Overview
The LLM in International Human Rights Law aims to provide you with an opportunity to develop recognised expertise in emergent issues within the area of international human rights law.
This course will provide you with an understanding of the social realities that inform the human rights discourse and affect the practical applicability of human rights law.
The course takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of international human rights law that will introduce you to both the international and regional protection of human rights. This aims to provide you with an understanding of the social realities that inform the human rights discourse and affect the practical applicability of human rights law.
Benefitting from over 50 years’ experience of teaching Law and having the opportunity to participate in the Coventry University Global Leaders programme (subject to application and fees) and our CMI module , there are plenty of ways to develop your skills and stand out in the global graduate market. Please see the Accreditations and Professional Recognition section for further detail on our CMI module.
Why Coventry University?
An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.
To ensure an optimised and continual student experience, the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses.
Global ready
An international outlook, with global opportunitiesEmployability
Career-ready graduates, with the skills to succeedStudent experience
All the support you need, in a top student cityAccreditations and Professional Recognition
This course is accredited and recognised by the following bodies:
Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
The course currently includes the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accredited module, Global Professional Development - Consultancy. Students who successfully complete the CMI module and meet the CMI evidence requirements will also gain a Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Leadership and Management and a Level 7 Award in Professional Consulting. This will enable you to apply for Chartered Manager status via the qualified route, once all CMI entry criteria have been met (please visit the CMI website for full details on the criteria to qualify as a Chartered Manager and applicable fees).
Coventry University’s accreditation with CMI is currently ongoing for the relevant modules, but is frequently reviewed and monitored by the CMI through their quality systems. If any changes occur with respect to our accreditation related to these modules, we will seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.
International Association of Law Schools
Coventry Law School is a member of the International Association of Law Schools, an association of more than 160 law schools and departments from over 55 countries, representing more than 7,500 law faculty members. Having this status allows our Law students the opportunity for a variety of international experiences, including with our partner institutions across the world.
European Law Faculties Association (ELFA)
Coventry Law School is also a member of the European Law Faculties Association (ELFA) with over 250 members from Europe and beyond.
What our staff say
I am really excited about this new course at Coventry Law School as it explores a range of contemporary and highly relevant challenges to international human rights law. It will give students the chance to understand and analyse how human rights impact on many aspects of life and deals with highly relevant issues such as counter-terrorism and minority rights.
Course information
Suitable for graduates with or without a background in law who are seeking an opportunity to gain and/or build upon their knowledge of international human rights law.
This course aims to provide you with an opportunity to develop recognised expertise in emergent issues within the area of international human rights law. The LLM in International Human Rights Law takes an interdisciplinary approach that will introduce you to both the international and regional protection of human rights. This aims to provide you with an understanding of the social realities that inform the human rights discourse and affect the practical applicability of human rights law. Through the course you will have the chance to gain the necessary skills to critically apprehend the rules, systems, techniques, and practices of human rights.
You will be taught by experts in the field of international human rights, with assessment designed to test both critical understanding of the law, as well as its practical application. In addition to this, you will benefit from over 50 years’ experience of teaching Law, and have the opportunity to participate in the Coventry University Global Leaders programme (subject to application and fees) and our CMI module. Please see the Accreditations and Professional Recognition section for further details on our CMI module. Please note that staff are subject to change.
This course can be offered on a part-time basis, with study over two years. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. You can make an enquiry about part-time study using our online forms, for UK and for EU/International students.
Course Specification
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Modules
In more detail...
The LLM in International Human Rights Law aims to provide you with an opportunity to develop recognised expertise in emergent issues within the area of international human rights law. Suitable for graduates with or without a background in law who are seeking to gain and/or build upon their knowledge of international human rights law.
Law has been taught at Coventry University for over 50 years and we are currently staffed by over 40 highly experienced academics and former practitioners, who bring their professional and/or research expertise into teaching; our faculty take pride in providing friendly, accessible support and guidance as well as inspirational teaching. Please note that staff are subject to change.
Our learning facilities, which include modern classrooms, open learning spaces and our moot room allow you the chance to get the most out of your learning experience. Our Moot Room, which is based on the ground floor of the George Eliot building will give you the opportunity to practise your legal skills. You will also have opportunities to advance your legal knowledge through attendance at conferences, special guest seminars, and guest speakers, many of whom are currently working in the legal industry (subject to availability). Please also note that due to the ongoing situation around COVID-19 restrictions, some teaching spaces may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use. Please refer to the University’s webpages regarding our response to Covid-19, for UK students and for International students. '
- Guidance on research, study and writing skills together with exploration of research design and methods, in preparation for writing assessments and the final semester Project module.
- Over 50 years’ experience teaching Law at Coventry University
- Coventry Law School are members of the International Association of Law Schools
- Access to the Talent Team, a dedicated service for those students seeking placements and employment, with employability staff with knowledge of the legal profession and associated careers
- Access to Coventry Law School’s Moot Room (subject to availability)
- International perspective provided by staff exchange visits from other universities across the world (subject to availability)
- Annual Law Student Conference, which was previously run in collaboration the British Foundation for the University of the West Indies (BFUWI) and was attended by over 120 students at its launch in 2015 with the theme of ‘Global Careers in Law’ (subject to availability)
- Opportunities to attend guest lectures from employers who specialise in different areas of the law, with the opportunity to build your professional network (please note guest speakers are subject to availability).
- Current established student exchange links with the Universities of Liege in Belgium, Strasbourg in France (French speaking), Castellon and Leon in Spain (Spanish speaking), The Hague in the Netherlands, Orebro in Sweden, Pecs in Hungary (where courses are taught in English), the Universities of Kiel and Rostock in Germany (German Speaking) and the University of the West Indies Law Faculty in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (English speaking)
- The Internationalisation of Human Rights: The regulation of human rights at the regional and international levels serves as a means through which State behaviour is adapted in order to prevent and punish human rights abuses committed by and through State actors. It is therefore important within both academic and practical contexts for lawyers and legally-interested individuals to be able to critically analyse the way in which human rights frameworks serve to regulate the practice of human rights within the global system of States. This course therefore plays a crucial role in aiming to enhance the knowledge, understanding, and skills of lawyers and legally-interested individuals.
- Human Rights in Practice: An advanced knowledge and understanding of human rights is important for anyone seeking to work within this field of law. Human rights lawyers draw upon both their legal knowledge and practical skills in order to apply them to the various and often complex situations and cases involving the application of international human rights norms. This course incorporates a practice-oriented approach to study by challenging students to apply their knowledge and skills to contemporary human rights issues in both domestic and global contexts.
- Social Justice: The development of human rights is dependent on the social and political movements that seek social justice for victims of human rights abuses. This course therefore considers the role that various actors play in the development of human rights regimes. In doing so, students have the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to critically appraise the development of human rights as it relates to the securitisation and protection of human rights in various socio-political and cultural contexts.
This course can be studied full-time over one year and may also be taken part-time over two years. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. You can make an enquiry about part-time study using our online forms, for UK and for EU/International students.
We place great emphasis on our aim to enhance your transferrable professional skills, so you will regularly have opportunities to lead discussions or develop your presentation skills. We will also encourage you to improve your analytical and critical thinking skills.
Teaching will principally be delivered through flexible workshops, which will include expository ‘lecture style’ content, in-class activities, and discursive seminars. These sessions may be delivered through a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials and online classes and tutorials. We will draw heavily on real-life case studies and there will be plenty of opportunities for discussion and debate within workshops. You will be expected to prepare in advance of workshops, with the aim to develop your understanding of a particular subject.
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include practical or project work, coursework, and essays.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes. Assessments may include individual assignments or group work elements.
On successful completion of the course, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate an advanced understanding of international human rights law as a legal system that is distinct from national legal systems.
- Critically evaluate substantive issues and developments within international human rights law.
- Apply advanced legal knowledge to practical issues within international human rights law.
- Effectively communicate ideas by explaining and conveying information in varying forms, such as orally and written.
- Undertake complex research-based projects independently, including an ability to manage your work in an effective manner.
- Work independently and collaboratively, making effective use of feedback.
- Understand the importance of social responsibility and ethical behaviour in an academic and vocational capacity.
- Evidence intellectual independence by addressing and resolving legal and related questions, identifying gaps in their own knowledge, and by acquiring new knowledge by engaging in critical analysis and evaluation.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles of consultancy and the theories and practices found in leadership.
We set out below the typical teaching contact hours that you will receive on this course. In addition to the contact hours below, we offer the opportunity to attend additional optional sessions, such as guest lectures (subject to availability), or to meet with staff during their advice and feedback hours.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the University may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
In your first and second semester, you will have around 12 contact hours of teaching a week. The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.
A strong emphasis is placed on the Project module in your final semester and therefore total teaching contact hours may be reduced.
In addition, you will be expected to undertake a significant amount of studying and revising in your own time each week, which will be both self-directed, and also guided, through the use of, for example, hand-outs or online activities.
We recognise the difference that both work and an international experience can make to a future career. As well as having an international theme throughout your studies, there will also be opportunities to attend field trips overseas, which in the past has seen us visit the University of the West Indies Law Faculty in the Republic of Trinidad, The Hague to visit the International Criminal Court and Tobago to experience a different legal system as praxis, and also engage in a moot debate.
We currently have particularly strong links with the South West University of Politics and Law (SWUPL) in Chongqing in China. We have also current established links with The University of the West Indies (Republic of Trinidad & Tobago), Stellenbosch University (South Africa), Nebrija University (Spain), Brunswick European Law School (Germany), and the University of Maryland (USA). These provide opportunities for study exchanges and staff also regularly give guest lectures and host joint ‘live’ online seminars with their students (subject to availability). Previously, we’ve organised seminars on topics such as International Development Law, Oil, Gas & Energy Law, Intellectual Property, International and European Law.
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any overseas opportunities and that any such opportunities referred to on this webpage may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Global ready
Did you know we help more students travel internationally than any other UK university according to data from the experts in higher education data and analysis, HESA?
In 2018/19, we were able to provide a total of 5,469 experiences abroad that lasted at least five days.
Much of this travel is made possible through our Global Leaders Programme, which enables students to prepare for the challenges of the global employment market, as well as strengthening and developing their broader personal and professional skills.
Explore our international experiences1st for
international experiences
Sending more students overseas than any other UK uni 2016/17
5,469
Student experiences
The number of student trips abroad for at least 5 days in 2018/19
12,000
and counting
The number of students we’ve helped travel internationally since 2016
12
global programmes
As well as trips, we offer other opportunities like language courses
What our staff say
I am really excited about this new course at Coventry Law School as it explores a range of contemporary and highly relevant challenges to international human rights law. It will give students the chance to understand and analyse how human rights impact on many aspects of life and deals with highly relevant issues such as counter-terrorism and minority rights.
Entry Requirements
What our staff say
I am really excited about this new course at Coventry Law School as it explores a range of contemporary and highly relevant challenges to international human rights law. It will give students the chance to understand and analyse how human rights impact on many aspects of life and deals with highly relevant issues such as counter-terrorism and minority rights.
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to) travel, accommodation, activities and visas.
What our staff say
I am really excited about this new course at Coventry Law School as it explores a range of contemporary and highly relevant challenges to international human rights law. It will give students the chance to understand and analyse how human rights impact on many aspects of life and deals with highly relevant issues such as counter-terrorism and minority rights.
Career prospects
Graduate Immigration Route visa
Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.
The LLM in International Human Rights Law provides the opportunity to gain specialist knowledge in the legal understanding and application of human rights law, thus providing graduates with legal specialism in this area of law.
International human rights law is at the forefront of policy-making and those graduating with an LLM in International Human Rights law may go on to work in either the public or private sector. Careers prospects for those with specialist human rights knowledge include a wide-range of fields such as policing, immigration, and privacy law. Graduates may engage in advisory work, such as reviewing government policies and actions, whilst some graduates may find employment as human rights litigators, working for domestic and/or international legal firms. Additionally, career prospects may include human rights advocacy work, particularly on behalf of, but not limited to, the work of non-governmental organisations.
The utility of the course is not restricted to those who wish to pursue a career in legal practice, as the skills and attributes developed and acquired throughout and upon successful completion of the LLM in International Human Rights Law course are translatable to many other career destinations. The course is designed to prepare you for the global jobs market, further graduate level study (PhD) or a potential career in academia. Please not that further study opportunities may be subject to competitive application, availability, meeting any applicable visa requirements and additional costs may apply.
Where our graduates work
Previous graduates on similar courses have gone on to start their legal careers at organisations such as the Criminal Cases Review Commission, Crown Prosecution Service and in high street, national and international firms specialising in commercial and business law. Examples of employers of previous graduates on similar courses include: Brethertons LLP, a growing Midlands firm; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer a leading multinational law firm and Ince and Co, a specialist international commercial firm with offices in Dubai, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Le Havre, London, Paris, Piraeus, Shanghai and Singapore.
What our staff say
I am really excited about this new course at Coventry Law School as it explores a range of contemporary and highly relevant challenges to international human rights law. It will give students the chance to understand and analyse how human rights impact on many aspects of life and deals with highly relevant issues such as counter-terrorism and minority rights.
Disclaimer
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2020/21 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
