LLM Public International Law

Year of entry: 2024

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.

Full entry requirements

How to apply
Apply online

Course options

Full-time Part-time Full-time distance learning Part-time distance learning
LLM Y Y N N

Course overview

  • Explore a large number of topics covering the practice and theory of international law.
  • Develop legal all-rounder knowledge and acquire an advanced understanding in the main areas of international law.
  • Have the potential to take your international law experience down a wide range of career paths.
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Ibrahim Olabi on how studying at Manchester helped him to help his country

Open days

The University organises open days every year in June, September, and October.

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 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • LLM (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £15,500
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £28,500
  • LLM (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £7,750
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £14,250

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 £1,000 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

There are several scholarships and bursaries that you may be eligible for.

Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme

The Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a first-class bachelor's degree and are progressing to a postgraduate taught master's course.

Manchester Humanities International Excellence Scholarship

The University of Manchester is proud to offer scholarship awards to exceptional international students.

Manchester Master's Bursary

The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master's study and allocates 75 awards of £4,000 each year.

Postgraduate loans for master's students

If you're coming to Manchester this year to begin postgraduate study, you could qualify for a loan from the UK government.

For more information on our awards, see fees and funding or search the University's postgraduate funding database .

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Social Sciences
Contact name
Postgraduate Taught Admissions Team
Telephone
+44 (0)161 804 9198
Email
Website
https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/law/
School/Faculty

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

Pre-Sessional English Courses

We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you may 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

Advice to applicants

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 before the application deadline to avoid a delay in processing.

Applications for 2024 entry:

Stage 1:   Application received by  8th December 2023 ; Application update by  22nd February 2024

Stage 2:   Application received by  3rd March 2024 ; Application update by  25th April 2024

Stage 3:   Application received by  5th May 2024 ; Application update by  8th June 2024

Stage 4:  Application received by  1st July 2024 ; Application update by  25th July 2024

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

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry. In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

Course details

Course description

The LLM in Public International Law allows you to develop recognised expertise in the main areas of international law.

This course draws on Manchester's established reputation in international legal research to offer you a wide range of optional subjects, as well as the opportunity to customise your curriculum according to your career ambitions, needs and your areas of interest.

Aims

The LLM in Public International Law is designed for students who seek a recognised expertise in the main areas of international law and become generalist international lawyers. 

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be all-rounders and have knowledge and understanding of the rules, systems, techniques, practices, dynamics and discourses by virtue of which international law is created, conceived and applied. 

The course will also provide you with the necessary research skills to autonomously continue to expand, sharpen and update your knowledge of international law.

Special features

This course endeavours to offer the strongest students the opportunity of an internship with a renowned law firm or international organisation.

Teaching and learning

The course is based on small-group, seminar-style teaching by our research-active teaching staff as well as invited external experts. This master's degree is offered part-time to allow those with a professional occupation to follow the course.

Coursework and assessment

All course units are assessed by either one unseen written examination, or one coursework essay, or a combination of these two methods of assessment.  

The course will be 180 credits in total and has a compulsory research component. 120 credits will be taught units and the remaining 60 credits in the form of a 14,000-15,000-word dissertation.  

Your dissertation must be within the area of one unit you have chosen. The research element of the course is supported by weekly research methodology lectures delivered throughout semesters one and two, designed to improve your legal writing and research skills. For specialised streams, the dissertation topic must be within those streams.

Course unit details

You will be doing 180 credits in total, 120 of which will be taught course units and the remaining 60 credits in the form of a 14,000-15,000-word dissertation. 

The LLM course will typically offer around 30 different course units in any one year, and will always reflect a wide range of subjects across the legal spectrum. 

There will usually be course units offered on diverse topics, such as: 

international trade and corporate law; 

  • financial services regulation; 
  • European law; 
  • international economic law; 
  • intellectual property law; 
  • human rights law; 
  • corporate governance; and 
  • law and finance in emerging markets.

Course units are worth 15 or 30 credits each. You will be required to select course units to a total of 120 credits, and so must choose a minimum of four course units or a maximum of eight course units. 

Your dissertation must be within the area of one unit you have chosen. The research element of the course is supported by weekly research methodology lectures delivered throughout semesters one and two designed to improve your legal writing and research skills. For specialised streams, your dissertation topic must be within those streams.

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.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
International Institutions LAWS70021 30 Mandatory
Dissertation (LL.M.) LAWS70700 60 Mandatory
Academic Skills for Legal Studies LAWS50000 0 Optional
Global Law-Making LAWS70431 30 Optional
International Law, Technology and Security LAWS70462 30 Optional
International Investment Law LAWS72042 30 Optional
International Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Law LAWS77082 30 Optional

Scholarships and bursaries

The School is offering a number of awards for students applying for master's study. To find out more please visit our  master's funding opportunity search page .

What our students say

Meet some of our postgraduate students studying for a master's in International Law, Healthcare Ethics and Law and Financial Law in Student Spotlights .

Facilities

At The University of Manchester Law School, you are 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, as well as 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

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

This LLM course is a specialised master's offering you training for a range of legal careers. These include: 

  • advocacy; 
  • civil servant; 
  • legal advisor; 
  • academia and research; 
  • official in an international organisation, applicable to international organisations; or those with strong international links.

The University also has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .