- Level: Postgraduate Taught
- Starting: September 2021, January 2022
- Study mode: Full Time
- Location: City Centre
Studying with us in 2021/22
It is possible that the 2021/22 academic year may be affected by the ongoing disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Any arrangements put in place by the University for the 2021/22 academic year will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, pandemic-related/health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.
Our LLM in International Human Rights will expose you to the fundamental aspects of the field and provide you with the opportunity to critically examine the impact of the international human rights standards on national constitutions and laws, with particular focus given to the conflict between international standards and national provision.
The LLM International Human Rights also provides you with an opportunity to assess how international human rights law offers protection to different categories of vulnerable groups.
Additionally, our LLM provides an opportunity to acquire, or build upon existing skills gained from your undergraduate course - enhancing employment opportunities in the legal profession and providing a basis for progression to doctoral studies.
Professional Placement option
For our International Law LLM degrees, you will have the opportunity to take the Professional Placement version of the course, which is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.
This will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability and transferable skills. The placement experience will allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.
You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement. The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study, with support from our Careers+ team as well as advice and guidance from your School.
Please note that placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course.
For full details, please click here.
What's covered in the course?
You will analyse and critically evaluate principle features of international human rights law, including fundamental concepts, values, principles and rules, and the main institutions and procedures. You will also learn to evaluate complex legal issues, communicate complex and abstract ideas, and employ strategic transferable skills.
Why Choose Us?
- You will earn from a dedicated and passionate teaching team, who have experience with the international human rights institutions
- You don’t need a degree in Law to be eligible to study this course.
- The course covers transnational jurisdictions, so it is international in scope.
- Our Law Clinic can give you opportunities to volunteer with local charitable legal advice providers and to work alongside legal professionals undertaking pro-bono work, allowing you to make a genuine difference to the lives of Birmingham residents.
- Studying of the LLM International Human Rights will provide you with an opportunity to engage with the work of the Law School’s Centre for Human Right
- You will have an opportunity to enhance your employability skills by completing an internship
- Birmingham City University has just launched the UK's first Centre for Brexit Studies, researching all aspects of the UK's vote to leave the EU, including the impact it has on domestic law and legislation.
- You will be able to benefit from the newly-introduced postgraduate loans. For more information, visit UCAS.
Find out more
Open Days
Our Open Day for this course will take place in Spring 2021. Register now and we will contact you when the booking form goes live.
Register your interest
This course is open to International students
Why Take a Postgraduate Placement?
We explore how you can get a head start on your career with a postgraduate placement.
Entry Requirements
Essential Requirements
| Typical Offers (UK Students) | ||
|---|---|---|
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Minimum 2:2 class UK degree or international equivalent in any subject area. |
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Additional information for EU/International students
| Essential | ||
|---|---|---|
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Applications from international applicants with equivalent qualifications are welcome. Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In additional to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require the qualifications detailed in this table. |
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| English language requirements 2020/21 | ||
| IELTS |
6.5 overall with 6.0 minimum in all bands If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information. |
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| Other accepted qualifications | Visit our English language page | |
International Students
Don't meet our entry requirements? You could apply for courses at our International College.
- UK students
- International students
Award: LLM
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £7,700 per year
- Full Time
- 18 Months (Professional Placement)
- £8,500 per year
Award: LLM
Starting: Jan 2022
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 15 Months
- £7,700 per year
- Full Time
- 18 Months (Professional Placement)
- £8,500 per year
Award: LLM
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £13,200 per year
- Full Time
- 18 Months (Professional Placement)
- £14,600 per year
Award: LLM
Starting: Jan 2022
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 15 Months
- £13,200 per year
- Full Time
- 18 Months (Professional Placement)
- £14,600 per year
If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead. The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
Personal statement
Students are required to submit a personal statement as part of their application for this course.
Your postgraduate personal statement is going to shine a light on your personal experience, academic success, personal skills and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:
Your passion and motivations
Studying a postgraduate course usually means you want to specialise in something. So what’s driving you?
Why this course?
Show that you’ve researched the course offering. What is it about this particular course that appeals to you? Is it the lecturers? The modules? Etc.
What makes you a good postgraduate candidate?
Tutors want to know that you can handle postgraduate study, so show them how your undergraduate experiences or work life has equipped you for a more advanced level of study. Key areas to address are research and group work but this can vary depending on your chosen course.
Relevant academic or work experience
Add anything relevant that relates back to your chosen course and shows how your skills will contribute towards your learning. What extra-curricular activities have you taken part in? What awards have you won? What employment or voluntary experience do you have that has helped you develop transferable skills? How do these specifically relate to the course you are applying for?
You should also mention your future plans and how a postgraduate qualification fits in. Try to look beyond your postgraduate study – do you plan to jump straight into a specific career or follow your studies with a research degree? Lastly, use plain, professional English and, where possible, utilise the language of your chosen industry.
Get more information on writing personal statements.
Additional costs
While there are no additional costs associated with purchasing text books, there may be other costs to you. If you are joining the course which has a professional body accreditation you may be required to pay membership or examination costs. For details of these costs, please click on the link below.
Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £50 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials. All our students are provided with 100 free pages of printing each year to a maximum total value of £15.
Find additional costs for your course
Accommodation and living costs
The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.
Financial Support
We offer further information on possible postgraduate financial support. This includes the type of loans, grants and scholarships available both from the government and from Birmingham City University.
Did you know that you will soon be able to apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £1,222 for some courses and options?
Modules
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 140 credits):
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 40 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules:
Our LLM is taught by an outstanding team of professionals. You must complete six taught modules and either a dissertation, project or placement.
Our approach is experiential and practice-led and will give you opportunities to apply your learning and to develop skills to enhance your employability and career.
This course will support you in becoming an independent learner during the teaching, learning and assessment process. During induction we will support you in developing key study skills. Throughout the course you will have the chance to complete activities which will enable you to practice legal skills including legal research, problem-solving, advocacy and drafting in order to develop and practice.
These activities also enable you to practice transferable skills including structuring and presenting arguments, working independently or in teams to complete tasks, oral and written communication, and time management. These skills will be valuable whatever your final choice of future career.
During the September and January terms you will study three 20-credit modules, thereafter you will study one 60-credit module: the LLM dissertation/placement/project module. The 20-credit Advanced Legal Research Methods module (studied in the January term) is delivered online via the Virtual Learning Environment, providing maximum flexibility.
Student stories
Jayantha Ramasubramanyam
I have always been interested in the subject of International Human Rights. However, it was very spur of the moment in terms of me finding out about this course and coming to study at Birmingham City University. My mother happened to see an advert in a newspaper announcing that a representative from Birmingham City University would be present at a British Council Fair in my hometown of Chennai, India.
International Opportunities
There is the opportunity to undertake a placement abroad as an alternative to a dissertation.
Further Study
The LLM enables students to progress onto doctoral studies. A number of LLM studies have successfully obtained funding from the Midland 3Cities Doctoral Training Programme.
Campus Tours - Postgraduate
Didn't make it to an Open Day? You still have the opportunity to come and see what our postgraduate courses have to offer. If you would like to enquire about campus tour availability, just drop us an email.
Employment Opportunities
You will have the opportunity to undertake a placement or complete a project as an alternative to a dissertation.
In addition we have active, student-led Legal, Mooting and Debate Societies. Our Student Mooting Society is one of the most successful in England, with our students reaching five finals in the past six years, regularly beating teams from some of the country’s most prestigious universities.
We also have a staff and student led Pro-Bono Unit that provides legal advice to the public.
Placements
There is the opportunity to undertake a placement abroad as an alternative to a dissertation. The School of Law’s Centre for American Legal Studies operates the UK’s largest student internship programme to the USA. In order to be applicable, you need to apply for the internship programme.
The programme was established in 1994 and to date we have placed over 500 students in Federal and State Public Defender offices, private attorney offices, American University Law Schools, law projects and organisations across the USA, from New York City to West Texas and San Francisco.
OpportUNIty
OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.
It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.
The School of Law at Birmingham City University is home to students from a wide number of countries studying on traditional degree programmes and short-term international courses both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
A legal education at Birmingham City University is widely recognised and many of our international students return to their home country to either pursue legal practice or requisite professional qualifications in their jurisdiction.
As a law student you will not only develop and refine knowledge in discrete areas of English and international law but also develop key transferable skills designed to enhance your employability profile. Many international students have travelled thousands of miles to study at Birmingham City University and the School offers you an engaging and diverse study experience based in the city of Birmingham which is the second largest city in the UK.
Due to our proximity close to the legal and business district of the city we enjoy strong links with Birmingham Law Society and law firms around the West Midlands. The benefit of these links is passed directly onto you so that you can enhance your network of contacts whilst seeking relevant legal practice experience to enhance your employability profile.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here
- Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies
- Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country
- Learn where to find financial support for your studies
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
£1500 Scholarship
Start in January and receive a £1500 scholarship on eligible courses.
Find out moreBirmingham City University International College (BCUIC)
International students who have a serious interest in studying with us but who perhaps cannot meet the direct entry requirements, academic or English, or who have been out of education for some time, can enter Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC) and begin their degree studies.
BCUIC is part of the global Navitas Group, an internationally recognised education provider, and the partnership allows students to access the University’s facilities and services and move seamlessly through to achieving a Bachelor’s degree from Birmingham City University.
Popular home countries
Our students come from around the world but our international human rights course is most popular with international students from:
Our Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £260 million on new learning facilities.
The Curzon Building
This course is based at the City Centre Campus – and specifically The Curzon Building, alongside other Law, Business, Social Sciences and English courses
The £63m building offers students a unique social learning space, including a dedicated student hub incorporating student support services, in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside development.
The facilities at the Curzon building include two bespoke Law Courtrooms, replicating a Crown court and a Magistrates court. These rooms will play a key part in your learning experience, allowing you to try your hand in mock court cases, whilst also being the venue for our Mooting and Debating Societies.
On top of this, the Curzon building houses an extensive Law library, with books covering every aspect of Law history.
The Curzon Building also features:
- An impressive new library with access to over 65 million full text items and stunning views of Eastside City Park
- Your Students’ Union which is located in a beautifully restored 19th century pub, The Eagle and Ball
- A modern 300-seat food court with space to study and socialise
- Brand new, accessible IT facilities with full Office365 for all students for free
- Shared facilities with the wider campus including the Parkside Building and Millennium Point
Dr Alice Storey
Course Director for LLM International Human Rights / LLM International Law
Dr Alice Storey is a Lecturer in the School of Law and Associate Director of the Centre for Human Rights. She leads the American Criminal Procedure & Evidence and America & International Legal Issues modules.
Dr Amna Nazir
Course Director for LLM International Human Rights / LLM International Law
Dr Amna Nazir is an interdisciplinary academic with research expertise in Islamic law and international human rights. She is the Associate Director of the School of Law’s Centre for Human Rights and holds an Editorship at Harvard Law School’s renowned Program in Islamic Law.
Professor Jon Yorke
Professor of Human Rights and Director of the Centre for Human Rights
Jon Yorke is the Professor of Human Rights in the School of Law and is the Director of the Centre for Human Rights. His qualifications include LL.B. (Hons) (BCU), LL.M. and Ph.D. (Warwick). He currently teaches LL.B. International Human Rights and LL.M. Human Rights in the Wider World.
Chipo Mwale
Senior Lecturer, Course Director of the LLM International Human Rights and International Law
Chipo Mwale is Programme Director for LLM International Human Rights and also a Senior Lecturer in the School of Law. She currently teaches the following courses: LL.B.; LL.M. Corporate and Business Law; LLM International Human Rights; BA Joint Honours Programme (Business Law Pathway).
Safina Din
Senior Lecturer and Link Tutor for HND Legal Studies
Safina Din is a Senior Lecturer in Law who teaches Skills, Criminal Law, Human Rights Law and Asylum and Immigration on the LLB programme. She also teaches Legal Processes with Criminal Law on the BA Criminal Investigations Programme and Refugees and the Law on the LLM IHR programme.
Dr Olia Arustamyan
Lecturer
Dr Olia Arustamyan is a Lecturer in Law. Her main research interests are in philosophy of law and moral philosophy more generally. Olia lectures in criminal law and criminal evidence at undergraduate level, and human rights law in the LLM.