This programme will provide you with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the far-reaching impact of international law on international relations, with a special emphasis on human rights issues and their relevance to domestic law.
Introduction
The Liverpool Law School is one of the oldest law departments in the UK and has a prestigious international reputation. We strive for social relevance and to influence public debate and policy at the local, national, European and international levels.
On your LLM you will be joining a cohort of diverse, international and ambitious students and taught by world-leading experts in international human rights law. Teaching is delivered in an interactive, participatory and inclusive way, with extensive support from small-group teaching and online learning platforms.
All students are given our specialised Legal Research Training which will develop your legal writing skills and enhance your research and presentation skills.
We offer an exciting range of extra-curricular and careers opportunities to produce well-rounded, employable graduates. This includes internships, pro bono projects, and talks and workshops from exciting speakers such as practising lawyers and judges who have played significant roles in uncovering miscarriages of justice or reforming the law.
Who is this course for?
This master’s is suitable for graduates of Law or a relevant degree subject such as Political Science, Sociology, Philosophy, International Relations, Banking, Management Studies, Humanities, Social Sciences and Economics who have an interest and want to pursue a career in human rights in domestic, European and international law.
What you'll learn
Advanced legal research skills that are necessary to enable you to reach a superior understanding of international human rights law
How to analyse, evaluate and interpret primary and secondary legal sources
How to understand and apply English, European and International legal terminology, both orally and in writing
Critical, analytical and research skills
Oral discussion skills by participating in debates and problem-solving exercises
How to apply legal knowledge to practical situations
Course content
Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.
Semester one
All students must take Legal Research Training and the Dissertation module (60 credits). You must select at least 3 taught specialist modules to the value of 60 credits from the list of module specialisms (see below). These required modules may vary slightly from year to year, and are chosen because of their particular contemporary relevance to the specialism of International Human Rights Law.
The remaining 60 credits may be taken from any master’s programme offered by the school. This includes modules in Business and Commercial Law and Medicine and Healthcare Law. Optional modules are also available on methodology topics such as Socio-Legal Methods, Socio-Legal Theory, Quantitative Methods, Interviewing, Observation, and Focus Groups.
Your dissertation is researched and written during semester 3. The process of preparing the dissertation is supported by legal research training in semester 1, by a dissertation workshop and library training in semester 2, and by individual supervision during semester 3.
Compulsory modules
Dissertation (LAW540)
Credits: 60 /
Semester: whole session
This module consists of preparing a dissertation which is researched and written during the Summer. The dissertation is on an approved topic, in the field of the relevant specialism in case of students opting for a specialised LLM (as opposed to the general LLM). The module is worth 60 credits (a third of the entire LLM programme) and is a prerequisite for the award of an LLM. The process of preparing the dissertation is supported by legal research and library training in semester 1, by a dissertation workshop in semester 2, and by individual supervision during the Summer.
Optional modules
INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (LAW511)
Credits: 20 /
Semester: semester 1
Human rights law became a part of public international law after WW2. The internationalisation of human rights is an ongoing process with numerous consequences that affect both human rights and international law. The principal aim of this module is to provide students with a sound knowledge and understanding of the basic principles and logic of international human rights law. The module will discuss the evolution of human rights in international law, the constitutional dimension and function of human rights, but also their impact on the system of international law and how the latter gradually adjusted to accommodate human rights protection rules. Particular attention will be given to human rights protection within the UN system, but also to the rights of selected social groups, such as refugees and children. The module will also consider the future of human rights law and the idea that international law should not only protect individuals and non-state actors, such as multinational corporations, but also establish human rights obligations for such legal persons.
PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW (LAW563)
Credits: 20 /
Semester: semester 1
The module provides students with an in-depth specialist knowledge of the principles and structure of international law, with special emphasis on law-making processes. It offers a selected introduction to the field by placing the issues covered into the political and historical context of international relations. The module features discussions of some of today’s most debated theoretical and practical international legal issues against the backdrop of multiple international, regional and domestic legal and policy frameworks. They include the evolving role of international law in international affairs, the forms of law-making, the ever increasing number of actors involved, the expansion of international adjudication, the creation of states, the various manifestations of sovereignty, and the impact of international law on domestic systems.
INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY (LAW564)
Credits: 20 /
Semester: semester 1
International Peace and Security explores the rules and norms governing the use of force by states in international law as well as the role of peacekeeping and regional organisations in the maintenance of peace and security. During the course of the module, students will be able to develop a range of core legal and transferable skills, such as independent research, group work, and written and oral presentation skills. The module will be delivered via a two-hour seminar per week.
Any optional modules listed above are illustrative only and may vary from year to year. Modules may be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved and staff availability. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
Semester two
All students must take Legal Research Training and the Dissertation module (60 credits). You must select at least 3 taught specialist modules to the value of 60 credits from the list of module specialisms (see below). These required modules may vary slightly from year to year, and are chosen because of their particular contemporary relevance to the specialism of International Human Rights Law.
The remaining 60 credits may be taken from any master’s programme offered by the school. This includes modules in Business and Commercial Law and Medicine and Healthcare Law. Optional modules are also available on methodology topics such as Socio-Legal Methods, Socio-Legal Theory, Quantitative Methods, Interviewing, Observation, and Focus Groups.
Your dissertation is researched and written during semester 3. The process of preparing the dissertation is supported by legal research training in semester 1, by a dissertation workshop and library training in semester 2, and by individual supervision during semester 3.
Compulsory modules
Dissertation (LAW540)
Credits: 60 /
Semester: whole session
This module consists of preparing a dissertation which is researched and written during the Summer. The dissertation is on an approved topic, in the field of the relevant specialism in case of students opting for a specialised LLM (as opposed to the general LLM). The module is worth 60 credits (a third of the entire LLM programme) and is a prerequisite for the award of an LLM. The process of preparing the dissertation is supported by legal research and library training in semester 1, by a dissertation workshop in semester 2, and by individual supervision during the Summer.
Optional modules
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION PLANNING (LAW506)
Credits: 20 /
Semester: semester 1
This module deals with human rights action planning from theoretical, doctrinal, empirical and practical perspectives. At the theoretical level, it will focus on different theories of human rights planning including contextual, substantive, procedural and analytical theories. It will also explore current debates on the right to development and the human rights-based approach to development. At the doctrinal level, this module will examine all the core human rights treaties and relevant general comments and concluding observations in order to reveal the nature and scope of the states’ obligation to adopt action plans (of different types) to implement human rights. At the empirical level, it will look into human rights action plans of different countries from across the globe in order to explore various problems of such plans in different phases of planning. Methodologically, this includes both within-case study and cross-case study. At the practical level, both national and supra-national human rights governance will be discussed. It will examine different phases of human rights planning exploring various practical strategies and methodological techniques for effective human rights action planning in practice.
TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE (LAW508)
Credits: 20 /
Semester: semester 2
This module will introduce you to the area of law known as Transitional Justice and to provide an overview of the prevailing themes, issues and challenges faced within the field. The module will allow you to examine and critically assess the development and efficacy of various institutions and processes designed to deal with grave & systematic human rights violations in countries which are in transition from conflict or repression to peace. We will study the fundamental concepts which underpin the idea of TJ, concepts such as truth, justice, peace and reconciliation as well as examining various transitional justice mechanisms such as international criminal law trials and tribunals, truth commissions, amnesties, reparations and local forms of justice. We will also investigate various contemporary challenges for the field in terms of theory and practice including, alternative conceptions of justice e.g. redistributive justice; economic, social and cultural rights; gender and overlaps with peacebuilding and development. We also explore the wider contextual factors within international relations that effect the choices made with regard to transitional justice – what actors are involved and why? Who controls the transitional justice agenda? Due to the nature of transitional justice in the international community, it is necessary to approach this topic from an interdisciplinary perspective, and not only look at the law, but to discuss the way in which these rules operate in various contexts and societies.
INTERNATIONAL DISPUTE SETTLEMENT (LAW521)
Credits: 20 /
Semester: semester 1
This module provides an introduction to the mechanisms and methods of international dispute settlement. It examines the nature of international disputes and the law, techniques and institutions of dispute settlement. The module also explores comparatively the key procedural issues that have been addressed before different international courts and tribunals. In addition, the module examines the major challenges and controversies in international adjudication, stemming from the multiplication of international adjudicative bodies, the so-called fragmentation of international law, from judicial law-making, and from the impact of politics on the functioning of international courts and tribunals. Finally, as the focus is on disputes in which at least one party is a state entity, the module discusses litigation by non-state actors, especially foreign investors against states and the role of international dispute settlement in economic governance.
Law and Global Health (LAW522)
Credits: 20 /
Semester: semester 2
This module will introduce you to the field of ‘global health law’. The module will provide you with an opportunity to consider the legal, social, political, economic and ethical issues that arise within the area of global health. We will look at different theoretical approaches to global health governance including the concept of public health and human rights and the role of law in regulating health, protecting and promoting health and remedying health failures. The module will also investigate the relevant global and regional institutions involved in health governance such as the World Health Organisation (WHO). You will also gain knowledge and understanding of a number of substantive challenges to global health such as pandemics, air pollution and climate change, non-communicable diseases, humanitarian disasters and the impact of conflict. These will be studied through the study of a selection of substantive topics (that vary each year), for example; Ebola; AIDS and HIV; the right to health and the right to a healthy environment; health hazards such as tobacco and the drugs trade; healthcare systems; inequality, poverty and health; migration and healthcare (health tourism); commodification of tissues and global health and sustainable development.
Children’s Rights and the Law: Theory and Practice (LAW562)
Credits: 20 /
Semester: semester 2
This module provides students with the opportunity to engage on a critical level with children’s rights norms, research, theories and practices in relation to contemporary children’s rights issues. It will cover the legal foundations of children’s rights, including, at international level, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as its implementation in England and Wales, and relevant European instruments. Critical issues around the content and realisation of children’s rights will then be considered via 3-4 case-studies (chosen from, e.g., children’s rights in healthcare settings, children’s rights and migration, children and the right to vote, tackling violence against children, children’s rights and poverty, children’s rights in education settings). This module will be of interest to students who would like to learn about the rights of children in a range of practical contexts (such as healthcare and migration), as well as to those studying international law. This module will be assessed via single piece of coursework.
Any optional modules listed above are illustrative only and may vary from year to year. Modules may be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved and staff availability. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
Final project
Your dissertation is researched and written during semester 3.
Compulsory modules
Dissertation (LAW540)
Credits: 60 /
Semester: whole session
This module consists of preparing a dissertation which is researched and written during the Summer. The dissertation is on an approved topic, in the field of the relevant specialism in case of students opting for a specialised LLM (as opposed to the general LLM). The module is worth 60 credits (a third of the entire LLM programme) and is a prerequisite for the award of an LLM. The process of preparing the dissertation is supported by legal research and library training in semester 1, by a dissertation workshop in semester 2, and by individual supervision during the Summer.
Any optional modules listed above are illustrative only and may vary from year to year. Modules may be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved and staff availability. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
How you'll learn
Teaching methods depend upon the module but most modules are taught via in-person seminars on campus. Each module will normally have a two-hour weekly seminar for a small group of students. You will have reading and other tasks to prepare for each seminar; independent study is an important part of your learning at this level. Online resources and exercises, group work and presentations all help to ensure that you develop a strong set of transferrable skills.
How you're assessed
You will usually study six modules, three modules in each of the first two terms. In the third term, over the Summer, you will complete a dissertation as the final part of your LLM studies.
The assessment of our LLM programme takes different formats according to the learning objectives of the module. Many LLM modules have two assessments: a smaller piece of work, such as a case commentary or plan mid-way through the module, followed by a more substantial essay at the end of the module. For semester one modules, the formal assessment period is January and for semester two modules the assessment period is in May-June.
Your 12,000-word dissertation will be completed during semester 3 (July to September); we provide legal research training and you will have an allocated expert supervisor so you are properly prepared and have support and guidance each step of the way.
Liverpool Hallmarks
We have a distinctive approach to education, the Liverpool Curriculum Framework, which focuses on research-connected teaching, active learning, and authentic assessment to ensure our students graduate as digitally fluent and confident global citizens.
Your experience
The Liverpool Law School has a proud tradition and over a century’s experience of inspiring and challenging its students to reach their potential.
We have developed excellent longstanding relationships, links and collaborations with the local community, international partners, policymakers and practitioners in the fields of law and social justice.
Support for students with differing needs from the Disability advice and guidance team. They can identify and recommend appropriate support provisions for you.
An exciting place to study law
Dedicated to small group teaching
Taught by leading researchers in the field
Access to a vibrant programme of extra-curricular activities, including visiting lecture programme
A friendly and fun student community with supportive staff
Excellent links with employers and employability opportunities including the possibility of participation in our own award-winning Law Clinic.
What students say...
The best part of the Law department at Liverpool is the staff. The modules are taught really well, and I’ve found all the academics to be very approachable and helpful.
Our LLM programme is designed to enhance your academic profile and to ensure that you leave us with highly marketable skills, whatever you decide that market to be.
We organise regular careers events and routinely play host to law firms and other organisations who wish to come and meet our students. There is an annual law fair, giving you the opportunity to meet future legal employers. Academic staff in the Law School and Careers and Employability also offer invaluable careers advice and support.
Career support from day one to graduation and beyond
Every year, our LLM graduates become members of the Inns of Court, secure scholarships for vocational training, and obtain vacation placements, training contracts, and mini-pupillage opportunities from a range of providers. Many have successful careers as members of the legal profession in the UK and overseas including Judges of the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the County Courts.
Past LLM graduates have embarked on a wide variety of professions outside the law as well, in careers within:
Politics
Policy work
Banking
Charities and international non-governmental organisations
Business management
Accounting and finance
NHS, police and emergency services
This LLM also provides you with an ideal opportunity to gain advanced specialist knowledge in preparation for further postgraduate research.
Fees and funding
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
Tuition fees
UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)
Full-time place, per year
£11,700
Part-time place, per year
£5,850
International fees
Full-time place, per year
£24,100
Part-time place, per year
£12,050
Fees stated are for the 2025-26 academic year.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support.
If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan worth up to £12,167 to help with course fees and living costs. Learn more about fees and funding.
Additional costs
We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.
We accept a 2:2 honours degree from a UK university, or an equivalent academic qualification from a similar non-UK institution. This degree should be in Law (BA or LLB) or a closely related subject, including Political Science, Sociology, Philosophy, International Relations, Banking, Management Studies, Humanities, Social Sciences and Economics.
Applicants are considered on the basis of academic ability, potential and other relevant considerations are also taken into account. Applicants who have marginally missed the benchmark indicated above are considered on a discretionary basis.
International qualifications
If you hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, but don’t meet our entry requirements, you could be eligible for a Pre-Master’s course. This is offered on campus at the University of Liverpool International College, in partnership with Kaplan International Pathways. It’s a specialist preparation course for postgraduate study, and when you pass the Pre-Master’s at the required level with good attendance, you’re guaranteed entry to a University of Liverpool master’s degree.
International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.
English language qualification
Requirements
IELTS
6.5 overall, with no component below 6.0
TOEFL iBT
88 overall, with minimum scores of listening 19, writing 19, reading 19 and speaking 20. TOEFL Home Edition not accepted.
Duolingo English Test
120 overall, with no component below 105
Pearson PTE Academic
61 overall, with no component below 59
LanguageCert Academic
70 overall, with no skill below 65
PSI Skills for English
B2 Pass with Merit in all bands
INDIA Standard XII
National Curriculum (CBSE/ISC) - 75% and above in English. Accepted State Boards - 80% and above in English.
WAEC
C6 or above
PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH
Do you need to complete a Pre-Sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course?
The length of Pre-Sessional English course you’ll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.
Liverpool bursts with diversity and creativity which makes it ideal for you to undertake your postgraduate studies and access various opportunities for you and your family.
To fully immerse yourself in the university experience living in halls will keep you close to campus where you can always meet new people. Find your home away from home.
Discover what expenses are covered by the cost of your tuition fees and other finance-related information you may need regarding your studies at Liverpool.
Contact us
Have a question about this course or studying with us? Our dedicated enquiries team can help.
