LLM International Crime, Justice and Security

This module will enable you to undertake a detailed study of a clearly defined legal or criminal justice topic, issue or problem. It aims to:

• increase knowledge of a selected subject area and develop a greater critical awareness
• present findings in an appropriate form

This module introduces research methodologies available for conducting research in law and criminal justice. It aims to:

• facilitate development of Masters-level technical legal and criminal justice research
• encourage a Masters-level degree of independence and responsibility
• introduce key research methodologies for researching law and criminal justice
• develop the technical research requirements of a Masters dissertation

This module aims to:

• consider current controversies in international law pertaining to the use of force between states
• provide you with an understanding of legal limitations on methods and means of armed conflict
• explore modern and emerging challenges to the law of armed conflict

Introduces students to the basic conceptual, institutional and substantive elements of international human rights law, current debates regarding the interpretation and application of international human rights law.

The module will provide students with critical appreciation of contemporary issues of global and regional concern relating to the interpretation and application of international human rights law.

The module provides students with a sound knowledge and understanding of the basic principles and concepts of public international law. It begins by exploring the nature, purpose, and scope of international law and its distinction from domestic legal systems. Students will examine the sources of international law, such as treaties, custom, and general principles, as well as the legal status of key actors including states, international organizations, and individuals. The module then considers state jurisdiction over territory—covering land, oceans, outer space, and polar regions—and the extent of state control over people and actions. Key areas such as human rights, international criminal law, and international humanitarian law are introduced, allowing students to engage with legal responses to global challenges including conflict, repression, and core international crimes. Finally, the module addresses enforcement and remedies for violations of international law, concluding with a reflection and review to consolidate learning and critical engagement. 

This module will:

• introduce you to the basic concepts, institutions and processes of international criminal law
• introduce you to current debates regarding the application of international criminal law
• provide you with an appreciation of contemporary issues of global concern relating to the prosecution of international crimes

The module aims to:

• introduce you to the work of the United Nations in the maintenance and restoration of international peace and security
• develop your understanding of the legal framework which governs the work of the UN in this area

The module aims to:

• introduce you to the basic concepts, institutions and processes of international law
• build knowledge in the themes of crime, justice and security within a global legal context
• provide you with an appreciation of selected contemporary issues of global concern in the context of conceptual themes of crime, justice and security

This module seeks to introduce you to the intellectual and practical background of corporate governance in the UK and beyond. It aims to:

• provide an awareness and understanding of corporate governance through the critical examination of appropriate theoretical perspectives, models and practices
• examine critically the intellectual, practical and theoretical background to the concept of corporate governance in the UK and other international jurisdictions
• gain an understanding of the legal nature of corporations, their operations and global corporate governance failures and the reasons for such failures
• demonstrate legal and extra-legal solutions to perceived problems with past and present corporate governance regimes
• critically examine proposed future developments in and monitoring of corporate governance

The module allows you to undertake an analysis of the law as it relates to a range of contemporary issues in financial crime. It aims to provide knowledge and understanding:

• of the impact of a range of financial crimes
• plus analysis of attempts to curb financial crime and its impact

This module examines the legal and ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the military domain. It explores how military AI, including autonomous weapon systems, challenges and interacts with key areas of international law, such as jus ad bellum, the law of armed conflict, human rights law, state responsibility, and global governance efforts.

This module will introduce students to AI as a technology, and the legal and ethical implications that arise from its use in a variety of settings. This module will serve as a foundation for the other AI based law modules the students can study throughout their masters programme. This module will enable students to interact with a variety of AI technologies in class and in their own private study time. Students will for example learn how to properly prompt an AI in order to get it to produce a desirable outcome, and equally they will learn how to use AI responsibly and reasonably. Students will also train their own AI model, which will allow them to understand more clearly where biases in data sets might arise and become exacerbated by AI. These skills are becoming increasingly required by prospective employers, particularly in the legal profession, so this module will equip students with skills that will improve their employability. Students will also benefit from a diverse reading list on this module, which includes scholarship from around the globe, presenting the students with the opportunity to engage with diverse literature across the subject. Students will engage in discussion regarding the ethics of AI including the persisting issue of bias and discrimination, the diverse reading list is especially beneficial here.