Masters applications for 2023 entry are now closed.
Applications for September 2024 will open on Monday 25 September. Applications are now open for programmes with a January 2024 start. View our programmes »
| UCAS code |
1234 |
| Duration |
1 year full time
2 years part time |
| Entry year |
September 2025 |
| Campus |
Streatham Campus
|
| Discipline |
Law
|
| Contact |
. |
Overview
- Gain a global perspective on the challenges within international law and learn how to find ways to overcome them by examining various legal systems and looking beyond the law
- A flexible programme with the opportunity to specialise in either: i) International Law, ii) International Law: Human Rights, or iii) International Law: Conflict, Peace and Justice.
- Join a dynamic and vibrant academic environment that attracts students from all over the world, creating a truly international learning community
- Learn from renowned academics, all highly driven and passionate experts in their fields
- Develop your research skills by joining one of our research centres and become an active member of our vibrant research community
- Gain the understanding and skills needed for working in private practice or for governmental bodies, international organisations or NGOs
Top 200 for Law in the QS World University Rankings 2024
Top 20 in the UK for our world-leading Law research
Personal tutor support and close contact with academic staff who are leaders in their field
Top 200 for Law in the QS World University Rankings 2024
Top 20 in the UK for our world-leading Law research
Personal tutor support and close contact with academic staff who are leaders in their field
Entry requirements
We will consider applicants with a high 2:2 Honours degree with at least 57% or above (or equivalent) in Law (or a degree with a substantial legal component). While we normally only consider applicants who meet this criteria, if you are coming from a different academic background which is equivalent to degree level, or have relevant work experience in legal professions, we would welcome your application.
Applicants without a Law degree
We welcome applications from students with other qualifications or degrees in an area appropriate to the LLM programme. These may include Social Sciences (eg Politics, International Relations, International Studies), Humanities, Accountancy or Business Studies. Please note this list is not exhaustive and every application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Please note: If we feel your application is better suited to one of our LLM Master of Laws and Business programmes we may automatically consider you for one of these.
Entry requirements for international students
Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.
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Entry requirements for international students
English language requirements
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.
This programme aims to equip you with a critical understanding of public international law, which regulates relationships among states, international organisations, and non-state actors at the international level.
Studying international law is vital for anyone considering work in private practice or for governmental bodies, international organisations, NGOs, and other institutions that respond to pressing global challenges.
Dr Chris O'Meara
Programme Director
Course content
Studying a Master of Laws in International Law offers a rewarding learning experience with opportunities to deepen your understanding of international law, and to improve skills necessary at all levels of professional engagement with contemporary and future challenges faced by international law.
You will take part in interactive seminars, thought-provoking discussions and critical debates with your peers and academics from across the world giving you unique insight and global perspectives into contemporary law.
Alongside the compulsory dissertation, you’ll choose from an array of optional modules which are all cutting-edge subjects dealing with contemporary and key international issues, such as international human rights law; human rights and digital technology; the right to dignity; the international law of armed conflict; the international law of cyber operations; the use of force; the International Criminal Court; and migration.
Depending on your choice of modules (see list below), you may choose to specialise in:
- International Law;
- International Law: Human Rights;
- or International Law: Conflict, Peace and Justice.
In order to enhance your research and learning experiences and to create a vibrant community of postgraduate students enrolled in this course, you will be affiliated with one of our research centres for the duration of your studies:
In order to obtain an LLM Master of Laws in International Law, you must successfully complete a total of 180 credits:
- eight 15-credit modules (chosen from the list below)
- compulsory LLM dissertation (60 credits)
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
Stage 1: 60-credit compulsory dissertation module, further 15-credit core skills module, 105 credits of optional modules
In addition to the compulsory module listed below, you will study 105 credits of optional modules (45 credits in the autumn term and 60 credits in the spring term) chosen from the list of optional international law modules available in your year of academic study. You may choose to take 30 credits of module(s) outside the Law School, subject to availability and approval by the programme director.
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module |
Credits |
|---|
| LAWM640 |
Dissertation | 60 |
| LAWM189 |
Legal Research and Writing Skills | 15 |
Optional modules
The programme offers three specialisms, depending on your choice of modules:
International Law: minimum 75 credits International Law modules; 30 credits of modules of your own choice (from your programme, outside your programme and/or the Law School); 60 credits International Law dissertation.
International Law: Human Rights: minimum 75 credits International Law modules with minimum 60 credits Human Rights modules – see modules marked ‘a’; 30 credits of modules of your own choice (from your programme, outside your programme and/or the Law School); 60 credits International Law dissertation.
International Law: Conflict, Peace, and Justice: minimum 75 credits International Law modules with minimum 60 credits Conflict, Peace, and Justice modules – see modules marked ‘b’; 30 credits of modules of your own choice (from your programme, outside your programme and/or the Law School); 60 credits International Law dissertation.
| Code | Module |
Credits |
|---|
| LAWM145 |
Dignity, Democracy and the Law [a - See notes above] Term 1 | 15 |
| LAWM157 |
International Human Rights Law: United Nations System [a or b - See notes above] Term 1 | 15 |
| LAWM160 |
Law, Politics and Justice [a - See notes above] Term 1 | 15 |
| LAWM162 |
The International Criminal Court: Law and Practice [b - See notes above] Term 1 | 15 |
| LAWM164 |
The Use of Force in International Law [b - See notes above] Term 2 | 15 |
| LAWM189 |
Legal Research and Writing Skills Term 1 | 15 |
| LAWM155 |
Human Rights and Digital Technologies [a - See notes above] Term 2 | 15 |
| LAWM156 |
International Crimes and Human Rights Abuses [b - See notes above] Term 2 | 15 |
| LAWM161 |
Migration, citizenship and asylum in international law [a - See notes above] Term 2 | 15 |
| LAWM163 |
The International Law of Cyber Operations [b - See notes above] Term 2 | 15 |
| LAWM178 |
LLM Law Clinic Term 2 | 15 |
Fees
2025/26 entry
UK fees per year:
£12,500 full-time; £6,250 part-time
International fees per year:
£25,300 full-time; £12,650 part-time
Scholarships
The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships*.
For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.
*Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.
Teaching and research
Learning and teaching
Formal teaching is delivered via weekly lectures or seminars, depending on group size. Course materials are delivered directly by academic staff, and you are encouraged to actively engage in discussions and debates. You will be in control of your own learning, appropriately supported by peers and staff including a personal tutor.
Assessment
As well as the dissertation, assessment is comprised almost entirely of extended coursework essays, with written examinations in some modules where appropriate.
Research
In addition to your studies, you’ll have the opportunity to benefit from a stimulating programme of research seminars designed to enable staff and postgraduate students to experience cutting-edge research by members of the academic and legal community both within and outside of Exeter.
Extra-curricular activities
Formal learning is enhanced by opportunities to participate in a range of exciting extra-curricular activities including pro bono projects, internships, mooting and networking events.
We have close and active links with Exeter Law School alumni and honorary doctorates, many of whom occupy powerful and prestigious roles in the legal community throughout the world. Where possible, we invite individuals from this community and the broader legal profession to engage with our postgraduate students, whether through research seminars or more informal events, providing you with valuable networking opportunities.
Facilities
The Lasok Law Library, located in the Forum holds in excess of 40,000 volumes and is open 24 hours a day. You can choose from diverse study spaces to suit your specific learning needs, whether dedicated quiet study, group work, or social learning over a coffee.
Our custom-built Moot Court offers students invaluable opportunities to take part in mooting activities and is equipped with the latest technology, including high-spec video conferencing.
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Dr Chris O'Meara
Programme Director and Senior Lecturer in Law
Professor Ana Beduschi
Professor of Law
Professor Aurel Sari
Professor of Public International Law, Director of Exeter Centre for International Law
Professor Caroline Fournet
Head of Law School
Dr Chris O'Meara
Programme Director and Senior Lecturer in Law
Chris' research interests lie in the field of public international law, with a particular focus on the legal regulation of armed conflict. Chris has been a visiting researcher at Harvard Law School and Leiden Law School and previously practised as a lawyer at Linklaters and Latham & Watkins.
He is the author of Necessity and Proportionality and the Right of Self-Defence in International Law (OUP, 2021), which is part of the prestigious Oxford Monographs in International Law series.
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Professor Ana Beduschi
Professor of Law
Professor Ana Beduschi is an Professor of Law at the University of Exeter and a Senior Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
Her research and teaching focus on international human rights law, technology (including big data and artificial intelligence), digital law, data protection and privacy, and international migration and refugee law. Her recent publications examine the impact of Covid-19 health status certificates on human rights, the implications of artificial intelligence for international migration management, the opportunities and challenges presented by digital identity, and the implications of big data for international migration and human rights law.
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Professor Aurel Sari
Professor of Public International Law, Director of Exeter Centre for International Law
Professor Aurel Sari is an Professor of Public International Law at the University of Exeter. He is the Director of the Exeter Centre for International Law, a Fellow of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and a Fellow of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
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Professor Caroline Fournet
Head of Law School
My main field of expertise is in international criminal law, including its interactions with human rights law. My research notably focuses on the investigation of international crimes and gross human rights violations, and I am particularly interested in the dual use of forensic evidence in the prosecution of mass violence crimes on one hand and in the identification of victims and the building of post-atrocity memory on the other.
I am Editor-in-Chief of the International Criminal Law Review (Brill) and one of the co-editors of Human Remains and Violence: An Interdisciplinary Journal (Manchester University Press).
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Careers
Employer-valued skills this course develops
The modules offered include topics you must have knowledge of in order to succeed in senior positions, whether in private practice, corporate or public employment – including international trading companies and law firms, chartering, trade, and marine insurance, the European Commission, the European Court of Justice, or the Governments of EU Member States.
You will gain invaluable experience in finding out the law from the original sources; in preparing and producing extended legal writing; and in presenting a legal proposition briefly and succinctly to an audience.
Graduate destinations
LLM graduates either continue on the academic path and pursue their studies with a PhD; others go into private practice, corporate or public employment – including international trading companies and law firms, chartering, trade, and marine insurance, the European Commission, the Governments of EU Member States as well as international and regional courts and/or organisations or NGOs.
Careers support
When it comes to securing a graduate level position, we enjoy extremely good relations with members of the legal profession regionally, nationally and internationally. You will be supported by an Employability Officer, the wide range of services offered by Career Zone and have the opportunity to meet potential employers face-to-face through our annual Law Fair, workshops and careers sessions.
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