International Law - LLM
Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.
Our LLM International Law is for students with a degree in any subject who are interested in studying global justice and developing skills needed for a career in areas such as international law, human rights or international development. The LLM International Law provides you with an exciting opportunity to understand and apply the law to issues of global concern....
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Full Time
- Award LLM
- Start date September 2025, January 2026
- Fees View course fees
- Subject
- Location City Centre
This course is:
Open to International Students
Overview
Our LLM International Law is for students with a degree in any subject who are interested in studying global justice and developing skills needed for a career in areas such as international law, human rights or international development.
The LLM International Law provides you with an exciting opportunity to understand and apply the law to issues of global concern. The programme contains many opportunities to both understand the subject in depth and practise the skills required in the field of international law and development. It is an excellent stepping stone for those interested in careers in these fields and who wish to act as global citizens.
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 this course?
The course covers issues of civil and political importance to individuals across the fields of human rights and the law’s response to conflict. You can choose from a range of options to tailor and design your Master’s degree and will have the opportunity to broaden your knowledge through multidisciplinary study in one option from our MA International Relations and Security Studies.
The University’s Employability Framework is embedded throughout the course to help prepare you for your future career and the development of advanced academic and transferable skills is central to the course outcomes The LLM is distinctive in providing you with an intensive preparatory module on transferable skills that also supports your transition to Master’s level study. There is an emphasis on independent study and work-readiness. To support this, you can choose between a placement in a work setting or a dissertation in the third semester. The LLM International Law with Professional Placement offers a more intensive course for those who can commit to its longer duration, where you will undertake the dissertation followed by a longer placement thereafter.
Why Choose Us?
- You will learn from a dedicated and passionate teaching team, who have experience with international human rights institutions and a track record of research.
- 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.
- You can commence studies either in September or in January.
- You will have an opportunity to engage with the work of the Centre for Human Rights.
- You will have an opportunity to enhance your employability skills by completing a placement.
OPEN DAY
Join us for an Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation. Booking isn't open for this event yet, register your interest and we'll let you know when booking goes live.
Next Event: 15 November 2025
Entry Requirements
Essential requirements
Applicants are normally expected to have a minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or equivalent, in any subject.
Applying with international qualifications
See below for further information on applying as an international student.
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: LLM
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 Year
- £10,000 in 2025/26
- Full Time
- 18 Months (Professional Placement)
- £11,000 in 2025/26
Award: LLM
Starting: Jan 2026
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 15 Months
- £10,000 in 2025/26
- Full Time
- 21 Months (Professional Placement)
- £11,000 in 2025/26
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: LLM
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 Year
- £18,600 in 2025/26
- Full Time
- 18 Months (Professional Placement)
- £21,965 in 2025/26
Award: LLM
Starting: Jan 2026
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 15 Months
- £19,970 in 2025/26
- Full Time
- 21 Months (Professional Placement)
-
TBC
Application deadlines
If you are starting your studies in September:
- The application deadline for international students is Monday 4 August 2025, to allow time to arrange CAS and visas where required. International students are invited to arrive from Monday 8 September 2025.
- Applications will remain open until the end of September for UK students, but please note that Welcome Week begins on Monday 15 September 2025, and teaching begins on Monday 22 September 2025.
If you are starting your studies in January:
- We advise you to apply by Friday 5 December to allow sufficient time to prepare for your studies.
To find out more, see our application timeline.
Personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.
Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.
Course in Depth
Modules
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
This module examines the principles and operations of the most important elements of public international law. This is a potentially vast subject (in fact the subject of entire LLM programmes in its own right) so the module content will focus on the fundamental principles which underpin the legal relations between states. In particular the law of Treaties and the law of the United Nations will form the principal bases of study.
International Human Rights Law 20 credits
Advanced Skills 20 credits
The aim of this module is to provide a framework for you to undertake a substantial piece of disciplinary-relevant research the output of which may be either an integrated project or dissertation. This is founded upon Birmingham City University’s teaching and learning philosophy which integrates theory into practice.
OR
The aim of this module is to provide a framework for you to undertake a placement to develop your employability skills, commercial awareness and prepare you for the world of work. This module allows you to develop practical skills by undertaking a placement or internship and to begin your journey towards becoming a reflective practitioner in a relevant field.
Please note: this module is not available on LLM International Law with Professional Placement.
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 60 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules:
The importance of international criminal law has grown considerably in recent years. Similarly to domestic criminal law, international criminal law aims to prohibit and penalise certain actions when committed by individuals. Unlike domestic criminal law however, the crimes that concern international community are particularly serious: prohibitions such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression involve conduct that is capable of affecting large numbers of the world's population.
Development and International Cooperation Law 20 credits
International Environmental Law 20 credits
International Humanitarian Law 20 credits
This module will provide you with a thorough grounding in key concepts and issues in international refugee law. It will also explore what it means to be displaced or on the move in a border-restricted world by engaging with critical legal studies perspectives.
What is the relationship between international law and global conflict resolution? The core module Regulating Conflict and Facilitating Peace: The Role of International Law in Global Politics aims to answer this question by providing you with a critical understanding of the theory and practice of international law as a mechanism for the securitization of global conflict.
All core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
Professional Placement
In order to qualify for the award of LLM International Law with Professional Placement, a student must successfully complete all of the Level 7 modules listed above as well as the following Level 6 module:
This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to undertake 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 skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.
Download course specification
Download nowThroughout the course, the team will help you learn how to act autonomously with your individual studies and career plans, as well as in collaboration with staff and other students.
You will take part in simulation activities which replicate situations faced by practitioners of international law, for example, diplomatic negotiations and/or arguing in writing and verbally for innovations and changes to government policy.
The course aims to provide assessments where you can demonstrate your communication skills addressing complex problems in international law, whether in writing or verbally. At various points in the course, beginning in the core Advanced Skills module, you will learn how to reflect on your practice and position in a global world.
Employability
You will have the opportunity to undertake a placement 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 Law Clinic that provides legal advice to the public.
Facilities & Staff
Our Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and have spent £500 million on learning facilities.
The Curzon Building
This course is based at the City Centre Campus – and specifically The Curzon Building, alongside other Law, Business and Social Sciences 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 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
- Accessible IT facilities with full Office365 for all students for free
- Shared facilities with the wider campus including the Parkside Building and Millennium Point
Our staff
Dr Piers Von Berg
Senior Lecturer
Dr von Berg is a specialist in youth justice, and citizenship and human rights education. His research looks at how young people exercise their rights in the criminal justice system and how they learn to be citizens at university
More about PiersDr Alice Storey
Associate Professor of Human Rights
Dr Alice Storey is an Associate Professor of Human Rights in the Law department and Associate Director of the Centre for Human Rights. She leads the United Nations: Law and Practice undergraduate LLB module. Alice is also BCU Site Director for the Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership (AHRC).
More about AliceDr Amna Nazir
Associate Professor in International Human Rights Law; Associate Director Centre for Human Rights
Dr Amna Nazir is an Associate Professor of International Human Rights Law and a globally recognised scholar in international law and Islamic theology. A Senior Fellow of Advance HE, she is a leading voice in the integration of human rights theory, practice, and pedagogy. She convenes the postgraduate LLM module in International Human Rights Law and...
More about AmnaProfessor Jon Yorke
Professor of Human Rights and Director of the Centre for Human Rights
Jon Yorke is the Professor of Human Rights and the Director of the Centre for Human Rights (CHR). His qualifications include LL.B. (Hons) (BCU), LL.M. and Ph.D. (Warwick).
More about JonSuresh Birdi
Senior Lecturer in Law
Suresh Birdi is a Senior Lecturer in law at Birmingham City University and is the director of the LLM International Business Law course. Suresh’s qualifications include an LLB from the University of Wolverhampton where he received an award for the most outstanding student in the European Union law module, gaining recognition for the work he did in...
More about Suresh