International Law and International Relations

LLM

  • Entry year 2025 or 2024
  • Duration Full time 1 year, Part time 2 years

Overview

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The LLM International Law and International Relations examines global politics and international law and the fascinating interplay between the two. Jointly delivered by the Law School and the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion (PPR), it enables you to explore the theory and the practice of international relations and international law, and deepen your understanding of the ways that legal principles apply to inter-state relations.

Our Law School is home to the Centre for International Law and Human Rights, the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice, the Centre for Law and Society, and the Centre for Child and Family Justice. PPR is home to the Richardson Institution for Peace Studies, and also the Cultural Political Economy Research Centre. These influential centres underpin our postgraduate teaching and you will have access to the expertise of academics researching in the field of international relations, international law and other legal and socio-legal issues.

The pathway for the LLM ensures a duality: a total of 6 modules from the Law School and PPR, and a 15,000 word dissertation, which enables you to pursue your own interests whilst becoming practiced at looking at issues from different perspectives.

Your core modules are International Law, Major Approaches to the Study of International Relations, Research Methods in Law or Theory and Methods in Postgraduate Studies and the LLM Dissertation.

You will study further elective modules from the Law School and/or PPR. We pride ourselves on the breadth of options available and you can focus on the issues that most interest you. Elective modules may include (among others): Theorising Security and War; Environmental Law; Politics and International Relations of the Middle East; Conflict Management and Contemporary Conflicts; and, the Rights of Peoples.

The dissertation is an independent, in-depth inquiry into a research topic of your choosing. The topic will link to a key legal or political question or issue and may also directly relate to your professional/career interests. This is your opportunity to make a contribution to the academic community with new, original research and writing. A dissertation supervisor can provide you with support and introduce you to relevant research; their personal research interests will closely align with your chosen topic wherever possible.

Our teaching approach is international in scope and comparative by nature, and we actively encourage you to build a beneficial network of academics, peers and alumni during your time with us. All of this will help you to broaden your experience, deepen your understanding, and prepare for your next step.

Your postgraduate LLM degree can open doors to a wide range of careers and provides a training opportunity for those pursuing careers in areas such as foreign and international affairs, national and international non-governmental organisations, journalism and international business.

Whilst on this degree you will have the chance to develop: the skills required to critically evaluate cutting-edge research; inter-disciplinary skills; and, analytical and communications skills. All of which can be a real boost in any sector and highly prized by employers.

The LLM is also an ideal stepping stone to PhD study and academia.

Please note: We welcome applications from students without prior study of politics, law or international relations, but you would be expected to work hard to make up the gap to master advanced level study of these subjects.

A focus on international law

The LLM International Law and International Relations examines international law as it intersects with global politics. Jointly delivered by the Law School and the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion (PPR), the course enables you to explore the theory and the practice of international law and deepen your understanding of the ways legal principles apply to inter-state relations.

Want more emphasis on international relations? Take a look at our at MA in International Law and International Relations.

Entry requirements

Academic Requirements

2:1 degree in a related subject is normally required. We will also consider applications where you have a degree in other subjects, have a 2:2 or equivalent result and/or extensive relevant experience. In these cases, you should clearly demonstrate how your experience and skills have prepared you for postgraduate study.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 5.5 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Pre-master’s programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Course structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Core

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Optional

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Fees and funding

Location Full Time (per year) Part Time (per year)
Home £11,960 £5,980
International £24,830 £12,415

General fees and funding information

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Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

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Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.