Program Overview

Pre-Masters Programme at our International Study Centre prepares you for your degree at Lancaster University. You will focus on English language, university-level study skills, and academic modules that relate to your degree subject.

Your postgraduate preparation
The Pre-Masters Programme is available over two or three terms at the International Study Centre, providing you with the skills necessary for postgraduate study at Lancaster University. You will  build on the knowledge gained in your earlier studies whilst developing your practical English language and mathematical abilities, as well as study and research skills.

You will develop an intellectual appreciation of issues relevant to your chosen degree through classes designed specifically for international students. These will be based on study and careers skills, as well as subject specific modules, which prepare you for your chosen Masters degree at Lancaster.

How does it work?
When you apply to the International Study Centre, you will choose between two pathways, depending on your career aims. Upon acceptance to the Pre-Masters Programme, you will also receive a conditional offer to study a Masters degree at Lancaster University after successful completion of your Pre-Masters.

Engineering, Computing, Mathematics and Science
The Pre-Masters Programme in Engineering, Computing, Mathematics and Science ensures you are prepared for postgraduate study at Lancaster University. Students on this programme can progress to a variety of scientific degrees.

Programme structure
Throughout the programme, you will study subject specific modules to develop a deeper understanding of your chosen area. You will also study core English language modules that will develop both your language and academic skills to the level required for Masters study in the UK, as well as building your ability to study at postgraduate level by improving your research and critical analysis abilities.

Human Rights and the Environment
The LLM Human Rights and the Environment examines the political, legal and human rights issues that shape and inform environmental protection and regulation. Jointly delivered by the Law School and the Lancaster Environment Centre, it enables you to explore the environmental aspects of the law and the legal regulation of the environment in the context of human rights.

Our Law School is home to the Centre for International Law and Human Rights, the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice, the Centre for Law and Society, and the Centre for Child and Family Justice. The Lancaster Environment Centre, along with Rothamsted Research and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, is part of the Graduate School for the Environment. These influential centres underpin our postgraduate teaching and you will have access to the expertise of academics researching in the field natural and social sciences, legal and socio-legal issues.

The pathway for the LLM ensures a balanced duality: Law School modules, LEC modules, and a 15,000 word dissertation, enabling you to pursue your own interests whilst becoming practiced at looking at issues from different perspectives.

Your core modules are Perspectives on Environment and Development; Environmental Law or International Environmental Law; the LLM Dissertation;  International Human Rights Law; and Research Methods in Law.

You will study a further elective module in Law and one from the Lancaster Environment Centre. We pride ourselves on the breadth of options available and you can focus on the human rights, legal, environmental and sustainability issues that most interest you. Elective modules typically include: Chemical Risk Assessment, Climate Change and Society, Environmental Justice, International Law, Current Issues in European Union Law, and the Law of the United Nastions, Rights of Peoples, and The Right to Adequate Food as a Human Right.

The dissertation is an independent, in-depth inquiry into a research topic of your choosing. The topic will link to a key legal or environmental question or issue and may also directly relate to your professional/career interests. This is your opportunity to make a contribution to the academic community with new, original research and writing. A dissertation supervisor can provide you with support and introduce you to relevant research; their personal research interests will closely align with your chosen topic wherever possible.

Our teaching approach is international in scope and comparative by nature, and we actively encourage you to build a beneficial network of academics, peers and alumni during your time with us. All of this will help you to broaden your experience, deepen your understanding, and prepare for your next step.

Your postgraduate LLM degree can open doors to a wide range of careers. Whilst on this degree you will have the chance to develop: the skills required to critically evaluate cutting-edge research; inter-disciplinary skills; and, analytical and communications skills. All of which can be a real boost in any sector and highly prized by employers. The LLM is also an ideal stepping stone to PhD study and academia.