Natural Resources and Environmental Law and Policy (Distance Learning) LLM

Program Overview

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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.

Program Outline

What you will study

All module information is for 2022 entry and is subject to change.

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First year

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Core

Foundations of Law and Skills

Sustainable Development Law in Contemporary Business and Society

Regulatory Theory and Practice

Dissertation

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Option

International Environmental Law

International Petroleum Law

Policy Analysis of Governance and Development

International Competition Law

Climate Change Law and Policy

Business Human Rights and Environmental

Employment Law

Waste Management Law

International Water Resources Law

Natural Resource Governance

Law and Ethics of Technology and Artificial Intelligence

Emerging Issues in Law

International Law of Taxation

University Distance Learning Elective

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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.

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Official programme specification

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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.

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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.