Law, Policy and Practice MA

Please be aware that we have limited places available and are unable to make any more offers to visa requiring students for entry in January 2023. Interested students should instead apply for entry from September 2023 onwards.

The Brunel MA in Law, Policy and Practice is a unique interdisciplinary programme that focuses on key legal and regulatory developments from an international perspective.

This programme offers a detailed analysis of the theory, law, policy and practice in two contemporary and fast-growing areas: migration and ethics, governance and compliance. Both pathways have an emphasis on policy and practice, as applied in the specific areas to form two options of a coherent MA.

You can choose to study full-time (one year) or part-time (two years) and to begin your course either in September or January. 

The two pathways are:

Ethics, Governance and Compliance:

The Ethics, Governance and Compliance pathway is focused on international regulation and compliance from an interdisciplinary perspective. This is an innovative programme offering an overview of how modern markets operate – from the perspective of law and also finance, business, economics and management.  It provides an in-depth understanding of the challenges that modern businesses face, especially in the financial services sector. This pathway is designed to offer a combination of practical and theoretical knowledge, complemented by a unique set of skills that are essential for succeeding in an environment where compliance, ethics and good governance are becoming increasingly important.

Migration Law, Policy and Practice:

The Migration Law, Policy and Practice pathway is the first programme in the UK that offers multi-disciplinary, theoretical and practical insights into arguably the biggest challenge of our society today, namely migration. 

The programme will go beyond examining the relevant legal frameworks.  It will provide critical insights on policy and current practice related to migration and refugee rights. This pathway offers a unique opportunity for acquiring specialist cross-disciplinary knowledge from world-known experts and current leaders in the European migration response. You will learn about law and policy as well as acquiring invaluable practical experience and the opportunity to experience fieldwork. 

In 2020 Brunel was awarded a three-year EU grant with partners for its ITFLOWS research project to predict and manage migrant flows.  The MA in Law, Policy and Practice is at the cutting edge of migration law.  This research project consolidates Brunel's worldwide reputation as an important hub for migration and refugee studies within our Brunel Law School.

Your MA consists of a mixture of compulsory and optional modules and a 15,000 word dissertation on a legal topic of your choice. 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 start your course in January or September and there are full-time and part-time study modes, as well as placement options.  

The Ethics, Governance and Compliance pathway is suitable for graduates who wish to obtain a competitive advantage in today’s sophisticated marketplace. You will have the skills to respond to the needs of modern markets and work in areas of Governance Risk and Compliance in the private commercial sector and non-governmental organisations, as well as government agencies.

Graduates from the Migration Law, Policy and Practice pathway will be able to pursue a career working in international civil society organisations, as well as in national policy making and implementing on migration and human rights protection. Law, policy and practice are intertwined and you will have all the essential knowledge and expertise to work in national, European and international institutions and organisations dealing with migration, including, but not limited to law firms, national and local governments, NGOs and charities.

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.

Brand new work placements and internships: You can now gain valuable work experience while studying postgraduate law at Brunel. New optional work placements (12 months) and internships (6-12 weeks) are available from September 2021 on this course.

•  2:2 or above in Law or a related discipline. For the Migration Law, Policy and Practice Pathway, in addition to Law we will accept degrees in International Relations, Political Science, Criminology and Criminal Justice. For the Ethics, Governance and Compliance pathway, in addition to Law we will accept Economics, Finance, Accounting and Business.

• IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
• Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
• BrunELT: 63% (min 58% in all areas)
• TOEFL: 90 (min 20 in all) 

Our programme is at the forefront of scholarship in Law, Policy and Practice and our lecturers are recognised for their expertise across all areas including Migration Law, Policy and Practice, so you’ll be among the first to benefit from the latest thinking in the field.

Your course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, coursework and exams.

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.

There will be 16 hours of teaching per 15-credit module each teaching term.

Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.

All modules are assessed by written essay and examination. Each assessment is worth 50% of the overall mark.