LLM Healthcare Ethics and Law (online) / Course details
Year of entry: 2026
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Course description
"The level of support has been so valuable when you study on top of a day job. The lectures are extremely insightful and the online learning tools are excellent in introducing new areas of healthcare law and ethics.
"I work full time in clinical research and this course has grown my confidence in understanding the legal intricacies and navigating the complexity of healthcare law and ethics."
Simon Lewis / Healthcare Ethics and Law LLM student
You will study a wide variety of ethical and legal subjects, including:
- autonomy;
- consent;
- refusal of treatment;
- confidentiality;
- the moral status of the foetus;
- resource allocation;
- genetic testing;
- HIV testing;
- medical malpractice;
- clinical negligence;
- organ and tissue transplantation;
- fertility treatment;
- genetic manipulation;
- research ethics;
- stem cell research;
- euthanasia.
As well as studying these topics from a UK perspective, many are also considered from a global perspective.
All students studying at master's level in Healthcare Ethics and Law, will study the three core subjects of: Philosophical Bioethics, Medico-Legal Problems and International Issues in Healthcare.
LLM students will then study two law-based options and complete a predominantly law-based dissertation.
Aims
- Offer you the opportunity to gain a comprehensive knowledge and firm understanding of healthcare ethics and healthcare law.
- Provide you with the opportunity to gain the skills needed to apply your understanding to real world scenarios in a diverse range of contexts.
- Develop the skills needed for research and academic writing.
Special features
Flexible, interdisciplinary structure to enable you to enrol on the course while in full-time employment.
Teaching and learning
You will be provided with a comprehensive set of course materials at the beginning of each course unit. These interactive, specially designed materials provide an introduction to the issues and skills central to each unit and direct you to other study components such as further reading.
Each unit is supported by a virtual learning environment where you can access all course materials, online reading lists, podcasts, and the University's extensive online library . You are encouraged to use the virtual learning environment to discuss issues raised in the course materials with your course tutor and fellow students.
Tutors are able to provide one-to-one support by telephone, Zoom and email.
Coursework and assessment
Assessment of all taught course units (to a total of 120 credits) is assessed by coursework essays of 4,000 words per 15 credit course unit and up to 6,000 words for the three 30 credit core course units.
You must also submit a supervised 10-12,000 dissertation by independent research (60 credits). As a part-time student, you will undertake a dissertation in the summer months of Year 2.
If you do not achieve success in the LLM, you may be considered for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma. The award of the LLM is classified according to pass, merit or distinction.
Course unit details
You will be required to complete 180 credits:
- 120 credits comprised of taught course units (each worth 15 or 30 credits); and
- an independent research element (dissertation) worth 60 credits.
On the distance learning course, you complete 60 credits of taught course units in Year 1, and 60 credits in Year 2, together with a dissertation of between 10-12,000 words, which is undertaken in the summer months in Year 2. The dissertation should be predominantly law-based.
The core course units are:
- Philosophical Bioethics (30 credits);
- Medico-Legal Problems (30 credits);
- International Issues in Healthcare Ethics and Law (30 credits).
You must choose optional course units to a total value of 30 credits from the below list. LLM students must choose both the law-based course units:
Law-based
Medicine, Law and Society (15 credits)
Mental Health Law and Policy (15 credits)
Ethics-based
Research Ethics (15 credits)
Ethics, Genetics and Genomics (15 credits)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation by Independent Research | CSEP60083 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Philosophical Bioethics (Distance-Learning) | CSEP60103 | 30 | Mandatory |
| Medico-Legal Problems (Distance Learning) | CSEP60113 | 30 | Mandatory |
| Mental Health Law and Policy | CSEP60243 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Medicine, Law & Society | CSEP60253 | 15 | Mandatory |
| International Issues in Health Care Law and Ethics (Distance Learning) | CSEP60293 | 30 | Mandatory |
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
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 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.
As a distance-learner, you will have full access to the virtual learning environment where you can access all course materials, online reading lists, podcasts, and the University's online library, as well as communicate with your classmates and tutors.