This advanced programme helps students gain a deep appreciation of how law interacts with technological innovation, for instance, with generative AI; or autonomous vehicles; or algorithmic decision-making in courts. What social challenges are posed by technological change? How does law address those challenges? And what impact does technological innovation have on the practice of law?
Drawing on the School of Law’s substantial profile in technology, e-governance, intellectual property and innovation, students on the programme have the opportunity to develop specialist expertise in law, governance and the ‘fourth industrial revolution.’
The programme places employability skills at its heart. Employers are very interested in law graduates who are tech-savvy and are clear and comfortable communicators, whether with clients or more generally. Guest contributors from major firms co-create our curriculum and are active in introducing LawTech applications in our teaching. We embed skills-development directly into the curriculum as such, through project-based learning work, computational skills and elsewhere.
Law and Technology highlights
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).
This employer focused programme places employability skills at the core of the student experience (including innovation and creativity clinic), introducing students to the interplay of and interfaces between technology and law.
Employers will be involved in assisting on project-based learning and in delivering guest lectures to students.
Internationally Renowned Experts
Law at Queen's is taught by world-leading experts in the area of Law. Our staff have close research links with the professions, government and Civil Society. 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).
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.
Student Experience
This programme will equip you with a thorough and crucial understanding of the key questions we face regarding the regulation and governance technologies.
You will possess a deep appreciation of matters in the regulation of technology, borne from both classroom and project based experience. You will have developed a sophisticated sense of how technology interacts with law, but also a sense of how law and technology are operationalised in legal practice.
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. Queen’s was ranked 9th in the UK for university facilities.
Students may enrol on a full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years) basis. Students must complete core modules (80 CATS points), 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
Law and the Challenges of Technology
Regulating Innovation
Data, Privacy and the Law
Innovation and Creativity Clinic: project based learning
Approaches to Legal Research
Dissertation (Maximum 15,000 words)
(Students who secure a summer work placement of at least 8 weeks or who possess a comparable body of experience may be permitted to complete a Dissertation in Practice Module including 12,000 word dissertation and 3,000 word reflective journal of the learning experience)
Optional Modules
Computational Methods and Skills
Foundations of Cybersecurity
Platform Regulation: IP Enforcement and Content Moderation
(Metaverse Law) Copyright, Trademark, and Immersive Technologies
Regulating Reality : The Law of Misinformation
Critical Approaches to International Economic Law
Business and Human Rights
Advanced Issues in Medical Law and Ethics
Artificial Intelligence and the Law
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.
Dr O'Kelly is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Law. He coordinates the LLM in Law and Technology. He teaches Regulating Innovation; Computational Skills for Law Students; and Data, Privacy and the Law. He also teaches Technology Law; Company Law; and Corporate Governance on the LLB programme.
His main research interests focus on normative questions around ideas of corporate accountability, whether at the individual level or at the level of the corporation itself. Dr O'Kelly's current focus is on how businesses, regulators and law put the language of human rights to work in addressing the impacts that business operations have on people, societies and the environment.
Contact Teaching Hours
Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial
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 the course are outlined below:
Learning and Teaching Opportunities
The Law School has 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 seminars 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
This innovative programme is designed to prepare you for a career on the interface of legal practice and technology. With employability embedded in the curriculum, graduates will be familiar both with the legal regulation of technology and with technology’s effects on the practice of law.
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
The focus of this module is the exploration and analysis of the impact of technology on society, the role of law in shaping this, and the response required by law and regulation.
Taking as a context the development of a number of ‘exponential technologies”’ – manufacturing, biotech, energy, and information and communication – the course explores how these are related to law and to wider social forces which condition their production and evolution as well as presenting a range of challenges to any legal approach that seeks to control their development.
Looking at a number issues such a big data, the advance of robotics, the internet of things, machine learning and other developments in biotech, and in culture and entertainment, the module will explore the particular challenges this presents. The value of legal concepts, such as privacy, consent, patents and copyright will be critically examined. In particular there will be a focus on the general question about whether new law is required to deal with the implications of new technology, or whether existing law can be developed and enforced more imaginatively. This is explored across a range of areas and themes and we welcome additional areas of study from the class. Within what we have already included, detailed examination will be given to a number of phenomena, including developments in surveillance technology, the rise of bio technologies, new formats within the music and entertainment industry, and the role of information technology in legal practice and administration to allow an exploration of the implications of technological advance for basic ideas of rights, equality and democracy. Theoretical ideas around the development of algorithmic governance and algorithmic governmentality will be presented and developed, and their value in both understanding what is happening and providing ways of controlling it will explored.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the learning process each student should have acquired:
• an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the challenges that certain aspects of new technology present, and an appreciation of the legal challenges faced
• a critical awareness of the national and international regulatory and legal frameworks within which technology develops
• an ability to critically assess claims about the social importance and value of new technological advances
• an ability to conduct independent research, articulate coherent legal arguments and present these orally.
Skills
At the end of the module each student will be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of some new technological advances and the role of law in regulating them
• Engage in critical analysis and evaluation of the interaction between law, regulation and technology
• Develop theoretical understandings of both the implications of technology in terms of democratic values and the strategies for controlling technology
• Synthesise relevant and directed readings with independent research, and present findings both orally and in written format.
• Engage in independent study and research and to develop skills around self-directed learning and to exercise initiative in the learning process.
• Show an ability to construct coherent legal and policy arguments and present these orally and in writing
Innovation & Creativity Clinic: Project Based Learning
Overview
Project Based Learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach built upon a real-world case in which students learn through the experience of problem-solving. Through examining current real-world case studies across diverse technological fields, this course intends to engage students with a problem to investigate and have to come up with possible solutions.
The class will be divided into groups and each group will be allotted a case study. Throughout the semester, students will work in a group to understand and analyse the problem and offer a solution to the problem. At the end of the semester, each group will present their findings before the panel composed of industry experts (members of law firms).
The module convenor will meet groups regularly to assess their progress and provide feedback generally.
Learning Outcomes
This innovative approach of academic exercise will develop student skills such as research, communication/ presentation and ability to work in a collaborative environment. By the end of the module, students will develop the following skills::
• problem-solving;
• critical thinking and analysis;
• information processing skills. ;
• learning by doing/ questioning;
• collaborative learning;
• capacity of offering clear solutions
Skills
Presentation Skills
Critical Thinking Skills
Analytical and Application Skills
Research Skills
The focus of this module will be on the interplay of data, privacy and the law. The module will focus on issues such as GDPR; the E-Privacy Directive
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the learning process each student should have acquired:
• an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the challenges that certain aspects of new technology present, and an appreciation of the legal challenges faced
• a critical awareness of the national and international regulatory and legal frameworks within which technology develops
• an ability to critically assess claims about the social importance and value of new technological advances
• an ability to conduct independent research, articulate coherent legal arguments and present these orally.
Skills
At the end of the module each student will be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of some new technological advances and the role of law in regulating them
• Engage in critical analysis and evaluation of the interaction between law, regulation and technology
• Develop theoretical understandings of both the implications of technology in terms of democratic values and the strategies for controlling technology
• Synthesise relevant and directed readings with independent research, and present findings both orally and in written format.
• Engage in independent study and research and to develop skills around self-directed learning and to exercise initiative in the learning process.
• Show an ability to construct coherent legal and policy arguments and present these orally and in writing
Researching an approved legal topic under supervision and presenting the results as a dissertation or report of 10,000 to 15,000 words
Learning Outcomes
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
3. Advanced knowledge of available research methodologies in the study of law and in 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 governance.
Skills
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
The focus of this module will be the exploration and analysis of the impact of technology on innovation, the construction of online markets and its implications for law and regulation.
The module will examine matters such as ‘cyberlaw’; jurisdiction over online activities; intellectual property and data; and the rise of liability considerations around platforms.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the learning process each student should have acquired:
• an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the challenges that certain aspects of innovation and technology present, and an appreciation of the legal challenges faced
• a critical awareness of the national and international regulatory and legal frameworks within which technology develops
• an ability to critically assess claims about the social importance and value of new technological advances
• an ability to conduct independent research, articulate coherent legal arguments and present these orally.
Skills
At the end of the module each student will be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of some new technological advances and the role of law in regulating them
• Engage in critical analysis and evaluation of the interaction between law, regulation and technology
• Develop theoretical understandings of both the implications of technology in terms of democratic values and the strategies for controlling technology
• Synthesise relevant and directed readings with independent research, and present findings both orally and in written format.
• Engage in independent study and research and to develop skills around self-directed learning and to exercise initiative in the learning process.
• Show an ability to construct coherent legal and policy arguments and present these orally and in writing
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 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 focus of this module will be the exploration and analysis of the impact of online platform in modern society, the construction of online markets and its implications for law and regulation. As a lawyer, entrepreneur, or policy maker working at the forefront of Internet and technology industry, you must know whether and when access providers and communications platforms like Google, Twitter and Facebook are liable for their users’ online activities. This is one of the most relevant emerging issue for online businesses and a key factor that effects innovation and free speech.
(1) This course will provide an in-depth exploration of legal, policy and ethical issues facing platforms and online intermediaries from a national and international perspective, focusing on long standing and emerging new legislation, such as the e-Commerce Directive and Regulations, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the Communication Decency Act § 230, the GDPR, the Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive, the proposed Online Safety Bill, and the newly enacted Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act.
(2) In this course, you will learn about novel issues of Internet jurisdiction and innovation regulation.
(3) The course will discuss law and case law dealing with platforms’ intermediate liability for copyright, trademark, and privacy infringement, including data protection obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the right to be forgotten.
(4) Also, this course focuses on the role of Internet platforms and service providers in moderating the speech they carry for customers, including obligations and liabilities for defamation, hate and dangerous speech, revenge porn, and disinformation.
(5) We will also review the tension between innovators and property owners leveraging their hold-out powers to block progress by challenging the legality of innovative technologies under the assumption that they may infringe their intellectual property and other rights.
(6) Finally, we will look into enforcement strategies that governments and private parties around the world adopt to press intermediaries to block their users’ undesirable or infringing online content, such as voluntary agreements, three-strikes policies, blocking orders, and administrative enforcement and extra-territorial enforcement of online intermediaries’ obligations.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module students will be able to :
• critically discuss the national and international regulatory and legal frameworks within which platforms develop;
• describe platforms’ obligations and liabilities for IP enforcement and content moderation at large;
• discuss online enforcement strategies for IP and other infringing content, including content infringing privacy, personality rights or public laws;
• discuss the challenges that platform regulation portends, also in terms of innovation and technology policy;
• critically assess claims about the social importance and value of the platform economy
Skills
Presentation Skills
Critical Thinking Skills
Analytical and Application Skills
Research Skills
Digital technologies have transformed the way that creative content is produced, distributed and used, disrupting long-standing business models and traditional revenue streams, and enabling the emergence of new business models. This module would focus on exploring the legal challenges and opportunities posed by the intersection of copyright law, trademark law, the creative industries, and emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive technologies, including how the Metaverse might impact the traditional creative industries. Three main questions will be investigated in detail:
(i) How do copyright and trademark laws apply to the protection and distribution of creative works in the digital age?
(ii) How are the internet and digital platforms impacting the creative industries and the protection of intellectual property rights?
(iii) How are virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive technologies impacting the creative industries and the protection of intellectual property rights?
(1) First, this module provides students with the opportunity to explore critically the various policy and doctrinal aspects of contemporary copyright issues as they impact the creation, dissemination and use of creative and cultural goods within the digital environment.
(2) Second, in the trademark context, the impact of emerging technologies, including 3D printing and virtual reality platforms, on traditional legal norms and business models, will be analysed and discussed as well as the impact of the internet and digital technologies on cybersquatting, internet keyword searches, and the resolution of domain name disputes in cyberspace.
(3) Third, the module will consider the challenges of providing high level of protection for right holders within the digital environment, while maintaining an appropriate balance with other public policy goals such as education, research and innovation, access to our shared cultural heritage, and more.
(4) Overall, this module will be also engaged with issues and challenges posed by the Metaverse about how trademark owners, creators and artists can protect and enforce IP rights in this space. For example, the module will review the legal frameworks that apply to virtual property and assets in the Metaverse, including how these frameworks might differ from those that apply to physical property and assets.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
• understand trademark and copyright law as it applies to a number of issues relevant to the digital environment within a UK, European, and international content
• differentiate between approaches taken to trademark and copyright policy and doctrine within the pre-digital era, and the adaptation and development of those existing norms within the digital environment
• acquire general knowledge concerning the interface between copyright, trademarks, immersive technologies, virtual reality, augmented reality, and the metaverse
• acquire knowledge of the related legal framework;
• understand the ethical and societal challenges related to immersive technologies and the metaverse;
• master a comparative, cross-jurisdictional understanding of the regulatory framework;
• develop the ability to reflect on the immersive technologies’ disruptive effects on traditional business models;
• develop critical thinking skills in connection to practical problems in metaverse, virtual realities regulations from a global international perspective;
• research, evaluate and criticise constructively recent developments and legal arguments in this domain;
• enhance research and writing skills in formulating arguments to solve new emerging legal problems in a fast-developing technological context.
Skills
Presentation Skills
Critical Thinking Skills
Analytical and Application Skills
Research Skills
This module will explore thorny questions related to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Intellectual Property (IP) and the law by dissecting legal, policy and ethical issues concerning AI impact on creativity and innovation. In particular, after an introduction of AI as a technology and the disruptive effects of AI on society and the market for creativity and innovation, this module will examine multiple roles played by AI in innovative and creative processes. In this context, this module will consider AI as (1) a person, (2) a (machine) learner, (3) a creator, (4) an innovator, (5) an administrator, (6) an infringer and (7) an enforcer.
In doing so, this module will discuss an emerging debate on intelligent machine and legal personality; legal issues related to data protection in machine learning processes, including a discussion of trade secret, "ownership" of data, rights to personal data; legal issues related to the protection of AI software via copyright, patents or trade secrets; legal issues about the protection and ownership of AI-generated works and inventions; the potential use of AI in facilitating administration of legal processes, with emphasis on blockchain for digital right management, use of AI for patent and trade mark examination and smart contracts; the liability of intelligent machines for damages they might cause, both in the IP and other contexts, such as personalised medicine or autonomous driving; and the use of artificial intelligence for content moderation of miscellaneous rights online, including the enforcement of intellectual property rights.
The module will review the mentioned legal aspects of AI by providing a comparative review of multiple international jurisdictions with special emphasis on the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States.
Learning Outcomes
After taking this module, students will be expected to:
• acquire general knowledge concerning the interface between artificial intelligence and law;
• acquire knowledge of the legal framework related to artificial intelligence and data protection, copyright law, patent law, trade secrets, tort law, content moderation;
• understand the ethical and societal challenges related to artificial intelligence;
• understand the challenges that artificial intelligence might pose to fundamental rights, in particular freedom of expression, freedom to access information, right to privacy and due process;
• understand the market effects of larger availability of AI technologies and robot, with emphasis on the market for creativity and innovation;
• master a comparative, cross-jurisdictional understanding of the regulatory framework for AI;
• develop the ability to reflect on how AI’s disruptive effects on traditional business models might force a re-consideration of legal personhood, and the tort and IP legal framework;
• develop critical thinking skills in connection to practical problems in AI regulations from a global international perspective;
• enhance research and writing skills in formulating arguments to solve new emerging legal problems in a fast-developing technological context.
Skills
Skills
Presentation Skills
Critical Thinking Skills
Analytical and Application Skills
Research Skills
The focus of this module will be on introducing law students to basic issues in computation and data management. Students will engage with ideas around ‘computational thinking’, data visualisation and basic statistical programming.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the learning process each student should have acquired:
• a basic appreciation of computational thinking
• A sense of issues in data communication and visualisation
• Fundamental skills in statistical programming.
Skills
At the end of the module each student will be able to:
• Demonstrate some knowledge and understanding of computation and data science
• Synthesise relevant and directed readings with independent research, and present findings both orally and in written format.
• Engage in independent study and research and to develop skills around self-directed learning and to exercise initiative in the learning process.
• Show an ability to construct coherent legal and policy arguments and present these orally and in writing
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 targets both Law and EEECS students who are seeking to develop a base-level understanding of the main issues within the field of Cybersecurity and the building blocks of a defence system. The module will be used as a soft start introduction for any students going on to a more in-depth technical exploration of Cybersecurity, and to discuss foundational knowledge to law students on cybersecurity concepts. Topics covered will include: introduction to cyber security fundamental concepts, cyber risk management, threats and mitigations and the context of cyber security within society.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, a student will have achieved the following learning outcomes:
o Increased understanding of the cyber security landscape
o Have an awareness of fundamental cyber security concepts
o Be able to identify cyber security risks and threats
o Critically reflect on the impact and context of cyber security in society
Skills
Cyber security awareness, communication skills, independent learning, time management.
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 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.
Applicants with a primary degree in a relevant/cognate subject: Normally a strong 2.2 Honours degree (with a minimum of 55%) or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in Law, Social Sciences, Humanities, Computer Science or a cognate discipline. Applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree with below 55% in a cognate discipline (or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) along with a minimum of 2 years relevant experience may be considered.
Applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree or above in other disciplines may be considered if they can demonstrate 2 years relevant experience.
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.
This employer focused programme places employability skills at the core of the student experience (including problem based learning and leadership modules), introducing students to the interplay of and interfaces between technology and law.
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.
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.
