LLM Public International Law

You’ll develop transferable skills such as critically evaluating, problem-solving, and working collaboratively to apply your knowledge of Public International Law in today’s continuously expanding globalised world.

Delivery:
Full time according to Funding Council definitions, Part-Time

Apply now:
Apply now
Visit us:
Visit us
Call us:
Contact us
Request a prospectus:
Request a prospectus

Why study LLM Public International Law at BU?

Learn about the nature and theories of international law, including organisations as well as specialist option units to tailor your interests
Enhance your career prospects in the legal profession, for government agencies, NGO’s, professional services, or in academia
Examine litigation efforts before numerous international courts and tribunals to enhance your understanding of the application and interpretation of international legal provisions
Benefit from a unique blend of delivery including guest lectures, electronic learning, lectures, and seminars
Learn from qualified professional practitioners and senior academic staff.

Find out more about the content of this course.

Next start date:

January 2023, September 2023, January 2024

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus and Lansdowne Campus

Duration:

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time (September start); 16 months full-time or 27 months part-time (January start)

Entry requirements:

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in any subject

International entry requirements:

If English is not your first language you'll need IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component of writing, speaking, listening and reading. For more information check out our full entry requirements.

Course details

On this course you will be taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This will include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners, demonstrators, technicians and research students. You will also benefit from regular guest lectures from industry.

How you will be assessed

You will be assessed by coursework culminating in your final year research project, and you will also undertake group work and written exams. The assessment methods for each unit can be found in the programme specification for your course.

Download the programme specification (pdf 579kb)

Core units

Principles of International Law & International Organisations: this unit will provide you with a sound grounding in the principles underpinning international law. You’ll be encouraged to understand theory of international law, structures of international legal obligations and the subjects of this international legal order. Secondly, you’ll examine international organisations and their role, purpose and relationship with states. You’ll familiarise yourself with institutions, their origins and structures as well as challenges faced within the globalised world.
International Criminal Law & Justice: You’ll be encouraged to review the law in light of developments at international criminal justice institutions, most notably the International Criminal Court, but also within the wider framework of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. You will gain an awareness and knowledge of international criminal law and procedures whilst being mindful of the demands of Realpolitikin the quest for justice.
International Human Rights Law: This unit will provide you with an understanding of the substantive content of international human rights law and a critical appreciation of the relationship between international and regional human rights law. To enable you to evaluate the effectiveness of international law in regulating conduct in terms of human rights compliance and how this compliance is enforced.
Dissertation: The dissertation provides an opportunity to conduct research on an area of law associated with the knowledge and skills gained during the course. You’ll develop further skills in critical thinking, evaluate new and existing relevant research and enhance your conceptual understanding of law.

Option units

Choose three of the following option units:

Corporate Law: Theory & Practice: This unit will expose you to the theoretical basis of corporate law. You’ll examine key issues in contemporary corporate law and learn to evaluate corporate law issues from key theoretical and practical perspectives.
Regulation & Policy of International Commerce: You’ll be introduced to key concepts of English commercial law forms and discuss several developments of the regulatory frameworks that control commercial practices.
International Cyber Law & Governance: This unit will provide you with a thorough grounding and critical appreciation of online policy, regulatory scope for online activities and strategic impact on business decisions.
International & Comparative Intellectual Property Law: Gain an understanding of the international framework of IP law and national IP law in major jurisdictions has become indispensable for professionals working in the context of modern economy. This unit will provide you with a thorough grounding and critical appreciation of both international and national IP law.
Regulating Informational Interests: The unit provides knowledge and understanding of the wider legal context associated with the creation, collation, processing, communication and storage of information. It specifically addresses the disruptive impact of modern technologies on existing legal and regulatory categories and frameworks and will enable you to identify current and future areas of disruption, and to critically evaluate the use, success and appropriateness of law and regulation as a response mechanism to the management of ‘Informational Interests’.
International Law of the Environment: This unit will examine the particular sectors of environmental policy that are the subject of international legal regulation and obligations. This will involve an appraisal of how international legal regulation has developed in these areas, taking into account various challenges, legal and political, that have been influential in shaping their respective evolution. It will also focus on selected legal topics concerning the implementation of international environmental law. In particular, it will consider various relatively recent developments in international environmental law that have served to broaden participation beyond the level of the nation state as regards the monitoring and enforcement of international environmental protection obligations.
Public Diplomacy & International Relations: The unit embeds the practice of diplomacy in the multi-polar international relations settings and will give you an opportunity to explore different contexts, dimensions and actors involved in both state-centred and non-state actors’ acts of diplomacy. You will explore: the historical development of the field and the international system and their links with diplomacy practice; how international relations theory can help us to understand international politics and the various positions and perspectives on current global issues; dynamics of exercising power in international relations; security policy and practice, including humanitarian and post-conflict interventions; theoretical approaches and transnational political economy perspectives on world politics.

*Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Programme specification

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry. If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

Your application

This course will be suited to applicants who:

Have a legal background or demonstrate true passion for law
Are enthusiastic about issues surrounding international commerce and international legal provisions
Can evaluate legal situations, develop arguments and contribute to group discussions and debates
Are prepared to work hard to meet strict deadlines and rise to the challenge of postgraduate study.

What we’re looking for

We encourage applications from individuals with excellent research, analytical skills and enthusiasm for debates. We are looking for self-managed learners who are happy to work hard to meet the demands of this rewarding course.

Furthermore, we seek individuals with a keen interest in developing new skills and who will draw upon their existing experiences to enhance their legal expertise and careers prospects.

Selection methods

How and when to apply

There is no application deadline for this course. However, if you will need a visa to come to the UK to study, think carefully about the length of time it will take for your visa application to be processed and make sure your visa will be ready in time for the beginning of your course.

December and January is one of our busiest application periods and therefore it may take us a little longer to process incoming applications. For courses with a January start date, we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Click the green ‘Apply now’ button to submit your application free of charge online through myHub, our application portal. You will create your own myHub account so that you can track the progress of your application. Don’t forget to save your application as you go; you can return to it at as many times as you want before you submit it. For more information visit our How to apply section.

Entry requirements

General entry requirements

The normal requirements for embarking upon a postgraduate taught degree are:

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in any subject.
For post-experience and professional qualifications, there may be additional entry requirements set by the association or institute that ultimately administers the qualification in question. The qualification description on the course information pages should tell you what these are but please get in touch with the Future Students Enquiry team if you are in doubt.

If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow. Some of these are based on experience. Contact the Future Students Enquiry team for more information.

International entry requirements

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry:

India: Bachelor’s degree (4 years) from a recognised HE institution with a minimum overall result of 55%
Nigeria: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution with a minimum classification of 2:2
Thailand: Thai Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 2.5/4.0
Turkey: Bachelor’s degree (Lisans Diplomasi - four years) with a minimum overall GPA of 2.3/4.0
Vietnam: Bachelor's degree/Bang tot nghiep dai hoc with an average score of 6.5/10, or a Master’s degree/Thac si.

All applications will be subject to a minimum grade and your degree may need to be in a relevant subject area.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in writing, speaking, listening and reading or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level.

Careers

Your career prospects will be enhanced and future career paths include working in the legal profession, for government agencies, in banking and finance, in accounting and professional services, or in academia.

Our alumni’s employers include the likes of Axis Associates International Co. Ltd, the Court of Justice, Spoor & Fisher and UPTX.

All information shown has been taken from Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) or BU institutional data unless otherwise stated.

Potential job roles

Industries worked in

Further study

Costs and fees

You can find full information about the deposits required and how to pay your fees in our postgraduate fees and funding section, including details of the Postgraduate Loan (subject to fee status).

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per year. Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course.

Find out more about living expenses for postgraduate students

No hidden extras

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity.
Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study.
A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service.
The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces.
Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow.
Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances.
The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
Text books, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses
Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website.
Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you ar eliving in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.
Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas). Information about funding your placement year can be found on our website.
Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study.
SportBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

Repeat units

Financial help available from BU

Deposits

International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable £3,000 deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment/ There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit.

You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

Our staff

On this course you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course. Please note that staff can change.

Dr Alison Cronin - Programme Leader

Alison's main research interests are in corporate crime and history and law. She has written two books on corporate criminality, Corporate Criminality and Liability for Fraud (Routledge 2018), and Regulating Bad Business Practice: Mapping a Framework for Legal Intervention (Edward Elgar), co-authored with Prof Christopher Harding, Aberystwyth and is an active member of the Criminal Law Reform Now Network. Alison is currently supervising a PhD student researching parent and group corporate liability and is the Programme Leader for the LLM. She leads Criminal Law and Trusts Law units at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and teaches Corporate Crime on the Level 6 Criminal Justice unit.

View Dr Alison Cronin's staff profile

Professor Melanie Klinkner - Professor of International Law

Dr Melanie Klinkner is an international law scholar and author of the Bournemouth Protocol on Mass Grave Protection and Investigation. She led an Arts and Humanities Research Council Research Leaders Fellowship for the creation of mass grave protection guidelines with the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) as project partner. In addition, she is the Principal Investigator on a Global Challenges Research Fund project on how to humanise the process of mass grave protection and investigation from the representative perspective of victims’ families.

Together with Dr Howard Davis, she is the author of the monograph ‘The Right to the Truth in International Law’ (published by Routledge, 2020). During Trinity Term 2018 she was a Research Visitor at Oxford University's Bonavero Institute of Human Rights. Since February 2021 she is a member of the 'Panel of Experts on Missing Persons' for the ICMP. At Bournemouth University she teaches public international law, international criminal law and international human rights law.

View Professor Melanie Klinkner's staff profile

Jonathan Whittle - Lecturer in Law

Course changes

Changes in 2022

Date	Changes to this course
23/06/2022	Where the change was made: Course details Change: Option unit title updated to Public Diplomacy & International Relations Previous text: Diplomacy & International Relations
24/01/2022	Where the change was made: Hero Text Change: Blurb amended to "You’ll develop transferable skills such as critically evaluating, problem-solving, and working collaboratively to apply your knowledge of Public International Law in today’s continuously expanding globalised world." Previous text: Public international law has increased in use and relevance over the twentieth century, due to a globalised world with an upsurge in global trade, environmental concerns, human rights violations, armed conflicts, and a growth in global communications.
24/01/2022	Where the change was made: Why study box Change: Additional bullet point: Examine litigation efforts before numerous international courts and tribunals to enhance your understanding of the application and interpretation of international legal provisions.

Date

Changes to this course

23/06/2022

Where the change was made: Course details
Change: Option unit title updated to Public Diplomacy & International Relations
Previous text: Diplomacy & International Relations

24/01/2022

Where the change was made: Hero Text
Change: Blurb amended to "You’ll develop transferable skills such as critically evaluating, problem-solving, and working collaboratively to apply your knowledge of Public International Law in today’s continuously expanding globalised world."
Previous text: Public international law has increased in use and relevance over the twentieth century, due to a globalised world with an upsurge in global trade, environmental concerns, human rights violations, armed conflicts, and a growth in global communications.