Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

Criminal Law and Criminal Justice LLM

Awards: LLM

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

A cutting-edge and intellectually demanding programme, the LLM in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice will equip you with an advanced knowledge and understanding of the key concepts and theories underpinning criminal law and criminal justice and how they operate in practice. The programme covers the following core areas:

  • Current issues in criminal law and criminal justice
  • Fundamental principles of substantive and procedural criminal law
  • Criminalization
  • International, transnational, and European criminal law
  • Sexual offending
  • Global crime and insecurity
  • The penal process
  • Different approaches to understanding and critiquing criminal law and criminal justice, including:
    • doctrinal
    • comparative
    • theoretical
    • socio-legal methods

The programme is suitable for students who have studied law or a related subject at undergraduate level and wish to develop a specialist understanding of criminal law and criminal justice.

This programme can be studied full-time over one year, or part-time over two years subject to visa restrictions. The degree and expectations for both modes of study are equally rigorous.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits. Full programme details for the 2023-24 academic year are available on the University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study website.

Edinburgh Law School offers a wide portfolio of courses in criminal law and criminal justice. On taught courses, your studies will be led by members of the Law School academic community. You will be expected to prepare in advance by reading the required materials and reflecting on the issues to be discussed. Courses are examined primarily by means of an assessed essay or other written work.

For the dissertation, you will be allocated a supervisor from whom you can expect guidance and support, but its primary purpose is to develop your skills in independent research design and analysis.

With the exception of compulsory courses, space on specific courses may be limited due to high demand.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
LLMCriminal Law and Criminal Justice1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2024/25
LLMCriminal Law and Criminal Justice2 YearsPart-timeProgramme structure 2024/25

Having completed the programme, students will emerge with an advanced knowledge and understanding of contemporary debates in criminal law and criminal justice, the ability to analyse and critique existing practice and recent developments, and skills in legal writing and research.

This programme offers rigorous preparation for students considering further work in the fields of criminal law and criminal justice, for example in academic research, legal practice, government departments, criminal justice agencies, voluntary organisations in the crime and justice field, or in international organisations such as the United Nations.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in law.

We will also consider candidates with a degree in a related discipline which includes relevant prior study.

In evaluating your application for postgraduate study, greater emphasis may be placed upon results of prior learning in subjects relevant to the intended degree programme.

Entry to this programme is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements for consideration does not guarantee an offer of study.

Supporting your application

Relevant work experience is not required but may increase your chances of acceptance.

Relevant professional qualifications will be considered.

Preference will be given to those with grades above the minimum requirements due to strong competition for places on this programme.

Students from China

This degree is Band A.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 7.0 in writing and 6.5 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 25 in writing and 23 in all other components.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 185 in writing and 176 in all other components.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 73 in writing and 65 in all other components. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
  • Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 8 in writing and 7 in all other components.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
LLMCriminal Law and Criminal Justice1 YearFull-timeTuition fees
LLMCriminal Law and Criminal Justice2 YearsPart-timeTuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money

    • taking out a loan

    • family support

  • personal savings

  • income from work

  • employer sponsorship

  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

  • your programme
  • the duration of your studies
  • your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Programme Director, Dr Gabrielle Watson
  • Edinburgh Law School Postgraduate Office
  • Old College
  • South Bridge
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH9 9YL

Due to high demand, this programme operates a gathered field approach to admissions, with two application deadlines as noted below.

Each application round has a decision deadline, also listed below, but note that we may make offers to the strongest candidates on an ongoing basis, in advance of the published decision deadline.

We strongly recommend that you apply as early as possible, especially if you intend to apply for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand. If you are considering applying for our pre-sessional English Language programme, please make sure you apply in Round 1.

Please note that for an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including references and transcripts. English language documentation can be submitted later but if you have already met the English language entry requirements for your programme at the time of application, your application may be considered more competitive in selection than applications where an English language test still needs to be taken.

Selection deadlines

Round Application deadline Places awarded
1 13 January 2025 17 April 2025
2 29 May 2025 30 June 2025

Deadlines for UK/Scotland fee status

After round 2, if there are still places available, applications will remain open only to applicants who are eligible for the UK/Scotland fee rate, including the EU/EEA Pre-settled Scotland fee status. Applications will remain open no later than 30 June 2025 and may close earlier than this if the programme becomes full, so we strongly recommend you apply as soon as possible.

If you apply with another fee status after 29 May 2025, your application will be rejected.

(Revised 17 October 2024 to add application deadlines and selection process information)

You must submit one reference with your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • Programme Director, Dr Gabrielle Watson
  • Edinburgh Law School Postgraduate Office
  • Old College
  • South Bridge
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH9 9YL