What are the rules, principles, and structure of our contemporary international legal order? Where does this order come from and where is it heading towards in the future? How can we assess its effectiveness and relevance in the face of rising global threats and crises, from climate change to war? Are ‘humanity’ and all nations equal members of an ‘international community’? By examining the history, theory and doctrine of international law, you will understand and critically evaluate international law-making and dispute settlement mechanisms, measures, and initiatives. You will gain knowledge of the operation of the major international institutions and the capacity to develop advanced legal arguments and institutional reform proposals in the area of public international law. You will also develop the ability to critically reflect on the broader relation between law and politics in the global context.
What is the relationship between international trade law and the environment? What impacts does the increasing liberalisation of transboundary trade have on protection for the environment? You will learn about aspects of the legal relationship between international trade and the environment, a subject whose borders and principles are far from settled. You will study international, regional and/or national responses to the effects of transboundary trade, to enhance protection for the environment. You will critically appraise key international as well as regional or national rules seeking to exert controls over transboundary trade flows for the purpose of benefiting the environment.
Human rights occupy an important place in contemporary discussions about law, justice and politics at both the domestic and the international level. From different areas of government and bodies of law to diverse social movements, human rights are frequently invoked and debated. You will explore the role of human rights in the contemporary world from an international perspective, building a comprehensive and critical understanding of the limits and possibilities of framing problems and tensions within the language of human rights. You will examine the historical emergence of human rights before turning to their appearance in legal frameworks such as international treaties and institutionalisation at sites such as the United Nations. You will consider several substantive areas in which human rights are asserted, ranging from civil and political to economic, social and cultural rights.
What role does international law play in international affairs? What theoretical and political perspectives underlie legal provisions and how do they shape international politics? How are international legal provisions interpreted and used by various actors? To what extent is international law a solution to contemporary global issues? By examining the interaction between international law and contemporary international affairs, you will develop your ability to systematically understand and critically evaluate how international law is used in resolving contemporary international issues. You will gain knowledge of a changing set of key themes in international law, such as sovereignty, human rights, use of force, armed conflict, criminal responsibility and environmental protection. You will gain critical understanding of current international affairs by exploring how these themes emerge in contemporary case studies. You will also actively learn about and respond to contemporary global issues and their relationship to international law by applying and further developing key professional skills.
When atrocities occur, for example during wars or other conflicts, how can the perpetrators be held to account? How does international law seek to do so? What kind of justice does international criminal law deliver, and for whom? By introducing you to key debates about the principles and practices of international criminal law, this module develops your ability to understand and critically assess the response of international law to crimes that are widely understood to touch on the interests of all humankind. You will gain knowledge about the core crimes in international criminal law (genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression) and the operation of key institutions, such as the International Criminal Court, and their relationships with national processes. You will gain understanding of the roles of key parties and participants in international criminal processes. By considering the theories that underpin the principles and practices of international criminal law, and the politics that constrain them, you will develop the ability to critically reflect upon international criminal law and its effects in a range of contexts. Through understanding the historical, political, economic and social contexts of international criminal law you will be able to evaluate the promise of international criminal law as well as its limitations in delivering justice after atrocity.
What role does world trade law and practice play in the global economic order? Does it help address or contribute to socio-economic inequalities between and within countries? Is the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in crisis and if so, what are the alternatives for governing global trade relations? The establishment of the WTO in 1995 was supposed to signal the beginning of a new era in international economic relations. Unlike the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), whose main purpose was the reduction of barriers on trade in goods, the WTO legal regime reaches deeper into more areas of policy-making - ranging from the regulation of services and investments to the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights - posing considerable environmental and developmental challenges for states and the international community. Furthermore, through its Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) the WTO generates case-law on the resolution of disputes under the agreements it covers. You will carry out a detailed study of WTO law and practice and the contribution it makes to the development of international economic law. You will appreciate the challenges it faces, in light of competing theories and ideologies of economic and social globalisation, and inter-state and inter-regional economic conflicts.
What is the role of the police within our society? Why are there tensions between the police and the public? You will reflect on what policing is, and on the social, organisational, legal and ethical frameworks within which it is delivered. You will consider the manner and extent to which policing is delivered outside of conventional organised police bodies, the manner and extent to which police functions can extend far beyond crime, order and public safety, the diverse range of bodies discharging a policing function, the extent to which police officers are able to rely on consent rather than power or authority, the extent to which police officers act beyond the law, and the extent to which the police use their power and resources to advance sectional or partisan interests. In confronting these challenges, you will offer a rounded and critical examination of what is encompassed by police powers and policing as a concept. Your studies will move beyond the traditional orthodox understandings of policing and enable you to subject the police to critical scrutiny from historical, social, political, legal and comparative perspectives.
What lies ‘beyond the state’ in environmental law, regulation, and governance? What happens when law and policy-making are no longer the exclusive preserve of the state? Is the pursuit of environmental goals and general environmental quality enhanced by forming complex governance networks and diffusing normative authority? How has the international legal system incorporated a wide range of private actors into its previously state-centric structures? By examining the changing roles and operation of a series of nonstate actors, such as international organizations, transnational corporations, scientific institutions, cities, and others, you will develop your ability to understand and critically evaluate transnational mechanisms, measures, and initiatives. You will gain knowledge of the most cutting-edge regulatory initiatives in the environmental arena today and the capacity to develop transnational strategies and regulatory models that serve the aims of these nonstate actors. You will also develop the ability to critically reflect on the broader concept of transnational law as it extends beyond environmental law.
Law and development are often viewed as means of achieving the goals of human rights, democracy, poverty reduction, and greater social inclusion or equality. However, there is a significant gap when it comes to ideals and realities regarding the success of law and development projects. You will critically explore the relationship between law and economic development, especially as it concerns efforts in the so-called developing world. Such a disjuncture stems largely from how law and economic development are largely imagined as technical matters separate from social and political forces. In critically confronting this gap between ideal and reality, you will examine foundational presumptions of the law and development movement. You will situate it in its greater historical and social contexts, examine divisions between the Global North and Global South, and explore what ‘law and development’ looks like when imagined from diverse, and especially marginalised, perspectives. You will consider specific international institutions (especially the International Monetary Fund and World Bank), national and/regional case studies, and broader themes (such as gender, finance, war, urbanisation, and the inclusion of minorities and indigenous peoples).
How does international law respond to cross border crimes? How are the rights of defendants and victims safeguarded in cross-border crime criminal processes? What are the implications for states and individuals of the securitisation of transnational crime control? We will engage with key debates about the theories, principles and application of transnational criminal law, and the political assumptions that underpin them. We will critique the response of international law to transnational crimes, such as trafficking, terrorism, money laundering and corruption, and examine the legal mechanisms by which states co-operate to enforce their domestic criminal law. You will understand what transnational crimes are, and how they have developed, and what legal mechanisms (such as extradition) international law provides for states and other actors (such as INTERPOL) to co-operate in transnational crime control. You will critically explore the drivers of transnational criminal law, what legal mechanisms are used, the multiple and criss-crossing interests transnational criminal law reflects and how the rights of victims and defendants are protected in this system, especially where transnational crime control is securitised. You will also reflect on the limits of current knowledge and law’s ability to address the root causes of transnational crime.
Are corporations best seen as purely private enterprises to be run exclusively in the interests of their shareholders? Or are corporations best viewed as social or quasi-social institutions to be run in the wider social interest? You will learn about the controversies surrounding the governance of the large corporations which dominate modern economic life. You will explore the historical development of the debates about corporate governance and the history and development of corporate theory, and will do so by asking: what is the problem, or what are the problems, that corporate governance seeks to address? One problem, which is the so-called ‘agency problem’, has come to dominate Anglo-American corporate governance. Responses to the agency problem tend to orientate corporate governance towards shareholder primacy. You will critically evaluate this response by asking: how compelling are the ideas which seek to justify shareholder primacy? Who are the key actors who benefit from shareholder primacy? By what mechanisms do shareholders assert their primacy? You will critically examine various visions of the company and corporate governance regimes, including shareholder primacy, in light of the controversies and crises of today.
The module examines the complex sets of laws and policies that inform the varied field of migration law with regard to the variety of its subjects. In particular, the module examines the context and history of controlling migration internationally, the role of the concept and practices of state sovereignty in conjunction with the development of international protections and regulations, the critical evaluation of international labour migration law, international asylum and refugee law, forced labour and human trafficking. In addition, the module offers, each year, a series of case studies on particularly prevalent contemporary issues such as environmental displacement, internal displacement, extraterritoriality and indefinite detention.
This module is designed to examine and assess the core foundational legal principles and regulatory structures underpinning international environmental law and policy. Specifically, it considers the various core sources of international law relating to the environment, the principal international institutions involved in its development as well as legal issues involved relating to its implementation and enforcement.
Credit is the lifeblood of capitalism. The law that regulates household and commercial credit is of significant, economic, and social importance in developed and developing economies. The 2008 world financial crisis was triggered by failures in debt-markets associated with household financing. This module explores central ideas about the role of credit in the economy and its contribution to economic, social, political and cultural development. This module focuses on how law facilitates, shapes and determines the flow of credit to households and businesses domestically as well as internationally. It primarily explores the rationales that underpin the creation, production and supply of credit. It traces these to mainstream, economic thought and understandings of credit. The module critically examines and evaluates how these rationales take into consideration (or, indeed, fails to consider) principles of social justice and equality. Importantly, the module introduces historical, gendered, cultural, and sociological approaches to credit as viable alternatives to the dominant, mainstream understanding of consumer and commercial credit.
TBC
The module will explore emerging privacy and data protection issues. Students will be challenged to critically examine how e.g. personal, financial, health and transactional data are managed and who has access to this information. It will require students to assess emerging legal, regulatory, data protection and personal privacy issues raised by widespread access to personal information, including genetic data. The essential aims and objectives of the proposed LLM module are to equip students to undertake a sustained analysis of privacy and data protection law. Students will be asked to critically examine whether privacy protection, consent and confidentiality measures are proportionate to the legal requirements to protect personal information while balancing the requirements of economic commerce, the state and public administrations to collect, use and share personal information.
How has the 'new global economy' affected labour law and labour rights? This new economy is characterised by global integration of production, increased migration, digital and informational technologies, transformations in work and production processes, the shift to services, and the informalisation of work. These changes have undermined the pillars upon which labour law was constructed after World War II in developed capitalist economies, consisting of standard employment contracts, trade unions, vertically integrated firms, social democratic parties, and strong (protectionist) nation states. You will critically assess the recent strategy of conceptualizing labour rights as a species of human rights in order to promote worker protection. The focus will be on international and transnational norms and institutions, and their interaction with national labour regimes. You will systematically evaluate the changing forms (from labour standards to labour rights and hard to soft law) and scales (national to transnational and international) of regulation, the changing 'subjects' of labour law (women, migrant workers, 'solo' self-employed), and the changing goals of labour law (flexibility and competitiveness versus job security and protection).
How and why does law shape economic life, and vice versa; and to whom does it matter? Explore relationships between economic life, especially the production, distribution and consumption of goods, services and capital; and legal life, especially the creation, use, abuse, and avoidance of legal rules and institutions. You will examine questions such as why and how do government actors seek to shape (constrain, facilitate, or generate) economic transactions; and when and how do they seek to shape the accumulation of capital? You will engage with a critical sociolegal approach, in which ‘the economy’ and ‘the law’ are interpreted as fundamentally social phenomena, and attention is paid to their moral and ethical subtexts. The module highlights how such an approach can address some of the conceptual, empirical and normative limitations of traditional legal and economic approaches. There is a strong practical and empirical emphasis, with examples drawn from current events and policy across the world.
How can we protect Stonehenge? To whom do the Parthenon marbles belong? Is it possible to regulate the ownership of intangible heritage? Can cultural heritage contribute to tackling global issues identified in the UN Sustainable Development Goals Agenda? Do cultural rights exist? You will consider the development of international cultural heritage law as a distinct branch of law that has developed to accommodate the specific needs of cultural heritage. You will question the widening definition of heritage from historical monuments in the 19th century to intangible values today. You will analyse developing norms that involve international treaties, laws, ethics, and policy consideration relating to heritage. You will identify values and principles that contribute to a fair, equitable and sustainable cultural heritage policy and give coherence to practices shaped by museums, communities and States. You will examine the complex body of rules at the intersection of civil law, property law, criminal law, public law, private international law and public international law. You will critically evaluate how those interactions have developed a less than coherent legal framework.
Who does the money in your bank account legally belong to? Why does your bank card say ‘Visa’ or ‘Mastercard’? Why do we borrow money from and become indebted to a bank, a private corporation, and not the government for example? And what does the future of banking will look like in a world where how we see and use money is being shaped by financial technologies, regulatory technologies and artificial intelligence? This module will critically explore the present and future of banking, by introducing you to the national and international legal architecture governing the role and regulation of banks, central banks, the payment system, money laundering, credit and debt, the interplay between data protection and the bank-customer relationship; as well as evolving practices such as open banking, use of crypto currencies and central bank digital currencies. Focus will be on the English banking system throughout; however other jurisdictions will be drawn on for comparative purposes. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of banks in society and the tools to critically explore what the future of banking may look like in light of the ever- evolving technological and regulatory landscape.
How can we administer land use in a way that promotes sustainability, equity and justice, and for whom? You will critically analyse examples of development and conservation in the real world. Each week you will draw on a different case study to examine how issues of law and property constitute fora for the articulation, understanding, and enactment of competing developmental and conservational values. You will critically assess key theories of property, value and conservation, with a view to synthesizing theory and practice through a systematic evaluation of real-world problems. Taking a global approach to ecological issues pertinent to land development and conservation, this module will prepare you with the thinking and professional skills relevant to law today.
How does intellectual property law work in practice? What are the distinctive features of creative and scientific industries?
You will study the legal framework in which the entertainment and knowledge industries operate. The course examines intellectual property law “in action”: you will gain an insight into the ways in which intellectual property rights are transacted, evaluated and litigated differently depending on the trade or industry. You will study the complex interplay between law, commerce, culture and communications and identify how these connections make intellectual property licensing possible.
You will be introduced to the key features of certain industries, such as life sciences, toys, newspapers, academia, museums, and finance, in order to embrace a different way of studying copyright, design, trademarks and patents.
The goal of the module is to provide an in-depth introduction to the laws of patents and trademarks (including passing off). Particular emphasis is placed on the political, socio-historical, cultural and economic contexts in which these laws operate, as well as on the implications of legal concepts on proprietary strategies. The module will take a distinctive approach towards the study of intellectual properties by focusing on concepts and their practical effects, the module will focus on key concepts in patents, trademarks and passing off and critically examine their implications for political economy, culture and science. Such key concepts may include: patents, novelty and invention, in trademarks and passing off: brands, sign and goodwill. No prior knowledge or study of intellectual property is required.
How might knowledge and techniques from design-based disciplines contribute to legal thinking and practice; and what might be the risks and rewards?
Legal design is a rapidly developing new field in which the mindsets, processes, and strategies that are characteristic of design-based disciplines are applied to enhance the work of legal practitioners and theorists.
You will explore the core features of ‘designerly ways’, including practical-critical-imaginative mindsets, experimental processes, visual and material communication strategies, and user-centred orientation. You will identify key points of contact between these designerly ways and lawyerly concerns such as justice, clarity, efficiency and inclusion. You will explore specific examples of the application of designerly ways in specific legal contexts, such as the formation of contracts, the administration of justice, policy-making, legislation, and academic theorisation. In each context, attention will be given to relevant theory from design and from law, and to specific examples from legal design practice. You will adopt a critical approach, meaning that you will consider the ways in which legal design can not only promote or improve legal values and interests, but also undermine them. You will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on legal design activities.
You will interrogate modes of ethical reasoning, and concepts from bioethics, relevant to healthcare decisions. In doing so, you will draw on critical theoretical and historical perspectives to situate in context major theories within the western tradition (including virtue ethics, deontology, consequentialism, principle-based moral reasoning), and explore alternative modes and concepts (such as from feminist and postmodern ethics). The kinds of healthcare decisions to which these concepts and modes of reasoning will be applied may include the nature of the physician-patient relationship; the appropriateness of medical, surgical or biotechnological intervention; the character, authority and use of medical knowledge; and public health and health systems governance.
You will also use a theoretically and historically situated understanding of ethical reasoning and bioethical concepts to identify and critically evaluate the policies or philosophies underlying medical and healthcare law. From this, you will critically explore relationships between ethics, society and law in the context of healthcare decision-making.
You will explore emerging issues of reproductive rights, reproductive justice, health law and regulation of reproductive autonomy and reproductive science. You will critically examine reproductive justice issues, legal and social policy tensions regarding the moral and legal status of the embryo and foetus and the ‘right to life’ as it applies in this context; regulation of embryo research and assisted reproductive technologies; surrogacy; and contraception, abortion, involuntary and voluntary sterilisation, and the regulation of contraception, pregnancy, and reproduction. You will assess emerging legal, governance and regulatory issues in reproductive justice and critically examine their implications for law, policy, the delivery of reproductive health services and the conduct of genomic and embryonic research. You will undertake a sustained analysis of UK, EU and International reproductive law, policy, and governance. You will critically examine how reproductive justice, including reproductive choice, the right to have children and to parent, and the right not to have children, have developed and are currently at the centre of rights advocacy for LGBTQ+ people, minority groups, and vulnerable populations.
What should criminal ‘justice’ look like? What is at stake if the system fails to deliver? You will engage in a critical study of the contemporary challenges facing the English and Welsh criminal justice system. By introducing you to some of the political priorities of the recent past, you will learn to contextualise, analyse and critique recent policy and practice. You will be provided with the theoretical lenses – from fields of law, psychology, economics and politics – to enable you to articulate how the system is or is not delivering for victims, defendants, professionals and the public. The English and Welsh system is spotlighted but students may draw on other jurisdictions for comparative purposes. In the context of lengthy court delays, striking barristers, the rise to prominence of the role of the victim and concerns about defendant rights to access to justice, the functioning of the criminal justice system has never been more contested yet essential.
Within an aging society where people are living longer but not necessarily in good health, and with reference to the aftermath of the pandemic, you will explore ongoing and emerging health law and ethical issues of death, dying, and end of life care including palliative care. You will critically examine ethical, legal, social policy and medical treatment issues of organ donation, assisted dying, autonomy at the end of life, euthanasia, withdrawal of treatment, medical futility, palliative care, advance decision-making and appropriate limits of end-of-life care and medical assistance in dying. You will undertake a sustained and sophisticated analysis of UK, EU and international legislation, case law, medical policy and regulation of contested approaches to and definitions of death (brain death, cardiac death) and somatic treatment, dignity in life and death, regulation of Do Not Resuscitate orders and Advance Directives, withdrawal of end-of-life treatments, best interests of the braindead patient, minimally conscious patient and patient in a permanent vegetative state. You will undertake advanced study of ethical, legal, and medical treatments pertaining to death, dying, palliative care and end-of-life care for the elderly, frail, vulnerable and disabled.
What is the legal and policy response to addressing climate change? You will examine a range of topics that illustrate the role of law in relation to the social, political, economic and environmental challenges arising from anthropogenic climate change and the need to move to a low carbon economy. You will consider the operation of regulatory and governance frameworks at an international, regional and national level and the role of litigation. You will study a different case and theory every week to review the benefits and pitfalls of the carbon transition and ‘net zero’ policies, and what that means for different people across the world. Taking a global approach to legal and ecological issues pertinent to climate change, this module will prepare you with the thinking and professional skills relevant to law today.
You will explore whether and how human rights law and other international standards can tackle some of the most pressing global health challenges of our time. You will delve into questions of global health law, investigating whether and how legal frameworks can make a real difference in combating pandemics, promoting healthy lifestyles, addressing health impacts of climate change, and bridging inequalities in cross-border medical research and treatment. You will also have the chance to engage in thought-provoking discussions related to complex issues surrounding matters such as sexual and reproductive health and rights. For example, you will be able to critically examine the legal and ethical dilemmas related to accessing cross-border medical procedures such as abortion, surrogacy, and other assisted reproductive technologies which may be restricted or unavailable in one’s home country. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the international law and human rights questions that arise in global health. You will particularly examine the right to health, shedding light on its scope, nature, and application in diverse global contexts. Beyond equipping you with solid knowledge, you will have the opportunity to actively engage with your peers to reflect, debate, and envision whether human rights and legal frameworks can drive positive change in global health.
Who should the law hold to account for poor healthcare provision and standards? Should only patients who are physically injured receive compensation? Is compensation what injured patients and their families want when healthcare goes wrong? What should the standard for consent to treatment be in healthcare law and should this be different for different patients depending on their illness(es) or cognitive abilities? You will consider all these fascinating questions and more. Healthcare provision is a complex and risky, yet crucially important societal endeavour. We are all reliant on healthcare provision to lead a decent life. Healthcare provision and the legal concepts underpinning its regulation are routinely challenged by changing professional practice, new scientific developments and shifts in patient values and health needs. You will learn about the impact of these shifts and challenges on the legal regulation of healthcare provision in the UK’s NHS through the lens of key issues such as access to healthcare, regulation of clinical negligence, patient consent to/refusal of treatment and patient capacity to make healthcare decisions. You will also learn about the law’s role in underpinning and/or resisting societal inequalities concerning healthcare provision. You will analyse contemporary legal issues and challenges in healthcare practice through a series of weekly case studies, selected to showcase different theoretical perspectives and promote your critical thinking.
TBC
How do different legal cultures address the problem of pollution? Does the adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ apply? Does pollution affect everyone in the same manner? Is environmental quality a human right? Should human health or environmental health constitute the priority of law and policy? By introducing you to examples and case studies from different jurisdictions and historical periods, this module develops your ability to understand and critically evaluate pollution control measures and policies in varied social, political, and economic contexts. Each week you will explore a particular category of pollution. You will gain knowledge of the key principles, norms and regulatory approaches that underpin efforts to control pollution around the world. You will also develop the ability to critically reflect on the very idea of pollution and on broader debates regarding precaution, prevention, adaptation and justice that underpin not only environmental efforts, but law and policy in general.
How is the energy sector, by some accounts the largest in the global economy, regulated? What is the role of international and national oil companies in energy law and policy? How is international law responding to the challenges of the energy transition and the changing modes of energy creation and supply? How does the pursuit of energy security and sovereignty align with ‘net zero’ and other emission reduction goals? What is the link between fossil fuels and capitalism? By examining the history and contemporary regulation and governance of fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable energy, you will develop your ability to understand and critically evaluate legal and policy mechanisms, measures, and initiatives in the energy sector. You will gain knowledge of the most cutting-edge regulatory initiatives in the energy sector today and the capacity to develop advanced understanding of the monumental changes that characterise the energy sector. You will also develop the ability to critically reflect on the broader relation between energy and politics as it extends beyond law.
What does the international tax system do? And why has the internet era plunged it into a seemingly irremediable crisis? A defining characteristic of states is their jealously guarded sovereign power to tax. Yet global capital accumulates in huge quantities seemingly beyond the power of states to tax it, while the fiscal resources of states the world over are constrained to the point of austerity. You will acquire a detailed understanding of the doctrines, instruments and institutions of international tax law, and a critical grasp of not only the underlying principles, but also the geopolitical, technological and global economic context in which they are implemented. You will acquire international tax law expertise to move on to a professional role in an international business context, a policy role working on global inequality, or further research with an international fiscal or global economic nexus
What role can competition law play in building a sustainable global economy? How can abuses of market power occurring on a global level be restrained? You will critically explore legal regulation of market power in the context of increasing global trade and integration by considering policy issues and concepts in economic theory and how they interact with competition law. You will examine laws regulating the behaviour of businesses aimed at protecting competition in markets, and effective enforcement of those laws.
You will consider several contentious and complex issues, both structural (e.g. challenges made to competition law in the face of current political and economic debates) and substantive (e.g. the role of competition law in relation to ideas of market power). You will explore approaches to bilateral and multilateral co-operation between national and regional regulators, and the legal difficulties such international co-operation presents. And you will examine key international harmonization and co-ordination initiatives as well as laws in the USA and the EU to explore the aims and principal concepts of competition law, which are being challenged by the emergence of China as a significant jurisdiction wielding considerable influence.
On what gendered assumptions is international law built? How have feminist organisations, networks and movements worked together to challenge these assumptions in international law? What are the costs of feminist engagement in international law? What does feminist strategizing in international law look like when faced with backlash?
By examining how feminist organisations, networks, and movements from across the globe shape international law, you will develop your ability to systematically understand and critically evaluate the extent to which international law can address issues such as gender inequality, domestic violence, violence against women, gender-based violence, and conflict-related sexual violence. You will gain a critical understanding of current debates and how these debates emerge in contemporary case studies.
Security matters range from traditional concerns, such as the regulation of armed conflict, to more contemporary problems of countering terrorism. These matters bring together a wide range of entities, including states and non-state actors as well as international organisations like the United Nations. By focusing on the relationships between these entities, the laws and regulations that they produce and operate through, and the problems of power and authority that they raise, you will examine international security as a field of governance. International security governance includes both formal legislation as well as informal practices or guidelines. Drawing upon international legal theory and theories of politics, you will consider selected practices of contemporary security governance in relation to international law and human rights.
Health justice is crucial for a fair and thriving world. Yet the COVID-19 global pandemic painfully exposed the significance of health inequalities in society and the vital importance of social determinants for health justice. Through a series of case-studies, based on cutting-edge social justice research by Kent Law School academics, you will explore how law and regulation ameliorates and/or compounds health inequalities and critically question whether legal measures can help to secure better health justice.
Across an annual selection of case studies, you will engage in diverse theoretical and interdisciplinary perspectives to consider how health justice is reinforced or challenged in these areas of social and political life. You will have the opportunity to explore health inequalities at a national and/or international level, and to consider the legacy of colonialism on health (in)justice. In each case study, you will explore the historical context alongside contemporary legal and policy concerns, with a particular focus on how law, policy and regulation operate to challenge or improve health justice. Utilising the theoretical and interdisciplinary approaches of the case-studies, you will have the opportunity to conduct a research project on a health justice issue of your own choosing.
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time (September start), 15 months full-time, 28 months part-time (January start)
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.
As a student on the LLM at Canterbury, 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 with your dissertation also focusing on that area of law. The other three modules can be chosen from any offered in the Law School. To be awarded a major/minor specialisation you will need to choose three modules associated with one specialisation, and three from another specialisation, with the dissertation determining which is 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.
Specialist pathways include:
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 are normally assessed by a 4-5,000-word essay. Students undertaking an LLM degree must write a dissertation of 15,000 words.
For course aims and learning outcomes please see the programme specification.
Kent Law School has a lively and active postgraduate community, bought about in part by our strong research culture and by the close interaction between our staff and students. Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books and embed their research in their teaching. Taught students have regular contact with their programme and module conveners with staff on hand to answer any questions and to provide helpful and constructive feedback on submitted work. The Law School has an active and inclusive extra-curricular academic and social scene with regular guest lectures, talks and workshops organised by our research centres (which include the Centre for Critical International Law and the Centre for Sexuality, Race and Gender Justice (SeRGJ).
Our Law Library has long been a leader in the development of electronic resources for legal teaching and research. The extensive and up-to-date law collection in the University’s Templeman Library is particularly strong on electronic material, and the Electronic Law Library includes numerous legal databases, which are increasingly invaluable tools for research. In addition, you can access the text of thousands of law journals online. Our law librarian is available to train you to use these resources and runs regular legal research classes with postgraduate students.
We have a dedicated postgraduate office, offering support from application to graduation. Postgraduate students at Kent Law School have access to a postgraduate computing room, study area and common room with wireless internet access.
Kent Law School is widely recognised as a world leader in critical and interdisciplinary scholarship including socio-legal studies, law and humanities, critical legal studies and feminist theory.
We place law in its wider social, political and historical contexts, and attend to a wide range of thematic and geographical areas, and are renowned in particular for our attention to the role of law in creating, challenging and perpetuating social and global inequalities.
Read more about our Research and Research Centres, and about the Staff who teach at Kent.
Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website.
Employability is a key focus throughout the University and at Kent Law School. You have dedicated employability support together with a broad choice of work placement opportunities, employability events and careers talks.
Within the Division for the study of Law, Society and Social Justice (LSSJ), we have excellent links through our dedicated LSSJ Careers team, with leading law firms and prominent members of the legal profession - many of whom visit the University to meet our students. We also work with employers to create work placement opportunities for our students.
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 the following fields:
Our dynamic and diverse international community provides the perfect environment to network and forge global connections to help boost your career chances across the world. Whatever area of law, or whatever country you want to work in, our LLM is the perfect next step to realising your ambition.
The 2025/26 annual tuition fees for this course are:
The annual tuition fees for students starting this course in January 2026 can be found on the Student Finance page.
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of your course. Detailed information on possible future increases in tuition fees is contained in the Tuition Fees Increase Policy. If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of your course. Detailed information on possible future increases in tuition fees is contained in the Tuition Fees Increase Policy. If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
You'll need regular access to a desktop computer/laptop with an internet connection to use the University of Kent’s online resources and systems. We've listed some guidelines for the technology and software you'll need for your studies.
Find out more about student accommodation and living costs, as well as general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
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We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
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