International Law LLM

Enter the dynamic world of international law with our International Law LLM. Professionals who can navigate complex global legal issues are in high demand from governments, businesses, and law firms worldwide. As international law increasingly shapes the actions of transnational corporations, NGOs, and individuals from athletes to victims of human rights violations, your expertise will be globally valued.

Why choose this course?
• Global Top 250 for Law (Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings, 2024)



• Close-knit community, smaller class sizes, tailored personal/professional support includes an experienced solicitor developing employability skills and employer links



• Professional networking opportunities at guest lectures and mooting competitions



• Global Top 100 for International Outlook, Law (Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings, 2023)



Now more than ever, international law is at the forefront of global discussions and public debates on today’s most pressing issues. Study the foundations of international law at an advanced level through our postgraduate programme and explore its vital role in areas such as the prosecution of war criminals, the regulation of global trade and financial markets, and the management of pandemics.

You will gain a solid understanding of the principles of international law, developing both practical and theoretical knowledge of its role, nature, and function. Our programme also fosters a critical awareness of the social, historical, and political contexts in which international law operates, highlighting how it differs from domestic legal systems and functions as a distinct legal framework.

Your research skills will be enhanced through a supervised research dissertation on an agreed topic in public international law, encouraging creative and innovative thinking within your research. You’ll also develop critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills—highly transferable across legal and non-legal settings—enhancing your professional capabilities and career prospects.

As an interdisciplinary programme, you can tailor your studies by choosing from a range of optional modules. These include International Economic and Commercial Law, which examines legal frameworks governing trade, investment, and dispute resolution, and International Human Rights Law, which explores protections related to gender, asylum, disability, and more. International Environmental and Climate Law focuses on global environmental regulation and climate justice, and International Law, Security and Warfare covers the legal use of force, humanitarian law, and post-conflict regulation. Additional options include Continuity and Change in World Politics, which investigates the evolution of global political structures since World War Two, and International Human Rights Law and Theory, which studies the philosophical foundations and limitations of human rights protection.

About Keele

Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university.

We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.

Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.