Law and Human Rights
LLB
Key information
Key information for 2026-27
Key information for 2027-28
Course Overview
On the LLB Law and Human Rights, you will gain skills, knowledge, insight and experience from our expert academics and practitioners in the fields of human rights and public law.
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Why choose this course?
The world of human rights is vast and changing quickly. At the start of this degree you will be introduced to basic principles, treaties and cases in the area of human rights. You will then take more advanced modules on specific topics such as migration, medical ethics, immigration, international law, labour law, political violence, social welfare and armed conflict. You may also choose to complete your final research project on a human rights topic. In addition to foundational legal reasoning skills, you will develop:
- knowledge of the relationship between national and international laws
- an understanding of what it may mean in practice to have to balance conflicting concepts of justice
- the ability to assess the wider social, historical and political dimensions of rights-based social movements.
The LLB Law and Human Rights is ideal if you have a keen interest in the role of law in the pursuit of global justice. Human rights is also a sub-field of study that is highly relevant to the domestic practice of law.
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How will I learn?
Teaching on this LLB Law and Human Rights is very flexible to respond to the needs of our students. Lectures, seminars and classes take place in the evening. Some daytime and online teaching is available, depending on the modules you choose.
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How often will I attend classes?
Full-time: Two to three evenings a week, October to July; some modules also offer daytime and online teaching.
Part-time: One to two evenings a week, October to July; some modules also offer daytime and online teaching.
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Pathways
This course is a Pathway of the Law (LLB) which has additional Pathways to offer you the chance to specialise depending on your interests and career goals:
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Course disclaimer
Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.
Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the How will I learn? section.
More Highlights
- Our LLB Law students ranked the Birkbeck School of Law first in London for teaching in the 2025 National Student Survey (for multi-faculty institutions). The NSS is a nationwide survey of final-year undergraduate students, capturing their views on the quality of their academic experience.
- Birkbeck is a leading international centre for world-class legal teaching, research and scholarship. You will be taught by field-leading academic staff, alongside experienced solicitors, barristers and judges from across the legal sector.
- Career development and skills enhancement are a key part of studying this course. You will have access to a huge range of careers support at Birkbeck's Careers Service. This comprehensive support links our students and recent graduates with top UK employers and offers you help with job applications, interviews and career planning.
- You will have opportunities to network with real-world legal professionals through our Mentoring Pathways Scheme, Legal Practice Conversations, Legal Professionals Insight Evening and Careers Fair, and open days are held exclusively for Birkbeck students.
- You will be able to put your learning into practice with our various law clinics: University of London Refugee Law Clinic, Environmental Law Foundation, River House Law Clinic and Release. You can also join our Law Society and our highly successful Mooting team.
Modules and Teaching
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Starting in October 2026
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Three years full-time, on campus
Course structure
You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.
- Year 1: four compulsory modules
- Year 2: four compulsory modules and two or three Level 5 option modules
- Year 3: two compulsory modules and three to six Level 6 option modules
Your option modules should include Human Rights (Level 5 or 6) plus one 30-credit or two 15-credit human rights modules from the list below.
Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 2 compulsory modules
Year 3 compulsory modules
Human rights option modules
- Borders, Migration and Criminal Justice (Level 5)
- Child Law
- Drugs, Crime and Criminal Justice (Level 5)
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 5)
- Human Rights (level 6)
- Imprisonment and Justice (Level 5)
- Labour Law (level 6)
- Law and Race
- Political Violence and Terrorism
- Principles of Medical Law and Ethics
- The Criminalisation of Welfare (level 6)
Law option modules - Level 5
- Consumer Law (Level 5)
- Contemporary Issues in Islamic Law - UG Level 5
- Crimes of the Powerful (Level 5)
- Equality and Diversity
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 5)
- Human Rights (level 5)
- International Law of Armed Conflict (Level 5)
- Introduction to Commercial Law
- Introduction to Comparative Law
- Labour Law (level 5)
- Restorative and Alternative Justice (Level 5)
- Space Law (Level 5)
Law option modules - Level 6
- Adult Relations
- Banking and Monetary Law
- Child Law
- Competition Law
- Consumer Law (Level 6)
- Contemporary Issues in Islamic Law - UG Level 6
- Cyberspace Law
- Evidence (Level 6)
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 6)
- Human Rights (level 6)
- Immigration Law 1: Fundamentals of UK Law
- Immigration Law 2: Advanced Concepts in Asylum Law
- Intellectual Property Law II (Patents and Trade Marks)
- Labour Law (level 6)
- Law, History, and Political Violence
- Mooting and Trial Skills
- Principles of Medical Law and Ethics
- Transformative Lawyering (Level 6)
- Undergraduate Dissertation
- Wills, Probate and Inheritance
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Four years part-time, on campus
Course structure
You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.
- Year 1: three compulsory modules
- Year 2: two compulsory modules and one or two Level 5 option modules
- Year 3: three compulsory modules, a 15-credit Level 5 option module and one or two Level 6 option modules
- Year 4: two compulsory modules and two or four Level 6 option modules
Your option modules should include Human Rights (Level 5 or 6) plus one 30-credit or two 15-credit human rights modules from the list below.
Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 2 compulsory modules
Year 3 compulsory modules
Year 4 compulsory modules
Human rights option modules
- Borders, Migration and Criminal Justice (Level 5)
- Child Law
- Drugs, Crime and Criminal Justice (Level 5)
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 5)
- Human Rights (level 6)
- Imprisonment and Justice (Level 5)
- Labour Law (level 6)
- Law and Race
- Political Violence and Terrorism
- Principles of Medical Law and Ethics
- The Criminalisation of Welfare (level 6)
Law option modules - Level 5
- Consumer Law (Level 5)
- Contemporary Issues in Islamic Law - UG Level 5
- Crimes of the Powerful (Level 5)
- Equality and Diversity
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 5)
- Human Rights (level 5)
- International Law of Armed Conflict (Level 5)
- Introduction to Commercial Law
- Introduction to Comparative Law
- Labour Law (level 5)
- Restorative and Alternative Justice (Level 5)
- Space Law (Level 5)
Law option modules - Level 6
- Adult Relations
- Banking and Monetary Law
- Child Law
- Competition Law
- Consumer Law (Level 6)
- Contemporary Issues in Islamic Law - UG Level 6
- Cyberspace Law
- Evidence (Level 6)
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 6)
- Human Rights (level 6)
- Immigration Law 1: Fundamentals of UK Law
- Immigration Law 2: Advanced Concepts in Asylum Law
- Intellectual Property Law II (Patents and Trade Marks)
- Labour Law (level 6)
- Law, History, and Political Violence
- Mooting and Trial Skills
- Principles of Medical Law and Ethics
- Transformative Lawyering (Level 6)
- Undergraduate Dissertation
- Wills, Probate and Inheritance
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Starting in October 2027
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Three years full-time, on campus
Course structure
You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.
- Year 1: four compulsory modules
- Year 2: four compulsory modules and two or three Level 5 option modules
- Year 3: two compulsory modules and three to six Level 6 option modules
Your option modules should include Human Rights (Level 5 or 6) plus one 30-credit or two 15-credit human rights modules from the list below.
Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 2 compulsory modules
Year 3 compulsory modules
Human rights option modules
- Borders, Migration and Criminal Justice (Level 5)
- Child Law
- Drugs, Crime and Criminal Justice (Level 5)
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 5)
- Human Rights (level 6)
- Imprisonment and Justice (Level 5)
- Labour Law (level 6)
- Law and Race
- Political Violence and Terrorism
- Principles of Medical Law and Ethics
- The Criminalisation of Welfare (level 6)
Law option modules - Level 5
- Consumer Law (Level 5)
- Contemporary Issues in Islamic Law - UG Level 5
- Crimes of the Powerful (Level 5)
- Equality and Diversity
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 5)
- Human Rights (level 5)
- International Law of Armed Conflict (Level 5)
- Introduction to Commercial Law
- Introduction to Comparative Law
- Labour Law (level 5)
- Restorative and Alternative Justice (Level 5)
- Space Law (Level 5)
Law option modules - Level 6
- Adult Relations
- Banking and Monetary Law
- Child Law
- Competition Law
- Consumer Law (Level 6)
- Contemporary Issues in Islamic Law - UG Level 6
- Cyberspace Law
- Evidence (Level 6)
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 6)
- Human Rights (level 6)
- Immigration Law 1: Fundamentals of UK Law
- Immigration Law 2: Advanced Concepts in Asylum Law
- Intellectual Property Law II (Patents and Trade Marks)
- Labour Law (level 6)
- Law, History, and Political Violence
- Mooting and Trial Skills
- Principles of Medical Law and Ethics
- Transformative Lawyering (Level 6)
- Undergraduate Dissertation
- Wills, Probate and Inheritance
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Four years part-time, on campus
Course structure
You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.
- Year 1: three compulsory modules
- Year 2: two compulsory modules and one or two Level 5 option modules
- Year 3: three compulsory modules, a 15-credit Level 5 option module and one or two Level 6 option modules
- Year 4: two compulsory modules and two or four Level 6 option modules
Your option modules should include Human Rights (Level 5 or 6) plus one 30-credit or two 15-credit human rights modules from the list below.
Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 2 compulsory modules
Year 3 compulsory modules
Year 4 compulsory modules
Human rights option modules
- Borders, Migration and Criminal Justice (Level 5)
- Child Law
- Drugs, Crime and Criminal Justice (Level 5)
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 5)
- Human Rights (level 6)
- Imprisonment and Justice (Level 5)
- Labour Law (level 6)
- Law and Race
- Political Violence and Terrorism
- Principles of Medical Law and Ethics
- The Criminalisation of Welfare (level 6)
Law option modules - Level 5
- Consumer Law (Level 5)
- Contemporary Issues in Islamic Law - UG Level 5
- Crimes of the Powerful (Level 5)
- Equality and Diversity
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 5)
- Human Rights (level 5)
- International Law of Armed Conflict (Level 5)
- Introduction to Commercial Law
- Introduction to Comparative Law
- Labour Law (level 5)
- Restorative and Alternative Justice (Level 5)
- Space Law (Level 5)
Law option modules - Level 6
- Adult Relations
- Banking and Monetary Law
- Child Law
- Competition Law
- Consumer Law (Level 6)
- Contemporary Issues in Islamic Law - UG Level 6
- Cyberspace Law
- Evidence (Level 6)
- Housing, Justice and the Law (level 6)
- Human Rights (level 6)
- Immigration Law 1: Fundamentals of UK Law
- Immigration Law 2: Advanced Concepts in Asylum Law
- Intellectual Property Law II (Patents and Trade Marks)
- Labour Law (level 6)
- Law, History, and Political Violence
- Mooting and Trial Skills
- Principles of Medical Law and Ethics
- Transformative Lawyering (Level 6)
- Undergraduate Dissertation
- Wills, Probate and Inheritance
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Teaching
We encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching to help ensure you have the best learning experience and provide a range of different modes of learning to help you juggle study with work and other commitments.
What are the methods of teaching?
This course will be taught by a combination of lectures and seminars or tutorials.
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How will I be assessed?
Depending on the module, assessment may include: independent research essays, problem scenario essays, exams, workbooks, group work, presentations, reflective journals and creative and critical-thinking exercises.
Please see individual modules for more details.
Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.
Entry Requirements
We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.
You may need to complete a written exercise in reasoning and analysis and attend an admissions event.
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Full-time study - how many UCAS points do I need?
Three years full-time: 120 points (e.g. A-levels BBB)
For full-time study on this course, you apply via UCAS. The UCAS tariff score applies if you have recently studied a qualification that has a UCAS tariff equivalence. UCAS provides a tariff calculator for you to work out what your qualification is worth.
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Part-time study
For part-time study our standard requirements are a minimum of two A-levels or equivalent.
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Foundation year degrees
We offer an LLB Law with Foundation Year degree which provides a law degree with an extra year of supported study. This is an ideal route if you are returning to study after being out of education for a while, or if you did not achieve the grades you needed for the LLB.
Once you successfully complete the Foundation Year you can choose to study the LLB Law and Human Rights.
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Alternative entry routes
Three years full-time or four years part-time: Certificate of Higher Education in Legal Studies (from Birkbeck): successful completion with a minimum mark of 50% may enable entry to the LLB with optional credit for a first-year module.
Three years full-time: Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma - DMM
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What are the English language requirements?
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.
If you don't meet the minimum English language requirements, please contact us or see our international study skills page for more details about how we can help.
Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.
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What are the visa and funding requirements?
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.
The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:
- Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
- Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa
International students who require a Student visa should apply to study on our courses full-time as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol to study part-time courses at Birkbeck (with the exception of some modules).
As a Student visa student, you should also apply to study on campus only, as online and flexible options of study (if they are available for your course) may affect the conditions of your visa.
For full information, read our visa information for international students page.
Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.
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Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)
If you have studied at university (or have an HND or Foundation Degree), you may have accumulated credits. It may be possible to transfer these from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.
Fees
Three years full-time, on campus
Academic year 2026-27, starting in October 2026
Full-time home students: £9,790 per year
Full-time international students: £18,500 per year
Academic year 2027-28, starting in October 2027
Full-time home students: £10,050 per year
Full-time international students: £19,320 per year
Four years part-time, on campus
Academic year 2026-27, starting in October 2026
Part-time home students: £7,335 per year
Part-time international students: £13,875 per year
Academic year 2027-28, starting in October 2027
Part-time home students: £7,530 per year
Part-time international students: £14,490 per year
Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing their course may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see our Fees Policy.
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Birkbeck's Lifelong Learning Guarantee
If you've studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a reduction on the tuition fee of this course.
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Tuition fees and maintenance loans
Eligible full-time and part-time students from the UK don't have to pay any tuition fees upfront, as government loans are available to cover them.
Maintenance loans are also available for eligible full-time and part-time UK students, to help cover living costs, such as accommodation, food, travel, books and study materials. The amount you receive is means-tested and depends on where you live and study and your household income.
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Can I apply for an international scholarship?
We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. View Birkbeck's available scholarships.
Birkbeck's campus is located in the historic and vibrant Bloomsbury area of central London - named one of the best places to live in London 2025 by The Times.
Careers and employability
You may find graduates from our law and human rights degree progressing in the following kinds of roles:
- barrister
- solicitor
- para-legal
- advocate
- policy researcher.
A law degree from Birkbeck also provides you with a broad range of transferable skills, and knowledge and understanding of the English legal system that may be relevant within a diverse range of other roles.
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.
Student Support
Birkbeck offers study, learning and wellbeing support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed.
Our Learning Development Service provides a lively programme of free weekly workshops building essential academic skills - from writing and critical thinking to maths and referencing - offering flexible sessions, practical tips, and online resources to boost your skills and confidence.
Our Disability and Mental Health Service can support you if you have disabilities, specific learning differences, mental health conditions or neurodivergence, by providing practical support to help you achieve your academic potential.
Our Counselling Service aims to support you with any emotional and psychological difficulties that are affecting your experience and engagement with your studies at university. It is a free, non-judgemental and confidential service which consists of a consultation process followed by time limited counselling contact.
Find out more about the full range of student services we offer at Birkbeck.
How to Apply
You apply via UCAS for our full-time undergraduate courses or directly to Birkbeck for our part-time undergraduate courses. For more detailed, step-by-step guidance on how to apply, visit our How to apply page.
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How do I apply to study full-time (UCAS entry)?
If you are applying for a full-time undergraduate course at Birkbeck you apply through UCAS. Use the Apply now button on this course page which will direct you to UCAS. There you will be prompted to sign in and create an account. You will have to give UCAS a few personal details, including your name, address and date of birth, and then you can start working on your application.
The first UCAS deadline is in January, and the majority of university applications through UCAS are made by then. Find the exact deadline date on the UCAS website. We welcome applications outside of the UCAS deadlines, so you can still apply through UCAS after the January deadline, depending on the availability of places. We also take late applications via the UCAS Clearing system in August.
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How do I apply to study part-time?
If you are applying for a part-time undergraduate course (usually four or six years), you apply directly to Birkbeck online by using the Apply now button. You will need to prove your identity when you apply.
Please note that online application opens in September.
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When should I apply?
You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places left, and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.
You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.
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How can I get help with my application?
Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.
Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.
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International agents
If you are an international agent applying to Birkbeck on behalf of an international student, please use Birkbeck's agent portal.
Study routes for Law and Human Rights (LLB)
Please select a study route below to continue your application.
Please note that international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK can only apply for full-time, on campus routes.
Important: Applications to study part-time in 2027/28 will open in October 2026.
2026-27
Full-time
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Three years full-time, on campus starting in October 2026
Apply now via Clearing Law and Human Rights (LLB) Three years full-time, on campus starting in October 2026
Part-time
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Four years part-time, on campus starting in October 2026
Apply Now Law and Human Rights (LLB) Four years part-time, on campus starting in October 2026
2027-28
Full-time
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Three years full-time, on campus starting in October 2027
Apply now via UCAS Law and Human Rights (LLB) Three years full-time, on campus starting in October 2027