External summary

There are currently over 500 international treaties and other agreements related to the environment, and an average 300 days per year are spent in intergovernmental negotiations to further develop and enhance implementation of environmental law. Key international legal instruments have recently been agreed upon, such as an international instrument on access and benefit-sharing related to genetic resources, and a legal framework on liability related to biosecurity (October 2010). Others are still being negotiated, such as a post-2012 international regime on climate change or an international instrument on mercury. These ongoing developments at the international level are paralleled by continuous efforts in the development and implementation of environmental law at the European, regional and national level.

This leads to the creation of complex interactions and cross-fertilisation between different levels of environmental governance, between different specialised areas of environmental law, as well as between environmental law and other areas of law (trade, development, investment, agriculture, human rights). Environmental law is thus a dynamic, fast-developing and increasingly specialised area of law that requires not only specialist legal knowledge and skills, but also understanding of underpinning political, economic and scientific issues.  The LLM Programme in Global Environment and Climate Change Law is designed to equip students with an advanced, interdisciplinary knowledge of the legal issues and techniques related to environmental protection and the management of natural resources, with special emphasis on climate change. 

The programme aims to enable students to analyse and evaluate the historic and ongoing development of international, European and national law for environmental protection, the inter-relations between these different levels of law-making, as well as the interactions between environmental law and other areas of law.  The programme offers the possibility of exploring different, inter-linked areas of environmental law with leading experts, alongside students from all around the world, at one of the UK's, and indeed Europe’s, leading universities. Its flexible and inter-disciplinary structure enables each student to tailor his/her curriculum as best suits individual interests and future career plans drawing from a choice of specialised courses at the School of Law, as well as environment-related courses at the School of Social and Political Science, the Business School and the Geosciences School of the University of Edinburgh.

Educational aims of programme

This programme is designed to equip students with an advanced, interdisciplinary and discipline-specific knowledge of the legal issues and techniques related to environmental protection and the management of natural resources, with special emphasis on climate change. The programme enables students to analyze and evaluate the historic and ongoing development of international, European and national law for environmental protection, the inter-relations between these different levels of law-making, as well as the interactions between environmental law and other areas of law.

More specifically, the programme aims to do the following:

• to foster an in-depth understanding of concepts, innovations and challenges characterizing the law on environmental protection, natural resource management and climate change, as it is developed and implemented at the international, European and national level;

• to provide students with critical skills for independent analysis of international, European and national law and policy in the field of environmental protection, natural resources management and climate change, and of its interactions with other areas of law;

• to provide students with the academic skills required to analyze the activity of international and supranational legal and political institutions, national governments and domestic courts, NGOs and the private sector in the field of environmental protection, natural resources management and climate change;

• to encourage openness to different scholarly approaches within law by offering the opportunity to complement specialized law courses with courses offered by the School of Social and Political Science, the Business School and the School of Geosciences addressing questions related to environmental protection, natural resources management and climate change;

• to provide students with a recognized, advanced-level exit qualification equipping them for work in a variety of policy-relevant positions, legal institutions or further advanced level study.

Employment opportunities include:

• Specialized legal drafters

• Governments advisors

• International negotiators

• Legal advisors to private companies and NGOs

• International civil servants

• Specialized researchers in academic and think-tank institutions
• Independent consultants

Programme outcomes: Knowledge and understanding

By the end of the programme, all students would be expected:

• to know and understand the main concepts, institutions, issues and challenges in developing and implementing law on environmental protection, natural resource management and climate change at the international, European and national level,

• to have specialist in-depth knowledge of specific areas of environment law,

• to know contemporary debates in a range of academic literature on environmental protection, natural resource management and climate change law,

• to be able to apply concepts and theories to describe, explain and evaluate developments in environmental law at the international, European and national level,

• to be able to draw on a range of disciplinary backgrounds in understanding environmental law at the international, European and national level.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in research and enquiry

• the ability to understand and interpret legal source materials;
• to identify linkages and influences among different areas or levels of regulation;
• to articulate, sustain and defend a line of argument;
• to exercise informed independent thought and critical judgment.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal and intellectual autonomy

• skills at retrieving and analysing data on legal and other developments relating to environment, natural resource management and climate change,
• skills in selecting and applying appropriate methods and methodologies to answer questions relating to environmental, natural resource management and climate change law,
• skills in critically evaluating political discourse on environmental protection, natural resource management and climate change.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in communication

• the ability to summarise and communicate effectively information and ideas orally and in writing;
• the ability to participate effectively in seminars, workshops and discussions;
• the ability to present research and other scholarly work to others;

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal effectiveness

• the ability to think clearly and produce work under pressure;
• the capacity to work independently and to seek advice when this is appropriate;
• the ability to work effectively with others in groups, contributing and capitalising on the different experiences, skills, and thinking of each group member

Programme outcomes: Technical/practical skills

• to locate relevant information through library and IT resources;
• to use key legal and other databases;

Programme structure and features

Exit awards

Progression to the dissertation and award of the LLM degree will be decided, in line with the University’s Taught Assessment Regulations, by a Board of Examiners administered in the School of Law and composed of staff teaching on the degree.

Specifically, the normal conditions for progression and exit awards are as follows:

In order to progress to the masters dissertation candidates must:

• attain at least 80 credits with a pass at masters level or more in each of the separate elements and

• be awarded an aggregate pass at masters level for the 120 credits of study examined at the point of decision for progression and

• have no course mark below 40% in any 40-credit course, and no more than one course mark below 40% in any 20-credit course

Students who do not meet the criteria for progression but who receive a pass at diploma level or more in 80 credits and an aggregate pass at diploma level for the 120 credits of study are eligible to receive the Diploma.

In order to be awarded a masters degree candidates must:

• have satisfied the requirements for progression, as laid out above, and

• attain 60 credits, by achieving a pass at masters level for the dissertation.

Any student who meets the criteria for progression but who then does not pass the dissertation is eligible to receive the Diploma.

Students can also exit with a postgraduate certificate on achieving 60 credits from taught elements.

Structure and components of programme

The programme can be studied in full-time and part-time variants but to study full time, this programme is 12 months’ duration, six courses over two semesters, dissertation April to August

The LLM in Global Environment and Climate Change Law will consist of one compulsory course (International Environmental Law) and optional courses amounting to 120 credits in total, and of a dissertation for 60 credits. Students must take a minimum of 80 credits from the School of Law courses listed below; the remaining 40 credits may be taken either from the School of Law or from the School of Social and Political Science, the Business School and the School of Geosciences.

Courses offered by the School of Law

40 credit courses (taught over two semesters)

International Environmental Law

20 credit courses (taught over one semester)

International Law of Climate Change

EU and national law of climate change

International Law of the Sea

European Environmental Law

Comparative Environmental Law

Biotechnology: Law and Society (on-line course)

Courses offered by other Schools (20 credits unless otherwise indicated; taught over one semester)

• Business Response to Climate Change – Business School (10 credits)

• Climate Change and Corporate Strategy – Geosciences

• Sociology of Environment and Risk– Political Sciences – Social and Political Sciences

• Management of Sustainable Development – Geosciences

• Climate Politics (SPS)

• Foundations in Ecological Economics – Geosciences

• Society and Development – Geosciences

• Culture, Ethics and the Environment – Geosciences

• Climate Change, Justice and Responsibility - Social and Political Sciences

• Integrated Resource Management - Geosciences

• Principles of Environmental Sustainability - Geosciences

• Values and the Environment - Geosciences

• Political Ecology - Geosciences

• International Development - Geosciences

• Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation - Geosciences

• Energy Policy and Politics -Social and Political Sciences (10 or 20 credits – the latter option is to be combined with Business Response to Climate Change)

• Climate Politics - Social and Political Sciences

Dissertation

The dissertation is the point at which students will progress from the structured study via courses to independent self-structured study. In preparation, students benefit from the experience and guidance of academic staff members. The dissertation is a maximum of 10,000 words. Students select the topic of the dissertation, but it must generally be related to environmental protection, natural resources management or climate change issues. Students are expected to demonstrate ability to engage critically and analytically with literatures in their field, building upon relevant concepts and theory covered in the taught element of the degree, possibly using an inter-disciplinary approach. The dissertation is marked anonymously by two internal examiners and reviewed by an external examiner. Any student who meets the criteria for progression but who then does not pass the dissertation is eligible to receive the Diploma.

Promoting social responsibility, sustainability and equality and diversity

Social responsibility

This LLM programme seeks to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in a complex, multilayered and in parts, fast-changing area of the law which is continuously interacting with issues of policy and public interest. By enabling and encouraging students to become critically aware and to develop autonomous views and arguments on these issues, through innovative techniques and a strong emphasis on reflection and critical analysis, this programme is capable of embedding the University’ core objective of increasing awareness of social responsibility questions in its specific area.

Sustainability and equality and diversity

This LLM programme seeks to deploy a variety of teaching techniques ranging from face-to-face seminar contact to one-to-one dissertation supervision to the utilisation of electronic and online library, communication and research resources.  The overarching goal is to ensure flexibility, autonomy and self-reliance in students’ learning while at the same time preserving and enhancing high teaching and learning standards: it is envisaged that this blended approach to teaching and learning will secure strong results in terms of the sustainability and good use of resources in the delivery of the programme; it will also ensure that a diverse student audience will be able to attain its learning outcomes by taking the utmost advantage of the teaching and learning opportunities offered.

Teaching and learning methods and strategies

All courses on the programme are taught in seminar discussion groups.  Class sizes range from 5-25 students and seminars generally last for two hours.  Students are expected to prepare for these seminars in advance by reading the materials prescribed in class hand-outs and by reflecting upon the issues which will be critically discussed in the seminar.  Seminars may include large group discussions, small group work exercises and group and/or individual presentations.  Interaction with course staff, course organisers and fellow students throughout seminars, in which active participation is a prerequisite, ensures that students get ongoing feedback on their contributions to the class and opportunities to reflect on their learning.  The programme also includes a supervised dissertation to which students progress after satisfactorily completing the taught courses.  All students are allocated an individual supervisor with relevant academic experience in their chosen area of study.  Supervision is designed to assist students in identifying and refining an appropriate academic research project, to support their programme of research activity, and to empower them to take lead responsibility for their research.  Students receive ongoing feedback and must reflect on their progress through their one to one supervision meetings. 

The University of Edinburgh library has one of the largest and most important collections in Britain. It has some two million items including the latest publications, key texts, and rare books. The Law School has its own library within Old College, well stocked in most important fields of law. The library of the Europa Institute, housed alongside the Law Library, is an outstanding European Documentation Centre. Within walking distance from the Law School is the National Library of Scotland which also possesses an important legal collection accessible to postgraduate students.

Postgraduate students have access to the extensive computing facilities provided by the Law School. The School maintains a number of computer labs, all of which are available for the exclusive use of postgraduate students. Wireless network access is available in many parts of the Law School including within the Law Library and Lecture Theatres. Postgraduate students have extensive access to online legal research facilities including electronic journals, LexisNexis and Westlaw. Additional computing facilities (including a laptop loan service for flexibility of learning) are available in the University's Main Library and via the University's Computing Services.

The School is proud to boast a brand new Moot Court Room, which is installed with all the latest IT and audio facilities, giving all students who participate in mooting competitions and exercises a flavour of practice in a real court situation.

Assessment methods and strategies

There will be some variation amongst the courses as to the modes of assessment as differing courses in the LLM programme will test different competencies and aptitudes.  In full year courses (40 credits), assessment will normally be by two written essays with the first having a lesser weight. One semester courses (20 credits) are assessed either by one essay that counts for 100% of the grade or by a combination of essay and another form of assessment (such as a take-home exercise, a presentation (both solo and group), an annotated bibliography, a poster, a response to a policy consultation, a moot, or an assessment completed in class).

The School provides targeted, timely and useful feedback to students on their performance in a number of ways:

• through direct comment by staff members in seminars;
• through supervision meetings on the dissertation;
• through written comments provided to students during the course of the academic session on formative assessment, such assessment designed to assist students in improving their essay and examination technique;
• through individual written feedback provided to students on summative coursework such as essays and the dissertation;
• through informal meetings that students can arrange with course organisers, or other members of the teaching team, where additional support or advice on how to improve their learning strategies and practice is required.

The School is always looking to improve the quality and helpfulness of its feedback to students, and takes seriously the comments on feedback provided anonymously in class questionnaires and via the annual Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey.

Student feedback and evaluation is a valued input to curriculum and programme review and development within the school and students are asked to complete evaluation forms on each course they take.  Student representatives are elected at the start of every year and represent the study body throughout the period of the programme of study.  As postgraduate students have access to the resources and facilities of the Institute of Academic Development at the University.  The Institute offers a range of workshops and training sessions including essential communication skills, information technology skills, time management, project management, decision-making and much more.

Career opportunities

The Careers Service offers expert advice on careers options, searching for careers, CV writing and preparing for interviews.  This support can be tailored for students from the School of Law. 

This LLM programme has been conceived as a gateway into a range of employment opportunities and specialised academic work, which may include:

• Legal practice
• Government legal service (at both national and EU levels)
• International civil servants

• Government advisors

• Legal advisors to non-governmental organisations and private companies
• Specialised researchers in academic and think-tank institutions
• Independent consultants

Other items

The School and its research centres actively organise frequent events including seminar and lecture series, conferences, research training, workshops and fairs.  We strongly encourage all our postgraduate students to attend these events as well as getting involved with their organisation.

The Edinburgh Student Law Review is the first of its kind in Scotland.  Managed and written entirely by the School’s student body, it aims to provide a forum for law students to engage in a more analytical approach to the study of law.  Students from all levels and legal disciplines are encouraged to submit articles, case notes and updates which are published in the Review each year.

The School of Law and Edinburgh University are committed to providing pastoral support for postgraduate students.  The Director of Postgraduate Studies, the Programme Director and postgraduate office staff act as points of first contact and can advise students on the extensive network of services that exist throughout the University.  Additional language training and support is available for international students through the English Language Training Centre at the University.  The International Office provides broader support and advice on living and studying in Edinburgh to this constituency of students. The Student Disability Service offers guidance and support for students experiencing difficulties or suffering from impairments covered by the Equality Act, and the Edinburgh University Students’ Association, run by and for students, offer a broad range of services to support students’ well-being at the University.  The University’s Accommodation Services can also help students finding appropriate accommodation in the city.