LLM International Humanitarian Law

Situations of armed conflict and acute crisis affects the lives of millions of people globally. How does international law regulate the conduct of hostilities, and the protection of victims of conflict and acute crisis? What are the implications of developments like the so-called ‘war on terror' and ‘migration crisis' on the effectiveness of international law? Are the existing legal frameworks fit-for-purpose in responding to the challenges posed by new technologies such as automated weapons and cyber warfare?

In recent years, armed conflicts in Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Yemen, amongst others, have reminded us that the need to ensure respect for international law is as acute as ever.

Our LLM International Humanitarian Law has been designed to address situations such as these and provide you with the knowledge and skills to pursue or advance your career in fields related to legal regimes applicable to armed conflict and acute crisis situations. Emphasis is placed on understanding the practical application of the law. It is intended to ensure a balance between theory and practice, so that you are equipped to deal with real world situations.

You examine the legal regimes applicable to situations of armed conflict, and you develop a comprehensive understanding of:

• the regulation of the conduct of hostilities
• the protection of victims of armed conflict
• the application of international human rights law in the context of armed conflict and acute crisis
• the application of international criminal law and international refugee law in the context of armed conflict and acute crisis
• addressing legal obligations and engagement of non-state actors

You also explore and debate some of the biggest contemporary challenges confronting the humanitarian sector today. This includes cutting-edge issues such as the legal challenges posed by new technologies and cyber warfare, as well as more traditional issues such as the protection of displaced persons during emergency situations.

There are a range of fellowships and bursaries available for LLM study. Please see our Fees and Funding pages for more information.

At Essex, we specialise in business law, public law, criminal justice, health law, law and technology, socio-legal studies and human rights law.

We are ranked 49th for Law in THE World University Rankings by subject 2024, which is 9th in the UK, and we are 3rd in the UK for research power in law (THE research power measure, REF2021).