Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree (2:2) or above in law, the humanities or social sciences; other honours degrees will be considered. Equivalent international qualifications will also be considered.

Other relevant qualifications and appropriate professional training and experience are welcome and will be taken into account.

Excellent English language skills are essential.

Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

Months of entry

January, October

Course content

Our LLM Law General is a highly flexible course that builds on our experience of offering postgraduate legal education at master's level. It will provide you with substantive knowledge of a wide range of contemporary legal topics and introduce you to key critical legal theories and methodologies.

Our teaching is underpinned by legal, critical, policy, social sciences and humanities-oriented perspectives. You will be introduced to cutting-edge theoretical debates and perspectives that support understanding of the relationship between law, politics, economy, environment, art and the creative industries, technology and justice.

You can look forward to a stimulating learning environment, alongside others with diverse backgrounds and professional experiences. Our students include those with pre-existing knowledge or experience of law, and those with a desire to pursue a specialism in this area. This course is ideal if you would like to advance in your existing career or are ambitious to carve out a new career path.

On the LLM Law General you will benefit from the use of sophisticated learning resources and the expert direction of high-level research academics. You can choose any module on offer on our postgraduate law courses, ranging from human rights to critical legal studies, law and new technologies, international economic law, environmental law and criminology. This enables you to tailor the course to your own professional or research interests. A personal supervisor will help you choose the best path through this wide range of options and provide you with support if you undertake a research dissertation option.

This course is part of our new Birkbeck Flexible Master’s UK, which gives you the choice of how you want to study - on campus, online or via flexible learning, which combines both.

Highlights
  • We have a proud tradition of critical scholarship in law and you will be taught by staff who address issues of law through power and inequality and who are led by principles of social, economic, political, environmental and racial justice.
  • You will be able to attend our Law School Annual Lecture and specialist research seminars which feature international scholars speaking to current issues and path-breaking interdisciplinary research.
  • We are home to the Birkbeck Law Press which publishes Law and Critique: The International Journal of Critical Legal Thought. You can also take advantage of the rich research collections nearby, including those of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Senate House Library, the British Library of Political and Economic Science (LSE Library) and the British Library.
  • Candidates with an outstanding academic record who demonstrate high potential for strong performance on one of our Master's degrees can apply for a Postgraduate Fee Award.
Careers and employability

Graduates can pursue career paths in the legal profession, government, the private sector, and research or journalism. Possible professions include:

  • barrister
  • solicitor
  • researcher
  • journalist
  • chartered legal executive
  • licensed conveyancer
  • human resources officer
  • patent attorney.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Information for international students

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this course is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

  • LLM
    part time
    24 months
    • Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
    • Online learningis available for this qualification
    full time
    12 months
    • Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
    • Online learningis available for this qualification
  • LLM
    full time
    12 months
    • Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
    part time
    24 months
    • Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
  • LLM
    full time
    12 months
    • Online learningis available for this qualification
    part time
    24 months
    • Online learningis available for this qualification

Course contact details

Name
Student Advice Service
Email
studentadvice@bbk.ac.uk
Phone
+44 (0)20 3907 0700