The protection of human rights at the international and national levels is a fast-moving branch of law. There has been a huge growth in the number and variety of human rights standards set out in international treaties, in national constitutions and in so-called 'soft-law' documents. These standards are not always fully implemented and the mechanisms for trying to get them implemented are sometimes defective. The LLM in International Human Rights Law provides students with an opportunity to gain an in-depth appreciation of global human rights standards and the interrelationship between international standards and national practice. The programme offers a range of optional modules for students to tailor their interests to. Given the history of Northern Ireland, there is a particular focus on ways in which human rights operate in conflict and the role they play in post-conflict societies.
International Human Rights Law highlights
Student Experience
Human rights research and teaching has been carried out at Queen's since 1990. In addition to teaching, there is also a thriving Human Rights Centre at Queen's. The Centre has strong links with civil society organisations, statutory human rights bodies and international human rights institutions and networks. It organises a guest speaker series and a number of conferences annually.
It participates in the Association of Human Rights Institutes and has extensive links with universities worldwide.
The School co-ordinates field visits to institutions dedicated to human rights issues in Belfast from time to time, e.g. the NI Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
At Queen’s you will be part of a thriving postgraduate culture built on teaching excellence, leading-edge research, innovation, collaboration and engagement. These components are woven together in our Graduate School. It is here you will develop new skills and increased personal effectiveness that will enable you to stand out in the crowded and increasingly competitive global job market.
Life at Queen’s is not just about the degree. We offer our students the opportunity to really enrich their studies. Whether you're into student societies, sports, music, dance, or just a coffee with your friends, Queen’s has exceptional facilities to cater for all interests.
Career Development
We are dedicated to student employability and have strong industry links. Law was ranked Top 10 in the UK for graduate prospects (Complete University Guide 2024). We provide students with opportunities to practice their skills in projects ran through our collaboration with the Global Legal Action Network and out of the QUB Human Rights Centre. The Human Rights Centre at Queen’s also has strong links with local NGOs and other human rights institutions. Graduates have found jobs in the UN, the EU and the Council of Europe, as well as statutory bodies and a wide range of international and national NGOs. Others have found the LLM to constitute an extremely valuable addition to their work as legal professionals. Furthermore, this Master’s provides an excellent base for further study towards a research degree such as a PhD, which in turn may lead on to an academic career.
World Class Facilities
Our facilities at Queen’s include a state-of-the-art Law building with superb teaching facilities, a moot court and study spaces. Queen’s has one of the most modern campuses in the UK, including the award winning McClay Library, one of the finest libraries in the world and home to 1.2 million volumes and over 2,000 reader places.
Our Physical Education Centre was used as a training camp for the 2012 Olympics. Our Queen’s Elms Student Village and city centre student accommodation (built in 2018) are located within easy walking distance of the University.
Internationally Renowned Experts
Law at Queen's is taught by world-leading experts in the area of human rights. Our staff have close research links with the professions, government and civil society. The School of Law at Queen’s is a member of the prestigious Law Schools Global League (LSGL). This is made up of 33 Law Schools worldwide whose members share a commitment to foster the globalisation of law as well as the integration of global law into their research and teaching. Law at Queen's is in the top 150 Law Schools worldwide and we are ranked 18th in the world for international outlook. Research in Law was ranked 8th in the UK in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (2021).
Student Testimonials
"The choice of modules was wide and the subjects were expertly taught, with great emphasis on debate, creative thinking and tackling controversial and topical matters." Anurag Deb
Students may enrol on a full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years) basis. Students must complete five core modules (80 CATS points), two optional modules (40 CATS points) and a research dissertation (60 CATS points).
The Masters is awarded to students who successfully complete all taught modules (120 CATS points) and a research dissertation (60 CATS points).
Compulsory Modules
Human Rights in Practice
International Human Rights Law
Transitional Justice
Dissertation (Maximum 15,000 words)
(Students who secure a summer work placement of at least 8 weeks can complete a Dissertation in Practice Module including 12,000 word dissertation and 3,000 word reflective journal of the learning experience).
Course Details
The programme is delivered through a series of taught modules and culminates in the submission of a dissertation on an original topic.
Methodology Mini-Modules
Approaches to Legal Research
Theories of Human Rights
Optional Modules
Business and Human Rights
Comparative Human Rights
Advanced Issues in Medical Law and Ethics
Corporate Environmental Law
Restorative Justice
Critical Approaches International Economic Law
Ethics, Law and Responsibility
Regulating Reality : The Law of Misinformation
Climate, Justice and Human Rights
Please note this is not an exclusive list of the optional modules available. Optional modules are reviewed each year and subject to staff availability and student numbers
8 (hours maximum) In addition to 6-8 hrs of teaching per week, students should set aside 10-12 hours per module for reading and preparation to engage meaningfully in classroom discussions, group work and other forms of active engagement.
Learning and Teaching
Learning opportunities associated with this course are outlined below :
Learning Opportunities:
The Law School at Queen's has approximately 1,000 undergraduate students, 200 postgraduates, 70 PhD students and over 60 members of academic staff. You will be taught by scholars from all over the world, many of whom have international reputations in their fields and all are committed teachers and researchers. Students will also have access to an excellent law section in the library and extensive IT facilities.
The School operates a proactive system of student support. Programme Co-ordinators are allocated to each degree programme tasked to guide and support you throughout your time with us, together with the School's experienced and helpful administrative staff. We place considerable emphasis on facilitating good communication between staff and students. To this end, a Student Voice Committee, comprised of elected student representatives, the Director of Graduate Studies and other members of academic staff, meet at regular intervals throughout the academic year. This Committee provides students with a forum in which to raise matters of concern to them and also enables the School to keep students informed about matters affecting the School and wider university.
At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable students to achieve their full academic potential.
We do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enables our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, life-long learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:
E-Learning technologies
Information associated with lectures and assignments is communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the programme through, for example: interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space; podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities; opportunities to use IT programmes associated with design in project- based work, etc.
Seminars
Seminars provide information about topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Seminars also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments.
Self-directed study
This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s Law student when important private reading and research, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.
Assessment
Assessments associated with the course are outlined below:
Assessed Coursework
Dissertation
What our academics say
The LLM in International Human Rights Law provides students with stimulating insights into how fundamental principles concerning rights and justice are applied (or not) in the world today. Adopting an international and comparative approach, the programme focuses on contemporary issues and considers questions about the effectiveness and impact of human rights standards and institutions, locally and globally.
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
What motivates legal research? In addition to the principles and methods that guide the design and implementation of a specific research project, we also ought to have some sense of the broader ‘research programme’ or ‘theoretical framework’ that animates our work. Students will be introduced to several important theoretical frameworks and research programmes from which they might draw some helpful inspiration.
Legal scholarship is no longer limited to the analysis of legal doctrine. Many legal scholars engage in empirically-oriented research that investigates how law interacts with other social phenomena. Legal scholars hope to illuminate the causal connections between law and other aspects of the social world. Legal research of this kind is rewarding but it also comes with special methodological challenges. This module will introduce students to some fundamental principles of research design and methodology, covering both ‘qualitative’ and ‘quantitative’ social science methods.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module, students should be able to
• critically evaluate the merits and weaknesses of various theoretical frameworks and approaches to legal scholarship
• critically evaluate empirical academic research in terms of its methodology
Skills
• reading and synthesizing academic work
• academic writing
• social science methodology
• designing an empirical research plan
How do you address mass atrocities when there are thousands or even millions of victims and perpetrators? How do you begin to deal with the crimes committed by different states and actors in Syria or even on a smaller scale in Northern Ireland? Since the Second World War international criminal justice has emerged as a body of law to hold individuals responsible for mass atrocities. This module aims to introduce students to the key questions on the relationships between international law, justice and the transition from conflict in the 21st century through an exploration of law, criminological and social theory and case studies. The module adopts a broad interdisciplinary approach to mapping these connected issues and draws on a range of source and geo-political contexts (Latin America and Africa). It touches on contemporary controversies with international justice and domestic political conflicts, such as the intervention of the ICC in Palestine, criminal responsibility child soldiers, and reparations by multinational corporations.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the topics covered in the module, including the concepts of transitional justice and conflict transformation and the relationship amongst criminology, conflict and transition;
- Critically reflect on the relevance of discourses on transitional justice in other jurisdictions to the ongoing transitional process in Northern Ireland;
- Critically assess laws, policies, practices and conduct in the areas covered and apply them to topical problems;
- Interpret relevant concepts and understand theoretical frameworks relevant to the study of the topics;
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills of critical analysis and engage in relevant debate;
- Conduct thorough research on criminal justice and criminology topics and present findings orally and in writing.
Skills
• Oral and written communication skills, as appropriate to LLM-level scholarship
• An advanced knowledge of and ability to understand and critically evaluate key theories, concepts, principles, rules and values in criminal justice, building on previous work within the programme
• An advanced awareness, critical understanding of and engagement with legal and policy debates, specifically in the area of criminal justice, and an ability to tie those debates to debates encountered in previous modules.
• An advanced capacity to synthesise relevant primary and secondary literatures in criminal justice and to use those literatures to formulate new arguments
• An advanced ability to engage in self-managed, self-directed and intellectually independent research, to reflect on one’s own learning, to solve problems, make decisions, to develop work both as an individual and in collaboration with others as appropriate and to offer evidenced conclusions addressing complex actual or hypothetical problems.
• An advanced ability to recognise and rank issues in terms of their relevance and importance.
• An advanced awareness of legal and regulatory regimes and of their impact with regard to criminal justice, building on previous work within the programme
• An ability to use information technologies for communication, data retrieval and analysis as appropriate to the module
• Engagement with one’s own personal and professional development and academic integrity
This module is designed to allow students to engage in independent research and to develop independent study, analysis and methodological skills.
Learning Outcomes
1. A detailed knowledge and understanding of a chosen subset of the programme themes
2. Capacity to build a detailed and sustained argument around a research question or questions
3. Advanced knowledge of available research methodologies in the study of law and of the social sciences.
4. Understanding of the skills required in order to carry out research in law and the social sciences.
5. Detailed knowledge and understanding of core issues regarding the current challenges for human rights.
Skills
• Advanced written skills
• Ability to learn independently
• Ability to use information and communication technologies.
• Ability to think creatively and holistically and to make critical judgements
This module will examine the development, scope and effectiveness of international human rights law, focusing on the state of the law today. It will pay particular attention to the UN’s systems for protecting human rights but will touch to some extent on regional systems and on the rights of different vulnerable groups, such as national minorities or persons with disabilities. It will look as well at how international human rights law relates to public international law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law.
The current trends within international human rights law will be explored, as will the challenges facing the law now and in the foreseeable future.
- The rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the nine core UN human rights treaties and a selection of the soft law documents endorsed by the UN.
- The ways in which rights are enforceable within the UN system, particularly through the work of the treaty-monitoring bodies.
- The international systems in place for protecting vulnerable groups, such as members of national minorities.
- The apparent trends within the normative, evaluative and adjudicative activities of the UN’s human rights institutions.
- The ways in which international human rights law might develop in the near future.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module students should be able to:
- display awareness of the variety of legal and regulatory regimes relating to human rights;
- understand the norms in place within the United Nations and international human rights law more generally for the protection of human rights;
- evaluate the institutional mechanisms in place at the global, regional and national levels to enforce human rights norms;
- assess how implementation of human rights norms at all levels could be enhanced
Skills
By the end of this module students should be able to:
- communicate orally and in writing, as appropriate to Masters-level scholarship;
- recognise and rank issues in terms of their relevance and importance;
- understand and critically evaluate key theories, concepts, principles, rules and values in human rights;
- critically engage with legal and policy debates, specifically in the area of human rights;
- synthesise relevant primary and secondary literatures in human rights and use those literatures to formulate new arguments;
- engage in self-managed and intellectually independent research, reflecting on their own learning, developing their work both as an individual and in collaboration with others as appropriate, and offering evidenced-based solutions to actual or hypothetical problems;
- use information technologies for communication, data retrieval and analysis as appropriate to the module.
This module will examine ways in which human rights protection is provided in practice. It will consider the work of non-governmental human rights organisations, the ways in which private businesses can help to protect human rights, and the role of the media too. It will also analyse the problems facing state and inter-state organisations in trying to ensure that human rights are protected on the ground, especially in times of disasters and other emergencies. The work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent organisations will be explored, as will the challenges facing human rights fieldwork more generally.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module students should be able to:
- understand the difficulties facing organisations working on the ground to protect human rights;
- evaluate the effectiveness of different ways of protecting human rights on the ground;
- assess how the practice of human rights could be improved.
Skills
By the end of this module students should be able to:
- develop strategies and tactics for dealing with allegations of human rights violations;
- report and campaign on human rights issues in various parts of the world;
- assess what works and does not work when seeking to protect human rights on the ground;
- articulate clearly why human rights deserve to be protected and how this can be achieved.
This module will introduce students to the different ways in which human rights can be conceived, for example as inherent aspects of being human, as legal fictions, as socially constructed entitlements, as cultural traditions, as ethical principles or as political tools. It will illustrate to students how human rights thinking and reasoning are not as universalist as they are sometimes portrayed. This should help instil a more sceptical approach to some human rights claims and generally enhance the students’ powers of criticism. In addition the module will introduce students to the different ways in which human rights issues can be researched. It will demonstrate a range of methods for seeking answers to human rights research questions, depending on whether the question concerns the prevalence of human rights violations, the consequences of those violations, the applicability of relevant legal standards, the measurement of progress in advancing human rights standards, and the impact which changes in policies can have on people’s enjoyment of human rights. It will look too at how to assess the performance of various human rights actors, be they legislatures, governments, courts, non-state actors, international governmental organisations or non-governmental organisations.
Relevant texts for this module will be Marie-Bénédicte Dembour’s Who Believes in Human Rights? (Cambridge UP, 2006) and by Fons Coomans, Fred Grunfeld and Menno Kamminga (eds), Methods in Human Rights Research (Intersentia, 2009).
Learning Outcomes
1. Students will be knowledgeable about the history of thought concerning human rights.
2. Students will be aware of the range of arguments that can justify the development and application of international and national human rights law.
3. Students will know about the difficulties that can arise in seeking to measure the extent to which human rights are effectively protected in a society.
4. Students will be aware of the range of views as to what ‘effective protection’ of human rights can mean.
Skills
1. An advanced capacity to synthesise relevant primary and secondary literatures and to use those literatures to formulate new arguments.
2. An advanced ability to engage in self-managed, self-directed and intellectually independent study, to reflect on one’s own learning, to solve problems, make decisions, to develop work both as an individual and in collaboration with others as appropriate and to offer evidenced conclusions addressing complex actual or hypothetical problems.
3. An ability to use information technologies for communication, data retrieval and analysis as appropriate to the module.
4. An ability to understand and critically evaluate the application of relevant research approaches and methodologies.
5. A self-awareness of one’s personal and professional development and academic integrity.
6. An ability to think critically, creatively and holistically.
7. Oral and written communication skills appropriate to LLM-level scholarship.
This module will provide students with unique insights into contemporary debates surrounding the legal challenges posed by the spread of online misinformation. Students will not only grapple with thorny questions regarding how online misinformation can be regulated but will also consider the impact that emerging legislation in this field may have on human rights. Addressing the constantly evolving legal problems that online misinformation poses, this module will equip students with a broad range of timely and practical knowledge.
The first module of its kind in the United Kingdom, this elective module covers the following core topics: (1) The legal classifications of misinformation (2) misinformation and human rights (3) the jurisprudence of misinformation (4) key stakeholders in the law of misinformation (5) the regulation of misinformation in the European Union (EU) (6) the regulation of misinformation in the United Kingdom (7) Contemporary challenges for the law of misinformation.
By introducing students to these engaging and topical subjects, this module will not only provide students with insights regarding current EU and domestic laws in the misinformation field but will also equip students with an understanding of the relevant case law that has vital significance when assessing how the regulation of misinformation can implicate human rights. This module will further be enhanced by a diverse set of perspectives from leading experts in the fields of misinformation, digital rights, and platform governance.
Learning Outcomes
Upon taking this module, students will be expected to:
• Understand and distinguish the complex and nuanced terminology in contemporary legal debates surrounding online misinformation.
• Understand the delicate and ever-changing relationship between misinformation and human rights, in particular the right to freedom of expression and the right to free and fair elections.
• Understand the case law and jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) that has particular relevance for online misinformation.
• Acquire an in-depth knowledge of how EU legislators—in particular through the Digital Services Act (DSA) package—are currently attempting to regulate online misinformation.
• Acquire an in-depth knowledge of how UK legislators—in particular through the recently adopted Online Safety Act—are currently attempting to regulate online misinformation.
• Develop critical thinking skills by identifying contemporary challenges posed by new technologies for the regulation of online misinformation.
• Develop critical thinking skills by identifying unique perspectives—including feminist and environmental perspectives—that can be used to inform the regulation of online misinformation.
Skills
Presentation Skills
Critical Thinking Skills
Case law analytical Skills
Research Skills
This course will be presented in three parts:
a) Theories of Global Justice in the Anthropocene
i.Law and the Anthropocene
i.Planetary and Social Boundaries
ii.Human Rights and Responsibilities
iii.Law, Cyborgs and the Trans-human
b) Climate Justice and Human Rights
i.Climate Change and Human Rights (a)
ii.Human Rights, Human Limits (b)
iii.Human Rights and the Biocentric Turn
iv.Law and the Commons
c) Climate Change Law & Practice:Negotiation Simulation
i.World Climate Negotiation Simulation
ii.Climate Change and Systems Thinking
iii.Live Negotiation Simulation
iv.Negotiation Debrief and Group Assessment
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this Module, students will have:
a.A critical understanding of the implications of climate change for law and humanrights.
b.An ability to problematize law and human rights in the context of climate change(and wider societal changes associated with the Anthropocene)
c.An understanding of climate change law from a number of perspectives, includingthe law of the commons and systems thinking.
d.A first-hand critical understanding of simulated climate change negotiations, usingreal-time online simulation tools at www.climateinteractive.org
e.An understanding of some of the implications of the Anthropocene for law, thelegal profession, and human rights practice
Skills
On completion of this Module students will acquire a number of skills associated with Climate Change and Human Rights practice, including:
a.Critical reflection on individual and group dynamics in negotiating contexts
b.Communicating complex ideas, making links between climate science, societyand law
c.Climate Change negotiation
d.Systems Thinking
e.Integrating human rights into climate change science and negotiation practice
This module uses the theme of responsibility to bring together some fundamental issues in ethics and the philosophy of law. In the first part of the module, we consider the nature of responsibility and its relation to both
rationality and the emotions. We then consider some of the familiar preconditions of moral responsibility, such as intention, causation and voluntariness, as well as factors that preclude responsibility, such as insanity, ignorance and duress. In the second part of the module, we look at some of the moral and legal consequences that seem to follow on from a finding of responsibility, including punishment and enforced compensation. We examine the rationale of both retributive and corrective justice, and we also explore debates about reparations for historic injustices such as slavery and colonialism. In all of this, considerable emphasis will be placed on both real-world examples and recent academic work in ethics and jurisprudence.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will: * Be familiar with and able to critically assess standard theories of moral responsibility; * Be able to articulate and defend moral and legal consequences of responsibility in a variety of real-world contexts; * Be able to apply philosophical theories of responsibility to active contemporary debates about reparations for historic injustices.
Skills
Intellectual skills * Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: to identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; to manage such information in an independent manner; * Analytical Thinking: to identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; to construct independent arguments; * Critical & Independent Thinking: to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field Professional and career development skills * Communication Skills: to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing; * Diversity: to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment; * Self-Reflexivity: to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development; * Time Management: to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; to cope with stress; and to achieve a work / life balance. Technical and practical skills * Information Technology: to demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT. Organizational skills * Efficient and effective work practice: to demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines; * Clear organisation of information: to show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information; * Organisation and communication: to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; to show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way; * Enterprising thinking: to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, display originality of thought and argument.
Restorative Justice: Principles, Issues and Debates
Overview
Restorative Justice (RJ) is a unique approach that has been recently put forward as an alternative method of dealing with offending behaviour. Instead of focusing on inflicting harm upon the offender, emphasis is on repairing the harm caused by encouraging the victim, the offender and the community to work together in dealing with the aftermath of the incident. Some of the key principles of RJ include providing a platform for the victim to express the impact of the offense, providing an opportunity to the offender to apologise to the victim and offer some form of reparation and the reintegration of the offender back into the community.
RJ’s popularity has increased in various criminal jurisdictions around the world and its use has been extended in the resolution of conflicts in schools, places of employments and other situations where conflict occurs. However, despite the growing interest in RJ theory, it remains a subject of debate in both academic and non-academic circles, particularly on whether it has a role in the criminal justice process. This module intends to explore the theory and practice of RJ as well consider the various sides of the debate on its application.
Learning Outcomes
• Critically analyse the main principles of RJ theory
• Evaluate evidence relating to theoretical and empirically based arguments and data about RJ
• Demonstrate an understanding of the roles of the parties in a RJ process and the benefits they can derive from participating
• Understand the complexities involved in implementing RJ whether within a traditional criminal justice system or externally
Skills
• Develop the ability to present written reasoned arguments based on research evidence and academic texts
• To present persuasive oral arguments that are logically structured and supported with evidence via active participation in seminar groups.
This module will familiarise students with the law on medical law and ethics. There will be a particular focus on current issues in the area.
Learning Outcomes
• Knowledge and understanding of the ideas underpinning research and development of medical law and ethics.
• Familiarity with legal frameworks applicable to the practice of medicine.
• Understanding of the application of the theoretical constructs and legal frameworks to ‘real world’ cases and scenarios in the area of medicine.
Skills
• Detailed knowledge of governance and regulation as it pertains to medicine.
• Advanced appreciation of the theoretical frameworks through which the relevant scholarship might be advanced.
• Ability to evaluate complex policy and legal evidence.
• Ability to apply legal doctrines and frameworks in the subject area.
• Effective oral communication skills.
• Advanced written skills.
• Ability to be self-directed and exercise initiative.
• Ability to think critically, creatively and holistically.
This module will comprise a critical analysis of the history, institutions and legal/political/theoretical underpinnings of international economic law. This includes: historical accounts of international economic law’s evolution; an exploration of its global and regional institutions such as International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group and the World Trade Organisation; an examination of the legal/political and theoretical theories which underpin its operation; an engagement with how international economic law interacts with a wide variety of other legal topics such as global health law, the law of the sea, international development law and others. The class will develop a deep and critical understanding of the contemporary and historical operation of international economic law.
Learning Outcomes
• Students will develop an advanced knowledge and understanding of the legal, political and theoretical underpinnings of international economic law.
• Students will develop a deep knowledge and understanding of the legal institutional infrastructures that operate in international economic law and its historical development.
• Students will have detailed knowledge of the primary and secondary sources within international economic law.
• Students will develop the skills necessary to critically analyse how international economic law operates in the global legal order and the critiques that have been applied to it.
• Students will develop their ability to apply theory and knowledge to current topics of debate and be able to analyse international economic law from multiple perspectives.
• Students will develop their skills to synthesise relevant directed readings with independent research and present findings in both an oral and written format.
• Students will engage in independent study and research.
Skills
The module will develop the student’s abilities to:
• Show a critical understanding of the substantive module content
• Utilise a range of legal theoretical and historical analysis to understand the operation of international economic law
• Demonstrate effective oral communication skills in preparing for and engaging with class discussions.
• Further develop their self-directed learning through researching and preparing their assessment.
This module is designed to allow students to engage in independent research and to develop independent study, analysis and methodological skills, in the context of a placement or internship with non-governmental, legal, commercial or governmental organisations that operate in arenas that are relevant to their LLM research.
NOTE: students are encouraged to explore internship options independently with relevant entities. Any particular placement must be approved by the module and/or programme convenors.
Learning Outcomes
1. Ability to reflect critically on personal practice/engagement in the fields relevant to the LLM while working in collaboration with relevant host organisations
2. Ability to undertake an extended research Dissertation based on tasks/learning undertaken while on placement;
3. Enhanced communication, presentation and networking skills.
Skills
• Advanced writing skills
• An advanced knowledge of and ability to understand and critically evaluate key theories, concepts, principles, rules and values in the chosen area of law
• An advanced awareness, critical understanding of and engagement with legal and policy debates, building on scholarship already undertaken in the course of studies
• An advanced capacity to synthesise relevant primary and secondary literatures in the area and to use those literatures to formulate new arguments
• An advanced ability to design and engage in self-managed, self-directed and intellectually independent research, to reflect on one’s own learning, to solve problems, make decisions, to develop work both as an individual and in collaboration with others as appropriate and to offer evidenced conclusions addressing complex actual or hypothetical problems.
• Advanced ability to judge critically the merits of methodologies from different disciplines, and to make reasoned choices between different positions and approaches
• Advanced ability to use, present and critically evaluate information, ability to synthesise and identify central issues from a large amount of complex legal information and information from other disciplines and to draw on scholarship encountered in the course of one’s LLM
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of research ethics and ability to mainstream ethical considerations with research as appropriate to the project
• Advanced ability to engage with, manage and respond to supervision
• Engagement with one’s own personal and professional development and academic integrity
This module provides a comprehensive review of corporate transactional issues in environmental law. The module examines, in a primarily corporate context, contemporary environmental law debates regarding regulation, liability, and institutional reform. This module evaluates environmental meta-principles and approaches to regulation, including traditional command-and-control, the use of economic incentivisation, and trends towards voluntary regulation. Questions of corporate environmental disclosure are considered and environmental responsibility in project financing. The development of environmental liability in the US and EU is comparatively examined with a view to ascertaining emerging trends and questions of reform. Special case studies consider the oil pollution liability regime and the development of carbon emissions trading schemes.
The aims of the module are to:
[] contribute to the development of environmental law and practice in business, corporate finance and law professionals;
[] critically evaluate principles of environmental accountability, scientific claims, and technological aspects of the environment;
[] assess and analyse how lawyers and corporate professionals play key roles in protecting clients and employers from environmental losses and are also called on to act against those who cause or are accountable for negative environmental impacts;
[] provide an in-depth review and critique of prevailing regulatory approaches to understanding and managing environmental impacts and business opportunities;
[] critically examine approaches to environmental liability;
[] identify and critically assess how corporate environmental responsibility factors impact on a firm’s accounts.
Learning Outcomes
(1) Evaluate the meta-principles of environmental law and their influence in legal development;
(2) Identify and critically assess approaches to regulating corporate conduct with respect to the environment;
(3) Critically assess environmental risk factors influencing corporate entities and corporate responses to environmental risks;
(4) Define the major environmental regulatory trends in the corporate environmental landscape;
(5) Evaluate how changes in the legal and governance landscape interact.
Skills
(1) Ability to apply existing knowledge to new situations;
(2) Develop or substantially enhance skills of independent learning, including the ability to plan, time-manage and execute an independent guided research project;
(3) Synthesise information from legal and non-legal sources so as to contextualise subject specific information;
(4) Use fluent and effective communication and discussion skills in oral and written contexts;
(5) Engage with complex concepts and scrutinise information in critical, evaluative and analytical ways;
(6) Develop or substantially enhance an ethical awareness of global citizenship and, in particular, responsibilities to safeguard ecological, social and economic wellbeing, both in the present and for future generations.
This module will familiarise students with key debates regarding the corporation's role in society. Students will explore work on business and human rights and corporate citizenship, specifically with regard to global corporations and global supply chains.
This course will covers some (but not necessarily all) of the following topics in any given year, and other topics may be added from time-to-time: the human rights obligations of corporations to workers, host countries, other stakeholders, the rise of corporate social responsibility reporting, global initiatives and frameworks, the Ruggie principles, the role of civil society in corporate regulation and self-regulation etc, corporate promotion of labour standards, human rights considerations in international corporate investment.
Learning Outcomes
• Knowledge and understanding of ideas of corporate responsibility.
• Familiarity with legal frameworks regarding the integration of human rights considerations and corporate social responsibility.
• Understanding of the application of the theoretical constructs to “real world” cases and situations.
Skills
• Oral and written communication skills, as appropriate to LLM-level scholarship
• An advanced knowledge of and ability to understand and critically evaluate key theories, concepts, principles, rules and values in corporate social responsibility, building on previous work within the programme
• An advanced awareness, critical understanding of and engagement with legal and policy debates, specifically in the area of corporate social responsibility, and an ability to tie those debates to debates encountered in previous modules.
• An advanced capacity to synthesise relevant primary and secondary literatures in corporate social responsibility and to use those literatures to formulate new arguments
• An advanced ability to engage in self-managed, self-directed and intellectually independent research, to reflect on one’s own learning, to solve problems, make decisions, to develop work both as an individual and in collaboration with others as appropriate and to offer evidenced conclusions addressing complex actual or hypothetical problems.
• An advanced ability to recognise and rank issues in terms of their relevance and importance.
• An advanced awareness of legal and regulatory regimes and of their impact with regard to corporate social responsibility building on previous work within the programme
• An ability to use information technologies for communication, data retrieval and analysis as appropriate to the module
• Engagement with one’s own personal and professional development and academic integrity
The course involves a study of human rights issues drawing on material primarily from Europe, North America, and the Commonwealth. The course considers the meaning of particular human rights and their significance in theory and in practice, and the efficacy of the legal institutions designed to protect them. Several specific substantive issues (right to life, freedom of speech, conscience, and equality) will be studied in depth to illustrate the complex interplay between theory, legal concepts and procedure, and between legal and non-legal sources of protection. It will draw on international human rights law, but will not be confined to it. The course as a whole will aim to provide the opportunity for in-depth comparative study, during which the appropriateness and utility of comparative legal techniques will be considered.
Learning Outcomes
This module offers students the opportunity to:
• Explore how human rights have emerged as a comparative issue.
• Enhance their understanding of the limitations to comparison in human rights law.
• Develop key transferrable skills, including presentation skills, data gathering and essay-writing.
• Develop an understanding of legal research methodologies.
Skills
• Identify the relevant primary and secondary legal and non-legal materials relating to comparative human rights law and theories.
• Synthesise and critically analyse these materials.
• Organise and conduct effective comparative research on human rights.
• Develop coherence and clarity in written presentations that allow them to articulate to others a critical evaluation of the knowledge they have acquired.
• Thoroughly understand the skills required to do effective comparative human rights research – such as collecting sources, referencing and how to write critically.
• Understand and apply legal research methodology.
Applicants with a primary Law degree: Normally a strong 2.2 Honours degree in Law (with a minimum of 55%) or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree in Law with less than 55% (or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) along with a minimum of 2 years relevant experience may be considered.
Applicants with a primary degree in a relevant/cognate subject: Normally applicants with a 2:1 Honours degree or above (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) in Social Sciences, Humanities or a cognate discipline.
Applicants with a minimum of a 2:2 Honours degree (or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) along with a minimum of 2 years relevant experience may be considered.
Exemption from these requirements may be considered for those applicants who hold a Master's degree in a relevant subject (or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University).
Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 29th August 2025. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal. Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.
Admission under Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) may be considered for this course. The University's Recognition of Prior Learning Policy provides guidance on the assessment of experiential learning (RPEL). Please visit the link below for more information. http://go.qub.ac.uk/RPLpolicyQUB
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required.
*Taken within the last 2 years.
International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
Graduates have found jobs in the UN, the EU and the Council of Europe, as well as statutory bodies and a wide range of international and national NGOs. Others have found the LLM to constitute an extremely valuable addition to their work as legal professionals. Furthermore, this Masters provides an excellent basis for further study towards a research degree such as a PhD, which in turn may lead on to an academic career. http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. Tuition fee loan information.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas (excluding Initial Teacher Education/PGCE, where undergraduate student finance is available). Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.