Introduction
The LLM in Drafting Legislation, Regulation, and Policy offers a unique opportunity for drafters, legal officers, policymakers, and those interested in the process of law-making and in drafting to study the legislative environment and legislation as a tool for regulation.
This programme is based at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS), a member institute of the School of Advanced Study, University of London.
The programme aims to promote an understanding of the principles of legislative studies and an in-depth awareness of what constitutes legislative quality and how this can be achieved. Legislative drafting is often perceived as a technical skill that one learns on the job. The view of the Institute’s Sir William Dale Centre for Legislative Studies is that legislative drafting is a practical discipline requiring awareness of the theoretical principles of drafting along with experience on the job. Legislative drafting has evolved to become the bedrock of political, economic, and social transformation. It is still, however, relatively unexplored as an academic discipline. The LLM examines issues relevant to common law and civil law jurisdictions related to the policy process, the legislative process, and the drafting process
The programme is not prescriptive and allows you to naturalise your knowledge and apply it in your own national environment. Capped class numbers allow individualized tuition. Alumni are usually employed by governments and international organizations.
Structure and Modules
If you study on campus in London you will participate in lectures, seminars, and face-to-face discussions with tutors and other students.
If you study by distance learning, you will receive access to extensive materials delivered online and by email and participate in online discussions with tutors and other students. Students undertaking the course by distance learning are required to attend a week-long intensive residential induction in London. This gives students a chance to meet the tutors and other students and to start their studies with the maximum level of support.
Mode of study
12 months full-time | 24 months part-time |
How will this course benefit me?
The LLM is designed to meet your needs if you are seeking a career in legislative drafting or already working as a legislative drafter, or if you want a career in, or are already working for, organizations that produce different types of draft normative acts. Many of our students are mid-career drafters employed by the government (for example, by AG Chambers, the Ministry of Justice, or other ministries). We also have students who work for or aim to work for NGOs that propose normative acts to governments.
Entry requirements
The normal minimum entrance requirement is a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree from a university in the UK, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.
We will consider applications from candidates who do not meet the formal academic requirements but who offer alternative qualifications and/or relevant experience. Applicants are not required to have a law degree nor a professional qualification in law.
English is the language of instruction and applicants are required to demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency.
