International Human Rights Law – (LL.M.)

The University of Essex is one of the UK's leading academic institutions, ranked ninth nationally in the last Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

The School of Law has an international reputation for research and a commitment to providing legal education of the highest quality.

This course is the oldest established human rights law course in Europe and the world-leading course in this field. It offers a detailed coverage of the international and regional machinery for the protection and promotion of human rights, as well as in-depth knowledge of different human rights, their interplay, and their protection in peace as well as conflict situations.

This course is taught by one of the strongest teams of academic and professionally-experienced human rights lawyers in the world, many have held or currently hold posts in the UN or other international organisations. Its one compulsory module, the General Seminar, focuses on the international and regional machinery for the protection of human rights, key civil and political rights, as well as economic, social and cultural rights and other branches of international law, such as refugee law and humanitarian law, relevant to the study of human rights. Students choose four modules and write a research essay and a dissertation. Assessment is academically challenging and provides a variety of skills useful for subsequent work in this field. It combines unseen examinations, take-home exams and pieces of research under the supervision of academic staff.

Given the important and emerging area of economic relations and human rights, the School of Law has established the option of a pathway in this for students on LLM International Human Rights Law. Successful completion entitles students to have this focus indicated in the formal description of their degree. The pathway in economic relations and human rights permits students to develop an integrated understanding of the points of contact between the world economy and human rights. It provides grounding in the institutions, processes, and values involved. Among modules available for credit are Business and Human Rights, International Trade Law, Investment and Human Rights, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Development and Human Rights.