Question the fundamental aspects of political life and gain a firm grounding in key legal issues
Year of entry: 2025 (September)
Join us online or in person to find out more about postgraduate study at York.
Upcoming eventsGovernments and international institutions regulate our lives. This raises profound questions about how we relate to each other and to our government.
By what right do some people rule over others? Do citizens have an obligation to obey the law? How can we live together peacefully if we disagree about how best to live?
This course, taught in conjunction with the Department of Philosophy and the Department of Politics and International Relations, explores the core issues of political and legal theories and the relationship between them. By studying the works of theorists both past and present, you'll delve into the fundamental questions of legal and political philosophy.
C and JB Morrell Trust Bursaries
These bursaries are available for students on the LLM Legal and Political Theory programme. After accepting your offer to study this programme at York, you can apply for this additional funding by contacting York Law School at: law-pgt-admin@york.ac.uk.
You will be asked to complete a short statement outlining why the bursary will make a difference to you, which will be considered along with your CV and further application questions.
A modern, dynamic learning method that ensures you experience and understand law in its practical, social and theoretical contexts
The course challenged me to consider the political and philosophical dimension to legal study and the weekly Morrell Seminars also widened my academic interests. There is an expansive and great depth of knowledge in the department and all staff were extremely supportive and accessible.Byron, LLM Legal and Political Theory
Your core modules will introduce you to the fundamental questions of legal and political theory. By choosing from a range of options for the rest of your modules, you can focus your studies on what interests you most.
You'll learn about the fundamental issues and theories of jurisprudence, alongside looking into the most important approaches to political theory. In your option modules, you'll have the chance to learn about topics such as pluralism, terrorism and ethics.
You'll also develop your research skills in preparation for a 12,000-word dissertation, which you will write during the Summer Term.
You will take core modules which may include:
You will also study two option modules. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
You'll write a 12,000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice, incorporating a legal dimension, under the supervision of a faculty member. You'll be supported in the preparation of the dissertation proposal by specialist research training.
There is a wide flexibility in choosing your topic and you are encouraged to make the most of the broad range of expertise made available by the collaborative nature of the programme.
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £11,200 | £25,900 |
| Part-time (2 years) This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation. |
£5,600 | £12,950 |
Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
For courses which are longer than one year, the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
You’ll be taught in a variety of ways depending on the modules you choose. For most modules, you’ll be in small groups either in a seminar format – discussing issues in depth with peers and staff – or in problem-based learning groups. For some modules, you will attend lectures and plenary sessions where you will be introduced to key debates.
York Law School is located on Campus East. Nearly all of your teaching will take place within the Law building or nearby on Campus East.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
The forms of assessment differ depending on module choice, but most modules are assessed by an essay written over the vacation following the term’s teaching. You will receive feedback throughout your course, including written feedback on your work during each module and informal feedback in seminars.
Throughout your time at York, you will receive active support in careers and development planning from the York Law School employability tutor.
We encourage you to get involved with our Careers and Development Programme. The programme includes several employers, providing an insight into the legal profession and the relevant recruitment processes.
There is also help available for those of you who are thinking about non-legal employers or academic routes following your LLM.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent in Law or a relevant social science |
| International pre-masters programme | Pre-masters from our International Pathway College |
| Other qualifications and experience | Applicants with equivalent legal professional, management or commercial experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, minimum 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87, minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all requirements |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
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