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Law with Human Rights

LLM

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Key information

Key information for 2026-27

Start date:
October 2026
Study route:

  • One year full-time, on campus

  • Two years part-time, on campus

Status:
Fully approved
Location:
Birkbeck Campus, Central London
Awarding body:
University of London
Study options:
Full-time | Part-time | On campus

Course overview

Our LLM Law with Human Rights pathway is unique in its passionate engagement with the highly contested and, at best, scandalous nature of human rights law and discourse.

  • Why choose this course?
    • You will be taught by staff who are part of a proud tradition of critical scholarship in law who address issues of law through power and inequality and are led by principles of social, economic, political, environmental and racial justice.
    • This course is designed for students who need to balance study with work, family or other commitments, but wish to study in an environment led by academic staff with extensive research expertise and publications in their field.
    • Our students come from all over the world and include current and future legal practitioners, as well as practitioners from other fields, so you can look forward to a stimulating learning environment, alongside others with diverse backgrounds and professional experiences.

  • What will I learn?

    Human rights are at the interface of law, politics, sociology, philosophy and anthropology, as well as art, film and literature. During this course you will:

    • gain an understanding of the intersection between law and other societal challenges, as well as the interaction between multiple areas of law
    • learn how to transfer your understanding of complex problems and regulatory responses to different contexts
    • critically evaluate legal, regulatory and policy proposals concerning your pathway-specific challenges.

  • How will I learn?

    You will be taught via a combination of pre-recorded lectures and seminars. In lectures we offer you an outline or overview of the topic, to engage you with the material and direct you to other resources. In seminars we work together as a group engaging in discussion around the topic.

    You will be able to choose between full- and part-time study on this course. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening.

  • How often will I attend classes?

    Full-time: Two to three evenings a week, October to July.

    Part-time: One to two evenings a week, October to July.

  • Pathways

    This course is a Pathway of the LLM Law which has additional Pathways to offer you the chance to specialise depending on your interests and career goals:

    LLM Law with Environmental Law, Governance and Policy

    LLM Law with International Intellectual Property

    LLM Law with New Technologies

  • 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

  • At Birkbeck we understand that law is about more than legal doctrine and legal technique, so we have designed a truly interdisciplinary course where you are able to take options from within the Law School and from other schools at Birkbeck.
  • The academics involved in teaching on the programme are world leaders in their various fields and the Law School is internationally renowned for its pathbreaking theoretical, political and humanities-based scholarship.
  • You will be able to attend our Law School Annual Lecture and specialist research seminars which feature international scholars speaking on current issues and their interdisciplinary research. 
  • We are home to the Birkbeck Law Press which publishes Law and Critique. You can also take advantage of the rich research collections nearby, including those of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Senate House Library, the British Library of Political and Economic Science (LSE Library) and the British Library.

Modules and Teaching

Birkbeck Law School

The Law School is recognised for research excellence, professional connections and student support, as well as courses that combine multidisciplinary insight with practical skills.

Visit the school

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree (2:2) or above in law, the humanities or social sciences; other honours degrees will be considered. Equivalent international qualifications will also be considered.

Other relevant qualifications and appropriate professional training and experience are welcome and will be taken into account.

Excellent English language skills are essential.

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.

On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

Apply now to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered, and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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Fees

LLM: One year full-time or two years part-time, on campus, starting in October 2026

Academic year 2026-27

Part-time home students: £6,555 per year
Full-time home students: £13,110 per year
Part-time international students: £11,490 per year
Full-time international students: £22,980 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 the Fees Policy.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

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

On successfully graduating from this LLM Law with Human Rights, you will have gained an array of valuable transferable skills, including: 

  • the ability to work as part of a team
  • high-level oral and written communication skills
  • research skills
  • skills in evaluating and assessing different types of information.

Graduates can pursue career paths in advocacy, legal services, policy analysis, the civil service, journalism and academia and research. 

Possible professions include:

  • human rights lawyer
  • barrister
  • solicitor
  • researcher
  • journalist
  • chartered legal executive
  • licensed conveyancer
  • human resources officer
  • patent attorney.

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 directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link.

You will need to prove your identity when you apply. Find out more about how to apply.

  • 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.

Study routes for Law with Human Rights (LLM)

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.

Starting in October 2026

Full-time

Part-time