Postgraduate Certificate in Law

The Postgraduate Certificate in Law by online learning offers you the flexibility to develop your legal skills and knowledge whilst maintaining your professional and personal commitments. It can also be used as a stepping-stone towards further study on one of our online LLM programmes.

The programme offers breadth and flexibility, enabling you to choose courses that best reflect your personal and professional interests. You will have the opportunity to choose three courses from the full range of Masters courses available, therefore enabling you to tailor your programme of study to meet your academic and professional interests.

Caroline studied for a Postgraduate Certificate in Law part time and online at Edinburgh Law School, and graduated in 2020. In this video Caroline talks about her experience of studying online and the benefits of studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Law.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Law can be your first step towards being awarded an LLM degree.

The programme enables you to study a wide range of subject areas within the discipline and aims to promote advanced knowledge and understanding of the law within international, European and domestic settings.

The programme spans foundational issues in areas of law including:

  • Commercial law
  • Information technology law
  • Medical law
  • Innovation and technology

Having studied the programme, you will emerge with an understanding of legal issues not just in the legal context, but with a sound grounding in ethics, social and theoretical contexts.

Upon successful completion of the Postgraduate Certificate in Law you will have the option of being awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Law or transferring onto one of our online LLM degree programmes.

By transferring the 60 credit points gained you will only need to successfully complete three more 20 credit point courses and a dissertation to be awarded an LLM degree in your chosen subject area.

If you choose to transfer to one of our LLM degree programmes you do not need to submit a new application. The transfer process is very straightforward and managed by our support team.

Fees

If you transfer onto on one of LLM degree programmes the fees you pay will be adjusted to take into account the fees you have already paid.

Important information about transferring to an LLM

If you are considering transferring onto an online LLM degree from the University of Edinburgh please read the following points carefully:

  • You will have a maximum of five years from starting your studies to complete your LLM degree.
  • Courses must be completed to a minimum standard of 50% to guarantee your eligibility to transfer onto an LLM degree programme.
  • When selecting courses to study on the Postgraduate Certificate in Law please make sure that you are aware of the core courses that you must complete as part of the LLM degree you intend to study.

Edinburgh Law School is Scotland’s leading legal research institution, with a reputation for research excellence in the United Kingdom, Europe and across the globe.

We take a research-led approach to teaching and academic staff teaching on our programmes are all experts in their field and involved in cutting-edge research. During your studies you will find that your learning experience on the programme is highly interactive, informed by academics’ current research interests.

You will benefit from the expertise of a multidisciplinary team of tutors and the results of innovative cross-cutting research of the highest quality.

Find out more about research at Edinburgh Law School

Contact us

If you have any questions about studying the Postgraduate Certificate in Law by online learning please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

The Postgraduate Certificate in Law enables you to study a wide range of subjects within the discipline and aims to promote advanced knowledge and understanding of the law within international, European and domestic settings. You will have the opportunity to study courses in the areas of information technology law, commercial law and medical law during your chosen study duration.

You must successfully complete 60 credits of taught courses over your chosen study duration to be awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Law. Full programme details including course descriptions are available on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View the Postgraduate Certificate in Law by online learning programme structure for 2025-26

Courses shown below are scheduled to run in the 2025-26 academic year.

Select between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses

  • International Commercial Arbitration (20 credits)
  • Dispute Resolution Methods (20 credits)
  • Corporate Compliance: Case Studies in Law & Ethics (20 credits)
  • Comparative and International Corporate Governance ( 20 credits)
  • Contract Law in Europe (20 credits)
  • International law, Human Rights and Corporate Accountability (20 credits)
  • Banking and Financial Law: Case Studies (20 credits)
  • European Competition and Innovation (20 credits)

See full programme details including course descriptions on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View the full Postgraduate Certificate in Law by online learning degree structure

Students may select a maximum of 40 credits from the two sub-groups in Group B:
Either: 20 credits from Sub-group 1, and 20 credits from Sub-group 2
or: 40 credits from Sub-group 1

Select between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses

  • Mental Health Law (20 credits)
  • Ethics of Health Technologies (20 credits)
  • Public Health Ethics (20 credits)

View the full Postgraduate Certificate in Law by online learning structure

Select between 0 and 20 credits of the following courses

  • The Fundamentals of Law and Medical Ethics (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of Bioethics (20 credits)
  • Law and Ethics at the Start and End of Life (20 credits)

See full programme details including course descriptions on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View the Postgraduate Certificate in Law by online learning programme structure

Students may select a maximum of 40 credits from the two sub-groups in Group C:
Either: 20 credits from Sub-group 1, and 20 credits from Sub-group 2
Or: 40 credits from Sub-group 1

Select between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses

  • EU Data Protection Law (20 credits)
  • International and European Law of the Media (20 credits)
  • Space Law and Policy (20 credits)
  • E-Commerce Law (20 credits)

See full programme details including course descriptions on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View the Postgraduate Certificate in Law by online learning programme structure

Select between 0 and 20 credits of the following courses

  • Regulation of autonomous systems: the law of robotics (20 credits)
  • Software and the law (20 credits)

See full programme details including course descriptions on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View the Postgraduate Certificate in Law by online learning programme structure

Courses are offered once in an academic year. Each semester you will choose the course(s) you wish to study in that particular semester. Courses are then allocated. Details of the courses available will be provided in advance.  Courses are then allocated.

The allocation process is intended to support student choices as much as possible, while taking account of optimum class sizes for specific courses.

Class sizes

Class sizes have typically ranged from 15 to 25 students in the past. If more students request a course than can be allocated, students who need to take the course in order to fulfil core programme requirements will have priority and others may be asked to defer that course choice to a later year of study.

Terms and conditions

Please note the University reserves the right to make variations to the contents of programmes, including the range of courses offered, and the available choice of courses in any given year may change.

Find out more about the University's terms and conditions

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the Postgraduate Certificate in Law by online learning please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

Academic staff teaching on courses on the Postgraduate Certificate in Law in 2025-26 are experts in their field and are actively involved in cutting-edge research in their area of expertise.

Dr Murray Earle - Programme Director 2025-26

Murray Earle is a Senior Teaching Fellow in medical law. He is a graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand (BA Law & International Relations; BA (Hons) Comparative Literature), and the University of Edinburgh (LLM Medical Jurisprudence & the Sociology of Law; and PhD in Medical Law).

His current teaching is primarily in the Online Learning environment, in a range of medical law courses.

Find out more

Staff teaching courses available on this programme may include:

Academic staff leading commercial law courses may include:

Academic staff leading information technology law courses may include:

Academic staff leading medical law and ethics courses may include:

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for 2025-26 and will depend on the core courses offered. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the Postgraduate Certificate in Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

LLM in Medical Law and Ethics (online learning)

The LLM in Medical Law and Ethics by online learning is positioned at the constantly changing interface between medicine and law.

This is an interdisciplinary programme focusing on the important issues affecting medicine, law, and ethics today, within international, European, and domestic settings.


Gerard Porter talks about the LLM in Medical Law and Ethics by online learning at Edinburgh Law School.

This internationally focussed programme covers the core areas of medical law and ethics, including:

  • Medical consent
  • Negligence and confidentiality
  • Issues at the beginning and end of life
  • Patient confidentiality
  • Public health
  • Regulation of medical research
  • Legal and social approaches to biotechnology

The programme also enables you to explore the international and interdisciplinary dimensions of medical law and ethics. You will have opportunities to examine health care policy and the regulation of medicine in different parts of the world. You will also evaluate responses to technology and debate possible futures for medical law.

Daniel Schoenberger Graduate of the LLM in Medical Law and Ethics
The University of Edinburgh's world-class LLM in Medical Law and Ethics helped me grow tremendously as a lawyer and personally.
Daniel Schönberger
LLM in Medical Law and Ethics by online learning, 2018

Medical law is a fascinating field of study in the 21st century as advances in medical research and new technologies shift the boundaries of medicine.

New health issues are emerging and patient rights are increasingly taking centre stage. New and complex medico-legal dilemmas are arising in clinical practice, in the realities of human health, and in the relationships between patients and health care professionals.

The programme has been designed for health care professionals, those working in the health-related professions, practitioners in the pharmaceuticals industry, and legal professionals.

Health care professionals will benefit from new knowledge and perspectives on the day-to-day legal and ethical issues they encounter, as well as from the interdisciplinary nature of the programme.

Lawyers and law graduates joining the programme will be able to develop a much broader understanding of medical law and ethics than simply the specialist practice areas of medical negligence and personal injury.

The programme will be of interest if you are interested in specialising or changing career – to work in the following areas:

  • medical law or health policy;
  • advising medical professionals and/or patients;
  • risk management and regulatory affairs, including in health research or in the pharmaceutical or medical devices industries.

We aim to provide challenging, research-led teaching with students benefiting from the expertise of a multidisciplinary team of tutors and the results of innovative cross-cutting research of the highest quality.

Edinburgh Law School academics teaching on this programme are exploring highly topical research themes, which you will also encounter on the programme:

  • the governance of new medical technologies
  • e-health, data sharing and privacy
  • the regulation of biomedical research
  • the role of law within the doctor-patient relationship
  • human enhancement

Teaching staff on the LLM programme are also affiliated with the Mason Institute - an interdisciplinary network aimed at investigating the ethical, legal, social and political issues at the interface between medicine, life sciences and the law.

Find out more about the Mason Institute

In this video, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first publication of Mason and McCall Smith's Law and Medical Ethics. It is the UK’s leading textbook in medical law and ethics, which was born and nurtured at Edinburgh Law School.

The Mason Institute has its own podcast series and recorded a special episode to celebrate the seminal textbook, Mason and McCall Smith's Law and Medical Ethics.

The podcast looks at how the textbook came about in the first place, what contributions have been made to the current 12th edition published in 2023, and what the future may hold for the book. 

Listen to the Mason Institute Podcasts

The MacLagan prize is awarded to the best overall online learning graduate on the LLM in Medical Law and Ethics.

The MacLagan fund has been associated with the Chair of Medical Jurisprudence in the University of Edinburgh since the 19th Century and has funded a prize in online learning for excellence in medical law and ethics since 2011. Previous MacLagan prize winners include:

  • Mr Daniel Schoenberger - 2018
  • Dr Gilberto Leung and Mr Mark Davidson - 2017
  • Dr Edward Mugerwa-Sekawabe - 2016
  • Dr Lisa Boden - 2015
  • Miss Qi Ying Teng - 2014
  • Dr Mark Davies - 2013
  • Dr Neil Shorney - 2012
  • Dr Roger Palmer - 2011

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Medical Law and Ethics by online learning please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

The LLM in Medical Law and Ethics offers a comprehensive range of core courses which cover the fundamental areas of medical law.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits. Full programme details including course descriptions are available on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View the LLM in Medical Law and Ethics by online learning degree structure for 2026-27

Courses shown below are scheduled to run in the 2026-27 academic year.

You must complete these courses:

  • The Fundamentals of Law and Medical Ethics (20 credits)

    This course examines the integral relationship between medical law and ethics, and considers the roles and relationships within the clinical setting and in a wider context. It will equip you with an understanding of foundational concepts that are central to your programme. The core aims of the course are:

    • To foster a critical understanding of the principal elements of medical jurisprudence
    • To develop a critical appreciation of the principal theories, principles and concepts that inform the relationship between medical ethics and medical law
    • To support students to demonstrate originality and creativity in the application of their knowledge, understanding of the law to address current issues facing healthcare professionals and medical lawyers in everyday aspects of medicine
    • To encourage development of original and creative responses to problems and issues thrown up by medical practice for law and ethics, especially where the current legal response is wanting or absent
    • To equip students to deal with complex ethical and professional issues and to make informed judgements on issues not addressed by current professional and/or ethical codes or practices.
       

  • Fundamentals in Bioethics (20 credits)

    This course serves as a foundation for critical engagement with the core elements of doing bioethics. It will introduce you to three pillars of rigorous bioethical analysis:

    1. defining and distinguishing concepts
    2. understanding theories
    3. recognising and constructing robust arguments.

    It will equip students with the skills to develop and defend ethical arguments, and to apply these to legal, regulatory and policy issues in health, medicine and the biosciences.

  • Law and Ethics at the Start and End of Life (20 credits)

    This course provides students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge about fundamentals in medical law and ethics to dilemmas arising across the human lifecycle, from start to end of life. It will draw upon and deepen your understanding of the core concepts, roles and responsibilities covered earlier in the programme.

You must select between 40 and 60 credits from the following courses:

  • Global Health: Law and Policy (20 credits)
    This course offers a grounding in the fundamental elements of global health law and policy. It explores the form and function of global health; the social influences that can impact upon global health; and how international law, policy, and related ethics shape the contours of global health. This course also supports students to assess international institutions that administer global health programmes and/or respond to global health needs through international innovation and collaboration.
     
  • Medico-Legal Issues in Clinical Negligence and Regulation (20 credits)
    This course interrogates medico-legal issues which arise in the delivery of healthcare, with a focus on clinical negligence law and the regulation of healthcare professionals.
     
  • Public Health Ethics (20 credits)
    Public health ethics presents us with various kinds of ethical questions and tensions. What kind of good is public health? How do we address population-based health and social inequalities? What kind of measures can be ethically justified in the context of a public health emergency? Can individual liberty be curtailed for the sake of preventing harm, or for the sake of fairness?
    Public health is committed to promoting and securing health at the population level, often in the context of limited resources. This entails establishing interventions and policies that require justification and therefore can be subject to ethical scrutiny. Public health measures endorse values and interests that can, at times be at odds with each other, or with other deeply held values in society. Advancing the health of a population also requires the intervention of state and institutional actors, just as it requires collective action. It is an endeavour which results in decision-making and action at various institutional levels and social spheres, giving rise to interesting and at times, difficult ethical questions.

 

You can choose between 0 and 20 credits from the following courses:

  • Regulation of Autonomous Systems: the Law of Robotics (20 credits)
  • European Competition and Innovation (20 credits)
  • International and European Law of the Media (20 credits)
  • Software and the law (20 credits)
  • Electronic Commerce Law (20 credits)

Full course descriptions are available on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View LLM in Medical Law and Ethics by online learning degree structure

You can choose between 0 and 20 credits from the following courses with the approval of your Programme Director:

  • Information Technology Law (20 credits)
  • Intellectual Property Law (20 credits)
  • International Commercial Arbitration (20 credits)
  • Dispute Resolution Methods (20 credits)
  • Comparative & International Corporate Governance (20 credits)
  • International Law, Human Rights & Corporate Accountability (20 credits)
  • Banking and Financial Law: Case Studies (20 credits)

Or

Select between 0 and 20 credits of the following courses:

  • International Animal Welfare Science (20 credits)
  • Animal ethics, policy and law (20 credits)
  • Welfare of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes (20 credits)
  • Making science relevant to policy and decision-making (20 credits)

Full course descriptions are available on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View LLM in Medical Law and Ethics by online learning degree structure

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic from within the field of medical law and ethics, normally based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You are supported with your independent research in several ways:

  • During semester 2 (Jan – March) you are provided with targeted opportunities to develop research and writing skills necessary for the successful completion of a larger research project.
  • You receive advice on formulating an appropriate research topic and feedback on developing a specific research question.
  • You are assigned an academic supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you undertake your research. You will have three meetings with your supervisor (in the period April – June, following the end of taught courses) in which avenues of research are discussed; a structure for the dissertation is developed; and feedback is provided on a sample of the dissertation. The dissertation is submitted in August.

This independent research project is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, allowing you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during your studies. You are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking. Indeed, the outcome of the project – your dissertation – may provide a useful platform for the next stage of your career.

Courses are offered once in an academic year. Each semester you will choose the course(s) you wish to study in that particular semester. Courses are then allocated. Details of the courses available will be provided in advance.  Courses are then allocated.

The allocation process is intended to support student choices as much as possible, while taking account of optimum class sizes for specific courses.

Class sizes

Class sizes have typically ranged from 15 to 25 students in the past. If more students request a course than can be allocated, students who need to take the course in order to fulfil core programme requirements will have priority and others may be asked to defer that course choice to a later year of study.

Terms and conditions

Please note the University reserves the right to make variations to the contents of programmes, including the range of courses offered, and the available choice of courses in any given year may change.

Find out more about the University's terms and conditions

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Medical Law and Ethics by online learning please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

 

Page update: Courses for the 2026-27 year were published on the 16th April 2026. 

Courses on the LLM in Medical Law and Ethics are taught by a core teaching team made up of individuals who each has an outstanding record of research in the field, as well as in other related areas. Core teaching staff for the 2026-27 academic year are listed below:

Dr Murray Earle - Programme Director 2026-27

Murray Earle is a Teaching Fellow in medical law. He is a graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand (BA Law & International Relations; BA (Hons) Comparative Literature), and the University of Edinburgh (LLM Medical Jurisprudence &the Sociology of Law; and PhD in Medical Law).

Murray started his career as a lecturer in medical law at the University of Glasgow, while completing his PhD. That was followed by work as a Senior Researcher at the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe, 2000-2011). From there he developed an independent career, writing, and teaching on, a wide range of online postgraduate medical law courses offered by the School of Law, at the University of Edinburgh.

Find out more

Daisy is Lecturer of Medical Law and Ethics at Edinburgh Law School. Prior to joining the University of Edinburgh, she was Deputy Director and Research Fellow of the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law (CMEL) at the University of Hong Kong. She currently remains a Research Fellow of CMEL, and is a member of the Mental Health Law Committee of the Law Society of Hong Kong.

Daisy’s research focuses on mental health and capacity law and ethics. She has previously written on a number of issues related to compulsory treatment (both in the hospital and the community) and capacity law in Hong Kong. She has also published on public mental health ethics in the Covid-19 context, and has written on mental capacity law and ethics across several contexts, including two funded projects, one on adult guardianship regimes and one on best interests assessments on behalf of individuals lacking capacity. As a part of the former project, she co-edited a collection on advance medical directives across 16 jurisdictions in Asia (Cambridge University Press 2023).

Find out more

Dr. Agomoni Ganguli-Mitra is Chancellor’s Fellow in the Legal and Ethical Aspects of Biomedicine, and Co-director of the JK Mason Institute for Medicine, Life Sciences and the Law. She is also a member of the Wellcome Trust-funded Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society. Dr. Ganguli-Mitra’s background is in bioethics, with a special interest in global bioethics, structural and gender justice. She has written on ethical issues related to global surrogacy, sex-selection, biomedical research in low-income countries, social value in research governance and the concepts of exploitation and vulnerability in bioethics.

Find out more

Gerard is a lecturer in medical law and ethics in the School of Law. His research interests include medical law, patent law and the regulation of the life sciences. He speaks Japanese and also conducts comparative research in Japanese law within these subject areas.

He has held visiting fellowships at the Centre for Studies in Ethics and Rights (Mumbai, India), the Centre for Biomedical Ethics, National University of Singapore and with the Program on Science, Technology and Society at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Find out more

Annie will be on sabbatical for the 2025-26 academic year

Annie Sorbie is a Lecturer in Medical Law and Ethics at Edinburgh Law School, with a research and teaching portfolio. She is a medical lawyer (currently non-practising) with over 14 years’ experience in legal practice in the health, social care and regulatory sector (September 2001 – December 2015, Partner from 2009). She has extensive experience of providing strategic advice on matters of health regulatory practice and policy, both in health and social care regulation, and also more widely within the NHS and private sectors.

Having joined the Wellcome funded Liminal Spaces Project in January 2016, Annie’s doctoral research interrogates the contribution of the public interest to health research regulation in the context of access to identifiable patient information for research purposes without consent. Annie is also a Deputy Director of the Mason Institute for Medicine, Life Sciences and the Law, and co-leads its policy portfolio. In June 2018 Annie was appointed to the Lay Advisory Group of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Find out more

Emily is an Early Career Fellow in Bioethics. Her background is in philosophical bioethics and policy management. She was awarded her PhD for her thesis ‘Defining Ourselves: narrative identity and access to personal bioinformation’ in 2017.

Prior to her doctoral research she worked in policy roles at the Scottish Government in the fields of public health and environmental justice. She was also project leader and co-author of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics 2013 report ‘Novel Neurotechnologies: intervening in the brain’. She has published on ethical and legal issues relating to identity development, consent to research participation, secondary uses of health data, and neurotechnology.

Emily’s main research interests lie in exploring the relationships between biomedical information and self-conception, specifically the narrative constitution of self. Emily is Course Organiser for the on-campus and online LLM courses Fundamentals in Bioethics and Biotechnology, Bioethics and Society. She is a Deputy Director of the JK Mason Institute for Medicine, Life Sciences and the Law, with particular responsibility for the Institute’s policy engagement portfolio.

Find out more

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for 2026-27 and will depend on the core courses offered. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Medical Law and Ethics please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Academic staff for the 2026-27 year were published on the 8th July 2026. 

LLM in Law (online learning)

The LLM in Law by online learning offers an exciting and flexible range of courses enabling you to tailor your LLM degree to meet your academic and professional interests. By selecting courses tailored to your interests, you will be able to develop the skills and knowledge on which to base both further study, and relevant career aspirations.

Woman on laptop

The general LLM aims to promote advanced knowledge and understanding of the law within international, European and domestic settings. 

The programme offers breadth and flexibility enabling you to study a wide range of subject areas within the discipline, without specialising in any area of law. It also allows you to focus on specific areas of law including:

  • Commercial Law
  • Medical Law and Ethics
  • Information Technology Law 

Having studied on the programme, you will emerge with an understanding of legal issues grounded in ethical, social and theoretical contexts, geared to your own specific interests.

The LLM in Law programme is designed for legal and non-legal professionals seeking a range of choices among a number of advanced courses. For legal and non-legal professionals alike, we offer a range of introductory and support materials on the legal system, and legal research. That, along with a highly interactive online learning environment, will ensure that you are properly supported throughout your studies. As well as direct academic support from experienced tutors, you will benefit from the ongoing support of a multi-disciplinary team of online learning specialists.

Edinburgh Law School is Scotland’s leading legal research institution, with a reputation for research excellence in the United Kingdom, Europe and across the globe.

We take a research-led approach to teaching and academic staff teaching on our programmes are all experts in their field and involved in cutting-edge research. As a student on this programme, you will have the flexibility to follow specific interests and benefit from diverse learning opportunities on the courses that you select. Each is convened by an academic with direct research experience in the field. That means that in the interactive online learning environment, you will benefit from the expertise of a multidisciplinary team of tutors, and the results of high quality innovative cross-cutting research.

Find out more about research at Edinburgh Law School

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Law by online learning please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

The LLM in Law enables you to study a wide range of courses within the areas of information technology law, medical law and international commercial law.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits.  Full programme details including course descriptions are available on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View the full LLM in Law by online learning degree structure for 2026-27

Courses listed below are scheduled to run in the 2026-27 academic year.

Select between 0 and 60 credits of the following courses

  • International Commercial Arbitration (20 credits)
  • Dispute Resolution Methods (20 credits)
  • Comparative and International Corporate Governance ( 20 credits)
  • International law, Human Rights and Corporate Accountability (20 credits)
  • Banking and Financial Law: Case Studies (20 credits)
  • European Competition and Innovation (20 credits)

See full programme details including course descriptions on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View the full LLM in Law by online learning degree structure

Select between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses

  • Global Health: Law and Policy (20 credits)
  • Medico-Legal Issues in Clinical Negligence and Regulation (20 credits)
  • Public Health Ethics (20 credits)

View the full LLM in Law by online learning degree structure

Select between 0 and 20 credits of the following courses

  • The Fundamentals of Law and Medical Ethics (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of Bioethics (20 credits)
  • Law and Ethics at the Start and End of Life (20 credits)

See full programme details including course descriptions on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View the full LLM in Law by online learning degree structure

Select between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses

  • International and European Law of the Media (20 credits)
  • E-Commerce Law (20 credits)

See full programme details including course descriptions on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View the full LLM in Law by online learning degree structure

Select between 0 and 20 credits of the following courses

  • Information Technology Law (20 credits)
  • Intellectual Property Law (20 credits)
  • Regulation of autonomous systems: the law of robotics (20 credits)
  • Software and the law (20 credits)

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You are supported with your independent research in several ways:

  • During semester 2 (Jan – March) you are provided with targeted opportunities to develop research and writing skills necessary for the successful completion of a larger research project.
  • You receive advice on formulating an appropriate research topic and feedback on developing a specific research question.
  • You are assigned an academic supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you undertake your research. You will have three meetings with your supervisor (in the period April – June, following the end of taught courses) in which avenues of research are discussed; a structure for the dissertation is developed; and feedback is provided on a sample of the dissertation. The dissertation is submitted in August.

This independent research project is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, allowing you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during your studies. You are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking. Indeed, the outcome of the project – your dissertation – may provide a useful platform for the next stage of your career.

Courses are offered once in an academic year. Each semester you will choose the course(s) you wish to study in that particular semester. Courses are then allocated. Details of the courses available will be provided in advance.  Courses are then allocated.

The allocation process is intended to support student choices as much as possible, while taking account of optimum class sizes for specific courses.

Class sizes

Class sizes have typically ranged from 15 to 25 students in the past. If more students request a course than can be allocated, students who need to take the course in order to fulfil core programme requirements will have priority and others may be asked to defer that course choice to a later year of study.

Terms and conditions

Please note the University reserves the right to make variations to the contents of programmes, including the range of courses offered, and the available choice of courses in any given year may change.

Find out more about the University's terms and conditions

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Law by online learning please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

 

Page update: Courses for the 2026-27 year were published on the 16th April 2026. 

Academic staff teaching on courses on the LLM in Law in 2026-27 are experts in their field and are actively involved in cutting-edge research in their area of expertise.

Staff teaching courses available on this programme may include:

Dr Murray Earle - Programme Director 2026-27

Murray Earle is a Senior Teaching Fellow in medical law. He is a graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand (BA Law & International Relations; BA (Hons) Comparative Literature), and the University of Edinburgh (LLM Medical Jurisprudence &the Sociology of Law; and PhD in Medical Law).

Murray started his career as a lecturer in medical law at the University of Glasgow, while completing his PhD. That was followed by work as a Senior Researcher at the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe, 2000-2011). From there he developed an independent career, writing, and teaching on, a wide range of online postgraduate medical law courses offered by the School of Law, at the University of Edinburgh, before being appointed as a Teaching Fellow.

Find out more

Academic staff leading commercial law courses may include:

Academic staff leading information technology law courses may include:

Academic staff leading medical law and ethics courses may include:

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for 2026-27 and will depend on the core courses offered. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Academic staff for the 2026-27 year were published on the 8th July 2026. 

LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law (online learning)

The LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law by online learning focuses on the relationship between law, technology, commerce and society, exploring how the law responds to, regulates, and promotes new and emerging technologies.

Dr Bernard Wong, LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law Graduate
I pursued the degree online and found it to work perfectly with my busy schedule. I was able to continue to work and live in Australia with my family without the expense of moving to the UK.
Dr Bernard Wong
LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law, 2018

The programme promotes critical analysis of new technologies, and rigorous examination of their legally sensitive areas. You will evaluate innovations and assess their nature and impact in relation to the law, asking: ‘Is this really totally new? Does the law need to adjust? Or does the technology?’

You will gain an appreciation of where the law has a huge impact on societal change. At the same time, the limits of the law will become clear – when ‘knee-jerk’ regulation is not the right option; and when the law may not be able to provide the necessary degree of protection for innovations.

Across the programme, you will study different modes of regulation – the law, the markets, the technology itself – and critically analyse the advantages and disadvantages of each. Since new technologies will inevitably come up against international legal regimes, the international context is another key theme of this LLM programme.

The programme also examines the potential of technology to support legal and judicial processes. This programme will therefore enable you to develop an advanced knowledge of domains where law engages with technology, awareness of the problems in the area and understanding of the differing approaches to their solution.

Innovative technologies and convergence in technologies are causing unprecedented societal change. New legal issues are arising, and new regulatory responses emerging. The law can help – or hinder – society’s ability to reap the optimal rewards from technological development.

The programme is designed for students who need to understand the policy context, security requirements, compliance issues and the overall legal environment associated with scientific and technological innovations. Students join us from all round the world bringing their invaluable perspectives to the programme not least their professional experience, and knowledge of technologies and business methods.

It is therefore particularly relevant if you come from a government or NGO environment, if you have a background in IT or science, or, of course, if you are a lawyer specialising in technology law.

Learning and teaching on the programme is highly interactive, informed by academics’ current research interests.

As you would expect, the programme will enable you to develop the essential legal skills of analysing texts and statutes, drawing conclusions from current developments, reading cases and drawing conclusions.

You will benefit from the unique opportunity to engage in an active online learning community, guided by academic lawyers from Edinburgh Law School.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law by online learning please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

This programme enables you to select a range of courses where innovation, technology and the law interact.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits. Full programme details for the 2026-27 academic year are available on the University Degree Programme Tables website.

View the LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law Degree Programme Table for 2026-27

Courses shown below are scheduled for the 2026-27 academic year. 

You can choose between 0 and 60 credits from the following courses:

  • Electronic Commerce Law (20 credits)
    This course aims to provide an in-depth look at the legal issues surrounding electronic commerce and European regulation. Throughout the course we will review (a) fundamental issues surrounding eCommerce business, particularly contractual concerns around identification of jurisdiction, the formal validity of electronic transactions, security and authentication, contract formation and electronic payment systems, and online consumer protection issues; (b) digital convergence and content regulation, the impact of online advertising on privacy and governance of search engines; (c) contemporary issues such as cryptocurrencies and the impact of the Digital Services Act.
     
  • Intellectual Property Law (20 credits)
    This course will provide students with a strong legal and critical understanding of the principal intellectual property (IP) rights and related policy debates. After a general introductory week covering foundational themes relevant across the course, the course will cover patents, copyright and registered trade marks, all with a focus on UK and European law. The course is suitable for students looking to explore IP law for the first time and for students with prior IP knowledge gained through previous IP study or professional experience.
     

  • International and European Law of the Media (20 credits)

    This course will examine the impact of International and European law on, firstly, the structure of media markets and, secondly, the content of media services. The course will start with a discussion of the nature of the media, the media 'value chain', and the relationship between media freedom, freedom of expression and other human rights. It will examine the various international organisations competent in the media field and the regulatory strategies that are being adopted to deal with media convergence and globalisation. In relation to structural matters, consideration will be given to consolidation of media ownership and state funding of the media, in particular public service broadcasting. In relation to content controls, the course will examine attempts to create a more equitable flow of media content and concerns over 'media imperialism', the regulatory problems posed by pornography and hate speech and the balance to be struck between freedom of the media and privacy.
    Students will attain a good understanding of the interplay between domestic and international law in this field, as well as the role of soft law and self or private regulation. They will be encouraged to think about the future role of law and regulation in a rapidly changing media environment.

You can choose between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Information Technology (20 credits)
    This course introduces students to key issues in the fast-paced area of technology law. We will consider a wide variety of hard regulatory questions posed by impacts of emerging information technologies. These systems are often changing, adapting, and shifting, meaning regulation in this domain does too. This creates a policy and legal landscape that is often in a state of flux but also gives us a wide range of case studies, examples, and legal frameworks to consider in this course.
     
  • Regulation of autonomous systems: the law of robotics (20 credits)
    Do we need law to prevent the 'robot uprising' beloved by SF writers? Since robots rely on sensors to perform their tasks, do we need data protection to protect our privacy? The legal issues raised by autonomous agents that conclude contracts online on behalf of their owner will be discussed, as will be the regulatory issues of care/companion robots in a medical setting, self-driving cars and the automated city; and military applications such as drones. The course covers both embodied artificial intelligent systems (robots) and non-embodied devices (autonomous agents) Legal ramifications of these technologies are studied also with a view on their political, economic and ethical implications. Special attention will be given to efforts to create an international legal regime and associated proposals to standardise certain legal responses to robot technology globally.
     
  • Software and the Law (20 credits)
    This course will examine how software is generated, protected and commercialised. It will explore the intellectual property protection afforded to software via copyright, patents or trade secrets. It will also explore more complex issues of ownership, such as in the employment context or when AI is used to generate software. The course will explore the requirements imposed on software development with respect to data protection and information security. It will also look at liability issues for software providers and risk assessments and classification of software using AI. Lastly, the course will explore competition law issues relevant to software marketplaces, the definition and compliance with interoperability requirements as well as technical standardisation.

You can choose between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • The Fundamentals of Law and Medical Ethics (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals in Bioethics (20 credits)
  • Law and Ethics at the Start and End of Life (20 credits)
  • Global Health: Law and Policy (20 credits)
  • Medico-Legal Issues in Clinical Negligence and Regulation (20 credits)
  • Public Health Ethics (20 credits)

You can choose between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Comparative and International Corporate Governance (20 credits)
  • Dispute Resolution Methods (20 credits)
  • European Competition and Innovation (20 credits)
  • International Law, Human Rights & Corporate Accountability (20 credits)
  • International Commercial Arbitration (20 credits)
  • Banking and Financial Law: Case Studies (20 credits)

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic from within the field of commercial innovation, technology and the law, normally based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You are supported with your independent research in several ways:

  • During semester 2 (Jan – March) you are provided with targeted opportunities to develop research and writing skills necessary for the successful completion of a larger research project.
  • You receive advice on formulating an appropriate research topic and feedback on developing a specific research question.
  • You are assigned an academic supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you undertake your research. You will have three meetings with your supervisor (in the period April – June, following the end of taught courses) in which avenues of research are discussed; a structure for the dissertation is developed; and feedback is provided on a sample of the dissertation. The dissertation is submitted in August.

This independent research project is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, allowing you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during your studies. You are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking. Indeed, the outcome of the project – your dissertation – may provide a useful platform for the next stage of your career.

Courses are offered once in an academic year. Each semester you will choose the course(s) you wish to study in that particular semester. Courses are then allocated. Details of the courses available will be provided in advance.  Courses are then allocated.

The allocation process is intended to support student choices as much as possible, while taking account of optimum class sizes for specific courses.

Class sizes

Class sizes have typically ranged from 15 to 25 students in the past. If more students request a course than can be allocated, students who need to take the course in order to fulfil core programme requirements will have priority and others may be asked to defer that course choice to a later year of study.

Terms and conditions

Please note the University reserves the right to make variations to the contents of programmes, including the range of courses offered, and the available choice of courses in any given year may change.

Find out more about the University's terms and conditions

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law by online learning please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

 

Page update: Courses for the 2026-27 year were published on the 16th April 2026. 

Academic staff teaching on the core courses for the LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law by online learning for 2025/26 are experts in their field and are actively involved in cutting-edge research in various legal fields including media law, regulation of new technologies, IT law, IP law, and medical law and ethics.

Professor Burkhard Schafer- Programme Director 2026-27 (semester 1)

Burkhard is Professor of Computational Legal Theory and Director of the SCRIPT Centre for IT and IP law. His main field of interest is the interaction between law, science and computer technology, especially computer linguistics. How can law, understood as a system, communicate with systems external to it, be it the law of other countries (comparative law and its methodology) or science (evidence, proof and trial process). He is currently working mainly on issues such as privacy compliant software architecture and more generally the scope and limits of representing legal concepts directly in the internet infrastructure.

Find out more

Nicolas Jondet is a teaching fellow in Information Technology law. He holds law degrees from the University of Edinburgh (LLM) and the Paris-Saclay University (Honors) as well as a degree in legal translation from ISIT Paris (Honors).  Nicolas is a legal academic with a keen interest in the legal regulation of technology and innovation, including various aspects of IP law and IT law.  His main research is focussed on digital copyright, drawing upon international, European and comparative legal materials. Current research projects include the applicability of blockchain technology to copyright protected works and the interaction between data mining and copyright.  Nicolas teaches across a range of IT and IP law subjects, including, at present, courses relating to data protection, privacy and surveillance. 

Find out more

Emmanuel is a Lecturer in International Intellectual Property Law.  His teaching and research focuses on international and comparative aspects of intellectual property law, and an examination of the relationship between intellectual property and human rights. He is also interested in analysing intellectual property rights in the context of business and human rights.

Find out more

Judith Rauhofer is a Lecturer in IT Law and an Associate Director of the Centre for Studies of Intellectual Property and Technology Law (SCRIPT). Her research interests include the commercial and fundamental rights aspects of online privacy and electronic surveillance, data protection, information security and all areas of e-commerce and internet law and policy. Judith is particularly interested in exploring the tensions between privacy as an individual right and as a common good.

Find out more

Dr. Agomoni Ganguli-Mitra is Chancellor’s Fellow in the Legal and Ethical Aspects of Biomedicine, and Co-director of the JK Mason Institute for Medicine, Life Sciences and the Law. She is also a member of the Wellcome Trust-funded Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society. Dr. Ganguli-Mitra’s background is in bioethics, with a special interest in global bioethics, structural and gender justice. She has written on ethical issues related to global surrogacy, sex-selection, biomedical research in low-income countries, social value in research governance and the concepts of exploitation and vulnerability in bioethics.

Find out more

Amandine joined the University of Edinburgh as an early career fellow in IP law in August 2020. Her research and teaching interests lie primarily in the area of patent law and, in particular, patent enforcement.

She also conducts research on the rationales and objectives of IP law, the approach adopted by the United States and European countries regarding limitations and exceptions in IP law, the interface between competition law and IP law, as well as issues of liability for patent infringement in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR).

Find out more

Gerard is a lecturer in medical law and ethics in the School of Law. His research interests include medical law, patent law and the regulation of the life sciences. He speaks Japanese and also conducts comparative research in Japanese law within these subject areas. He has held visiting fellowships at the Centre for Studies in Ethics and Rights (Mumbai, India), the Centre for Biomedical Ethics, National University of Singapore and with the Program on Science, Technology and Society at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

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Lachlan is a Lecturer in Technology Law at the University of Edinburgh. He is also a visiting researcher at the Horizon Digital Economy Research Institute, where he was a Research Fellow in Information Technology Law from 2016-2018.

Lachlan's primarily works at the boundaries of computer science (human-computer interaction), information technology law (mainly privacy and information security), and computer ethics. He focusses extensively on the technical, socio-legal, sociological, and ethical implications of living with interactive computing (e.g. Ubicomp/Internet of Things, robotics, smart homes & cities, social media etc.).

Find out more

Jane Cornwell joined the Law School as a lecturer in intellectual property law in October 2010. After graduating from the University of Cambridge, she qualified and practised as a solicitor in the intellectual property team at Linklaters LLP in London. Thereafter she spent several years practising at McGrigors LLP in Scotland, latterly as Director in the Edinburgh litigation team specialising in contentious intellectual property. Jane's expertise covers a wide range of IP rights, including trade marks, designs, patents and breach of confidence. Her present teaching and research interests focus on trade marks, designs and remedies for infringement, with a particular interest in the effect of European harmonisation within these areas. Jane is also a member of CREATe (Centre for Creativity, Regulation, Enterprise & Technology), leading a work package on copyright and civil enforcement.

Find out more

Paolo joined the University of Edinburgh Law School in September 2014, researching and teaching courses on freedom of expression, media law and communications law. Prior to joining the University of Edinburgh, Paolo was a researcher at the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policies of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies of the University of Oxford where he also helped to coordinate the Monroe Price Media Law Moot Court Competition. He is currently a member of SCRIPT, a law and technology research centre based in the School of Law within the University of Edinburgh, a research associate at the University of Oxford’s Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy and a non-resident research fellow of the Central European University’s Center for Media, Data and Society.

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Smita joined the Law School as a Lecturer in Intellectual Property Law in September 2008. She is also an associate of the SCRIPT Centre for Studies in Intellectual Property and Technology Law and member of CREATe (Centre for Creativity, Regulation, Enterprise & Technology), serving as Lead Investigator on two CREATe projects. Her research interests include applicability of empirical research, particularly socio-legal methodologies in addressing questions on copyright law and policy as to new types of creative content and exploring connections between Intellectual property law and new forms of property and culture through perspectives of creators and users.

Find out more

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for 2026-27 and will depend on the core courses offered. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

llm.online@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Academic staff for the 2026-27 year were published on the 8th July 2026. 

LLM in Law

This programme offers an exciting and flexible range of courses drawn from across the range of masters level courses offered by Edinburgh Law School, enabling you to tailor the LLM to meet your academic interests and future career plans.

Students in discussion.

The LLM in Law (or ‘General LLM’) is suitable for students seeking a range of advanced courses, without necessarily specialising in one area of law.

You will have the opportunity to select courses from the following areas of law:

  • Commercial Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminology
  • EU Law
  • Intellectual Property, Media and Technology Law
  • International Law
  • Legal History and Legal Theory
  • Medical Law
  • Private Law
  • Public Law

The General LLM qualification reflects expertise across a range of subjects. For that reason, there are limits on the number of courses which can be taken from any one subject area.

If you wish to specialise in a specific area of law you should apply for one of our nominate degrees.

View our full range of Masters degrees

The LLM in Law offers students the opportunity to craft a curriculum which suits their needs and interests and to engage with a broad range of subject areas. The range of skills and knowledge which such a programme develops and allows students to demonstrate is increasingly important in view of the interconnectedness of the modern workplace.

Advanced study in legal and criminological fields offers excellent preparation for a range of careers including academia, legal practice, business, public policy. Our teaching is research-led and delivered in seminars which give students the opportunity to engage directly with each other and with academic staff.

The University of Edinburgh's Law School has a vibrant research community, boasting scholars of international repute. Their work is supported by one of the UK’s leading law libraries, which you will also have access to.

The Law School is also home to research centres for Commercial, Constitutional, International and Global and Private Law as well as centres for Legal History and Legal Theory as well as the Empirical Legal Research Network, the Mason Institute (which examines medicine, life science and the law), the Europa Institute, the Global Justice Academy and the SCRIPT Centre (which explores the relations between law, technology and commerce).

Find out more about our research centres and networks

In addition to scholars based in Edinburgh, the Law School also operates two schemes for visiting researchers: the Visiting Scholar Programme and the MacCormick Fellowship Scheme. Through these the international culture of scholarship in Edinburgh is fostered and developed.

Visit Edinburgh Law School's MacCormick Fellows video channel

Find out more about research at Edinburgh Law School

The wide range of research seminars and public lectures provide an excellent opportunity for you to engage with current research and to get to know academics and postgraduate researchers in a more informal setting.

Each of the research centres organises a number of seminars and symposia throughout the year, which are open to all postgraduate students. The Law School also holds a number of annual lectures given by leading scholars and members of the judiciary.

As a postgraduate student you are actively encouraged to attend and to participate in these events.

Find out more about the range of events at Edinburgh Law School

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

This programme can be taken full-time over one year, or part-time over two years subject to visa restrictions.

It offers a wide range of subjects across many legal fields from European, International and comparative perspectives. It is genuinely flexible enabling you to tailor the LLM to meet your specific interests.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits.

To ensure a programme of general interest there are no mandatory courses, however you may only select a certain number of credits (60 per semester) from particular fields. This is indicated in the course options list below. Full programme details for the 2026-27 academic year including detailed course descriptions are available on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website. 

View 2026-27 programme information for the LLM in Law

Please note that the courses listed below are scheduled for the 2026-27 academic year and are provided for illustrative purposes.

Depending on demand, space on specific courses may be limited.

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Corporation Law and Economics (20 credits)
  • Corporate Finance and Law (20 credits)
  • International Commercial Arbitration (20 credits)
  • Regulation of International Finance: the Law, the Economics, the Politics (40 credits)
  • Principles of Commercial Law (40 credits)
  • Principles of Banking Law (20 credits)
  • Sustainable Finance and the Law (20 credits)
  • Sustainability in Food Supply Chains: Law and Policy (20 credits)

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Sexual Offending and the Law (20 credits)
  • General Principles of Criminal Law (20 credits)
  • Current Issues in Criminal Law (20 credits)
  • Sentencing: International Perspectives (20 credits)
  • The State of Criminal Justice: Law, Politics and Policy (20 credits)

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Criminal Justice and Penal Process (20 credits)
  • Police and Policing (20 credits)
  • Theoretical Criminology (20 credits)
  • Surveillance and Security (20 credits)
  • Global Crime and Insecurity (20 credits)
  • Responding to Global Crime and Insecurity (20 credits)
  • Cybercrime and Cyber Security (20 credits)
  • Visual Criminology (20 credits)
  • Criminological Research Methods (20 credits)
  • Advanced Criminological Research in Practice (20 credits)

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Citizenship in Europe (20 credits)
  • EU Immigration and Asylum Law (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of EU Competition Law 1 (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of EU Competition Law 2 (20 credits)
  • The Law of Integration: Understanding the EU Legal System (20 credits)
  • Europe, Empire and the Law (20 credits)
  • European and Transnational Criminal Law (20 credits)

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Slavery in Eighteenth-Century Scotland (20 credits)
  • Reasoning Using Civilian Authority (20 credits)
  • Centralizing Justice: Scotland in Early Modern Europe (20 credits) 

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Fundamentals of Legal Argument (20 credits)
  • Advanced Legal Reasoning (20 credits)

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Child Law in Comparative Perspectives (20 credits)
  • Comparative Property Law (20 credits)
  • Comparative and International Trust Law (20 credits)
  • Comparative Statutory Interpretation (20 credits)
  • Contract Law in Europe (20 credits)
  • Delict and Tort (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of Comparative Private Law (20 credits)
  • Insolvency Law (20 credits)
  • Gifts in Context (20 credits)

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Advanced Comparative Constitutional Law (20 credits)
  • Human Right, Democracy and Courts in Turbulent times (20 credits)

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Introduction to Health Law (20 credits)
  • Mental Health Law (20 credits)

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Energy Transition and the International Economic Legal Order: Governance, Challenges and Innovations (20 credits)
  • Fundamental Issues in International Law (40 credits)
  • International Environmental Law (40 credits)
  • International Investment Law (20 credits)
  • Inter-state Conflict and Humanitarian Law (20 credits)
  • International Climate Change Law (20 credits)
  • International Human Rights Law (20 credits)
  • Law and Development (20 credits)
  • New Perspectives on International Law and the Environment (20 credits)
  • WTO and International Trade Law 1 (20 credits)
  • WTO and International Trade Law 2 (20 credits) 

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

You can select between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Intellectual Property and Human Rights (20 credits)
  • Advanced Issues in Patent Law and Policy (20 credits)
  • Advanced Issues in Registered Trade Mark Law (20 credits)
  • Software and the Law (20 credits)
  • Innovation: Law and Policy (20 credits)
  • Decentralised Technologies: Law, Finance and Society (20 credits)
  • Competition Law, Intellectual Property and the Innovation Economy (20 credits)
  • E-governance and Digital Human Rights (20 credits)

View full programme information for the LLM in Law

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You are supported with your independent research in several ways:

  • During semester 2 (Jan – March) you are provided with targeted opportunities to develop research and writing skills necessary for the successful completion of a larger research project.
  • You receive advice on formulating an appropriate research topic and feedback on developing a specific research question.
  • You are assigned an academic supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you undertake your research. You will have three meetings with your supervisor (in the period April – June, following the end of taught courses) in which avenues of research are discussed; a structure for the dissertation is developed; and feedback is provided on a sample of the dissertation. The dissertation is submitted in August.

This independent research project is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, allowing you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during your studies. You are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking. Indeed, the outcome of the project – your dissertation – may provide a useful platform for the next stage of your career.

We cannot guarantee that all courses will run each year, and will provide adequate notice of any changes to the programme structure and courses.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Courses for the 2026-27 year were published on the 16th April 2026. 

Academic staff teaching on courses on the LLM in Law in 2026-27 are experts in their field and are actively involved in cutting-edge research in their area of expertise.

Dr Amandine Léonard - Programme Director 2026-27

Amandine joined the University of Edinburgh as an early career fellow in IP law in August 2020. Her research and teaching interests lie primarily in the area of patent law and, in particular, patent enforcement.

She also conducts research on the rationales and objectives of IP law, the approach adopted by the United States and European countries regarding limitations and exceptions in IP law, the interface between competition law and IP law, as well as issues of liability for patent infringement in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR).

Prior to joining the University of Edinburgh, she was an Emile Noël postdoctoral fellow at the Jean Monnet Center of NYU School of Law.

Find out more

Depending on the courses you choose to study, you will be taught by staff from a range of different subject areas in the Law School.

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for the 2026-27 academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

LLM in International Law

The LLM in International Law is designed for those wishing to specialise in public international law and provides you with the opportunity to study the fundamentals of international law and international relations at an advanced level.

Students studying in the library

The programme encourages and supports the development of independent thinking and research skills to prepare students for a career in international law or international organisations. Courses will cover the theoretical basis for the development of international law, as well as exploring real-life examples and case studies on how rules and principles are applied in practice.

The vast majority of students will have a first degree in law or international relations. Previous knowledge of international law is not a prerequisite, but those unfamiliar with the subject are advised to take Fundamental Issues in International Law as one of their options.

Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu, LLM in International Law, 2017
I had the opportunity to develop a broad and solid knowledge of International Law, while being supported throughout this journey by extraordinary academics.
Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu
LLM in International Law, 2017

International law is an important discipline that provides the framework for cooperation in many fields of international relations, including:

  • Peace and security
  • Trade and investment
  • Environmental protection
  • Telecommunications
  • Air travel
  • Maritime navigation

A qualification in international law opens up opportunities for jobs in a wide range of sectors, including working for government foreign ministries, international organisations, and non-governmental organisations or consultancies involved in international affairs.

The University of Edinburgh has been one of the leading centres for teaching and research in Public International Law since 1707.

Today, Edinburgh Law School has a dynamic team of research-active international legal experts who are at the cutting-edge of their discipline, providing fresh insights and informed commentary on key international legal developments, from treaty negotiation to dispute settlement.

Our staff are often directly involved in shaping the international legal framework, either as legal counsel, legal advisers, or consultants. This work directly informs teaching on the LLM in International Law, which will give you a knowledge and understanding of both the law on the books and the law in practice.

The School hosts a range of events throughout the year, including public lectures and conferences attracting high-profile speakers and delegates.

Through the recently launched Edinburgh Centre for International and Global Law (ECIGL), leading scholars, judges, practitioners and other experts, will be invited to share their experience of international law through lectures, seminars and workshops.

Visit the ECIGL website

Contact us

If you have any questions about applying to the LLM in International Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

This programme can be taken full-time over one year, or part-time over two years subject to visa restrictions.

The programme offers a range of specialised courses on issues of contemporary significance that reflect the research interests of members of staff. There is no compulsory course on the programme, which means that you have a large degree of flexibility as to the subjects you may study.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits. 

View 2026-27 programme information for the LLM in International Law

Courses offered in the 2026-27 academic year can be found below. 

You must take between 80 and 120 credits of the following courses:

  • Fundamental Issues in International Law (40 credits, two-semester course)

    This is a course aimed at introducing students to fundamental debates about the nature of international law and the international legal order today, and its relationship to states, markets, conflict, justice and human rights. The course is historical, conceptual, theoretical and legal. It introduces students to key ideas and arguments about where the international legal order is coming from and where it is going, what its building blocks are, and how those components are changing. A theme uniting the course is the extent to which the international legal order is shifting from a classical jus inter gentes to something else: a law of global governance, a global administrative law, a law of rights and regulation, or some combination.

  • International Environmental Law (40 credits, two-semester course)

    This course explores the institutions, rules, and principles concerning the protection of the environment at the international level. The course is designed as an introductory course in order to develop students' knowledge of the key sources of international environmental law, their understanding of some of the most important treaties in this field, and an awareness of the challenges associated with the development and enforcement of international environmental law.

  • International Investment Law (20 credits)

    This course will give an introduction to the major themes and issues of international investment law. The focus of study is the rules contained in the network of more than 3000 bilateral and multilateral treaties on investment protection, as well as the growing number of decisions by arbitral tribunals in this field. Students will analyse the substantive principles of investment law, such as most-favoured nation treatment, fair and equitable treatment, and the rules relating to expropriation. They will also study mechanisms for dispute settlement in the context of investment disputes, particularly investor-state arbitration. Throughout the course, students will consider the extent to which international investment law draws an appropriate balance between investment protection on the one hand and the ability of states to regulate on key public policy issues on the other hand. Students will also look at the challenges of developing a coherent regime of investment rules.

  • International Criminal Law (20 credits)

    This course focuses on the study of selected foundational aspects of international and transnational criminal law and international co-operation in the administration of justice. It will introduce key topics of relevance to international criminal law and general discussion, including on particular case studies such as the sources of international criminal law, the structure of international crimes (in particular actus reus, mens rea and justifications), but also specific crime categories (in particular, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes).

  • Inter-state Conflict and Humanitarian Law (20 credits)
    The course will comprise the study of conflict in international law. It will be concerned with the law relating to the resort to armed force by states. The law relating to self-defence will be studied. There will also be a focus on humanitarian law, in particular, on the law relating to entitlement to combatant status, on the law regulating the conduct of hostilities between opposing forces and the law on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. In addition, there will be a study of non-state groups in armed conflicts and of civil wars.
     

  • International Climate Change Law (20 credits)

    This course seeks to give students an in-depth and interdisciplinary insight into the major legal instruments of international climate change law, including the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol and the emerging mechanisms. Students are expected to have a sound knowledge of public international law. A familiarity with basic economics and international relations theory is also helpful but not essential.

  • Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (20 credits)

    This course will examine the role of human rights in intra-state conflict and in peace processes. In particular it will examine how peace processes and agreements deal with power-sharing arrangements, transitional justice mechanisms, gender equality, and return of refugees. The course will examine the moral, political and practical dilemmas in dealing with these issues, and consider the extent to which human rights law provides useful guidance and requirements, or hinders conflict resolution efforts. The course will also touch on the overlapping requirements of international humanitarian law and international criminal law.

  • Diplomatic Law (20 credits)
    This module explores one of the oldest branches of international law: the law relating to representatives of States (which in the more recent past was expanded to cover representatives of international organisations and of sub-national entities as well). The course will deal with privileges and immunities, but also with questions relating to duties and functions. It will address the law as it applies to permanent diplomats and ad hoc diplomats, but also consular agents.
     

  • International Human Rights Law (20 credits)

    This course will focus on the international law of human rights, primarily through looking at the U.N. system including Charter and Treaty bodies as well as looking at the links between International human rights law and other related fields such as International Humanitarian law and International Criminal law.

  • International and European Media Law (20 credits)

    This course will examine the impact of International and European law on, firstly, the structure of media markets and, secondly, the content of media services. The course will start with a discussion of the nature of the media, the media 'value chain', and the relationship between media freedom, freedom of expression and other human rights. It will examine the various international organisations competent in the media field and the regulatory strategies that are being adopted to deal with media convergence and globalisation. In relation to structural matters, consideration will be given to consolidation of media ownership and state funding of the media, in particular public service broadcasting. In relation to content controls, the course will examine attempts to create a more equitable flow of media content and concerns over 'media imperialism', the regulatory problems posed by pornography and hate speech and the balance to be struck between freedom of the media and privacy.

  • International Investment Arbitration: Theory and Practice (20 credits)

    This module is tailored for students seeking to further develop their knowledge of international investment law, and improve both their written and oral advocacy skills in investment arbitration. In so doing, students will have the opportunity to substantiate some of the most important stages of investor-state arbitration proceedings and present written and oral submissions. This practical component of the course will be accompanied by theoretical discussion and analysis of current debates surrounding the reform of investor state dispute settlement.

  • International Ocean Governance and the Protection of the Marine Environment (20 credits)

    The course provides an introduction to the fundamental pillars of the modern law of the sea, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as the key institutions, processes and actors involved in international ocean governance. It aims to identify opportunities for developing effective and integrated policies for the sustainable development of the seas, as well the challenges and barriers associated therewith.

  • Law and Development (20 credits)

    What, if anything, is development, and what role does law play in its theories and practices?
    To answer these questions, the course will consider the history and evolution of some of the major economic theories of development; their translation into diverse political and social policies; and the traces and legacies they have left behind in today's development thinking. It will also consider the ideas about law embedded in these theories and the way they have been put into practice. In particular, the course will explore the role of law and institutions in the creation of markets and the allocation of capital and power.

  • Global South Actors in International Relations and International Law, 1945-present (20 credits)

    Major powers were often dominant in constructing modern political and legal systems. However, Global South actors have also been a powerful but underacknowledged force in shaping world affairs. The subject of the course is how intergovernmental organisations in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia have shaped political and legal norms and institutions in human rights, peace and security, and disaster management.

  • Making International Law (20 credits)

    This course explores the complex and subtle art of international law-making, focusing on the Law of Treaties. Attention will be given to the variable actors and multilateral processes that monitor, add to and adjudicate questions of international law. You will compare approaches across different types of international law and consider how variances feed into debates about fragmentation and enforcement. The class will complement the wider range of issues covered in Fundamental Issues in International Law.

  • LGBT Rights: A Legal Perspective (20 credits)

    This course engages with the complex relationship between selected LGBT matters and the legal framework applying to them. Its basis is the treatment which minorities defined by gender identity and sexual orientation have received in human rights law, with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights being particularly important sources. In selected case studies, the course will also deal with the way in which domestic laws have implemented LGBT rights or have provided adopted a restrictive stance on matters relating to sexual minorities. 

  • Transnational Waste Law and Circular Economy (20 credits)

    This course reviews the transnational, European and domestic laws organising the prevention, the recovery and the recycling of wastes, as they relate to the transition to a Circular Economy (reduce, re-use, and recycle). This course consolidates students, prior knowledge of international law by focusing on the overlapping regimes and jurisdictions governing waste-to-resources.

  • Issues in Law and Sustainable Development (20 credits)

    What, if anything, is sustainable development and what role does law play in its theories and practices?
    Building on the introductory course on Law and Development, this course turns to the way economic theories and legal ideas emerge in "sustainable development", one of the key modern battlegrounds over the nature and direction of development practice. The course will explore law and sustainable development from a range of perspectives, such as environmental sustainability, security, and the rule of law.

  • International Intellectual Property Law (20 credits)

    This module will examine International Intellectual Property Law with a particular focus on patents, copyright and trade marks and within the domains of information and communication and international trade. Having analysed the architecture of the IIPS and considered the ways in which the laws are developed and the tensions that have been brought about through linking IP with trade, this module will go on to look in depth at formal and substantive aspects of the Treaties as well as current developments.

  • New Perspectives on International Law and the Environment (20 credits)

    International law and governance mechanisms have not managed to avert the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. This course will introduce students to diverse alternative perspectives that have been proposed to remedy some of these systemic failings, and critically reflect on their potential and limitations.

  • Energy Transition and the International Economic Legal Order: Governance, Challenges and Innovations (20 credits)

    The global energy transition is not just a technological or social challenge; it is deeply embedded in international legal frameworks governing trade, investment, and finance. This course examines how international economic law (as well as, to an extent, international environmental law) shapes decarbonisation efforts, from treaty-making and dispute resolution to regulatory innovations in energy markets. Students will explore legal mechanisms for attracting renewable energy investment, phasing out fossil fuels, managing critical materials, and aligning international economic law rules with climate objectives, gaining insight into the governance challenges at the heart of the energy transition

  • Law and Power in the Muslim World (20 credits)

    This course provides a critical understanding of law's relationship to power and politics in and through the 'Muslim World'. The course introduces diverse critical perspectives that examine the role of law in constructing and challenging global legal hierarchies, particularly as they play out in relation to Muslim contexts and communities.

  • Rethinking International Law (20 credits)

    In this course, we study international law as a historical and political project through which different arrangements of global power are advanced and contested. The course will introduce students to diverse critical and alternative perspectives that reflect on international law's role and limitations in advancing global justice.

  • WTO and International Trade Law 1 (20 credits)
    The aim of the course is to provide students with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the multilateral trading system. The course will cover the institutional and the substantive law of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which since its establishment in 1995 has played a central role in, among other things, promoting the two underlying principles of non-discrimination and trade liberalisation. After analysing theoretical and practical arguments for and against free trade and the role of institutions in international trade, the course will then focus on the institutional structure and decision-making process of the WTO, including its unique system of the settlement of trade disputes. Students will then explore the key legal disciplines relating to international trade in goods (GATT) and services (GATS), particularly the principle of non-discrimination and market-access rules. In addition, the course will address the central issue of technical barriers to trade.
     

  • WTO and International Trade Law 2 (20 credits)

    This course focusses on more specialised - but highly significant - issues of WTO law such as subsidies, trade remedies and anti-dumping. It will also cover the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and the principle of special and differential treatment of developing countries. 
     

You will have the option to take between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses from different subject areas offered by the Law School, depending on availability and with the express permission of the Programme Director.

  • Theoretical Criminology (20 credits)
  • International Private Law: Jurisdiction and Enforcement of Judgments (20 credits)
  • Global Crime and Insecurity (20 credits)
  • Intellectual Property and Human Rights (20 credits)
  • Advanced Comparative Constitutional Law (20 credits)
  • Citizenship in Europe (20 credits)
  • EU Immigration and Asylum Law (20 credits)
  • Sustainability in Food Supply Chains: Law and Policy (20 credits)
  • Advanced Legal Reasoning (20 credits)
  • Reasoning Using Civilian Authority (20 credits)
  • Europe, Empire and the Law (20 credits)
  • Human Rights, Democracy and Courts in Turbulent times (20 credits)


 

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic from within the field of international law, normally based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You are supported with your independent research in several ways:

  • During semester 2 (Jan – March) you are provided with targeted opportunities to develop research and writing skills necessary for the successful completion of a larger research project.
  • You receive advice on formulating an appropriate research topic and feedback on developing a specific research question.
  • You are assigned an academic supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you undertake your research. You will have three meetings with your supervisor (in the period April – June, following the end of taught courses) in which avenues of research are discussed; a structure for the dissertation is developed; and feedback is provided on a sample of the dissertation. The dissertation is submitted in August.

This independent research project is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, allowing you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during your studies. You are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking. Indeed, the outcome of the project – your dissertation – may provide a useful platform for the next stage of your career.

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in International Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Courses for the 2026-27 year were published on the 16th April 2026. 

Staff teaching on the core courses of the LLM in International Law are experts in their field and are actively involved in cutting-edge research in variety of areas of international law. Staff teaching on courses will include but not be restricted to:

Agata Daszko - Programme Director 2026-27

Agata Daszko joined the Law School as an Early Career Fellow in International Economic Law in August 2024. She teaches across International Economic Law, International Law and Global Law subjects, and is the course organiser for the 'Energy Transition and the International Economic Legal Order' course. Her research interests lie in investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS), interlinkages between international investment law and public international law, and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) screening. She has previously held visiting researcher positions at the University of Bologna (March-April 2023), Kyoto University (March-May 2024) and Singapore Management University (August 2025).

Find out more 

Dr Behrens joined the Law School as Lecturer in International Criminal Law in 2012. His principal research interests are international criminal law, diplomatic law, international humanitarian law and comparative constitutional law. Paul has published articles and book chapters on various fields of international law and is co-editor of Elements of Genocide (Routledge 2012) and The Criminal Law of Genocide (Ashgate 2007).

He is an Associate of the Stanley Burton Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Leicester University and member of the Surrey International Law Centre. Together with the director of the Stanley Burton Centre, he is the founder of an interdisciplinary research initiative which has hosted conferences on selected topics in the field of genocide studies.

Find out more

Ana María Daza Vargas joined the Law School as a teaching fellow in 2013. She teaches a number of courses within the Programme of International Economic Law, such as WTO Law, International Investment Law and International Commercial Arbitration. Ana María’s research interests cover International Investment Law, International Law, Water Law and Water Management, WTO Law and Economic Regulation.

Find out more

Agata Daszko joined the Law School as an Early Career Fellow in International Economic Law in August 2024. Prior to joining the Law School, she was a Research Fellow att the University of Göttingen, where she is also completing her PhD thesis on the environmental impact assessments in international investment law and arbitration. Her research interest lie in investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS), interlinkages between international investment law and public international law, and investment arbitration under State contracts. She has previously held visiting researcher positions at the University of Bologna (March-April 2023) and Kyoto University (March-May 2024). 

In addition to her current role, Agata also serves as the Academic Assistant at the Society of International Economic Law. She is also the Assistant General Editor of the Commentaries on World Trade Law (Brill), Editor-in-Chief of the EFILA Blog, and has previously worked as a consultant at the OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate and an international arbitration clerk at Arnold & Porter. 

Agata holds an LL.M. in Public International Law from Leiden University and a BA in Law with German and German Law (qualifying law degree) from the University of Nottingham.

Find out more 

Deval joined Edinburgh Law School in 2020 as Lecturer in International Economic Law. He previously held research positions at Harvard Law School and the Graduate Institute, Geneva; and taught on international law and development at the Graduate Institute, Harvard, Manchester, SOAS, and Universidad de los Andes. Deval also has a decade of experience working for the World Bank on rule of law and governance in Nigeria, Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Uganda; as well as advising the UN on rule of law issues. Trained in history and French literature (M.A., Oxford), and law and social theory (LL.M. and S.J.D., Harvard Law School), he is a member of the Bar of England and Wales.

His current research spans law and development, expertise, (de)colonial patterns of knowledge and authority, and theories of the state in the Global South. His ongoing projects focus on the administrative structures of social welfare provision in the South; the effects of decentralization on mining governance in the South; the nature and function of legal expertise in development projects; and the politics of social scientific comparative methods as they are applied in Southern contexts.

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James Harrison joined the School of Law as a member of academic staff in July 2007. He holds law degrees from the University of Edinburgh (PhD, LLM) and the University of East Anglia (LLB). James teaches on a number of international law courses, including specialist courses in the international law of the sea, international environmental law, and international law for the protection of the marine environment. His research interests span these areas, considering how the legal rules evolve and interact, as well as examining how international law and policy influences the domestic legal framework. He also has a particular interest in the contribution of international courts and tribunals to the development of international law. James is an Annual Case Review Editor (International Environmental Law) for the Journal of Environmental Law.

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Michael Hennessy Picard holds a PhD in Law from the University of Quebec in Montreal. He teaches courses in International Environmental Law, Waste Law and the Circular Economy, and Earth-Space Sustainability Governance. Before joining the Edinburgh Law School in 2021, Michael was a research fellow at the McGill Law Faculty, Harvard Law School’s Institute for Global Law & Policy, and University College London.

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Dr Nora Jaber joined the University of Edinburgh Law School as Lecturer in Law in the Globalised Muslim World in September 2024.

Her research lies at the intersection of international law, human rights, and feminist theory, with a particular focus on gender justice in the Arab and Islamic world. She critically examines the role and limitations of international law in advancing justice in non-Western contexts, centring alternative frameworks and epistemologies that are often marginalised in dominant legal discourse.

Nora’s doctoral research on legal activism and struggles for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia was awarded the 2022 Leigh Douglas Memorial Prize by the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies. More broadly, her work explores the complex relationship between law and social justice, particularly how legal frameworks can both enable and constrain political struggles against oppression. In 2024, she co-founded the Juridification of Justice research network, which brings together scholars and practitioners engaged with these themes.

At Edinburgh, Nora convenes and teaches courses including International Human Rights Law, Law and Power in the Muslim World, and Rethinking International Law. She currently serves as Deputy Director of the Al-Waleed Centre for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World and as Programme Director of the Human Rights LLM.

Before joining the University of Edinburgh, Nora was a Lecturer in Law at the University of Exeter. She holds a PhD in Law from King’s College London and an LLM in Public International Law from the London School of Economics.

Find out more

Professor McCall-Smith is a lecturer in Public International Law and programme director for the LLM in Human Rights. She joined the Law School on a permanent basis in 2014 having contributed to a number of international law and human rights law courses since 2008. She is a US qualified lawyer and holds a BA (1998) and Juris Doctor (2001) from the University of Arkansas School of Law. 

She is an active researcher in international human rights law and interested in the role of the UN human rights treaty bodies as generators of law. She is also currently exploring the increasingly blurred distinction between public and private international law in terms of human rights protection. Alongside her role as an academic, Professor McCall-Smith acts as a consultant on projects across a range of issues relating to human rights.

She serves on the Global Justice Academy steering committee and as its representative to the Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI). 

Find out more

Nehal Bhuta joined Edinburgh Law School from the European University Institute where he was Professor of Public International Law. His research interests include: International law, human rights, international humanitarian law, history and theory of international law, indicators in global governance, histories of rights, political theory, theory of the state, international criminal law.

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Professor Filippo Fontanelli joined the Law School in 2015. Before joining the School he lectured law at the School of Law of the University of Surrey (2012-2014), where he taught public international law, law of the World Trade Organisation, EU law I and II, international law of foreign investment protection and international law of human rights protection.

He is a member of the Centre for Judicial Cooperation of the European University Institute of Fiesole (Italy) and routinely provides training sessions to judges and practitioners on matters of EU law and human rights protection in Europe.  He is also admitted to the bar in Italy (Rome).

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Rozemarijn Roland Holst teaches and researches in the fields of international law of the sea, environmental law, and climate change law. Research themes include the interaction between law, science and new technology; global commons; international law and critical political economy; international organisations law; and international dispute settlement. She currently holds a Leverhulme Research Project Grant for the project ‘The Making and Unmaking of Global Commons by International Organisations’.

Prior to joining Edinburgh Law School, Rozemarijn held lectureships in International Environmental Law at Durham University, and in Public International Law at Utrecht University. She was a visiting research fellow at the Graduate Institute in Geneva. Rozemarijn obtained her PhD (cum laude) from Utrecht University and holds an LLM in Global Environment and Climate Change Law (with distinction) from the University of Edinburgh, and an LLB (cum laude) from the University of Amsterdam.

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Professor Andrew Lang joined the University of Edinburgh in 2017 as Chair in Public International Law and Global Governance. He was formerly Professor of Law at the London School of Economics, where he taught from 2006-2017.

His current research thematically focusses on a number of themes around global economic governance, including the relationship between law and expert knowledge, theoretical international law and economics, and sociological approaches to the study of international economic law. He is co-authoring a commentary on the WTO’s Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, and has ongoing projects relating to the treatment of subsidies in WTO law, the WTO implications of Brexit, and the SPS agreement.

Find out more

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for the 2026-27 academic year. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in International Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Academic staff for the 2026-27 year were published on the 7th July 2026. 

MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security

The MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security provides you with the opportunity to study global developments in the field of crime, criminal law, justice, and security.

Seminar

Problems of crime, insecurity, and injustice can take many forms and can undermine well-being and the stability of domestic, international, and global institutions.

Study our MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security to explore how issues of crime and security are manifest in an increasingly interconnected and global world, and how seeking justice in such a context is often highly contested and complex in ways that require inter-disciplinary reflection.

Mofiyinfoluwa, MSc Global Crime, Justice and Security, 2025
A truly transformative programme enriched by exceptional teaching, diverse perspectives, and the magic of Edinburgh
Mofiyinfoluwa
MSc Global Crime, Justice and Security, 2025

Issues of crime, security, and justice on the global stage raise distinct challenges for law, criminology, international relations, political science, and the social sciences more widely.

In particular the ways in which global crime and security have evolved in recent years, and continue to evolve, draws our attention to the:

  • criminogenic potential of increased flows of goods, money and people;
  • increased international cooperation in the field of crime control; and
  • increasing institutionalisation of international responses to state crimes, and emerging discourses focused on insecurity.

The University of Edinburgh created this degree in 2008 and was one of the very first universities in the UK to offer a programme that promoted the study of global crime issues in ways that emphasised the value of diverse disciplinary perspectives. The programme draws from academic expertise within both the School of Law and the School of Social and Political Science and Edinburgh University is also home to the Global Justice Academy.

As a student on the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security you will join active academic communities in both the Schools of Law and Social and Political Science. You will be based in the School of Law where you will be supported by academic staff with diverse research interests in criminology, criminal justice and law. Both Schools regularly invite local and international scholars and researchers to participate in events, lectures and workshops, and both also have strong links with practitioner communities who lend tangible real world insight into our academic study.

  • The programme has proved ideal for students wishing to pursue a range of careers, including: doctoral research; work in international NGOs and Think Tanks; police-work; legal and criminal justice work; government and policy briefs; commercial sector research and security work.
  • The programme has supported students and graduates in securing internships at a range of organisations which include: Corpwatch, EUROPOL, International Crisis Group, OSCE, Transparency International and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
  • The programme derives particular strength from the diversity of the students who take the degree. Classes are diverse in terms of the countries and cultures that students come from, and in terms of their academic backgrounds. We do not only accept criminology and law students onto the programme. Students with backgrounds in international relations, political science, governance studies and the wider social sciences are welcome to apply.

Our research environment will provide you with a wide range of possibilities to engage with, and participate in, current, cutting-edge research at the University of Edinburgh. Masters degrees also involve many more possibilities for learning and networking beyond the courses taught on the programme.

At Edinburgh you will be taught by academics who are shaping the fields of study covered by the programme with their own research. Within the criminology subject area there are active research interests in the fields of:

  • global criminology;
  • penology;
  • criminal justice;
  • policing;
  • juvenile justice;
  • media and crime; and
  • qualitative and quantitative methods.

More specifically, academic staff teaching on the programme across both the Schools of Law and Social and Political Science have current research interests in:

  • atrocity crimes;
  • genocide and law;
  • democratic policing;
  • Human Rights;
  • development aid and regional studies;
  • the law of conflict;
  • EU criminal and immigration law;
  • the International Criminal Court; and
  • peace-building and reconciliation processes.

Our approach at Edinburgh is to include students in our research events and activities. These run throughout the academic year in both Schools, but an important meeting point is the Global Justice Academy. The Global Justice Academy is one of five such Academies at the University of Edinburgh. It is an inter-disciplinary network that connects researchers and research centres within Edinburgh and beyond. It encourages and facilitates dialogue on what global justice is, develops ideas to make the world more just, and provides a forum for practitioners to engage with this dialogue. Current themes in its work include:

  • Conflict and Justice;
  • Gender Justice;
  • Human Rights and Social Justice;
  • Urban Justice; and Global Justice Theory.

Students on the programme are encouraged to become members of the Global Justice Academy.

Find out more about the Global Justice Academy

Our staff also work closely with criminal justice professionals and practitioners in Edinburgh and abroad, and network with other scholars both domestically and globally. Two institutes that support this engagement and networking, and which you can connect with are:

Seminars and research events are happening all the time at Edinburgh. The Centre for Law and Society is home to one of the School of Law’s longest running seminar series, covering diverse topics in criminology, criminal law, criminal justice and wider issues in socio-legal studies. You will also find interesting seminars hosted by the Scottish Centre for International Law.

Visit the Centre for Law and Society website

Visit the Edinburgh Centre for International and Global Law website

The School of Social and Political Science also host a range of seminar series which we highly recommend.

Find out more

Contemporary Challenges: The Global Crime, Justice and Security Journal (CCJ) is a student-led journal affiliated with the University of Edinburgh. CCJ was founded in 2020 by students from the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security and related programmes at Edinburgh Law School.

CCJ is global in its outlook and interdisciplinary in nature. The editorial board is made up of postgraduate students from a variety of disciplines including law, criminology and international relations. This diversity of academic backgrounds allows engagement with contemporary challenges intersectionally and comprehensively in the way that the challenges of today demand.

Find out more

Contact us

If you have any questions about the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

The MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security offers a range of subjects across the fields of criminology, criminal justice, criminal law and social sciences, allowing you to tailor an interdisciplinary programme to suit your interests.

This programme can be taken full-time over one year, or part-time over two years subject to visa restrictions. It offers a wide range of subjects that deal with various aspects of private law from a comparative perspective, with the possibility of choosing additional courses so as to enable you to tailor the MSc to meet your specific interests.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits. Full programme details for the 2026-27 academic year are available on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

View 2026-27 programme and course information for the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security

Courses listed below are scheduled for the 2026-27 academic year.

With the exception of compulsory courses, depending on demand, space on specific courses may be limited.

You must take these courses:

  • Global Crime and Insecurity (20 credits, must be taken in Semester 1)

    The focus of the course is the definition, explanation and interpretation of global forms of crime, insecurity and injustice. This is tackled in a structure which examines issues of categorisation and definition first, before exploring a range of contexts in which crime and criminality may be researched, then examining particular forms of crime and finishing with questions of measurement and interpretation.

  • Responding to Global Crime and Insecurity (20 credits, must be taken in Semester 2)

    The focus of the course is on legal, political and policy responses to international and transnational forms of crime, insecurity and injustice. The course is delivered in two sections focusing first on transnational forms of organised crime and secondly on atrocity crime (broadly, those defined by international criminal law). A final session looks for contrasts and connections between these two parts.

You must select between 40 and 80 credits of the following courses:

  • Criminal Justice and Penal Process (20 credits)
  • Police and Policing (20 credits)
  • Theoretical Criminology (20 credits)
  • Surveillance and Security (20 credits)
  • General Principles of Criminal Law (20 credits)
  • Current Issues in Criminal Law (20 credits)
  • Cybercrime and Cyber Security (20 credits)
  • EU Immigration and Asylum Law (20 credits)
  • European and Transnational Criminal Law (20 credits)
  • Criminological Research Methods (20 credits)
  • Advanced Criminological Research in Practice (20 credits)
  • Research Skills in the Social Sciences: Data Collection (20 credits)
  • International Security (20 credits)
  • Terrorism in Global Politics (20 credits)
  • Core quantitative data analysis 1 and 2 (20 credits)

You will have the option to take between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses from different subject areas offered by the Law School, depending on availability and with the express permission of the programme director.

  • Policing and Punishment: Insights from across the globe (20 credits)
  • Sexual Offending and the Law (20 credits)
  • Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (20 credits)
  • International Human Rights Law (20 credits)
  • Citizenship in Europe (20 credits)
  • Visual Criminology (20 credits)
  • Sentencing: International Perspectives (20 credits)
  • The State of Criminal Justice: Law, Politics and Policy (20 credits)
  • International Relations Theory (20 credits)
  • Conflict and Peace in Africa (20 credits)
  • Refugees, Health and Humanitarian Action (20 credits)
  • Conflict, Security and Development (20 credits)
  • Pursuing Justice after Violence (20 credits)

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the MSc, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic from within the field of global crime, justice and security, normally based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You are supported with your independent research in several ways:

  • During semester 2 (Jan – March) you are provided with targeted opportunities to develop research and writing skills necessary for the successful completion of a larger research project.
  • You receive advice on formulating an appropriate research topic and feedback on developing a specific research question.
  • You are assigned an academic supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you undertake your research. You will have three meetings with your supervisor (in the period April – June, following the end of taught courses) in which avenues of research are discussed; a structure for the dissertation is developed; and feedback is provided on a sample of the dissertation. The dissertation is submitted in August.

This independent research project is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, allowing you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during your studies. You are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking. Indeed, the outcome of the project – your dissertation – may provide a useful platform for the next stage of your career.

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Courses for the 2026-27 year were published on the 16th April 2026. 

Launched in 2008, the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security will draw on expertise from the Law School and the Politics and International Relations and Social Policy subject groups of the School of Social and Political Science.

Exactly which staff are involved in teaching you will depend on the courses you choose to take as part of your degree.

Oversight of the programme, day to day management and running of compulsory courses is the responsibility of the following staff:

Dr Andy Aydın-Aitchison - Programme Director 2026-27

Dr Andy Aydın-Aitchison

Andy joined the criminology team at the Law School in 2012 having previously lectured in Social Policy, also at the University of Edinburgh. He has previously worked with the Home Office, analysing crime data on the English regions and Wales, and with Cardiff University evaluating a multi-agency robbery reduction initiative in central Bristol. He holds degrees from the University of Edinburgh and Cardiff University covering Criminology, Politics, and Modern History.

Find out more

Dr Milena Tripkovic - on sabbatical for the 2026-27 academic year

Dr Milena Tripkovic: Co-Director

Milena Tripkovic joined Edinburgh Law School in 2019 as a Lecturer in Criminology, having previously taught at the University of Birmingham, University of Kent and University of Novi Sad. Milena has researched various problems associated with crime and punishment. Her current research, which examines contemporary restrictions to citizenship rights of criminal offenders, is situated at the intersection of law, criminology and normative political theory and explores the issues of punishment, citizenship and community.

Find out more

Dr Andrea Birdsall

Andrea is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations in the School of Social and Political Science and Co-Director of the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security. Her main research and teaching interests lie in the interplay between International Relations and International Law with a particular focus on human rights, international criminal justice and global governance.

Find out more

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for 2026-27 academic year. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Academic staff for the 2026-27 year were published on the 12th June 2026. 

LLM in International Banking Law and Finance

The LLM in International Banking Law and Finance is designed for those who wish to work in or are already working in the areas of global financial markets, financial services regulation, and corporate finance.

Students in discussion

Banking and finance underpins global markets that impact on the day to day activities of businesses and individuals around the world. To work in this high paced legal environment the student is expected to have developed a clear understanding of the regulation and practice of banking at national, supranational and international levels. The LLM in International Banking Law and Finance at Edinburgh Law School caters to those needs.   

The principal aim of the LLM in International Banking Law and Finance is to provide postgraduate students with the opportunity for specialised advanced learning in certain key areas of banking and financial law and practice. The programme is forward thinking, considering emerging and developing technologies and their implications on the practice of banking and financing transactions. 

The length of courses over one or two semesters plays a key role in fostering deep learning, enabling students to explore a wider variety of subjects in greater depth. Students enjoy significant flexibility in their course choices and can tailor their study to their needs and interests. The main programme aims are to develop specialist knowledge in banking and finance law and practice, to foster independence of thought, critical reflection and the development of scholarly writing skills at an advanced level in law.  

Paphawarin Thongtumlung, LLM in International Banking Law and Finance, 2019
I'm really happy that I chose to study this programme as it not only provides extensive knowledge of the financial sector but also addresses current issues such as Fintech. All of the lecturers are experts in the field, so you know you're learning from the best.
Paphawarin Thongtumlung
LLM in International Banking Law and Finance, 2019

This highly specialised LLM programme is suitable for ambitious students and professionals who aspire to pursue a successful career in the field of global financial markets and especially in the areas of finance, banking, capital markets, corporate finance, and financial technology and accounting and law firms. It is also suitable for those who wish to pursue a successful career with regulatory authorities, central banks, and other public sector organisations. It will help you position yourself as a highly skilled expert and future leader in the wider area of global financial markets, banking and finance law and regulation. 

To enhance and broaden their professional prospects and horizons, some of the seminars in the programme are delivered by leading finance law practitioners/policymakers. This enables the programme to provide the students with a good blend of theory and practical expertise. A successful career in today’s global markets requires an extensive and in-depth knowledge of complex and sophisticated global and domestic finance laws, regulations and practices. This skillset may not be developed without extensive study and a solid understanding of the economic, financial, legal and regulatory theories and practices supporting the operation of global finance. 

Based on the University of Edinburgh's strong law and finance expertise, the programme offers interdisciplinary, law and practice-oriented courses examining the legal, economic and political aspects of banking, corporate finance and the relevant regulatory frameworks at national, European and international levels. It also utilises key experience from practice to help you develop practical, problem-solving and drafting skills to handle complex policy, compliance, transaction structuring and completion challenges. 

We pride ourselves on delivering intensive, high-quality teaching in small-group settings. This gives you the opportunity to study in detail the topics and subjects above through intellectually rigorous discussions guided by leading academics, including opportunities for feedback. Seminars are challenging and students regularly present on seminar topics as well as engage in real-life or hypothetical case studies. Through frequent group presentations and by means of testing case studies, prepared and presented collectively by programme students, and students’ own study (revision) groups, you will benefit from the cross-fertilisation of different ideas and experiences. This approach facilitates critical discussion, and enables you to hone your problem-solving, presentation, and team-building skills.

Further information concerning the LLM Programme's courses can be found under the tab 'courses'.

With the advent of the financial technology revolution and massive expansion of the regulatory framework applicable to global financial market transactions post-2008, the pursuit of a successful career in today’s global markets requires an extensive and in-depth knowledge of complex and sophisticated global and domestic finance laws including:

  • private law of contracts and derivatives;
  • the law underpinning key corporate finance transactions such as corporate takeovers;
  • private equity deals; and
  • banking and capital market regulations and practices.

The acquisition of such an extensive and advanced skillset requires, in addition, knowledge of the law and skills in legal and financial analysis and a solid understanding of economic and regulatory theories supporting the operation of global finance that extends to the disruptive influence of financial technology.

The LLM in International Banking Law and Finance was launched a decade ago to address a major gap in law and finance education at the postgraduate level and is addressing in-depth and comprehensively all of the above challenges.

Depending on prior expertise and experience, graduates of the programme go on to excellent careers and this is one of the very few LLM programmes, globally, that prepares students for posts within the wider banking and finance industry and not just in the legal services sectors.

Edinburgh Law School is Scotland’s leading legal research institution, with a reputation for research excellence in the United Kingdom, Europe and across the globe. We take a research-led approach to teaching and you will be taught by Edinburgh Law School's leading experts in this field as well as by leading figures of the industry including senior bankers, law practitioners and experts involved in policy-making.

The LLM in International Banking Law and Finance is closely integrated with the Edinburgh Centre for Commercial Law, also based in Edinburgh Law School.  The aim of the Centre is to co-ordinate the research interests of the commercial team of lecturers, strengthening links with practice and interaction with leading banking and commercial lawyers from the UK and further afield. Students on the LLM in International Banking Law and Finance are warmly encouraged to participate in the activities of the Centre, which has a strong community atmosphere.

Visit the Edinburgh Centre for Commercial Law website

During the programme, you will benefit from being part of a vibrant intellectual community at the Law School. You will have access to an exciting programme of events, many of which provide a unique opportunity to hear from distinguished speakers from a range of fields.

LLM in Banking Law and Finance Graduate, 2016, Steven Minkes
The programme's core strength rests with its chair and founder, Prof. Avgouleas, whose knowledge, teaching skills, and network of influential guest lecturers is invaluable.
Steven Minke
LLM in Banking Law and Finance, 2016

In previous years, seminars and guest lectures have featured speakers who held leading positions in the fund management industry, banks, and regulators, including the Head of the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and leading finance lawyer Lee Buchheit.

Research and subject area activities related to the programme include invited speakers to the Edinburgh Centre for Commercial Law, which students are actively encouraged to attend. Speakers in the past few years have ranged from chairs of financial regulatory authorities, the Chair of the UK’s Prudential Regulation Authority and the European Banking Authority, to leading financial economists, corporate and finance law practitioners and academics.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in International Banking Law and Finance please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

This programme can be studied full time over one year and is designed to offer advanced and rigorous training in banking and finance law from multiple perspectives and at different levels, namely at national, supranational and international levels. 

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits. 

View 2026-27 programme information for the LLM in International Banking Law and Finance

Courses offered in the 2026-27 academic year can be found below. 

With the exception of the compulsory courses, and depending on demand, space on specific courses may be limited.

You must study this course:

  • Regulation of International Finance: The Law, the Economics, the Politics (40 credits, must be taken over two semesters)
    Global financial markets have gone through various stages of development since Bretton Woods. In the past two decades, liberalisation, technological advancement, and market innovation have elevated financial markets to a position akin to being the heartbeat of the global economy. However, since 2008 they seem to have fallen into a state of irremediable disrepair. Thus, while global finance was before 2008 either unregulated or its regulation was largely a matter of national regimes (with the exception of the EU), ever since the regulation of International finance has become the subject of extensive reform at the global, regional (EU), and national level. Most of the new regulations target 'too-big-to-fail' institutions and intend to bolster systemic stability. But regulatory reform has not stopped with banks it has been extended to regulation of hedge funds, credit rating agencies, OTC derivatives markets and a host of other interlinked areas. 
    This course will examine the workings of global finance and the institutional edifice supporting it, based on modern regulatory theory and practice, from an interdisciplinary perspective (law, economics, politics). It will offer in depth insights into the economic, regulatory, and political framework under which financial markets operate in the EU, the USA, and internationally.

You must select between 40 and 60 credits of the following courses:

  • Principles of Banking Law (20 credits)
    The course covers the fundamental and important concepts relating to banking and finance law and will focus on the following topics: the banker-customer relationship; the operation of bank accounts; banker's obligation of confidentiality; anti-money laundering and data protection/cybersecurity (financial crime); bank conduct; trusts (relevant to banking); United Kingdom corporate insolvency regime (relevant to banking); and secured lending (corporate loans and security for loans).
     
  • Principles of Financial Transactions (20 credits)
    This course examines the practical and legal aspects of the important financial transactions undertaken by financial institutions, as well as the market mechanisms and services facilitating these transactions.
     
  • Corporate Finance and Law (20 credits)
    Corporate finance law is essential for understanding how a business finances its operations and makes investment decisions in compliance with the legal and regulatory systems of its jurisdiction. This course is designed for students who wish to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the theory and practice of corporate finance and UK corporate finance law.
     
  • Advanced Capital Markets Law (20 credits)
    Capital markets law is important for understanding how the public authority defines and governs financial activities and services in national capital markets to facilitate business growth, protect investors, maintain market order and integrity, and control financial risks. This course is designed for students who have acquired solid and comprehensive knowledge in UK company law or corporate finance law and wish to develop an in-depth and intensive understanding of the contemporary issues in UK capital markets law.
     
  • Sustainable Finance and the Law (20 credits)
    This course focusses on the contemporary issues arising from the market and regulatory dynamics of sustainable finance. It is designed for students who wish to develop a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the role of sustainable finance in addressing sustainability challenges as well as the role of law in shaping sustainable finance practices.

You can select between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses:

  • Company Law (40 credits)
  • Insolvency Law (20 credits)
  • Corporation Law and Economics (20 credits)
  • Comparative Corporate Governance (20 credits)

You will have the option to take between 0 and 20 credits of the following courses from different subject areas offered by the Law School, depending on availability and with the express permission of the Programme Director.

  • International Investment Law (20 credits)
  • International Private Law: Jurisdiction and Enforcement of Judgments (20 credits)
  • The Law of International Trade (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of Comparative Private Law (20 credits)
  • Law and Development (20 credits)
  • Contract Law in Europe (20 credits)
  • Comparative Statutory Interpretation (20 credits)
  • Software and the law (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of Legal Argument (20 credits)
  • Advanced Legal Reasoning (20 credits)
  • Issues in Law and Sustainable Development (20 credits)
  • The Law of Integration: understanding the EU Legal System (20 credits)
  • Decentralised Technologies: Law, Finance and Society (20 credits)
  • WTO and International Trade Law 1 (20 credits)

     

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic from within the field of international banking law and finance, normally based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You are supported with your independent research in several ways:

  • During semester 2 (Jan – March) you are provided with targeted opportunities to develop research and writing skills necessary for the successful completion of a larger research project.
  • You receive advice on formulating an appropriate research topic and feedback on developing a specific research question.
  • You are assigned an academic supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you undertake your research. You will have three meetings with your supervisor (in the period April – June, following the end of taught courses) in which avenues of research are discussed; a structure for the dissertation is developed; and feedback is provided on a sample of the dissertation. The dissertation is submitted in August.

This independent research project is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, allowing you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during your studies. You are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking. Indeed, the outcome of the project – your dissertation – may provide a useful platform for the next stage of your career.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in International Banking Law and Finance please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Courses for the 2026-27 year were published on the 16th April 2026. 

You will be taught by Edinburgh Law School's leading experts in this field as well as by leading figures of the industry and in policymaking.

Teaching staff on this programme have excellent connections to the global banking community and regularly contribute to international discourse and debate on topics related to international financial regulation.

Professor Emilios Avgouleas- Programme Director 2026-27

Professor Emilios Avgouleas is the inaugural holder of the International Banking Law and Finance Chair at the University of Edinburgh and the founding director of the Edinburgh LLM in International Banking Law and Finance. He is a Member of the Stakeholder Group of the European Banking Authority (EBA) elected in the so-called 'top-ranking' academics section.

Emilios is an acknowledged international expert on public policy and financial reform, banking theory, banking and capital markets regulation, law and finance, and global economic governance. He has given keynote lectures, annual lectures, research seminars and conference papers in a plethora of leading academic institutions and in influential public policy organisations such as the Bank of England, the Basel Committee, the European Parliament, US Federal Reserve banks, and Singapore Monetary Authority.

Professor Emilios Avgouleas, Chair in Banking Law, delivered the eighth lecture in the 2015 Our Changing World series, entitled From Speculative Finance to Sustainable Finance.

Emilios' work has frequently been cited and commented upon in major Parliamentary and public policy reports and is often cited by the global media including Reuters, Financial Times, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal.

Until 2008 Emilios practised extensively in the broader field of International and European financial law and structured finance. He worked as an Associate at the Derivatives and Financial Institutions Group of Clifford Chance LLP, as a Managing Associate at the Financial Markets Group of Linklaters, and as an equity partner at a large continental Law Firm.

Find out more

Bonheur was appointed as Lecturer in Corporate Law at the Edinburgh Law School in September 2025. Alongside this appointment, he is finalising his PhD in Law at the University of Manchester, where he has also taught Corporate Governance as a Teaching Associate.

His scholarly work examines the role of corporate law in responding to pressing societal challenges.He has broader interests in law and economics, the sociology of law, legal history, and comparative methodologies.

Bonheur teaches Company Law, Banking Law and Commercial Law. 

Find out more

Remus joined Edinburgh Law School in May 2011. He studied law at McGill University, Montreal (Doctor of Civil Law), University of Alberta, Edmonton (Master of Laws), and Nicolae Titulescu University, Bucharest (Bachelor of Civil Law).

Before joining academia, he worked as a corporate and commercial lawyer with a major Romanian law firm. His main research interests lie in the fields of fiduciary law, comparative corporate law and governance, law and economics, and trust law.

Find out more

Mr Buchheit, Visiting Professor at Edinburgh Law School, is an internationally renowned finance lawyer and will give a series of seminars during the programme.

Mr Buchheit’s practice focuses on international financial transactions, including sovereign debt management, privatisation and project finance. He is the author of two books in the field of international law and more than 40 articles on professional matters. The legal and business press has repeatedly recognised Mr Buchheit for his work on behalf of clients and leading role in the profession, including the Financial Times, which named him on of its 10 most “Innovative Individuals” of 2012 for his work on the Greek debt restructuring; and the International Financial Law Review, which honoured him with its inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 for his contributions to international finance.

Honorary Professor

Mr Habib Motani joins our programme of distinguished guest speakers.  Mr Motani, formerly head of the global capital markets group at Clifford Chance, is one of the leading international financial markets lawyers and has  expertise in derivatives, securities lending, repo, netting and collateral and clearing and settlement systems.

Honorary Fellow

Dr Bassani is a senior legal advisor at the European Central Bank (ECB) and contributes to our programme by delivering specialised seminars on bank supervision and resolution.

Dr. Longjie Lu joined Edinburgh Law School in September 2019. Prior to Edinburgh, Longjie taught law at the Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London, and completed her Ph.D. in law at the University of Leeds.

Longjie’s main research interests are in the areas of financial regulation, corporate governance, corporate finance and empirical legal studies.

Find out more

Jonny was a solicitor in private practice for 10 years before starting at the Law School. Jonny’s research is conducted across a broad range of commercial law (particularly rights in security) and company law (particularly the law of private companies). Most of Jonny’s research has a law and economics methodology, which he has applied to a broad range of different subject matters.

Find out more

Before joining the University of Edinburgh in 2023, Andrew was a Lecturer in Law at University College London, where he also served as Co-Director of the UCL Centre for Law, Economics and Society. Andrew holds a PhD in Law from UCL, an LLM in Law and Economics from Queen Mary University of London, and an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Edinburgh.

Andrew’s research interests include antitrust/competition law, corporate finance and corporate governance, financial law and regulation, and the role of economics in legal and regulatory contexts. His research has received recognition and support from the Academic Society for Competition Law, the Antitrust Law Section of the American Bar Association, and the Modern Law Review.

Find out more

Dr Emilie Ghio is a Lecturer in Corporate & Insolvency Law at Edinburgh Law School, where she directs the Subject Area of Commercial Law and coordinates the Edinburgh Teaching Award. Her research explores the legal, institutional and cultural foundations of corporate rescue, spanning commercial, company and insolvency law. She is recognised for her expertise in the harmonisation of insolvency law (particularly in the EU context) and examines how cross-border coordination, legal convergence and policy design can improve access to rescue for struggling businesses. Her work links high-level harmonisation efforts with the lived realities of small and medium-sized enterprises and their directors, highlighting gaps between legal frameworks and practical uptake.

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Dr. Evgenia Ralli joined Edinburgh Law School in September 2023. Prior to Edinburgh, Evgenia was a lecturer at Coventry University after obtaining a PhD from the European University Institute in Florence (Italy).

Evgenia's current research focuses on shadow banking and on the interrelation and interplay between law and the socio-economic context through the lens of banking and financial law and regulation and its historical evolution.

Find out more

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for the 2026-27 academic year. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in International Banking Law and Finance please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Academic staff for the 2026-27 year were published on the 25th June 2026. 

LLM in Intellectual Property Law

The LLM in Intellectual Property Law is designed to equip you with an advanced knowledge and understanding of intellectual property law and policy within a domestic (UK), regional (European) and international setting.

Students in class

During your studies you will have the opportunity to undertake in-depth study of a range of contemporary issues through our taught core courses in intellectual property law, and develop further critical understanding and research skills through a dissertation on an intellectual property issue of your choice.

The programme will expose you to a broad range of perspectives on intellectual property law, practice, and policy. It covers substantive law on all major intellectual property rights, including copyright, trade marks, designs, patents, and common law protection of intellectual property rights. It also examines these rights within the international intellectual property treaty framework and system. The programme assesses the place and role of these rights by investigating a range of topical issues, which underpin contemporary intellectual property law and policy.

At Edinburgh, we take an interdisciplinary approach and the LLM in Intellectual Property Law will offer you the opportunity to examine intellectual property not just in its legal but also social, economic, ethical, cultural and commercial contexts.

In addition to the core intellectual property law courses, as part of your studies you will have the opportunity to choose courses from a range of further options offered by Edinburgh Law School enabling you to tailor your studies to meet your specific interests.

Student Friederike stood on the steps in Edinburgh
My year was the perfect mix between enjoying student life in a wonderful city and learning more about IP law from a UK, European and global perspective.
Friederike Kurzer
LLM in Intellectual Property Law, 2025

Intellectual property is everywhere today. The global use of intellectual property has been on the rise in the last decade and it is now an important concern in both developed and developing economies. Intellectual property protection has increasingly been associated with the aims of promoting economic growth, innovation, and creativity.

On the one hand, IP-intensive industries are seen to make a significant contribution to GDP and national employment and bring other socio-economic benefits. On the other, tensions remain between intellectual property rights and the development of information and communication technologies, access to medicines and education, and the right to freedom of expression and the right to privacy, to name a few.

The ever-increasing role and impact of intellectual property law and policy makes specialised knowledge of this subject a valuable asset for those:

  • intending to enter legal practice and specialise in intellectual property law;
  • seeking to work in areas such as the creative industries, cultural industries, manufacturing industries, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, computing, information and communication technologies, etc. with a focus on intellectual property;
  • intending to take up a policymaking role in relation to knowledge-intensive sectors;
  • looking to undertake further postgraduate study in the area of intellectual property law or pursue a research or academic career.

Edinburgh Law School has been specialising in the field of IP for many years and established SCRIPT, a pioneering centre of excellence in the disciplines of IP and IT law, in 1998. SCRIPT, the Scottish Research Centre for IP and Technology Law, explores the intersection between law, technology and society from a multidisciplinary and multi-jurisdiction perspective. The centre received generous support from the Arts and Humanities Research Council. From 2012 to 2018, Edinburgh Law School’s IP specialists, who are also SCRIPT members, formed part of the RCUK-funded multi-institutional CREATe consortium. SCRIPT continues to be highly regarded and partners the LLM in Intellectual Property Law.

Visit the SCRIPT website

Current members of the IP team (Dr Smita Kheria, Ms Jane Cornwell, Dr Emmanuel Oke, and Dr Amandine Leonard) offer expertise spanning copyright, designs, trade marks, patents, international IP, IP and human rights, and IP enforcement and the relationship between IP, innovation and creativity. Engaging with diverse research methodologies - doctrinal, socio-legal, and empirical – they conduct innovative research examining topics including creative and cultural intersections, international IP, and IP practice and policy. Dr Kheria and Ms Cornwell are co-authors of a leading textbook on IP rights (Contemporary Intellectual Property: Law and Policy, Oxford University Press).

During your studies, you may also choose to participate in extra-curricular activities to enhance your learning. Opportunities for Intellectual Property focussed extra-curricular activities vary from year to year. In recent years, teams have entered the prestigious Annual Oxford International Intellectual Property Law Moot Competition. Students have also visited the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art to discuss the intersection between copyright and contemporary art by reviewing some well-known artworks on display, and have been hosted at the University’s 3D printing studio to learn more about developments in this exciting technological field.

European Patent Office’s Young Professionals Programme

The University of Edinburgh is a part of the European Patent Office (EPO) Young Professionals Programme, which is open to students and graduates across the University. It presents a particularly fantastic opportunity for eligible Intellectual Property Law LLM graduates to turn legal learning into an international career. 

EPO's Young Professionals Programme gives talented students the opportunity to grow their skills and launch a career to shape future innovation. Eligible graduates from member universities can apply to the annual scheme, for the chance to work in various roles at the heart of European intellectual property and innovation policy.

Find out more about EPO's Young Professionals Programme

Assistant editorship at SCRIPTed journal 

Intellectual Property Law LLM students have the opportunity, annually, to apply to serve as Assistant Editors for SCRIPT centre’s online open access peer-reviewed journal, SCRIPT-ed. This enables students to gain experience behind the scenes of a long-standing, highly regarded legal journal and contribute alongside representatives from all communities within Edinburgh Law School, including other LLM students, PhD candidates, and academic staff. 

Being part of SCRIPTed offers our students a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on practical experience while contributing to a long-standing journal at the intersection of law and technology.

Visit the SCRIPTed website

The School hosts a range of events throughout the year, including public lectures and conferences attracting high-profile speakers and delegates. In addition, SCRIPT also hosts guest talks by distinguished speakers specialising in issues at the intersection of law and technology. Students on the LLM in Intellectual Property are invited, and actively encouraged, to attend such guest lectures and events to take advantage of the opportunities for engagement with experts in a range of fields 

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Intellectual Property Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

This programme can be taken full-time over one year, or part-time over two years subject to visa restrictions. It offers you exclusive access to the whole range of core courses from the field of intellectual property offered in Edinburgh Law School while also giving you the option to tailor the programme to suit your needs and interests.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits.

View 2026-27 programme information for the LLM in Intellectual Property Law

Courses offered in the 2026-27 academic year can be found below. 

You must select between 80 and 120 credits from the following courses:

  • Intellectual Property Law 1: Copyright and Related Rights (20 credits) 

    The purpose of this course is to consider the law relating to copyright, design rights, database right, and performers' rights within their institutional setting at international, European and national level.
    Recent years have witnessed an expansion in the scope of intellectual property rights, and having examined the institutional setting in which policy is formed, the reach and impact of these rights within the UK will be analysed.
    The teaching sessions will also highlight areas of particular topicality.

  • Intellectual Property Law 2: Industrial Property (20 credits) 

    The purpose of this course is to consider the laws relating to patents, trade marks, passing off, and breach of confidence. Noting the international framework and context, the focus will be on European and UK law.
    Recent years have witnessed an expansion in the scope of these intellectual property rights. This course will examine in detail the law on subsistence/entitlement to protection, infringement and defences for all of the relevant rights, alongside discussion of wider policy, economic and other considerations.
    The sessions will also highlight areas of particular topicality.

  • Intellectual Property and Human Rights (20 credits)

    Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) affect various aspects of our lives including health, education, agriculture, politics, communications, privacy, and the environment. The globalization of IPRs (especially after its linkage with international trade) in recent decades has equally led to inevitable tensions and conflicts between IPRs and human rights in both developed and developing countries. Historically, the fields of IP and Human Rights evolved independently, but there is now an increasing recognition of the relationship between both fields and this has equally led to debates concerning the proper conceptualization of the relationship between IP and Human Rights.

    This module will examine the nature and significance of the relationship between IP and Human Rights. There will be an exploration of the various tensions resulting from the interaction between IP and Human Rights and an examination of how these tensions are being addressed at national, regional, and global levels. In this regard, the module will examine how traditional IPRs (such as patents, copyright and trademarks) interact and impact civil and political rights (such as freedom of expression and privacy) and economic and social rights. Other forms of IPRs, such as image rights and how they impact human rights will also be studied. In addition, there will be an analysis of the issues pertaining to indigenous peoples and the protection of their traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions from a human rights perspective.

  • Advanced Issues in Patent Law and Policy (20 credits)

    Patents are a key component of most modern economies as they aim to foster innovation and promote economic growth. This course will provide in-depth analysis of the legal and policy framework applicable to patents and will answer fundamental questions at the UK, European Union and international level. Recent developments such as AI-related inventions, the litigation of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) or the question of patent settlements in the pharmaceutical industry will also be included in the course.

  • Advanced Issues in Registered Trade Mark Law (20 credits)
    This course will provide in-depth coverage of registered trade mark law in the UK under the Trade Marks Act 1994 and at EU level under the EU Trade Mark Regulation 2017 (and predecessor legislation). Comparison with the trade mark laws of other jurisdictions will be introduced where of interest to particular topics of study. 
    It will examine the principal theoretical and policy perspectives underpinning registered trade mark law, and will explore a number of cross-cutting underlying themes including: mechanisms for policing the boundary of the registered trade mark monopoly; preventing trade mark overreach; tensions between normative and empirical considerations; overlaps with other intellectual property rights; and the challenges posed by the evolution of modern commerce and brand strategies. 
     
  • Intellectual Property and Development (20 credits)
    This course will critically explore the interface between intellectual property and development from various perspectives such as technological development, economic development, human development, and sustainable development. It will also examine issues relating to technology transfer and innovation policies.
     
  • Competition Law, Intellectual Property and the Innovation Economy (20 credits)
    This course explores how intellectual property (IP) and competition law shape and regulate innovation in modern economies. Students will analyze how IP rights incentivize (or hinder) technological progress, while competition law fosters (or prevents) the development of a dynamic and competitive environment that encourages ongoing innovation, market entry, and the growth of new ideas.
      
  • International Intellectual Property Law (20 credits)
    This module will examine International Intellectual Property Law with a particular focus on patents, copyright and trade marks and within the domains of information and communication and international trade. Having analysed the architecture of the IIPS and considered the ways in which the laws are developed and the tensions that have been brought about through linking IP with trade, this module will go on to look in depth at formal and substantive aspects of the Treaties as well as current developments.

You will have the option to take between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses from different subject areas offered by the Law School, depending on availability and with the express permission of the programme director.

  • Police and Policing (20 credits) 
  • The legal challenges of information technologies (20 credits) 
  • International Commercial Arbitration (20 credits) 
  • Comparative Corporate Governance (20 credits) 
  • International and European Media Law (20 credits) 
  • Robotics, AI and the Law (20 credits) 
  • The Law of International Trade (20 credits) 
  • Cybercrime and Cyber Security (20 credits) 
  • Comparative Statutory Interpretation (20 credits) 
  • Software and the law (20 credits) 
  • Fundamentals of Legal Argument (20 credits) 
  • The Law of Integration: understanding the EU Legal System (20 credits) 
  • Energy Transition and the International Economic Legal Order: Governance, Challenges and Innovations (20 credits) 
  • Hardware and the Law: intellectual property, safety, sustainability and sovereignty for tech devices (20 credits) 
  • Introduction to Health Law (20 credits) 
  • WTO and International Trade Law 1 (20 credits) 
  • The State of Criminal Justice: Law, Politics and Policy (20 credits) 
  • E-governance and Digital Human Rights (20 credits) 

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic from within the field of intellectual property law, normally based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You are supported with your independent research in several ways:

  • During semester 2 (Jan – March) you are provided with targeted opportunities to develop research and writing skills necessary for the successful completion of a larger research project.
  • You receive advice on formulating an appropriate research topic and feedback on developing a specific research question.
  • You are assigned an academic supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you undertake your research. You will have three meetings with your supervisor (in the period April – June, following the end of taught courses) in which avenues of research are discussed; a structure for the dissertation is developed; and feedback is provided on a sample of the dissertation. The dissertation is submitted in August.

This independent research project is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, allowing you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during your studies. You are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking. Indeed, the outcome of the project – your dissertation – may provide a useful platform for the next stage of your career.

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Intellectual Property Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Courses for the 2026-27 year were published on the 16th April 2026. 

Staff teaching on the core courses of the LLM in Intellectual Property Law are experts in their field and are actively involved in cutting-edge research in the field.

Jane Cornwell - Programme Director 2026-27

Jane Cornwell joined the University of Edinburgh as a lecturer in intellectual property law in October 2010. After graduating from the University of Cambridge, she qualified and practised as a solicitor in the intellectual property team at Linklaters LLP in London. Thereafter she spent several years practising at McGrigors LLP in Scotland, latterly as Director in the Edinburgh litigation team specialising in contentious intellectual property.

Since joining the University of Edinburgh, Jane has acted for several years as Programme Director for the Law School’s online LLM in Intellectual Property Law as well as teaching across a range of on-campus and online undergraduate and postgraduate IP courses. She has also acted as Deputy Director of Postgraduate Taught Studies, with particular focus on online learning. She is a co-author of the textbook Contemporary Intellectual Property: Law and Policy (3rd to 6th edns, OUP).

Jane's expertise covers a wide range of IP rights. Her particular interests include trade marks, design law and IP remedies, with a particular focus of the impact of European harmonisation in these fields, including trade marks, designs, patents and breach of confidence.

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Emmanuel joined the School of Law as a Lecturer in International Intellectual Property Law in August 2016. He has LLB and LLM degrees from the University of Lagos. He also has an LLM degree in Intellectual Property and Technology Law from the National University of Singapore. He obtained his PhD degree from University College Cork. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2008 and he is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

His research interests includes international and comparative aspects of intellectual property law. Specifically, his research explores the interface between intellectual property and other branches of international law such as international trade law, international investment law, international taxation law, and international human rights law.

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Amandine joined the University of Edinburgh as an early career fellow in IP law in August 2020. Her research and teaching interests lie primarily in the area of patent law and, in particular, patent enforcement.

She also conducts research on the rationales and objectives of IP law, the approach adopted by the United States and European countries regarding limitations and exceptions in IP law, the interface between competition law and IP law, as well as issues of liability for patent infringement in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR).

Prior to joining the University of Edinburgh, she was an Emile Noël postdoctoral fellow at the Jean Monnet Center of NYU School of Law.

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Smita is a Senior Lecturer in Intellectual Property Law and the founding director of the LLM in Intellectual property Law. She studied at the University of Buckingham (LLB (Hons)), the University of Cambridge (LLM), and at Queen's University Belfast (PhD). Before undertaking her doctoral studies, she also practised as an advocate in commercial and intellectual property law. She combines legal expertise in copyright and related rights with socio-legal research on intellectual property law in the real world.

Smita’s primary research interests are in substantive law on copyright and related rights, in using empirical research to address questions pertaining to intellectual property and policy, and, in exploring connections between Intellectual Property law and new forms of property and culture through the lens of creators and users. She has been involved in several RCUK funded research projects that have empirically examined how copyright intersects with the everyday lives and practices of online creative communities, arts and humanities researchers, and professional creators and performers, as well as how creators’ organisations shape copyright policy. 

Smita is a Co-Director (IP Law) of the SCRIPT Centre and Vice Chair of the Socio-Legal Studies Association, She is a co-author of the textbook Contemporary Intellectual Property: Law and Policy (3rd to 6th edns, Oxford University Press). She has recently co-founded the Network for Empirical Legal Studies in Intellectual Property.

Find out more

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for 2026-27 academic year. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Intellectual Property Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Academic staff for the 2026-27 year were published on the 25th June 2026. 

LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law

The LLM in Innovation, Technology and Law offers advanced study of a range of law and law-related subjects, which address the opportunities and risks posed by innovation and new technology.

The programme also offers an opportunity to develop more detailed knowledge, understanding and research skills in a chosen dissertation topic.


Dr Rachael Craufurd Smith, Reader in EU Law, discusses the benefits of studying for an LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law at Edinburgh Law School.

This unique degree programme explores the role of the law in regulating and promoting new and emerging technologies. The courses on offer will enable you to examine the legal, ethical and regulatory issues in fields such as:

  • artificial intelligence
  • biotechnology
  • data protection
  • information technology
  • intellectual property
  • online media and social media platforms
  • medical sciences
  • space law

The core subjects of the degree provide in-depth knowledge of domains where law engages with technology, laying the foundations for a specialised dissertation.

By the end of your studies will have acquired a sophisticated awareness of the problems that arise in the field of law and technology and the differing approaches to their solution.

Sundaresan, LLM Innovation, Technology and the Law, 2025
The University of Edinburgh is the perfect blend of tradition and advanced academic excellence. I always knew this was where I wanted to be.
Sundaresan
LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law

Digital technologies are increasingly becoming a ubiquitous part of the world we live in. Technological development brings about change at a pace that was unfathomable just a few years ago, and this involves every aspect of our daily lives and our societies:

  • the way we communicate;
  • the way business transactions are concluded;
  • the way the media operate;
  • the way artificial intelligence replaces human beings in the workplace and beyond;
  • the way personal data is shared, and much more.

As law-makers and regulators around the world strive to grapple with on-going changes, this programme offers a unique opportunity to engage with contemporary questions surrounding the law and policy that govern innovation processes, combining together diverse perspectives from a range of cutting-edge courses.

By the end of your studies for this degree, you will have acquired a sophisticated awareness of the problems that arise in the field of law and technology and the differing approaches to their solution. The degree will also enhance career prospects in the legal profession, in regulatory bodies at the international and domestic level, third sector organisations and within media, IT and creative industries.

Staff on the Innovation, Technology and the Law Programme explore the risks and opportunities created by technological innovation for individuals and society more generally.

Dr Lachlan Urquhart’s research considers how we can build ethical frameworks into artificial intelligence systems, with projects designed to enhance the trustworthy nature of robotic systems, eg drones; to analyse the ethics of affective computing use in smart cities in Japan and the UK; and to develop an internet device that can help dementia sufferers manage identity and memories.

Professor Burkhard Schafer’s research also focuses on the ethics of emerging technologies, with a specific interest in how technology influences the development and application of the law.

Nicolas Jondet’s research interests lie in the field of privacy, information control, and the regulation of new technologies such as blockchain; while Drs Paolo Cavaliere and Rachael Craufurd Smith have worked together to represent the UK on the EU Media Pluralism Monitor. Dr Cavaliere’s research focuses on issues surrounding freedom of expression and digital platforms, while Dr Craufurd Smith has particular interests in media ethics and regulation, media concentration and transparency, and the regulation of commercial speech.

Throughout each academic year, a number of prominent experts from both academic and professional backgrounds come and deliver talks and seminars, and generally engage with our student and research community. Speakers invited over the last few years included prominent scholars from the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Leuven, Penn State and Queensland among others.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

This programme can be taken full-time over one year, or part-time over two years subject to visa restrictions.  It offers a range of courses from the fields of technology, communications, IP and medical law with an international perspective, giving you the option to tailor the programme to suit your needs and interests.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits. 

View 2026-27 programme information for the LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law

Courses offered in the 2026-27 academic year can be found below. 

Kai, LLM Innovation, Technology and the Law, 2025
Edinburgh Law School broadened my technology law standpoint through strong academic support and genuine freedom of thought.
Kai
LLM Innovation, Technology and the Law, 2025

You must select between 80 and 120 credits of the following courses: 

  • International and European Media Law (20 credits)
    This course will examine the impact of International and European law on, firstly, the structure of media markets and, secondly, the content of media services. The course will start with a discussion of the nature of the media, the media 'value chain', and the relationship between media freedom, freedom of expression and other human rights. It will examine the various international organisations competent in the media field and the regulatory strategies that are being adopted to deal with media convergence and globalisation. In relation to structural matters, consideration will be given to consolidation of media ownership and state funding of the media, in particular public service broadcasting. In relation to content controls, the course will examine attempts to create a more equitable flow of media content and concerns over 'media imperialism', the regulatory problems posed by pornography and hate speech and the balance to be struck between freedom of the media and privacy.
     

  • Robotics, AI and the Law (20 credits)
    The course introduces you to the legal and wider regulatory issues raised by the increasing use of automated and autonomous devices. As we increasingly allow machines to make decisions for us, this raises significant problems for our legal concepts of liability, responsibility legal personhood.

    In addition to gaining a deeper understanding of the specific legal issues that are created by a number of particularly important applications of robotics and autonomous agent technology, you will also acquire a generic understanding of the types of problems that are raised by autonomous technologies for the theory of regulation. You will gain an understanding of the limits of regulation by law and the ability to evaluate comparatively other modes of regulation for a given problem.  

  • Software and the Law (20 credits)
    This course will examine how software is generated, protected and commercialised. It will explore the intellectual property protection afforded to software via copyright, patents or trade secrets. It will also explore more complex issues of ownership, such as in the employment context or when AI is used to generate software. The course will explore the requirements imposed on software development with respect to data protection and information security. It will also look at liability issues for software providers and risk assessments and classification of software using AI. Lastly, the course will explore competition law issues relevant to software marketplaces, the definition and compliance with interoperability requirements as well as technical standardisation
     
  • Decentralised Technologies: Law, Finance and Society (20 credits)
    This course critically examines the legal and political dimensions of blockchain technology, from its ideological roots in the discourse on decentralisation to its practical applications for decentralised finance and decentralised governance of socio-technical systems. After examining the main crises encountered by blockchain networks and blockchain-based systems, we will examine the main legal approaches to regulating this technology and its applications, before evaluating how blockchain ecosystems use self-governance to address legitimacy concerns and deter external regulation.
     
  • Hardware and the Law: Intellectual Property, Safety, Sustainability and Sovereignty for Tech Devices (20 credits)
    The course explores the regulatory frameworks applicable to innovative technical devices such as computer microchips, solar panels, batteries or medical implants. The aim is to engage with all the legal and regulatory protections and obligations relevant to the financing, invention, deployment and commercialisation of such tech devices.
     
  • The Legal Challenges of Information Technologies (20 credits)
    This course introduces you to key issues in the fast-paced area of technology law. We will consider a wide variety of hard regulatory questions posed by impacts of emerging information technologies. These systems are often changing, adapting, and shifting, meaning regulation in this domain does too. This creates a policy and legal landscape that is often in a state of flux but also gives us a wide range of case studies, examples, and legal frameworks to consider in this course. Each week we will explore and analyse interesting questions about the socio-technical risks and harms posed by specific new technologies, the merits and demerits of different regulatory strategies, and the role law plays in shaping how these technologies impact our everyday lives.
     
  • E-Governance and Digital Human Rights (20 credits)
    What is the shape of democracy in the XXI Century? Digital technologies are already impacting virtually every aspect of public life, from high-level decision-making in political spheres to the way local authorities deliver public services; from supporting the delivery of essential services to harnessing the potential of technological innovation to bridge the digital divide and promote economic development. The course focuses on five selected case-studies to discuss the impact of digital technologies on today's societies from a specific public law angle, including constitutional theory (equality before the law, democratic decision-making processes), administrative law (delivery of public services, due process, public accountability) and international public law (human rights in regional and international treaties) perspectives.
     

You will have the option to take between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses from different subject areas offered by the Law School, depending on availability and with the express permission of the Programme Director.

  • International Environmental Law (40 credits)
  • Intellectual Property Law 1: Copyright and Related Rights (20 credits)
  • Intellectual Property Law 2: Industrial Property (20 credits)
  • Surveillance and Security (20 credits)
  • International Climate Change Law (20 credits)
  • International Human Rights Law (20 credits)
  • Fundamental Issues in Medical Jurisprudence (20 credits)
  • Contemporary Issues in Medical Jurisprudence (20 credits)
  • General Principles of Criminal Law (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of Comparative Private Law (20 credits)
  • Cybercrime and Cyber Security (20 credits)
  • Law and Development (20 credits)
  • Advanced Issues in Patent Law and Policy (20 credits)
  • Comparative Statutory Interpretation (20 credits)
  • Advanced Issues in Registered Trade Mark Law (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of Legal Argument (20 credits)
  • Sustainability in Food Supply Chains: Law and Policy (20 credits)
  • Reproduction and the Law (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of EU Competition Law 2 (20 credits)
  • Fundamentals of EU Competition Law 1 (20 credits)
  • The Law of Integration: understanding the EU Legal System (20 credits)
  • Competition Law, Intellectual Property & the Innovation Economy (20 credits)
  • Sustainable Finance and the Law (20 credits)
  • Introduction to Health Law (20 credits)
  • Current Issues in the Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights (20 credits)
  • Medico-Legal Issues in Clinical Negligence and Regulation (20 credits)

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic from within the field of innovation, technology and the law, normally based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You are supported with your independent research in several ways:

  • During semester 2 (Jan – March) you are provided with targeted opportunities to develop research and writing skills necessary for the successful completion of a larger research project.
  • You receive advice on formulating an appropriate research topic and feedback on developing a specific research question.
  • You are assigned an academic supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you undertake your research. You will have three meetings with your supervisor (in the period April – June, following the end of taught courses) in which avenues of research are discussed; a structure for the dissertation is developed; and feedback is provided on a sample of the dissertation. The dissertation is submitted in August.

This independent research project is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, allowing you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during your studies. You are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking. Indeed, the outcome of the project – your dissertation – may provide a useful platform for the next stage of your career.

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Courses for the 2026-27 year were published on the 16th April 2026. 

Staff teaching on the core courses for the LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law for 2026-27 are experts in their field and are actively involved in cutting-edge research in various legal fields including media law, regulation of new technologies, IT law, IP law, and medical law and ethics.

Dr Morshed Mannan - Programme Director 2026-27

Morshed Mannan joined Edinburgh Law School on 1 November 2024 as a Lecturer in Global Law and Digital Technology. He was previously a postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute, where he was part of the ‘BlockchainGov’ ERC project led by Dr. Primavera de Filippi. His research focuses on blockchain governance and cooperative governance. He received his Ph.D. from Leiden Law School, Leiden University in 2022 for his dissertation entitled: The Emergence of Democratic Firms in the Platform Economy: Drivers, Obstacles and the Path Ahead. 

Find out more

Paolo Cavaliere joined the Law School from September 2014 as a lecturer in Digital Media and IT Law. Prior to joining the School, Paolo has been a researcher at the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policies of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies of the University of Oxford where he has also helped to coordinate the Monroe Price Media Law Moot Court Competition. His main interests in research include the discipline of pluralism and diversity in the media, e-democracy and the relationship between new media and politics, regulation of audiovisual industries and digital media. He has written about different aspects of Media law, including “mediacracy” and the democratic deficit of the EU; media pluralism in the European sphere; digital technologies and the political debate in the public sphere.

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Lachlan is a Lecturer in Technology Law at the University of Edinburgh. He is also a visiting researcher at the Horizon Digital Economy Research Institute, where he was a Research Fellow in Information Technology Law from 2016-2018.

Lachlan's primarily works at the boundaries of computer science (human-computer interaction), information technology law (mainly privacy and information security), and computer ethics. He focusses extensively on the technical, socio-legal, sociological, and ethical implications of living with interactive computing (e.g. Ubicomp/Internet of Things, robotics, smart homes & cities, social media etc.).

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Burkhard is Professor of Computational Legal Theory and Director of the SCRIPT Centre for IT and IP law. His main field of interest is the interaction between law, science and computer technology, especially computer linguistics. How can law, understood as a system, communicate with systems external to it, be it the law of other countries (comparative law and its methodology) or science (evidence, proof and trial process). He is currently working mainly on issues such as privacy compliant software architecture and more generally the scope and limits of representing legal concepts directly in the internet infrastructure.

Find out more

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for 2026-27 academic year. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Page update: Academic staff for the 2026-27 year were published on the 25th June 2026. 

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