LLM in European and Transnational Law
The LLM in European and Transnational Law provides a unique opportunity to study the interaction of legal systems across borders and offers an ideal stepping stone to an exciting career in law, business, or politics.
The LLM in European and Transnational Law explores the cross-border interaction between legal systems within and beyond contexts of regional integration.
A major pillar of the programme is the law of the European Union (EU), the best-known example of regional legal integration in the world. The programme covers constitutional and substantive areas of EU law, ranging from asylum and migration to competition. It also examines legal relations within the wider European neighbourhood, including the ECHR, EU accession states, the European Free Trade Association, and the United Kingdom.
Students wishing to specialise in EU law can choose to graduate with an LLM in European Law. The wider LLM in European and Transnational Law further enables students to explore legal phenomena beyond the EU, notably in other regional contexts and in the field of private international law, through topics ranging from citizenship to supply chains and sustainable development.
By combining practical and theoretical aspects of multiple areas of law ‘beyond the state’, the LLM offers a flexible and unique programme of study for the internationally minded and intellectually curious lawyers of the future.
In addition to the core curriculum, the programme offers students the chance to engage with major public institutions within and beyond the Scottish capital, with previous cohort visits including the Scottish Parliament and the UK Supreme Court.
Students also have the chance to participate in the European Law Moot Court, one of the most prestigious mooting competitions in the world.
Students wishing to specialise in EU law can choose to graduate with an LLM in European Law.
In order to be eligible, students must complete 80 credits of European law courses and write their dissertation on a topic in European law.
With the increasing transnationalisation of law and legal practice, knowledge and understanding of how legal systems interact across borders have become invaluable assets for lawyers, businesses and policymakers.
Regional organisations in Europe and beyond play an increasingly important role in shaping the global economy and in responding to transnational challenges such as climate change, cross-border crime, population displacement, and the rise of artificial intelligence.
Against this backdrop, an LLM in European and Transnational Law from the University of Edinburgh is an ideal stepping stone for anyone seeking to pursue a rewarding career in law, business, or politics.
Previous graduates of the LLM European Law have gone on to successful careers in academia, legal practice, and policymaking across the UK, the EU, and beyond.
The LLM in European and Transnational Law builds on a longstanding tradition of relevant teaching and research at Edinburgh.
The programme draws on our substantial expertise in EU law, private international law, trade law, environmental law, law and empire, and regional integration. As a world-leading teaching and research community located in a former EU Member State, we are uniquely positioned to assess critically and imaginatively the European Union’s past, present, and futures.
The University of Edinburgh is also home to the UK’s oldest research centre dedicated to the study of European integration, the Europa Institute, which regularly hosts high-profile speakers directly involved in shaping EU law. Several members of the Institute are involved in teaching on the LLM in European and Transnational Law.
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If you have any questions about the LLM in European and Transnational Law please don't hesitate to contact us.
We offer a wide range of subjects across European and transnational law as well as options from other disciplines, enabling you to tailor the programme to meet your specific interests.
This programme can be taken full-time over one year.
An indicative list of courses for the 2027-28 academic year can be found below. Courses will be confirmed in May 2027.
With the exception of the compulsory courses, and depending on demand, space on specific courses may be limited.
European Law Pathway
Students wishing to specialise in EU law can choose to graduate with an LLM in European Law.
In order to be eligible, students must complete 80 credits of European law courses and write their dissertation on a topic in European law.
You must take these courses.
- The Law of Integration: understanding the EU Legal System (20 credits)
- Beyond Borders: Locating Transnational Law (20 credits)
You must select between 40 and 80 credits of the following courses.
- Citizenship in Europe (20 credits)*
- Current Issues in the Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights (20 credits)*
- EU Immigration and Asylum Law (20 credits)*
- Europe, Empire and the Law (20 credits)*
- European and Transnational Criminal Law(20 credits)*
- Fundamentals of EU Competition Law 1(20 credits)*
- Fundamentals of EU Competition Law 2 (20 credits)*
- Private International Law and Sustainable Development (20 credits) - new for 2027-28
- Sustainability in Food Supply Chains: Law and Policy (20 credits)
- Transnational Waste Law and Circular Economy (20 credits)
* Indicates European Law courses, 80 credits of which must be studied to be considered for the LLM in European Law pathway.
You can select between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses.
- Climate Change Litigation: Practice and Theory (20 credits)
- Contract Law in Europe (20 credits)
- EU Data Protection Law (GDPR) (20 credits)
- Fundamentals of Comparative Private Law (20 credits)
- International and European Media Law (20 credits)
- Human Rights, Democracy and Courts in Turbulent times (20 credits)
- The European Union in International Affairs (20 credits)
- The Politics of Migration in Europe (20 credits)
Having successfully completed 120 credit points of taught courses you will be ready to conduct 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 European and/or transnational 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.
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If you have any questions about the LLM in European and Transnational Law please don't hesitate to contact us.
Staff teaching on the core courses of the LLM in European and Transnational Law are experts in a range of legal disciplines and often engage in research-led teaching.
Dr Timothy Jacob-Owens - Programme Director 2026-27
Timothy Jacob-Owens is an Early Career Fellow in Citizenship Law and Policy at Edinburgh Law School. He was previously a Research Associate at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies and taught at the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute (EUI). He received his PhD from the EUI in 2022.
Professor Verónica Ruiz Abou-Nigm specialises in private international law and shipping law. She has a great deal of experience in these fields both in practice in Uruguay and as an academic in the UK. Her main areas of research and teaching are private international law and shipping law. Other research interests include international commercial litigation, international commercial arbitration, air law, comparative law, and the interaction between public and private international law.
Arianna Andreangeli's research interests lie in the area of EU and domestic competition law, both substantive and procedural. She is especially interested in exploring how the competition rules can be effectively applied so as to safeguard genuine rivalry in the market while safeguarding the concerned actors' economic freedom and incentive to innovate and invest.
Stephen Coutts is a Lecturer in European Union Law. He is a member of the editorial board of European Papers and formerly on the editorial board of the Irish Journal of European Law. He is on the Advisory Board of the Irish Centre of European Law and a former President and current Council member of the Irish Association of Law Teachers.
Simone Lamont-Black (née Schnitzer) qualified as a civil lawyer in Germany where she practised law as Rechtsanwältin for several years. She specialises and researches in the (private) law of international trade and carriage of goods and has a keen interest in international commercial dispute resolution. She also established the Edinburgh Willem Vis Moot Team and Moot Module and the annual Edinburgh Willem Vis Pre-Moot.
Niamh Nic Shuibhne is Professor of European Union Law. She is head of the EU Law Subject Area and a Co-Director of the Edinburgh Europa Institute. She is one of the Joint Editors of the Common Market Law Review. She was Joint Editor of the European Law Review from 2009-2014. Niamh’s current research is funded by a Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant (2024-2028). This project investigates the unwritten principles that drive the functioning and determine the constitutional health of the EU legal order. The project team researches these questions in both the internal and external spheres of EU action, exploring the invisibility, accountability, and ‘shareability’ of the EU’s constitution in light of the challenges that the EU must confront both within its borders and as an important actor in the fast-changing wider world.
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.
Jo Shaw has held the Salvesen Chair of European Institutions in the School of Law since January 2005. Since 2018, she has also held a part time visiting position in the New Social Research programme of Tampere University in Finland.
Since 2017, she has been working on a set of related projects on citizenship regimes: what they are and how they work. Her work has been supported by a EURIAS Fellowship at the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies (2017-2018) and a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship (2018-2020). She is also co-Director of the Global Citizenship Observatory. Her current work builds on research previously funded by the European Research Council and the Nuffield Foundation.
The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for 2027-28. 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 European and Transnational Law please don't hesitate to contact us.
Please note that the information provided is for entry in the 2027-28 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ.
This programme can be studied full-time over one year or part time over two years (subject to visa restrictions).
We recommend that you apply as early as possible. This is particularly important for applicants who may need to allow sufficient time to take an English language test, for overseas students who may need time to satisfy necessary visa requirements and/or to apply for University accommodation.
If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant.
Applications will open later in October. Please contact us to be notified when applications open.
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in law or European Studies. We may also consider a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a social science subject.
In evaluating your application for postgraduate study, greater emphasis may be placed upon results of prior learning in subjects relevant to the intended degree programme. Prior study of EU law or European institutions is desirable.
Entry to this programme is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements for consideration does not guarantee an offer of study.
Supporting your application
- Relevant work experience is not required but may increase your chances of acceptance.
- Relevant professional qualifications will be considered.
- Preference will be given to those with grades above the minimum requirements due to strong competition for places on this programme.
International equivalent qualifications
To find international equivalent qualifications please visit the University's degree finder entry and select where you studied from the country or region list.
Postgraduate study in the field of law requires a thorough, complex and demanding knowledge of English, so we ask that the communication skills of all students are at the same minimum standard.
You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.
If you have already met our English language entry requirements for your programme at the time you apply, your application may be considered more competitive in selection than applications where you still need to take an English language test.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
Two year expiry
- IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 7.0 in writing and 6.5 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) before 21 January 2026: total 100 with at least 25 in writing and 23 in all other components. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) from 21 January 2026: total 5.0 with at least 5.0 in writing and 4.5 in all other components. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- Oxford ELLT (Global and Digital): 8 overall with at least 8 in the writing component and 7 in each other component
- Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 155 in writing and 145 in all other components.
Three and a half year expiry
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 185 in writing and 176 in all other components.
Your English language qualification must be no more than two years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins, unless you are using CAE/CPE, in which case it must be no more than three and a half years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, that has been taught and assessed in English, either:
- In a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI).
UKVI Majority English speaking countries
or
- On our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries.
Approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the start of the month in which your programme of study begins.
Full details of the University's English language requirements are available on the University's website
Visit the University's English language requirements web page to find out more
Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes
We also accept satisfactory completion of our English for Academic Purposes programme as meeting our English language requirements. You must complete the programme no more than two years and one month before the start date of the degree you are applying to study.
Find out more about the University's Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes
Your application may not be successful if you do not currently satisfy any of these requirements; alternatively, you may be offered a place conditional on your reaching the satisfactory standard by the time you start the degree.
English language support
The University runs a series of programmes for English Language Education, including a pre-sessional English Language Programme intended to strengthen your English Language skills before you start your programme of study.
Find out more about English language support offered by the University
| Programme start date | Application deadline |
|---|---|
| 13 September 2027 | 30 June 2027 |
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have sufficient time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding or will require a visa. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.
For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including your transcripts.
If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, we will still review your application and issue a decision providing it is otherwise complete.
We aim to issue decisions within 6-8 weeks of receiving your completed application. During peak times it may take us slightly longer to issue your decision but please be assured we will confirm a decision as soon as we can.
Please note that the deadline for meeting the conditions of an offer is 16 August 2027.
Applications are made online via the University Application Service, EUCLID.
Please follow the instructions carefully and make sure that you have included the following documentation with your application:
- You will need to submit a personal statement of around 500 words, outlining your academic history and relevant experience.
Guidance on writing your personal statement. - If you have any other relevant experience, for example paid or voluntary work experience or additional qualifications not stated elsewhere, then please include this information in your personal statement, or you can add it to the “Relevant knowledge/training skills” field in the application form.
- Degree certificates showing award of degree.
- Previous academic transcripts for all past degree programmes (please upload the full transcript showing results from all years of study). If you haven’t yet graduated, you may be asked to upload an interim transcript for any degrees that you are currently studying.
- Evidence of English language proficiency, if required.
- You do not need to provide a reference when you submit your application for this programme.
If you are currently studying for your degree or you are not in a possession of an English test result you may still apply to the programme. Please note that it is your responsibility to submit the necessary documents.
For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including your transcripts. Your application will still be considered if you have not yet met the English language requirement for the programme.
Students at this University must not undertake any other concurrent credit bearing studies in this (or in any other) institution, unless the College has granted permission. The College must be satisfied that any additional credit-bearing studies will not restrict the student’s ability to complete their existing programme of study. Students will not be permitted to undertake concurrent degree programmes in any circumstances.
If you are studying at this or another institution just prior to the start of your postgraduate studies you must have finished these studies before the start of the programme to which you have an offer.
After your application has been submitted you will be able to track its progress through the University's applicant hub.
Application processing times will vary, however the admissions team will endeavour to process your application within four to six weeks of submission. Please note that missing documentation will delay the application process.
You will be informed as soon as possible of the decision taken. Three outcomes are possible:
- You may be offered a place unconditionally
- You may be offered a conditional place, which means that you must fulfil certain conditions that will be specified in the offer letter. Where a conditional offer is made, it is your responsibility to inform the College Postgraduate Office when you have fulfilled the requirements set out.
Please note that the deadline for meeting the conditions of an offer is 16 August 2027. - Your application may be unsuccessful. If your application has not been successful, you can request feedback from us or refer to our guidance for unsuccessful applicants, which explains some of the common reasons we why we reach this decision.
View the University's guidance for unsuccessful applicants
Deferring your offer
We do not normally offer deferrals, however, we may be able to make a very limited number of offers for deferred entry in exceptional circumstances.
The University’s terms and conditions form part of your contract with the University, and you should read them, and our data protection policy, carefully before applying.
Contact us
If you have any questions about applying to the LLM in European and Transnational Law please don't hesitate to contact us.
