Overview
- Degree awarded
- Master of Laws (LLM)
- Duration
- 1 year
- Entry requirements
-
We require a UK bachelor's degree with a First or Upper Second (2.1) classification or the overseas equivalent in Law. Candidates should demonstrate a strong background in Law modules relevant to the course, including Public Law and Contract Law and achieve scores of 2.1 or above in relevant modules.
When assessing your academic record, we consider the grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
- How to apply
- Apply online
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LLM | Y | N | N | N |
Course overview
- Study at a UK Top 10 university for Law (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025)
- Shape the course around your goals – pick from more than 30 units to build either a broad legal profile or a targeted specialism.
- Work on real cases in our Justice Hub Legal Advice Centre, gaining practical experience before you graduate
- Graduate from one of the UK’s most targeted universities by top employers (High Fliers, The Graduate Market Report 2024).
Open days
These are an opportunity to find out about the course, meet students and staff, and tour the campus and facilities.
If you receive an offer, we will invite you to a visit day where you learn about the School, teaching and learning, study opportunities and student life.
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
LLM (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £16,800
International, including EU, students (per annum): £31,000
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.
All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.
Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
For information on available scholarships please visit: Master’s Fees and Funding
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Social Sciences
- Contact name
- Postgraduate Taught Admissions Team
- Telephone
- +44 (0) 161 306 5500
- pg-law@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/law/
- School/Faculty overview
-
See: School Subjects
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
We require a UK bachelor's degree with a First or Upper Second (2.1) classification or the overseas equivalent in Law. Candidates should demonstrate a strong background in Law modules relevant to the course, including Public Law and Contract Law and achieve scores of 2.1 or above in relevant modules.
When assessing your academic record, we consider the grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
English language
Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:
- IELTS Academic test score of 7 overall, including 7 in writing with no further component score below 6.5
- TOEFL IBT 100 with 25 in writing and no further score below 22 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 76 overall, with 76 in writing and no further score below 70
Further information on accepted language requirements can be found here .
Pre-Sessional English Courses
We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you will be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.
To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:
6 Week Pre-Sessional Course : IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing and no more than one sub-skill of 6.0.
10 Week Pre-sessional Course : IELTS 6.0 overall with 6.0 or above in each sub-skill
If you have not yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate to ensure that you are eligible for a separate visa for the English language course.
English language test validity
Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.
Applicants from Majority English-speaking countries
If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country (or have studied for a full bachelor's degree or higher from one of these countries) you may be exempt from submitting further evidence of English language proficiency.
Other international entry requirements
We accept a range of qualifications from across the globe. To help international students, the university provides specific information for many individual countries. Please see our country-specific information page for guidance on the academic and English language qualifications which may be accepted from your country.
Application and selection
How to apply
Staged admissions
As there is a high demand for our courses we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places and high quality of applications that we receive, we give preference to students from high-ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.
Please ensure you submit all supporting documentation with your application to avoid a delay in processing.
Applications for 2026 entry:
Stage 1:Application received by 7th December 2025 ; Application update by 20th February 2026
Stage 2:Application received by 1st March 2026 ; Application update by 1st May 2026
Stage 3:Application received by 3rd May 2026 ; Application update by 19th June 2026
Stage 4:Application received by 5th July 2026 ; Application update by 31st July 2026
Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date.
Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.
Please note:All places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be reaching capacity or be closed to further applications. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early in the cycle to avoid disappointment.
Tuition fee deposits
If you are successful in receiving an offer, you will be required to pay a tuition fee deposit of £1,000 by the deadline stated in your offer letter to confirm your place. We ask for the deposit as competition for places is high and there is limited availability. The deposit amount is then deducted from your tuition fees when you register on the course.
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
The LLM Law gives you a solid grounding in core legal principles while letting you explore the subjects that interest you most. Taught by research-active academics and practising lawyers, the course keeps theory tightly linked to real-world practice.
You choose from a wide menu of optional units across commercial, public and international law, tailoring a pathway that fits your career plans. Whether you want breadth or depth, you graduate with a versatile legal skill-set that works in many professional settings.
This blend of academic rigour and flexibility makes the course ideal if you aim to practise law, move into policy or continue into doctoral research.
Aims
Combining the core principals of law with a specialism, our LLM Law includes a compulsory research element, allowing you to develop strong research skills, while offering the opportunity to deep dive into one of the range of topics you have studied during your degree.
Special features
Strong partnerships
The Law School works with organisations beyond higher education – from leading NGOs to blue-chip companies – so your research tackles real-world issues. Recent projects have informed national healthcare guidelines and shaped police procedures in Norway, Australia and Brazil, giving you experience that resonates far outside the classroom.
Justice Hub
Our Justice Hub brings together students, staff and local practitioners to provide free, supervised legal advice to the community – giving you hands-on casework experience while making a positive social impact.
International impact
You learn from academics whose evidence is cited by bodies such as the United Nations, World Trade Organization and national governments. Their policy-shaping work feeds directly into seminars, ensuring the LLM stays aligned with the latest developments in international business and commercial law.
Teaching and learning
The LLM Law is taught by an interdisciplinary team using a variety of delivery methods:
- lectures;
- workshops;
- student-led presentations and debate;
- group work;
- individual research.
Coursework and assessment
Most course units are assessed by standard methods, either:
- one unseen written examination;
- one coursework essay;
- or a combination of these two methods of assessment.
Course unit details
A master’s degree is formed of 180 credits.
120 credits come from optional course units worth 15 or 30 credits each; there are no mandatory units on the LLM Law, giving you complete freedom to choose between four and eight units that match your interests.
Typical options include:
- International Trade and Corporate Law;
- Financial Services Regulation;
- Human Rights Law;
- Intellectual Property Law;
- European Law;
- Corporate Governance;
- Law and Finance in Emerging Markets.
Unit availability can change. Your August registration pack confirms the options running in the year ahead.
The remaining 60 credits are awarded through a 12,000 -word dissertation on a topic linked to one of your chosen units. Weekly research-methodology lectures in both semesters support your legal writing and research skills.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| LL.M Dissertation | LAWS70990 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Academic Skills for Legal Studies | LAWS50000 | 0 | Optional |
| International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law | LAWS61082 | 30 | Optional |
| International Sale of Goods | LAWS63051 | 30 | Optional |
| International Banking Law | LAWS63071 | 30 | Optional |
| Global Economic and World Trade Law | LAWS67031 | 30 | Optional |
| Transnational Corporate & Capital Markets Law | LAWS70082 | 30 | Optional |
| Intellectual Property Law | LAWS70101 | 30 | Optional |
| Trade Mark Law and Policy | LAWS70261 | 30 | Optional |
| Patent Law and Policy | LAWS70271 | 30 | Optional |
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What our students say
Facilities
You will be supported by the first-class resources you would expect of a top law school.
In addition to the networked study spaces at the Williamson Building, you can access a specialist moot courtroom, enabling future legal minds to hone your debating skills in a realistic court setting.
You also have access to The University of Manchester Library , which houses a substantial collection of law books and periodicals, as well as texts to support all the degrees we offer.
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
The University of Manchester is one of the most targeted universities by the UK’s top graduate employers (The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers Research)
The LLM Law gives you advanced legal knowledge and versatile skills for careers across the legal profession and related sectors. Our graduates go on to work in areas such as:
- interdisciplinary legal practice in national and global law firms;
- in-house counsel and compliance roles for multinational corporations and charities;
- government legal service, law-reform commissions and public-policy units;
- advocacy and advisory work within NGOs, think-tanks and international organisations;
- research, teaching and professional training in universities and law schools.
- You will also develop highly transferable skills in legal research, critical analysis, contract drafting, negotiation and dispute resolution – opening opportunities across sectors including:
- risk management and consultancy;
- corporate social responsibility and ESG compliance;
- international business development and regulation;
- academia and further legal research.
Another popular route is further study through a PhD in Law , specialising in one of the areas you explored during the LLM.
The University has its own dedicated, award-winning Careers Service where you can benefit from tailored careers support, practice interviews, CV and application guidance, job listings for Manchester students, and much more. Better yet, you will have access to our Careers Service both during your course and for two years after you graduate, so we know you’re on the right path.