Full-Time LL.M. in Environmental Law and Policy
Our LLM programme is designed for lawyers and non-lawyers to gain an understanding of the legal and regulatory environment and processes in the international energy and resources industries. It is suitable for those aspiring to be practising lawyers, legal advisers, contract managers and negotiators in these industries.
Structure
| The LL.M. is made up of 200 credits as follows: | |
|---|---|
| Induction Programme | 20 credits |
| Core Modules: Compulsory | 40 credits |
| Core Modules: Optional | 40 credits |
| Elective Modules | 60 credits |
| Dissertation, Internship or extended PhD Proposal | 40 credits |
200 credits |
|
Note: The Diploma and Certificate are available as exit qualifications.
To find out everything you need to know about the programme, please click on the headings above. Additional useful information about the LL.M. can be found using the links in the table below:
Induction Programme (20 credits)
The Induction Programme provides students with vital knowledge and skills before they embark of the main components of CEPMLP's taught Masters and Diploma programmes. CEPMLP students have a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds and the Induction Programme provides each student with a basic introduction to all the main disciplines included in the degrees programmes, namely law, economics, finance and geology. It also provides training in research methods.
Core Modules: Compulsory
Candidates should choose a minimum of 40 credits from the list below:
Environmental Law and Policy for Natural Resources and Energy (20 credits)
The course deals with selected issues central to understanding international and national environmental policy and law related to production and consumption of natural resources and power generation. It addresses, in particular, environmental problems arising in connection with production and transportation of petroleum (both on-land and offshore), mining activities, use of nuclear energy, including production of uranium and disposal of radioactive wastes, and use of fossil fuels, including transboundary air pollution and global climate effects. A special emphasis is placed on the solutions for environmental problems provided by various national regulatory systems, in particular British and North American.
International Law of Natural Resources and Energy (20 credits)
The main objective of the course is to provide an introduction to the fundamental concepts and specific legal and jurisdictional issues in the field of international and transboundary natural resources. The emphasis is on ensuring a proper understanding of the existing legal mechanisms and international regimes applicable to various types of natural resources located beyond States’ jurisdiction or control.
Core Modules: Optional
Candidates should choose a minimum of 40 credits from the list below:
EC Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy (20 credits)
The principal aim of the course is to provide an introduction to the main law and policy issues relating to the energy sector of the EC. An introduction to EC institutions, its legal system and its procedures and origins is provided, with particular reference to energy issues. Particular emphasis is placed upon the policy of increasing energy integration among the 27 Member States, known as the Internal Energy Market, and the possible lessons it may yield for liberalisation in other parts of the world (in addressing problems such as stranded costs, unbundling and third party access, for example). The EU external policy towards non-member countries is also considered as is the growing role of environmental policy in fields such as renewable energy and climate change. The approach does not presuppose any previous knowledge of EC law on the part of the student, but this would be an advantage.
Energy and Climate Change Law and Policy (20 credits)
On successful completion, a candidate will:
(1) have an understanding of international law relating to climate change obligations
(2) have an understanding of regional mechanisms relating to climate change obligations
(3) have an understanding of the variety of national approaches to climate change mitigation be able to discuss climate change obligations in the context of the legal requirements for mitigation
Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development - Economics and Policy Issues (20 credits)
The aim of this course is to help students to understand: the interactions between energy, environment and the climate; economic and other instruments to deal with energy-environment problems; the role of energy in achieving sustainable development; policy issues and options related to energy, environment, climate change and sustainable development. The course will not require any prior knowledge of economics.
Implementation of Climate Change Obligations (20 credits)
On successful completion, a candidate will:
(1) Understand the impact and effect of soft law (international law) obligations relating to climate change and impact on energy sector and energy policy
(2) Understand the enforcement mechanisms of regional and national climate change mitigation schemes
(3) be able to discuss enforcement and implementation of climate change obligations relating to energy
International Law of Water Resources (20 credits)
The primary objective of this course is to provide an overview of the law that governs the non-navigational uses of international watercourses. The course begins with an overview of the fundamental principles of public international law, considered in the specific context of international watercourses. At the end of the modules, students are expected to be able to identify the legal issues and possible solutions for addressing international water problems. An understanding of the basic principles of public international law is required. The programme will consist of seven 3-hour lectures, with some provision for student presentations. The assessment for the course is one research paper, maximum length 4500 words due at the end of the term.
National Water Law and Regulation (20 credits)
The primary objective of this course is to provide an overview of the fundamental legal principles that govern national freshwaters from a comparative law perspective. The course begins with an overview of legal entitlement to water and compares national legal regulatory systems. At the end of the module, students are expected to be able to identify the legal issues and possible solutions for addressing national water problems. An understanding of the basic principles of national law is required. This course will consider the principles of national water law and administration. Basic historical and current concepts of national water law will be identified and analysed. Existing systems of water law in various countries (i.e., civil law countries, common law countries, Muslim countries) will be examined and compared. The course will address the issues of ownership and legal entitlement with respect to water resources; legal regimes governing the right to use water; regulation of the beneficial uses of water resources and water quality and pollution control. Finally, such issues as water resources administration and privatisation of the water industry will be examined. The new developments in Scotland will be analysed and compared with water law revision activities in other countries (i.e. Australia, China, Kenya, Namibia and South Africa).
Elective Modules
Candidates are advised to choose additional modules from what is available on the academic timetable subject to any restrictions that may apply.
Together with the core modules above, excluding the Induction Programme they should add up to 140 credits for the LL.M..
Full list of available modules.
Dissertation, Internship or extended PhD Proposal
Compulsory Core Choice Modules - choice of 40 credits from:
Dissertation (40 credits)
The dissertation contributes to the achievement of the aims of the Masters degree namely:- to promote a deeper and critical understanding of selected areas relating to the specialisation of the student; to develop originality of thought and skills of research, analysis, argumentation and expression; to build upon, develop and integrate the knowledge and skills acquired in the taught modules.
A dissertation of up to 15,000 words on a topic approved by an academic supervisor
Extended PhD Proposal (40 credits)
The Extended PhD proposal contributes to the achievement of the aims of the Masters degree namely:- to promote a deeper and critical understanding of selected areas relating to the specialisation of the student; to develop originality of thought and skills of research, analysis, argumentation and expression; to build upon, develop and integrate the knowledge and skills acquired in the taught modules. In addition, the PhD proposal should provide the basis for significantly more specialised and detailed research to be undertaken as part of the PhD programme.
Students who propose to follow up their degree with a PhD may, with the approval of an academic supervisor, submit a 10,000 word PhD proposal.
Internship (40 credits)
The internship provides the student with the opportunity to apply in the workplace the knowledge and skills learnt at CEPMLP and to learn how professionals in the field perform their tasks.