School of Law School of Law
PhD Programme and Other Research Degrees    
LLM (R) in History and Philosophy of Law

 

Programme Director:
                                    
 
Dr Paul du Plessis 

 

Introduction to the Programme

The LL.M (R) in History and Philosophy of Law builds on the Law School’s national and international reputation in the fields of Legal History and Philosophy of Law. Staff expertise in those fields is grounded in a long and illustrious tradition of historical and philosophical research that can be traced back to the Scottish Enlightenment.

The LL.M programme is designed to promote cross-fertilization between the fields of Legal History and Philosophy of Law, while allowing students to focus on the areas that interest them the most. Certain courses (such as Traditions of Legal Enquiry) expressly explore the relations between research in Legal History and research in Legal Philosophy, while others focus on more discrete areas of legal enquiry. Students are encouraged to choose (under the guidance of the programme director) optional courses and a dissertation topic that reflect their interests (see below).  Please note that you do not need to have a prior qualification in law to be eligible to apply for this programme.

Edinburgh is committed to providing a unique research student community in both Legal History and Philosophy of Law. Our research students in legal theory, for instance, run their own Legal Theory seminar series and reading group and the Centre for Legal History hosts a number of student and staff seminars.

Edinburgh offers the student a strong and active research community which fosters and encourages the development of researchers in Legal History and Philosophy of Law at all stages of their careers.

Click here for further information on how to write a good research proposal.

The Staff

Edinburgh hosts one of the most important centres of Legal History in Scotland, the UK, and indeed in the world. The Centre for Legal History has an established international reputation and is staffed by renowned experts in the field of legal historical enquiry.

The Director of the Centre for Legal History is Professor John Cairns, and the team includes Professor Hector MacQueen, Mr David Sellar and Dr Paul du Plessis. The members of the Centre also act as office bearers for some of the most important legal history bodies in Scotland and elsewhere (e.g. the Stair Society and the Scottish Eighteenth-Century Society).
In the fields of Legal Philosophy and Legal Theory, Edinburgh is one of the leading institutions in the world. That recognition is both given to the individual staff members and to the institution itself. The legal theory team which will be involved in the teaching and/or supervision includes Professor Zenon Bankowski, Professor Neil Walker, and Dr Claudio Michelon.

Institutionally, legal theorists in Edinburgh are part of the Centre for Law and Society, which enjoys international institutional prestige as one of the most important research centres in the field worldwide.

Programme Structure

The LL.M (R) degree is a postgraduate degree of Master of Laws by Research. This programme may be completed by either full-time or part-time study.  

In order to achieve the LL.M (R) in History and Philosophy of Law, you are required to complete 180 credits, which are broken down as follows:

(a) 100 credits for a 15 000 word Dissertation written under supervision

(b) 20 credits for the course on Traditions of Legal Inquiry (Compulsory – Semester 1)

(c) 20 credits for the course on Theories and Philosophies of Legal Research (Compulsory – Semester 1)

(d) 40 credits for two courses to be chosen from the following list (each 20 credits) (Semester 2)

History and Theory of International Law
Law and the Enlightenment [This course is not running in the 2011/2012 academic session]
The Anatomy of Private Law
The Anatomy of Public Law

Click here for course descriptions


Students might be allowed to take some or all of the 40 credits described in letter (d) from other courses offered by the School of Law or by other Schools within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, at the discretion of the programme director.

The LLM (R) in History and Philosophy of Law may be taken over one year (full-time) or two years (part-time; substantive course in Year 1, research courses plus dissertation in Year 2).

Further Information

Applications for admission to the 2012-2013 LLM in History and Philosophy of Law are now being accepted.

Click here to apply for this programme.

Should you wish to discuss any aspect of the LLM(R) in History and Philosophy of Law or your application, please do not hesitate to email Dr. Paul du Plessis or the School of Law Postgraduate Office 

Forthcoming Events
15 Feb 2012  Edinburgh Legal Theory Research Group
Reading Group Meeting
Ken Mason Suite 16:45 to 18:15
Legal Theory Group
17 Feb 2012  Centre for Legal History / Edinburgh Roman Law Group
“The Lex Dei on Male Homosexuality: A Reinterpretation of Leviticus and its Implications”
Professor Timothy Barnes (FBA, FRSC)
Lorimer Room, Old College 17:30 to 19:00
All welcome. It would be of great assistance if you would email Dr. Paul du Plessis or write or telephone to him at the School of Law, Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH8 9YL, U.K. ((0)131 6509701), if you wish to join us afterwards for dinner “aux frais des participants”. Lex Dei is another name for the Collatio legum mosaicarum et romanarum which is the subject of recent book by Robert Frakes:
17 Feb 2012  Centre for Legal History / Edinburgh Roman Law Group
“The Lex Dei on Male Homosexuality: A Reinterpretation of Leviticus and its Implications”
Professor Timothy Barnes (FBA, FRSC)
Lorimer Room, Old College 17:30 to 19:00
All welcome. It would be of great assistance if you would email Dr. Paul du Plessis or write or telephone to him at the School of Law, Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH8 9YL, U.K. ((0)131 6509701), if you wish to join us afterwards for dinner “aux frais des participants”. Lex Dei is another name for the Collatio legum mosaicarum et romanarum which is the subject of recent book by Robert Frakes:
29 Feb 2012  Edinburgh Legal Theory Research Group
Reading Group Meeting
Ken Mason Suite 16:45 to 18:00
Legal Theory Group
1 Mar 2012  The Centre for Law and Society Seminar Series
'Mediating Conflict: a radical departure - or nothing new?'
John Sturrock QC
Moot Court Room, Old College 16:15 to 18:00
7 Mar 2012  Edinburgh Legal Theory Research Group
Legal Theory Group Paper Presentation Series
Dr Jen Hendry (University of Leeds)
Room 331, Old College 16:00 to 18:00
All welcome
8 Mar 2012  The Centre for Law and Society Seminar Series
“Forces for Good? British Military Masculinities in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Dr Claire Duncanson
Moot Court Room, Old College 16:15 to 18:00
14 Mar 2012  Edinburgh Legal Theory Research Group
Reading Group Meeting
Ken Mason Suite 16:45 to 18:00
Legal Theory Group
15 Mar 2012  The Centre for Law and Society Seminar Series
“Architects of Justice: The relationship between design, degradation and due process.”
Professor Linda Mulcahy
Moot Court Room, Old College 16:15 to 18:00
22 Mar 2012  The Centre for Law and Society Seminar Series
“The struggle for ownership of justice: Legal pluralism, legitimacy and asymmetries of power in a Karen refugee community.”
Dr Kirsten McConnachie
Moot Court Room, Old College 16:15 to 18:00
29 Mar 2012  The Centre for Law and Society Seminar Series
“The Institution of Criminal Law”
Prof Lindsay Farmer
Moot Court Room, Old College 16:15 to 18:00
29 May 2012  Edinburgh Legal Theory Research Group
Legal Theory Spring Workshops
Raeburn Room, Old College 10:00 to 18:00
30 May 2012  Edinburgh Legal Theory Research Group
Legal Theory Spring Workshops
Raeburn Room, Old College 10:00 to 18:00
31 May 2012  Edinburgh Legal Theory Research Group
Legal Theory Spring Workshops
Raeburn Room, Old College 10:00 to 18:00
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