Overview
The Brunel International Human Rights Law LLM is designed for graduates wishing to develop the specialist skills needed for a career in this dynamic field of law.
Through a detailed analysis of the theory, history and development of human rights, and an exploration of the mechanisms of human rights protection, you will acquire a comprehensive understanding of international human rights law and its interconnection with international criminal and comparative criminal law.
The course places particular emphasis on the radical transformations in international human rights law since the beginning of the 21st century, with the establishment of the International Criminal Court, the on-going process of the United Nations reform, and the post 9/11 shift to a more ‘security-at-all-costs’ approach to criminal process values, especially with regards to the war against terror.
You will explore key contemporary issues, such as:
- Human rights advocacy and global governance though the United Nations, NGOs and non-state actors
- Regional systems of human rights protection
- Group rights and the rights of minorities and Indigenous Peoples
- Challenges posed by international migration and the protection of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees
- Women’s rights and the rights of the child including protection for victims of human trafficking
- The rights of LGBTIA+ persons;
- The right to development and “third- generation” rights
- The intersections between human rights, artificial intelligence and intellectual property.
With human rights persistently under threat and human rights issues featuring more prominently in public debates and institutional policy considerations, employers are looking for candidates with the specialist training needed to keep up with the new realities. Your International Human Rights Law LLM will give you that expertise and make you a sought-after prospect by law firms, NGOs and government bodies.
You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.
Course content
The International Human Rights Law LLM consists of compulsory and optional modules and a 15,000-word dissertation.
- Full-time students should complete four modules per term, excluding the dissertation.
- Part-time students should complete two modules per term, excluding the dissertation.
You can gain valuable work experience while studying postgraduate law at Brunel. Optional work placements (12 months) are available and you can choose to start your course in January or September; studying full-time or part-time.
Compulsory
- LX5500 - Dissertation A 15,000 word assignment to enable you to acquire a well-developed knowledge and understanding of an area of law within the scope of your programme and to improve skills in legal research and writing.
- LX5682 - Global Governance and Human Rights
This module is designed for students who wish to develop a solid understanding of the international human rights system and its global governance structure. In this module, we consider the UN human rights institutional set-up, and briefly consider the historical origins of the UN system of protection, and the creation of today’s UN human rights institutional framework.
We also examine and critically discuss the current UN system, its mechanisms, the legal and normative developments seeking to foster human rights globally and domestically.
- LX5688 - Human Rights in Practice
This module will give students a detailed overview of international human rights law in context. It will incorporate a practical element in the application of human rights, in the form of briefs, case-studies and advocacy tools in each right. Students will examine the main international human rights and their implementation and enforcement of international human rights, especially within the UN human rights regime. Students will critically assess the role and functions of the relevant UN human rights monitoring mechanisms, and discuss and evaluate key human rights law concepts and norms and their role in the development of international human rights law.
- LX5641 - Regional Systems of Human Rights Protection: Americas, Africa, AsiaProviding a detailed overview of the American and African human rights frameworks, as well as the emerging Asian human rights framework, allowing you to study and assess the development and impact of States on these regional human rights principles and rules, examine the implementation and enforcement of these regional human rights, and to evaluate the efficacy of these regional human rights frameworks to date and recommend strategies for improvement.
Optional
- LX5647 - Business and Human Rights
This module addresses the links between business (broadly understood) and human rights. It seeks to identify how corporations (including supply chains), investment, trade liberalisation, sovereign debt and intellectual property affect the enjoyment of human rights.
- LX5672 - Corporate Responsibility, Sustainability and ESG
The module examines and critically analyses corporate responsibility, and the requirements of Sustainability and ESG in modern business and the international dimensions of these concepts.
- LX5653 - European and International Media Law
This module will prepare you to deal with a variety of complex legal aspects of media law and regulation from comparative and international legal perspectives.
It will be particularly useful and will provide an attractive alternative for IP students less interested in patent law, and wishing to deepen their understanding in the area of soft IP.
- LX5684 - International Environmental and Energy Law
This module explores the global legal frameworks that govern environmental protection and energy transition. You will examine international environmental governance, climate change law, and the growing recognition of human rights in environmental protection including rights of nature.
- LX5608 - International Human Rights and Islamic LawThe main aim of this module is to introduce you to comparative perspectives on Islamic law and human rights, drawing upon English language scholarship in the field. This exercise, it is intended, would provide an understanding of the Sharia and its compatibility with modern international law in general and human rights law in particular.
- LX5637 - Multiculturalism and Human Rights
Multiculturalism and Human Rights grapples with the various human rights issues, debates and dilemmas present in multicultural societies. It introduces students to a range of issues concerning the role of international human rights law in these societies, with a focus on the rights of historically oppressed and/or marginalised groups (women, migrants, minorities, Indigenous Peoples, etc).
- LX5683 - Peace, Security and Global Governance
This aim of this module is to develop a deep understanding of how international legal norms and institutions have evolved to address war, conflict, systemic injustice and serious human rights violations.
It includes the historical development of international humanitarian law and international criminal law, and how the existing international structures attempt to regulate both inter-state and intra-state conflict.
- LX5616 - Privacy and Data Protection
Privacy and data protection law provides students with solid theoretical and practical understanding of the legal framework on data privacy law in the EU, the UK and at global level.
- LX5553 - The Migrant, The State and the Law
This module will provide students with a critical and theoretical overview of the central features of migration and refugee law and policy and the interaction between the two, as well as examining the formulation, implementation and enforcement of these laws and policies at international level. Students will also study and assess the legal and political processes behind the construction of ‘the migrant’ and ‘the refugee’ as ‘others’ in relation to ‘the state’. Students will evaluate the potential for law to account for the protection of migrants and refugees and to develop a critical understanding of the law as an instrument of exclusion.
This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel
Careers and your future
You will leave Brunel with a firm grounding in International Human Rights Law and with solid legal knowledge, allowing you to be flexible in your future choices. While many choose to move from the LLM to progress towards becoming PhD students, you’ll also be well equipped for career opportunities in human rights advocacy or in governmental and non-governmental human rights organisations at the national and international level.
Our students in recent years went on to pursue careers in range of high-profile organisations such as European Parliament, National Commission on Rights of Child, Oxfordshire County Council, Dentons, White and Case LLP.
UK entry requirements
- A 2:2 (or above) UK Honours degree, or equivalent internationally recognised qualification, in Law or a related subject (International Relations, Political Science, Criminology, Criminal Justice and Sociology).
- Other related disciplines and qualifications will be considered on an individual basis.
EU and International entry requirements
If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.
English language requirements
- IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
- Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
- BrunELT: 63% (min 58% in all areas)
- TOEFL: 5 (min 4.5 in all subscores)
You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.
Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.
Fees and funding
2026/27 entry
UK
£14,435 full-time
£7,215 part-time
£1,385 placement year
International
£22,320 full-time
£11,160 part-time
£1,385 placement year
More information on any additional course-related costs.
Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.
See our fees and funding page for full details of postgraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.
Scholarships and bursaries
Teaching and learning
You'll be taught by experts in your field of study, and you'll have the opportunity to interact and engage with academics and your fellow students throughout your programme.
Your programme will consist of a variety of learning and studying activities, including lectures and seminars which will be delivered in person on campus. These will be supported by a number of online learning and studying activities when appropriate to provide a rich and dynamic experience. At LLM level, students will study four 15 credit modules each term for two terms across the academic year.
Each module will have on average eight, two-hour in person contact time per week in seminars, workshops or lectures. After the end of the taught part of the programme, there is the dissertation. All students will also have the opportunity to seek guidance during the feedback and consultation hours of their lecturers (2, 1-hour slots every week). It is expected that students will regularly attend these events, as sustained engagement with a learning community is a central dimension of the Brunel experience.
Additionally, students can seek support in individual meetings with their personal tutors, both on campus and online. There will also be regular cohort meetings and student society events, at both programme and departmental levels.
You'll be taught by experts in your field of study, and you'll have the opportunity to interact and engage with academics and your fellow students throughout your programme.
Your programme will consist of a variety of learning and studying activities, including lectures and seminars which will be delivered in person on campus. These will be supported by a number of online learning and studying activities when appropriate to provide a rich and dynamic experience.
In Levels 5, students will study four 30 credit modules for two terms across the academic year. Each module will have on average two-to-three hours in person contact time per week in lectures and seminars. In Level 6, students will study four 20 credit modules and the dissertation module. Each module will have on average two hours in person in lectures, seminars or workshops.
All students will also have the opportunity to seek guidance during module lecturers’ feedback and consultation hours. Additionally, students can seek support in individual meetings with their personal tutors, both on campus and online. There will also be regular cohort meetings and student society events, at both programme and departmental levels.
All lectures, seminars, and other social activities will occur in person on the Brunel campus. Online activities will be used to support your learning when appropriate. It is expected that students will regularly attend these events as sustained engagement with a learning community is a central dimension of the Brunel experience.
Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for joining online activities, completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found here.
We have computers available across campus for your use and laptop loan schemes to support you through your studies. You can find out more here.
Brunel has a strong research status. The 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) rated the majority (72.7%) of our research activity as either world-leading or internationally excellent. Our research was rated 58th globally for research impact. This robust culture provides a dynamic space for students to learn and contribute to current knowledge.
Your International Human Rights Law LLM modules will be delivered through seminars with two hours of teaching per module a week alongside your own self-directed study. Optional modules have class sizes of 10-12 students, and compulsory modules have class sizes of around 25 on average.
You’ll also learn through:
- Research centre activities and research trips
- Contributing to newsletters
- Making oral presentations
- Attending law film screenings
- Participating in debating events and reading group sessions.
You'll receive your timetable in advance of the course starting. Part-time study is based on a full-time timetable with one less module per semester.
Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.
Assessment and feedback
All modules are assessed through a variety of diverse assessment methods. Guidance and support is offered to all students ahead of the assessment periods. General and personalised feedback is also available after the assessment periods and the publication of the results.
Read our guide on how to avoid plagiarism in your assessments at Brunel.