Gender and Human Rights - LLM
2025/26 Part-time Postgraduate course
Award:
Master of Laws
Faculty:
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
School:
School of Law
Campus:
Belfast campus
Start dates:
September 2025
January 2026
A postgraduate course dedicated to the study of gender and human rights.
The LLM Gender and Human Rights draws on the established research excellence of the Transitional Justice Institute to deliver a world-leading masters programme in the field.
This programme has been developed to enable students to:
Gain a systematic understanding, in-depth knowledge and critical awareness of the differential experiences of women and men of human rights norms and institutions, including in conflict and post-conflict situations;
• Understand foundational concepts in gender theory and their application to human rights, international law and transitional justice;
• Gain knowledge and skills in carrying out research projects from design to write-up;
• Enhance skills in critically appraising published and commissioned research;
• Develop skills highly relevant to legal practice, and to gender policy, research and advocacy roles in the voluntary, public and private sectors in the UK, Ireland and beyond;
• Successful completion may also open up a range of further study and research options.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
In this section
The programme has been structured to ensure that students obtain a strong academic grounding in gender theory including women's rights. The theme of the programme is 'from local to global and back', exploring the symbiotic relationship between international and municipal law through a gendered lens. The programme addresses the various mechanisms by which women's rights and gender issues rights agenda can be, and have been, advanced at international, regional and municipal levels, and the manner in which knowledge, expertise and experience between these levels has been and continues to be transferred. The programme addresses global challenges like migration and climate change in different modules while overall the programme embodies research and study essential to several Sustainable Development Goals including SDG5 (Gender equality), SDG10 (reduced inequalities), SDG16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions).
Attendance is compulsory for successful completion of the LLM. Modules are delivered through weekly classes. Each 20 credit module on average involves 3 hours of contact time per week with total effort hours over the semester of 200 per module (36 hours contact, 164 hours independent study).
The LLM in Gender and Human Rights is offered on a full-time and part-time basis. The LLM is 3 semesters full-time or 6 semesters part-time.
All modules are worth 20 credits. One credit point represents 10 notional hours of student effort.
Structure/Coherence/Choice
In order both to maximize the module options available to students, and to offer modules which reflect staff expertise and that are viable (in terms of student numbers), all modules have 20 credit credit points each. This enables the programme to share modules with other programmes in the School and University.
A significant dissertation element is also contained in the degree programme. Students' ability to plan and write a dissertation project under academic supervision is a crucial aspect of postgraduate studies, and one of the factors attracting students to a degree of this nature. During the compulsory and optional taught modules, students are encouraged to develop their perspectives on suitable topics for their dissertation and to acquire legally-based research skills to carry out postgraduate research. In this regard, the LAW817 Research and Advocacy Methods module will dovetail nicely with the LAW827 Dissertation module as students will be formally assessed on a written research proposal. This will help students to prepare for the dissertation through improving their communication, research and legal skills. In so doing, successful students will have the necessary qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment and for continuing professional development.
Full-time students study LAW821 Foundations of International Human Rights Law and LAW838 Gender and Human Rights in Semester 1 and choose one module from either LAW810 Economic Social and Cultural Rights or LAW805 Foundations of Transitional Justice.
In semester 2 full-time students take LAW817 Research and Advocacy Methods and two of the optional modules LAW778 Public International Law and Contemporary Global Challenges, LAW777 International Migration Law or LAW811 Equality Law. There is an option for students to start in January and so complete the modules in a different order; modules have been designed to allow this.
Part-time students: In the first year they are recommended to take LAW821 Foundations of International Human Rights Law and LAWLAW838 Gender and Human Rights. In year 2 they take LAW817 Research and Advocacy Methods and remaining optional modules.
With the exception of the dissertation all modules are assessed by two pieces of coursework, e.g., a blog or case study and an essay
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study.
In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
The overall aim of the programme is togain a systematic understanding, in-depth knowledge and critical awareness of the differential experiences of women and men of human rights norms and institutions, including in conflict and post-conflict situations;
• Understand foundational concepts in gender theory and their application to human rights, international law and transitional justice;
• Gain knowledge and skills in carrying out research projects from design to write-up;
• Enhance skills in critically appraising published and commissioned research;
• Develop skills highly relevant to legal practice, and to gender policy, research and advocacy roles in the voluntary, public and private sectors in the UK, Ireland and beyond;
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
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Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
In this section
Year: 1
Status: C
This module provides a full range of skills which students need to be able to produce rigorous pieces of research as part of their dissertation, and prepare for professional stages and a career in research and/or advocacy in the areas of human rights law, gender and/or transitional justice. It attempts to bridge the gap between academic and practical law. The understanding of sources of domestic legal sources, public international law and study techniques including transferable skills in areas such as performing UN- research and time-management is a fundamentally skill. This understanding can then be applied to help support a practical approach to learning.
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the main international, regional, and domestic frameworks governing migration. By adopting a holistic approach, which considers key aspects of migration (asylum, labour migration, trafficking, internal displacement, etc) together, students will have the opportunity to reflect on and understand how these regimes interact with each other, and the intersecting nature of some of the legally distinct categories that exist within migration law. In the second half of the course, the impact of international migration law in domestic systems is explored through dedicated sessions on UK immigration and asylum law. These sessions, together with a class on working with vulnerable clients, will prepare students for immigration practice, whether as a solicitor, or as an OISC accredited advisor.
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module provides a comprehensive foundation to public international law. The module is broadly split into two parts: the first part deals with core aspects of public international law, including history, context, sources, statehood, and international organisations. Having laid the foundation, the second part of the module turns to explore some key regimes within international law, with a focus on those regimes most pertinent to contemporary global challenges. Topics covered include use of force, international humanitarian law, international criminal law, climate change and migration. The module finishes with an opportunity to critically reflect on public international law. These sessions will prepare students for their LLM dissertation and future research and work in the field of public international law.
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module provides students with an advanced introduction to economic, social and cultural rights, including their history and theory, key concepts, different international, regional and domestic protecting for protecting these rights. Student will examine selected rights and challenges in depth.
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
This module introduces the students to core principles of equality law. Whilst there is a focus upon the law of Northern Ireland, this is taught in the context of British, European, comparative constitutional and international law. It examines a spectrum of non-discrimination and equality law concepts and their enforcement over the key grounds. It also considers the future development of equality law.
Year: 3
Status: C
Summary Description
The module will enable the student to master the complex and specialised area of international human rights law. Students will be encouraged to develop an in-depth critical understanding of both the content of international human rights standards and the various means by which they are enforced. It will act as a foundational basis which will enable learners to study issues in greater detail in other modules. These have been developed in response to the growth of new areas of interest in international human rights law. The aim will be to provide students with a degree that reflects contemporary international human rights law and enables them to make good use of the expertise of staff.
Year: 3
Status: C
This module allows students to apply the research skills acquired and explore the issues broached in the taught modules, by conducting an effective critical investigation of an area of concern or interest in human rights law and transitional justice, and to write a report on that investigation.
Year: 3
Status: C
The module Gender and Human Rights invites students to explore core principles of gender and human rights law.
It starts by introducing students to the increasing recognition of women's rights in society and how these developments interact with feminist legal theory, including through a case study.
This module then invites students to appreciate how women's rights have progressively become protected in international human rights law, by focusing on key UN frameworks and regional frameworks of protection.
It then enables students to explore how the complex dimensions of sex and gender are conceptualised and protected in human rights law, including through a case study.
Half-way through the semester, students are invited to present their analysis on a topic relevant to the first half of the semester, in an assessed format.
This module then introduces students to the increasing protection of reproductive health and rights in human rights law, by focusing on access to abortion and female genital mutilation.
Finally, it invites students to appreciate how gender-based violence has progressively become prohibited in human rights law, including in conflict situations.
At the end of the semester, students are invited to participate to a coursework clinic to improve their legal writing skills, in preparation for their assessed essay.
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module forms a constituent part of a distinct specialisation within the LLM in Human Rights and Transitional Justice as well as within the newly proposed LLM in Human Rights Law. It acts as a springboard for students to acquire a solid general foundation in TJ's core concepts as well acts as a platform for them to develop specialised thematic or geographical interests and expertise that can be deepened in subsequent modules and/or research. It draws on a range of classical and contemporary transitional justice scholarship within a variety of cognate fields, in keeping with the interdisciplinary origins of transitional justice as an epistemic community, and as praxis.
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
In this section
A second class Honours degree or above or equivalent recognised qualification in Law, Social Sciences, Humanities or a cognate discipline. Allowance may be made for special qualifications, experience and background, and students with other academic backgrounds will be considered, where applicants can demonstrate their ability to undertake the programme through the accreditation of prior experiential learning (APEL) or accreditation of prior learning (APL).
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
In this section
Previous graduates have gone onto positions in the local human rights sector and public sector in Northern Ireland, research and policy officer positions, to legal practice in areas related to the LLM and to PhD research. Further, previous graduates have secured work in the United Nations and in international non-governmental organisations.
The Transitional Justice Institute works closely with a range of human rights organisations that regularly offer internship opportunities to our LLM students – including the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Consortium, Law Centre (NI) and Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM).
Postgraduate fees are subject to annual review, 2025/26 fees will be announced in due course.
See our tuition fees page for the current fees for 2024/25 entry.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Dissertation Prize
See the Ulster University Scholarships page for opportunities.
We have welcomed scholarship holders in the past including holders of Chevening, Fulbright, Sweeney and GREAT scholarships.
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It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
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