International Human Rights, LLM

International Human Rights, LLM

Introduction

Delve into the fascinating world of Human Rights; an ever-popular branch of law that is both challenging and rewarding. You’ll examine a variety of cases in numerous contexts, including international law and politics, providing you with the opportunity to broaden your knowledge and gain a competitive edge in your career.

Study Information

Study Options

Learning Mode
On Campus Learning
Degree Qualification
LLM
Duration
12 months or 24 months
Study Mode
Full Time or Part Time
Start Month
September or January

With a strong focus on law and politics, Human Rights at the University of Aberdeen explores social and economic rights such as education, health, housing and family rights. Your studies will include the international law of conflicts, how human rights impacts on criminal law and how the rules of law develop over time as social and political change occurs - all enabling you to develop a clearer understanding of human rights in today's society around the world. You will have the opportunity to study subjects such as International Human Rights Law, The Politics of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

This programme was designed with the assistance of human rights experts as well as our internal staff at the University. With this combined input, you will gain unique insights into human rights around the world and will advance your understanding of factors that influence them. The programme has been carefully coordinated to align with the competencies required for today’s international job market.

The University of Aberdeen is known for attracting world-class teaching staff with international experience in their specialist subjects. You will have access to first rate teaching from globally respected staff, such as Programme Director Dr Mátyás Bódig, Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes at the University, as well as Programme Coordinator for LLM in Human Rights. He is a founding member of the Centre for Citizenship, Civil Society and Rule of Law at the University of Aberdeen.

Available Programmes of Study

Please note: Students staring their LLM programme in January write their Dissertation project during the Summer semester.

Duration: 12 months full-time. 24 months part time.

LLM

International Human Rights

Qualification Duration Learning Mode Study Mode Start Month  
LLM 12 months or 24 months On Campus Learning Full Time or Part Time January More

Programme Fees

Fee information
Fee category Cost
EU / International students £23,800
Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year
UK £11,900
Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year

Semester 1

For January students, the first semester covers courses with the prefix LS55 and there is the compulsory course LS551T Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship. Please note that all January Start Students must produce their Dissertation Project during the Summer Semester, preparation for which begins in January.

Compulsory Courses

All candidates must take the following courses:

Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship (LS551T)

This course provides students from diverse legal and educational backgrounds with a common understanding of the core research, analytical, and writing skills which will be required for LLM-Taught courses. It begins with a series of lectures and progresses to working in a workshop environment and finally to the submission of an individual assignment. It also incorporates a library workshop to provide students with hands-on experience with the resources available for course and dissertation work.

Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5506)

This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 5-6 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across a number of weeks.

Topics include orientation overview, equality and diversity, health, safety and cyber security and how to make the most of your time at university in relation to careers and employability.

Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Enhanced Transcript as ‘Achieved’.

International Human Rights Law (LS5590)

30 Credit Points

The course was designed to help students build competence in dealing with the doctrinal issues about international human rights. It involves understanding the place of human rights in public international law, finding one’s way around the foundational human rights documents and the jurisprudence of human rights bodies. The course delivery puts heavy emphasis on classroom discussion on the controversial issues on contemporary human rights law that shape doctrinal development in this field: the justifiability of torture, the limits of freedom of religion, the justiciability of social rights, etc.

Optional Courses

In addition, candidates must take an additional 90 credit points. At least 60 credit points must be obtained from optional courses running in semesters 1 and 3. The remaining credit points may be obtained from any Level 5 30 credit on- campus Law course (excluding the Professional Skills courses). Please visit the Course Catalogue for details: Postgraduate Law 2022-2023 - Catalogue of Courses (abdn.ac.uk)

The use of Force in International Law (LS5549)

30 Credit Points

The course analyses how international law regulates the use of armed forces between States. It is of interest to students who want to understand the legal considerations which frame contemporary conflicts. The course will study the fundamental principle of the prohibition on the use of inter-State force. It will examine the current exceptions to this principle, and how States try to justify the use of force. Consequently, the course will study the most recent recourses to force on the international plane, in particular in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Ukraine. Teaching will be delivered mainly through discussion based seminars.

Semester 2

Compulsory Courses

Master of Laws Dissertation (LS5904)

60 Credit Points

Between May and mid-August students prepare a 10,000 word dissertation on a topic of their choice related to their specialist LLM programme. Students are instructed through the delivery of a preparatory lecture, two supervisory meetings and a two hour dissertation planning workshop in a small group setting. Students are expected to spend considerable time on independent research throughout the course of the dissertation module, including; preparation of dissertation plan, amendment of plan in accordance with supervisory comments, preparation for the dissertation workshop, and, of course, in the final 10,000 word dissertation itself.

Semester 3

Optional Courses

In addition, candidates must take an additional 90 credit points. At least 60 credit points must be obtained from optional courses running in semesters 1 and 3. The remaining credit points may be obtained from any Level 5 30 credit on- campus Law course (excluding the Professional Skills courses). Please visit the Course Catalogue for details: Postgraduate Law 2022-2023 - Catalogue of Courses (abdn.ac.uk)

Comparative and International Perspectives on Company Law (LS501G)

30 Credit Points

This is an optional course at postgraduate level and offers a selective and critical examination of company laws in the UK and other systems. It is an appropriate course for students with an interest in working in the corporate sector or who wish to learn more about how company law operates in different countries. Key issues in comparative company law shall be examined and a range of topics will be covered, dealing with corporate entities, their ownership, management and activities.

International Law: A Time of Challenges (LS501U)

30 Credit Points

The course analyses recent developments in public international law. It first considers the sources of public international law. The question is then asked whether traditional public international law can regulate pressing issues on the international plane. Examples of these problems are: international terrorism, nuclear weapons proliferation, protection of human rights, ethnic conflicts, climate change. The course encourages the participant-student to think creatively as an international lawyer to resolve contemporary international dilemmas.

Oil and Mining Resources for Good (LS502Z)

30 Credit Points

The course examines the relationship between development management and utilisation of energy and natural resources, law, ethics, governance, and development at the national and international levels on the one hand and poor/variable developmental outcomes, particularly the resource curse phenomenon, on the other hand. The course then proceeds to apply advanced academic and experiential knowledge to formulate the fundamentals for overarching legal frameworks that will enable the good exploitation and development of energy and natural resources, thereby producing enduring benefits for all key stakeholders. The course is multidisciplinary in approach and with some experiential engagement with industry, governments/regulators, and non-governmental perspectives.

The Politics of Human Rights (LS5068)

30 Credit Points

The course addresses the political processes by which human rights law is created and sustained (e.g. by exploring the main drivers of the change in human rights norms – like global civil society activism). Discussions review ways in which international human rights law shapes controversial issues of international politics (e.g. problems of international development or humanitarian intervention). Two seminars are dedicated to ‘case studies’ on human rights politics: (1) the practice of human rights activism, and (2) the relevance of human rights for dealing with the social and political tensions generated by oil industry in Nigeria.

Issues in Criminal Justice (LS5096)

30 Credit Points

This course is comparative in nature and examines in depth certain aspects of the criminal justice process, focussing upon differences between the adversarial and inquisitorial models. Examples are mainly drawn from Scotland, England and continental Europe. Topics addressed include: prosecution systems; the position of the accused; the status granted to the victim; plea-bargaining; the trial process; and appeals. The emphasis is not so much on ‘black-letter law’ but on the principles and policies, often clashing, which underlie the detailed legal rules and regulations governing the relevant institutions and processes.

LLM 12 months or 24 months On Campus Learning Full Time or Part Time September More

Fees for individual programmes can be viewed in the Programme(s) above.

We will endeavour to make all course options available; however, these may be subject to timetabling and other constraints. Please see our InfoHub pages for further information.

Fee Information

Additional Fee Information

  • Fees for individual programmes can be viewed in the Programmes section above.
  • In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips. Any additional fees for a course can be found in our Catalogue of Courses.
  • For more information about tuition fees for this programme, including payment plans and our refund policy, please visit our InfoHub Tuition Fees page.

Funding Opportunities

The James Carnegie maintenance scholarship for postgraduate students is available with this degree.

Scholarships

Eligible self-funded international Masters students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Visit our Funding Database to find out more and see our full range of scholarships.

How You'll Study

Teaching of the LLM Human Rights programme takes place through a combination of lectures and seminars and you will benefit from being taught by world-renowned researchers and teaching staff. The University adopts a flexible approach to learning and staff use a range of teaching methods to ensure that you achieve the highest grade you can.

Learning Methods

  • Lectures
  • Seminars

Assessment Methods

By course work, by written examination, or by a combination of these, as prescribed for each course. The degree of LLM shall not be awarded to a candidate who fails to achieve a CGS grade of D3 or above in the specified dissertation course, irrespective of their performance in other courses: such candidates may, at the discretion of the Examiners, be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma or a Postgraduate Certificate.

Why Study International Human Rights?

A foundation discipline in 1495, the Law School is considered one of the UK’s elite training grounds for lawyers - and there’s no substitute for experience.

  • Study at a Law School ranked TOP 100 in the World (Times Higher Education World University Subject Ranking 2022)
  • Our Law School is ranked 5th in the UK for Overall Student Satisfaction (National Student Survey 2022)
  • There are over 40 nationalities within the School of Law community, so you will benefit from the experiences of international students from all over the world.

Students choose to study Law at Aberdeen because of our reputation for academic excellence and unrivalled student experience. At Aberdeen, you will:

  • Have the opportunity to study a programme that attracts many international students, who enrich our debates and help broaden our collective knowledge of human rights issues across the globe.
  • Benefit from the programme’s strong international focus, enabling you to meet the requirements of employers in the UK and overseas.
  • Benefit from the established research strength of the School of Law, which will provide you with valuable insights into the increasingly vital and energised role human rights play in the world.
  • Develop essential critical analysis skills that will enable you to explore the legal and political implications of the subject.
  • Benefit from the expertise of our world-renowned teaching staff, which will give you the knowledge and skills to prepare you for a career in the law profession.
  • Benefit from small class sizes, meaning you will get focused interaction with teaching staff during seminars.
  • Benefit from the opportunity to attend our Research Seminar Series, which will provide you with unique insights into current legal issues.

The University also has a leading Careers and Employability Service that organises events focused on providing you with the additional skills needed to make the most of your career potential. You will be part of a vibrant, close-knit community of students that provides a personal and friendly atmosphere where staff have the opportunity to know students by name and can closely monitor progress.    

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.

Normally, a 2.1 honours degree (or equivalent) in Law will be required to be accepted onto this programme. Relevant practical experience in a related field will also be beneficial.

Please enter your country to view country-specific entry requirements.

English Language Requirements

To study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:

IELTS Academic:

OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 6.0; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0

TOEFL iBT:

OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 21; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21

PTE Academic:

OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59

Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency:

OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 169; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Read more about specific English Language requirements here.

Document Requirements

You will be required to supply the following documentation with your application as proof you meet the entry requirements of this degree programme. If you have not yet completed your current programme of study, then you can still apply and you can provide your Degree Certificate at a later date.

Degree Transcript
a full transcript showing all the subjects you studied and the marks you have achieved in your degree(s) (original & official English translation)
Personal Statement
a detailed personal statement explaining your motivation for this particular programme
Reference
a reference letter from your university discussing your academic ability. If you have been out of education for a long time you may wish to use your current or most recent employer, or another professional person

Careers

This LLM attracts a range of students from a variety of fields – from international relations, to oil and gas programmes and those with a background in international law. The flexible programme means you can choose courses that allow you to explore the areas that interest you. A former European student used the programme to secure an internship with the International Court, afterwards going on to work for the international NGO Human Rights Watch.

We are Top 100 in the World for Law

Our Law School is ranked in the Top 100 globally, according to the Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings 2022.

5th in the UK for Law

Our Law School is ranked 5th in the UK of 105 providers for Overall Student Satisfaction (National Student Survey 2022).

Top 10 UK Law School

We are ranked Top 10 in the UK for Law by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.

Our Experts

You will be taught by and have access to a number of experts, many of whom are internationally renowned within their respective fields. These will include members of the Centre for Constitutional and Public International Law and Centre for Scots Law

Programme Coordinator
Clare Frances Moran

Information About Staff Changes

You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. Staff changes will occur from time to time; please see our InfoHub pages for further information.

Get in Touch