Programme Specification


Date Specification Approved 16/09/2025
College College Arts and Law
School Birmingham Law School
Department Law
Partner College and School
Collaborative Organisation and Form of Collaboration
Qualification and Programme Title LL.B. International Law and Globalisation Full-time
Programme Code 219B
Delivery Location Campus
Language of Study English
Length of Programme 3 Year(s)
Accreditations This programme has no outside accreditations
Aims of the Programme The programme will introduce students to the international, regional and transnational context within which law operates. It provides an interdisciplinary understanding of the operation of law as well as the legal foundations and knowledge required for a Qualifying Law Degree. The programme is aimed at students wishing to pursue careers at the international, regional or transnational levels including careers within international organisations, NGO's and more generally within fields of international governance.

The course emphasises the need to understand the contexts within which law operates and is practised. Students study core law modules which are supplemented with bespoke international law modules. These will enable students to engage with the need to understand broader contexts in which law operates.

The programme contains a specific focus on the impact of globalisation on national, regional and international law and the continuing evolution of global law. Students will explore the key actors and subjects of international law, beyond nation states, including international organisations and NGOs and their impact at both a domestic and international level.

Students will be exposed to a wide range of approaches to the academic study of national and international law - including analysis of the creation and application of legal rules, the impact of law on individuals, organisations and intersections within society and the variety of theoretical understandings of international law, its origins and evolution. The exploration of the theoretical underpinnings of the concept of law will include investigating the moral and political values expressed or hidden in international law and its legal processes.

The International Law and Globalisation LLB programme provides a supportive environment in which students take individual responsibility for their learning, with the aim of becoming intellectually curious and discerning, life-long learners. Through independent and collaborative work, the programme also aims to build students’ negotiation and listening skills, creative problem solving skills, and the importance of taking managed risk.

For year abroad programmes only: The year abroad will provide students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the society and culture of a foreign country while gaining experience of a new academic environment and way of teaching. The year abroad also provides an opportunity for students to improve their existing language proficiency (where applicable), as well as enhancing their discipline-specific knowledge. Students’ employability, through proven ability to succeed in a foreign setting, is also enhanced.
Programme Outcomes
Students are expected to have Knowledge and Understanding of: Which will be gained through the following Teaching and Learning methods: and assessed using the following methods:
The following learning outcomes marked with an * apply to students commencing Level C (first year) or Level I (second year) of the programme in 2025/26 or later:
1. *The substantive legal rules, principles and concepts relating to the "core" branches of the law of England and Wales.
2. *The relationship between global issues and globalisation and law, and the impact that they have on one another as well as the relationship between law and other disciplines, including politics and economics
3. *The main legal institutions and law-making processes of England & Wales and the European Union, and of other key regional and international legal systems and the significance of social, political, economic or commercial contexts which influence these institutions and processes.
4. *Law’s global reach in creating opportunities for and barriers to justice, with particular emphasis on Europe, the Commonwealth and the Global South
5. *The differences between national, transnational, regional and international law and how disputes may be resolved within each one.
6. *An understanding of the key concepts and theoretical approaches to international, regional and transnational law, and the impact of globalisation on law.
7. *A range of cross-disciplinary and specialised methodological and theoretical frameworks for conceptualising and critiquing law, and its material consequences.
8. *The utility of, and methods deployed in, interdisciplinary study, and how such work is used to advance understanding of law.
9. *A range of subject-specific techniques to critically analyse and creatively solve complex legal problems
The following learning outcomes apply to students who have completed Level I (second year) of the programme in or before the 2024-25 academic year:
1. National law content required for a Qualifying Law Degree - Public Law (including constitutional law, administrative law and human rights); Law of the European Union; Criminal Law; Civil rights and obligations (including contract, tort and restitution); Property Law; Equity and the Law of Trusts
2. The relationship between global issues and globalisation and law, and the impact that they have on one another as well as the relationship between law and other disciplines, including politics and economics
3. The main legal institutions and law-making processes of England & Wales and the European Union, and of other key regional and international legal systems.
4. The differences between national, transnational, regional and international law and how disputes may be resolved within each one.
5. An understanding of the key concepts and theoretical approaches to international, regional and transnational law, and the impact of globalisation on law.
6. The utility of, and methods deployed in, interdisciplinary study, and how such work is used to advance understanding of law.
7. A range of other areas of law and legal processes (according to the optional modules taken by the student)
8. The significance of social, political, economic or commercial contexts in which legal rules and principles are developed and operate and of ethical issues and dilemmas which arise for those making law and engaging in legal decision making.
For students commencing Level C (first year) or Level I (second year) of the programme in 2025/26 or later:

*According to the module, one or more of the following: lectures; group tutorials; seminars; problem-based learning opportunities; individual seminars; project supervision; self-directed reading and thinking; practice written work; reflection, engagement with various forms of media and source material linked to the Canvas learning platform, and collaborative peer engagement; assessment exercises.

For students who have completed Level I (second year) of the programme in or before the 2024-25 academic year:

According to the module, one or more of the following: lectures; group seminars; individual seminars; Canvas; and self-directed reading and thinking; practice written work; peer assessment exercises.
For students commencing Level C (first year) or Level I (second year) of the programme in 2025/26 or later:

*According to the module, one or more of the following: the completion of: formal examinations; essays; dissertations; group or individual portfolio/project work; re-writes of other texts such as legal judgments, Law Commission reports or text generated by Generative AI; multiple choice tests; professional letters of advice; personal reflections on own learning; group or individual oral presentations; oral examination; and pre-recorded video submissions.

For students who have completed Level I (second year) of the programme in or before the 2024-25 academic year:

According to the module, one or more of the following: formal examinations; course essays/project work; longer dissertations, presentations, group work, reflections on own learning.
Students are expected to have attained the following Skills and other Attributes: Which will be gained through the following Teaching and Learning methods: and assessed using the following methods:
The following learning outcomes marked with an * apply to students commencing Level C (first year) or Level I (second year) of the programme in 2025/26 or later:
1. *Precision in the use of voice to cogently analyse the law and law-related content, both orally and in writing.
2. *The capacity to thoughtfully synthesise and critically evaluate a diverse range of legal source material and argument, including judicial techniques of precedent, statutory interpretation, and academic commentary to distinguish between what the law ‘does’ in a particular area and what remains unresolved.
3. *The ability to draw upon legal research methods to identify a range of pertinent material relating to England & Wales, the European Union and international law and treaties (including legislation, case law and academic commentary).
4. *Ability to identify and locate material from other disciplines, including politics and economics, as well as inter-disciplinary material, relevant to the relationship between law and globalisation
5. *The ability to proactively and independently interrogate relevant primary and secondary source material for its authority, authenticity, and contextual effect(s).
6. *The ability to exercise positive, discerning judgment when making use of digital resources, data sets, and AI generative systems to build an ethically-minded digital literacy.
7. *The ability to embrace self-managed risk and learn from setbacks/failures to find areas of personal and professional growth.
*8. Year Abroad only: To achieve an enhanced intercultural awareness through direct interaction with the society and academic institutions of another country. To develop a range of marketable skills, including: problem solving, listening and communication, patience and perseverance, determination, and self-motivation.
The following learning outcomes apply to students who have completed Level I (second year) of the programme in or before the 2024-25 academic year:
Ability to research, identify and locate a range of legal material relating to England and Wales, the European Union and a range of other domestic, regional, transnational and international legal systems (including legislation, case law and academic commentary), using printed and electronic sources.
Capability to evaluate and speculate about law and law-related material by: assessing and criticising arguments; assessing whether significant information is not available or presented in argument; evaluating the impact of law; considering possible policy options.
Ability to formulate and defend views of their own.
Co-operative group working.
The ability to conduct independent and interdisciplinary research.
Ability to use basic information technology and specialised legal technical resources for research and writing in law and other relevant programme disciplines (including word-processing, email, the Internet, electronic databases of legal and other relevant material).
Ability to identify and locate material from other disciplines, including politics and economics, as well as inter-disciplinary material, relevant to the relationship between law and globalisation
Ability to analyse legal material, and material from other relevant disciplines, by: bringing together relevant information; understanding judicial techniques of precedent and statutory interpretation; dealing with and applying problem solving skills to complex facts; judging what is relevant or irrelevant; advising on the application of legal rules to facts in real or hypothetical problems; testing arguments, concepts and theories in particular, social, economic and political factual contexts; articulating arguments whether in writing or orally in a coherent and logical manner.
Ability to carry out, working independently with very limited guidance, small scale research projects (including identifying accurately the issues that require research compiling bibliographies and using an academic referencing system).
Oral and writing skills necessary to communicate facts ideas and reasoned opinions and to offer advice about Law, and other fields/disciplines relevant to Global Legal Studies.
Some basic skills in numeracy (including scepticism about data and the ability to use numerical/statistical data in argument)
Ability to monitor, reflect and build upon learning experiences and plan for personal
Capability to evaluate and discuss law and law-related material: synthesising, assessing and critically evaluating arguments; assessing whether significant information is not available or presented in argument; evaluating the impact of law; considering possible policy options; presenting a reasoned and personal perspective on theoretical and practical issues examined; considering the relevant parts of the law’s context.
For students commencing Level C (first year) or Level I (second year) of the programme in 2025/26 or later:

*According to the module, one or more of the following: lectures; group tutorials; seminars; problem-based learning opportunities; individual project supervision; self-directed reading; practice written work; reflection, engagement with various forms of media and source material linked to the Canvas learning platform, and collaborative peer engagement exercises.

*PLO 8: Year Abroad (as delivered by host institution) for the year abroad only

For students who have completed Level I (second year) of the programme in or before the 2024-25 academic year:

According to the module, one or more of the following: lectures; group seminars; individual seminars; Canvas; and self-directed reading and thinking; and training sessions in the use of information technology for legal research and writing; practice written work; peer assessment exercise.
For students commencing Level C (first year) or Level I (second year) of the programme in 2025/26 or later:

*According to the module, one or more of the following: the completion of: formal examinations; essays; dissertations; group or individual portfolio/project work; re-writes of other texts such as legal judgments, Law Commission reports or text generated by Generative AI; multiple choice tests; professional letters of advice; personal reflections on own learning; group or individual oral presentations; oral examination; and pre-recorded video submissions.

*PLO 8: Year Abroad (as delivered by host institution) for the year abroad only

For students who have completed Level I (second year) of the programme in or before the 2024-25 academic year:

Formal examinations; Course essays/project work; Longer dissertations; Group Presentations