A master’s degree in law is a fantastic way for law graduates to develop a specialisation, or for non-lawyers working in related fields to gain a deeper understanding of legal issues.

This LLM pathway is a unique course that allows you to specialise in human rights from a highly practical perspective; the focus on advocacy translates into valuable clinical skills that enable you to put your knowledge of human rights law into practice. You’ll study the core principles of human rights advocacy, rooted in knowledge of the European Convention on Human Rights, developing expertise in an increasingly vital area of law that has implications for individuals throughout the world facing discrimination and persecution.

Alongside the optional modules, you may choose to either write a 15,000 word dissertation or conduct a work-based project that will give you valuable experience of dealing with a specific legal issue in detail.

The course is perfect for lawyers and law graduates looking for career development, although all of our LLM courses can be studied by students without a background in law, since you will be trained in the necessary analytical and legal skills.

The programme also offers an optional placement year, following your first year. Placements will be provided and supported either by us or a partner organisation where you'll gain worthwhile and practical real-world experience in handling issues relating to aspects of social welfare law. This is a unique and exceptional opportunity for you to work in law. International students wanting to do the Placement year must indicate so upon application.

As such, the programme will also provide ideal training for paralegals, journalists, NGO and charity workers, policy advisors, consultants, lawyers, those working in business and finance, or anyone who will benefit from a legal education in their career.

All our LLM courses are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops. We extensively use problem-based learning, class discussion and case studies to ensure our teaching is brought to life, while all our lectures are issued as podcasts to give you greater access to learning resources and allow you to revisit specific classes.

The LLM Transitional Justice, LLM International Law and Legal Practice and LLM Human Rights Advocacy pathways are supported by regular events at the Centre for Human rights in Conflict. These involve presentations from prominent experts in the field of human rights in conflict. This year's speakers included Michael Ignatieff, President and Rector of the Central European University and Former Leader of the Canadian Liberal Party, David Malone, Rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Other recent speakers at UEL have included included Lord Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, and the high-profile human rights lawyer (and UEL law graduate) Imran Khan.

All teaching on the programme takes place in the evening at our newly opened purpose built building at University Square Stratford, which has cutting edge facilities and includes a Mooting Room, Harvard Lecture Theatre and our newly re-launched Law Clinic provided to assist the local community. Students also have access to the new library that opened in 2013 on the Water Lane campus at Stratford.

If you go for the placement option, your degree will take an extra year as you will be placed in a workplace for 10 months. Placement is not available to part-time students. Students wanting to do the Placement year must indicate so upon application.

You’ll study two core taught modules – one in Human Rights Practice and Advocacy, and another in the Law and Practice of the European Convention on Human Rights – before choosing a further two optional topics from our extensive list of LLM modules. Some of the available options are also related to human rights, so you can develop your specialisation further, or opt to diversify your training with subjects from other areas of law.

As well as choosing your optional modules, you can decide to either write a postgraduate dissertation or carry out a work-based project. Both of these options allow you to conduct independent study on a topic of your choice, developing your practical legal skills while honing your knowledge of a specific legal issue.

This project, paired with the advocacy training in your core modules, ensures you graduate with an in-depth knowledge of human rights law backed by strong practical competence in legal practice.

This pathway takes advantage of our long-standing expertise in Human Rights, so you’ll be learning about crucial, contemporary topics in the field from leading experts. The Centre on Human Rights in Conflict – based at UEL – does important work to protect human rights in regions suffering the consequences of war, and many of our academics work for other leading research groups in the field.

The programme also offers an optional placement year, following your first year. Placements will be provided and supported by the London-based NGO, Pro Bono Communities, where you'll gain valuable experience in handling issues relating to aspects of social welfare law. Training and supervision will be provided by Pro Bono Communities and a module leader at UEL will oversee the relationship and assess student performance.

This pathway gives you the necessary legal and practical training to develop specialist knowledge in the growing field of human rights advocacy, with a huge amount of employment opportunities.

Specialists may go on to work for organisations that promote and defend human rights (such as Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch), legal firms that practice in the area, institutions like the UN or European Court of Human Rights, as well as non-legal professions that require expertise in human rights law, including journalism and policy advice.

Due to the practical focus on advocacy in this course, it will be of particular interest to graduates who want to work in litigation, working on behalf of individuals pursuing legal action in human rights courts.
The course also allows you to undertake a work-based project so you can gain practical experience and build professional links, while our renowned Law Clinic enables you to work on real legal cases with local people to enhance your clinical skills while you study.