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LLM General Law

Start date
September
Duration
1 year full-time; 2 years part-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught
Fees

Annual tuition fee for 2024 entry:
UK: £10,530 full-time
International: £24,120 full-time
More detail.

The Birmingham LLM has been designed to allow in-depth analysis of important legal topics.

This General LLM pathway is particularly suitable for those seeking exposure to a range of legal disciplines, giving students expertise across the board and providing the skills and knowledge required for a successful legal career.

On this pathway you have complete flexibility in module selection, giving you the opportunity to decide which areas of law have the most relevance to your future career and to choose modules that most interest you. With one of the widest ranges of options on any LLM programme in the UK, with over 30 modules available, you can create a unique degree tailored to your future career aspirations. This is the ideal pathway if you wish to gain Masters-level knowledge and skills without restricting yourself to just one particular branch of law.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

Birmingham Law School Postgraduate Open Evening - 21 May 2024

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Learn more about the postgraduate opportunities available at Birmingham Law School during our Open Evening event on Tuesday 21 May (18.30 - 20.30) at The Exchange in Birmingham city centre.

Register now

 

 

Studying an LLM at the University of Birmingham has been transformative. I was drawn in by its esteemed reputation and the city's vibrant cultural mix. The LLM programme's module flexibility and the unwavering support from faculties have been outstanding. Beyond the curriculum, the university offered countless opportunities to learn diverse skills. I've grown immensely as an individual, finding endless opportunities.

Arundathi

Why study this course?

  • Learn directly from world leading experts - As a Top 10 UK Law School* we're home to world leading experts conducting research of local, national and international importance. Our diverse academic team share this work though the high quality of our teaching and related opportunities.
  • Cutting edge curriculum - Mix leading academic theory with real world relevance and professional opportunities to further knowledge, career and specialisations through modules including Cyberlaw, Oil and Gas Law, Regulating Technologies, Global Crime Problems and over 20 more optional modules.
  • Global community and academic outlook - Join an academic community of staff and students from around the world, where each individual brings a different lived experience into the academic discourse through shared discussion and debate.
  • Unique opportunities for professional development - Explore postgraduate focused employability opportunities through our leading Centre for Employability, Professional Legal Education and Research (CEPLER) including research internships, pro bono activities and work experience.
  • Fantastic funding opportunities - There has never been a better time to join the Birmingham Law School Community, with scholarships and awards of up to £10,000 for high achieving students.

*Birmingham Law School is 9th in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 based on research rated 4*

Modules

You follow a modular programme (180 credits in total), which comprises six taught modules (20 credits each) and a dissertation of 15,000 words (60 credits); the latter to be submitted at the end of the year of study.  

Students on the General LLM pathway study one compulsory module, Introduction to Legal Research, and choose five modules from the range available across all the LLM pathways.

Students choose their optional modules from the full Birmingham LLM Module list.


Please note that the optional module information listed on the website for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.

Fees

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024 entry are as follows:

  • UK: £10,530 full-time; £5,265 part-time
  • International: £24,120 full-time

The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

Fee status

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students.

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.


Are you an international applicant?

All international applicants to this course will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of £2,000 on receipt of an offer, to secure their place.

Find out more about the deposit >>.

International Application Fee

For international applicants this programme is subject to a £50 non-refundable application fee. At the end of the application form, before you can submit it to us, you will be required to pay, or indicate how you will pay the required fee in order for us to process your application. Please complete and submit your application before paying your application fee.

Scholarships and studentships

Scholarships to cover fees and/or maintenance costs may be available. To discover whether you are eligible for any award across the University, and to start your funding application, please visit the University's Postgraduate Funding Database.

International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

LLM scholarships 

Birmingham Law School offers a range of scholarships to applicants for the taught LLM programmes. 

How To Apply

International Application Fee

For international applicants this programme is subject to a £50 non-refundable application fee. At the end of the application form, before you can submit it to us, you will be required to pay, or indicate how you will pay the required fee in order for us to process your application. Please complete and submit your application before paying your application fee.

How to Apply for a Postgraduate Degree - Taught programmes

Application deadlines

The deadline for International students (requiring a VISA) to apply is 7 May 2024. The deadline for UK students is 30 August 2024.

Making your application

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

Applicants should have a good Honours degree in law, or a degree in another discipline augmented with a pass in the Common Professional Examination.

International students

Academic requirements: we accept a range of qualifications from different countries use our handy guide below to see what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements : for this course we ask for IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, or PTE with 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills. If you are made an offer of a place to study and you do not meet the language requirement, you have the option to enrol on our English for Academic Purposes Presessional course – if you successfully complete the course, you will be able to fulfil the language requirement without retaking a language qualification.

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band is equivalent to:

  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 22 in Speaking and 21 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

Learn more about international entry requirements.

International Requirements


Students working in one of the law school lecture theatres.

Teaching year

We have three teaching terms per year, the autumn, spring and summer terms. Term dates can be found on our website.

As a full-time student, you will typically take three modules in each of the first two terms, followed by your dissertation. If you are a part-time student, you will typically take three modules across each year, followed by your dissertation.

Each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.

Course delivery

Birmingham offers small-group teaching on the LLM, and students opting for popular modules with large groups of students will receive (where possible) additional teaching time: classes will be split into two separate seminar groups so as to provide an equal opportunity for class interaction compared to those in smaller modules.

The LLM pathways enable you to develop expertise in a range of subjects. You will acquire a systematic understanding of these along with a critical appreciation of the problems that arise in these fields. You will be encouraged to demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge together with a practical understanding of how established research techniques are used to create and interpret knowledge. 

Law School induction

At the start of the course there is a comprehensive welcome and induction programme designed to help you settle in and gain an understanding of the Birmingham LLM. You will familiarise yourself with the various ways in which we can support you throughout the year to ensure that your LLM course is an exciting and rewarding experience.

Students can register for modules before arrival as well as at the start of the academic year. As part of the induction process you will get the opportunity to learn more about the various modules available and make choices that correspond to your interests. 

Studying part-time

All the LLM pathways may be taken part-time and completed over a period of two years. This mode of study is particularly suitable for barristers and solicitors who wish to combine professional practice with university-level study, gaining CPD points in the process.

Classes for part-time students on the LLM will be scheduled between 9am-6pm and students will typically have between 2-4 hours of teaching each week. Fees are the same as for full-time study but are split over two years.   

International students

For students from outside the UK, there will be an opportunity during induction to familiarise themselves with the English legal system, as it forms the basis for the modules on offer. The Birmingham International Academy (BIA) provides a range of support in reading and writing academic English.

Photo of a pencil and an employment application

Our graduates move onto a diverse range of careers, with many going on to work in top law schools and law firms. Some examples of where our recent graduates have gone on to work include: Linklaters LLP, 5 Pump Court Chambers, Bar Pro Bono Unit and Squire Patton Boggs. A number of our postgraduate students go directly from Birmingham to complete the Legal Practice Course or the Bar Professional Training Course.

Links to the Legal Profession

The Law School maintains strong links with the professional world, through our network of alumni and contacts in the barristers’ and solicitors’ professions. These links allow us to put on a series of law careers events throughout the academic year.

Each autumn, the University hosts the Law Fair, in which we welcome over 50 law firms, including some of the largest law firms in the world, to the University's Great Hall. The attendees represent law firms of all sizes and most areas of practice.

Each year, the Law School hosts an “Employability Fortnight”. The events which run in this fortnight have included an Applications Process Panel Session, a Midlands Circuit Court Visit followed by an Inner Temple Drinks Reception in the evening, an Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop by Herbert Smith, and dedicated Careers Advice Drop-in Sessions.

The Careers Network

The Careers Network organises regular events including presentations by top law firms and the annual Law Fair. It also runs workshops to help students prepare effective applications and to prepare for their next move. Its events on non-law careers, including journalism, marketing and working with charities, can be of interest to law students.

Mooting

The Law School organises a range of mooting opportunities and students have the opportunity to participate (a moot is a mock trial of a legal issue). The Moot Room is a state-of-the-art court room, complete with audio-visual equipment for recording moots. The Law School operates four mooting competitions, and students regularly represent the University at regional and national competitions, with notable success.