Introduction
Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time
The SOAS LLM in Islamic Law offers a world-leading specialisation in a rapidly developing area of law that has increasing significance in Muslim majority countries as well as in the lives of many Muslims living elsewhere. The LLM deals in depth with issues such as those relating to families, financial markets, philanthropy, inter-state and international relations and globalisation. It offers a platform for viewing and understanding different parts of the Muslim world from multifaceted and diverse perspectives. Modules included in the programme investigate the meanings and applications of principles of Islamic law in South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and transnationally. They explore jurisprudence and methodologies, family law, criminal law and financial law, and consider critical areas of intersection with international human rights law. Law and society more generally is a focus for the region-specific modules, interrogating the place and role of law in and its relationship with society, including but not limited to issues of gender, colonialism, constitutional law and plural legal systems.
Why SOAS?
The LLM in Islamic law offers wide-ranging insights into the operation of norms and principles of Islamic law particularly in the global South and in its interaction with emerging international norms and regional mechanisms. Those who convene and teach these modules are acknowledged experts in their particular fields and usually also accomplished linguists. The teaching is thus closely informed and research-led, providing dynamic engagements in class on issues of immediate contemporary interest. Staff have years of experience advising governments, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, philanthropic foundations, law firms and financial institutions. Some have been or are legal practitioners in their specialised fields. The modules attract students from across SOAS as well as from the School of Law, leading to vibrant, cross-fertilising discussions and exchanges that often add unexpected value to the learning experience.
Why You?
The programme provides required expertise for anyone interested in pursuing a career in Islamic law or in law-related careers focused on Muslim majority countries or contexts. This expertise is much sought after in law, finance and media, international organisations and government.
Many students in the SOAS School of Law take at least one of the modules in this programme because of the way in which the substance of core modules engages with critical areas of law that are increasingly a focus of practitioners and policymakers. The LLM in Islamic Law offers a unique insight into the richness of the subject matter that will compel your attention to the complexities of historical and current interpretations, usages and repertoires of this most exciting set of laws, legal systems and legal processes.
Each LLM student is required to successfully complete 180 credits, which comprises 120 credits of taught modules and a 60-credit 12,000-word dissertation on a topic related to his or her specialisation.
Structure
Students must take modules to a total value of 180, consisting of a dissertation (60 credits) and 120 credits of taught modules. Taught modules are worth either 15 or 30 credits.
Students who wish to graduate with a specialised LLM are required to take at least 60 credits associated with his or her specialised LLM, a further 30 credits within the School of Law (General Law Postgraduate Taught Module List), and a final 30 unit which can either be taken within the School of Law or from the Language Open Options or Non-Language Open Options pages with the LLM Programme Convenor’s permission. The dissertation topic will be undertaken within the LLM specialisation.
There are no compulsory modules in the LLM Islamic Law.
Please note: Not all modules listed will be available every year.
Dissertation
Dissertation (12,000 words), on a topic related to the specialism of the degree.
LLM Dissertation in Law
Taught Component
Guided OptionChoose modules from the List A below to the value of 60 credits
and
Choose a module(s) from List A or General Law PGT Options below to the value of 30 credits.
and
Choose a module(s) from the List of General Law PGT Options below or from Postgraduate Open Options to the value of 30 credits.
List A
Islamic Law (MA/LLM)
Human Rights and Islamic Law
Islamic Law in Global Financial Markets
Gender, Law and Society in The Middle East and North Africa
General Law Options
Gender, Law and Society in The Middle East and North Africa
Gender, Sexuality and Law: Selected Topics
Gender, Sexuality and Law: Theories and Methodologies
Human Rights and Islamic Law
International Commercial Arbitration
International Investment Law
Islamic Law (MA/LLM)
Law and Development in Africa
Law and Society in Southeast Asia
Law and Society in the Middle East and North Africa
Law, Rights & Social Change
Preliminary Law, Legal Reasoning and Legal Methods
International Migration Law
International Refugee Law
Law and Society in South Asia
Law, Environment and Social Justice
Climate Change Law and Policy
Colonialism, Empire and International Law
Comparative Constitutional Law
Foundations of International Law
Human Rights of Women
International Criminal Law
International Protection of Human Rights
Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post Conflict Societies
Law and Natural Resources
Law and Postcolonial Theory
Islamic Law in Global Financial Markets
Israel, Palestine, and International Law
The Law of Armed Conflict
Water Justice: Rights, Access and Movements (Law)
Intellectual Property Law (PG)
Law and Global Commons
International Environmental Law I
Water and Development: Commodification, Ecology and Globalisation (Law)
Multinational Enterprises and the Law I
Multinational Enterprises and the Law II
Business and Human Rights in the Global Economy
Israel, Palestine and International Law
Palestine, Resistance, and the Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution I
Alternative Dispute Resolution II
International laws on the use of force
Gender, Armed Conflict and International Law
Open Options NoteOpen options will need the approval of deputy PG programme convenor (LLM or MA).
Important notice
The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session.
Admissions and Applications
You can apply for this course via the online application form.
We aim to assess a complete application and provide a decision within a 5-week time frame. Overseas students who require a Tier 4 visa and wish to join SOAS should bear in mind visa applications can take several weeks, so you should apply as soon as possible.
Consideration of Application
The whole application, including transcript and references, is considered before a decision is reached. You are therefore advised to submit a complete application including references and transcript (where required). An incomplete application will add considerable delays to the decision-making process.
Students will receive an acknowledgement of their application. Each application is carefully considered and although we try and respond as quickly as possible, we do ask that students should expect to receive a response within five weeks of receipt.
Candidates who are available in the United Kingdom may be called for an interview. The absence of academic members of staff (or instance on study leave) may affect the timing of decisions.
Entry Requirements
We will consider all applications with 2:2 (or international equivalent) or higher. In addition to degree classification we take into account other elements of the application including supporting statement and references.
English Language Entry Requirements
You must be able to show that your English is of a high enough standard to successfully engage with and complete your course at SOAS. Please note that we take our English language requirements seriously and failure to meet them exactly may well result in your application to SOAS being rejected. It is not possible to negotiate if your scores are below our required levels, with the expectation that because they are 'close enough' they will be accepted. It is important that you plan appropriately, well in advance, so that your English language test comes in good time and so that you have time to retake the test if necessary. We do not accept reasons of inconvenience or financial hardship for not submitting or retaking an English test.
International students
For EU and International students who need a visa, if unconditional entry scores are achieved we accept qualifications from several countries, as well as a range of international qualifications and tests.
If a Tier 4 entry visa is required then a SELT, such as UKVI IELTS may be needed. For this reason, we recommend all Tier 4 visa students to choose the UKVI IELTS Academic test as the test of first resort.
