Skip to content

Natural Resources and Environmental Law and Policy (Distance Learning)

LLM

Duration
Start date
Location

Suitable for applications.

Overview

Natural Resources form the bedrock of global economic development.

However, the development and use of natural resources have implications for the environment, often leading to other socio-economic and political challenges such as poverty, disease, and conflicts, especially in developing countries.

The resulting environmental impacts such as climate change, pollution and degradation of habitats, and species extinction has also raised serious challenges for governance and diplomacy at the international level, often pitting international economic policies and frameworks with natural resources and environmental governance.

The new Distance Learning (DL) LLM Natural Resources and Environmental Law and Policy will provide you with an excellent understanding of the law and policy issues in this area, and skills necessary to pursue a career in this exciting field, whether this is in private legal practice, as in-house lawyers in corporations, policy-oriented work in intergovernmental and other international institutions in advocacy in civil society organisations.

The flexibility of the distance learning delivery allows you to study at your own convenience with our virtual learning environment, and we provide live online sessions with tutors that help you contextualise your learning.

The course offers a wide range of modules that are contemporary, academically rigorous, and skills oriented. The design ensures you gain core knowledge of the wider context framing law and policy in this field whilst giving you the flexibility to tailor your degree to suit your particular interests by choosing from a range of specialist modules.

You will explore emerging issues such as a low carbon economy, unconventional and alternative energy, the regulation and governance of multinational corporations, and the responsibility of states in addressing these concerns.

The programme content is regularly updated in response to the latest developments such as COVID-19, climate change, and the latest advances in technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and fintech, which impact on natural resources and environmental law.

Entry requirements

2:2 or above in any subject, or relevant work experience at graduate level.

English language requirements

IELTS at 6.5 or equivalent with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-test.

What you will study

All module information is for 2024 entry and is subject to change.

Learning and assessment

All activities are digitally enabled. This includes access to materials, textbook(s), and discussion boards.

This is complemented by synchronous online tutorials with the tutor(s).

Summative assessments will be submitted digitally and there will be plenty of formative assessments, and self and peer assessments to help you prepare.

A range of assessment methods is adopted across different modules such as critical essays, short reports, oral presentations, reflective journals, and poster presentations.

The programme also provides opportunities for students to be involved in the design of their own assessment or to contextualise their answers to summative assessment tasks in some modules.

Fees, finance and scholarships

Tuition fee 2024

  • UK: £6,348
  • International: £16,388

Additional costs

There may be additional costs that you may incur as a student. Though these are not essential to your programme of study you need to be aware of them as a student of the University. A list of the sort of costs you might expect can be found on our fees and finance section.

Financial support

See our fees and financial support section.

Scholarships

Every year we award numerous non-repayable scholarships to UK, EU and international students on the basis of academic excellence, personal circumstances or economic hardship. For full details, visit our scholarships section.

Career prospects

Our courses are shaped by the School of Law International Advisory Board, made up of leading figures in the judiciary and legal practice, academia and wider industry and society who advise us on the skills and competencies needed in the current and future workplace. This feeds into the design and delivery of our courses, ensuring our students gain knowledge and experience that is not only academically rigorous but valued by employers.

Career support

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

Study support

You will be allocated a personal tutor - someone with whom you will be able to talk about any academic or personal concerns. Staff responsible for the administration of the LLM are available to help you with day-to-day queries about the programme.

We are a small, dedicated and friendly Law School, allowing our academic and support staff to get to know students personally, and offer individual support and teaching. We make sure that your time with us is as rewarding as possible, and do everything we can to help you reach your potential.

The Law Library has dedicated support from our Law Librarian, who will be able to provide you with guidance on the use of legal databases, OSCOLA referencing or finding a book in the library.

As well as offering access to key textbooks and other materials in hard copy, the law library also subscribes to three of the key legal databases:

  • Westlaw
  • Lexis Library
  • Hein Online

You'll therefore have 24-hour electronic access, on and off campus, to the majority of material you require to successfully complete your programme. Where tutors require you to read material which is not as readily available, it will be made available to you though our virtual learning environment, Canvas. You are encouraged to also consult other collections as there is interesting and useful material on all of the topics studied available from a variety of disciplines, and you will therefore be introduced to the library as a whole rather than just specific collections as part of this programme.

 

Research

Our core research theme is law as a driver for change in a global society. This reflects the expertise of our academic staff, and our commitment to contemporary and practically relevant research which is global in context and oriented towards ensuring sustainable and resilient societies, including within the context of international businesses. 

Meet our academics

This is the current course information. Modules and course details may change, subject to the University's programme approval, monitoring and review procedures. The University reserves the right to alter or withdraw courses, services and facilities as described on our website without notice and to amend Ordinances, Regulations, fees and charges at any time. Students should enquire as to the up-to-date position when applying for their course of study.