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The legal landscape is shifting dramatically on a global scale. While the UK boasts a prestigious legal system, forward-thinking professionals recognise the need for an education that transcends borders and grapples with the complexities of the developing world. This is where SOAS School of Law, Gender and Media steps in, offering an enriching postgraduate experience for those seeking to push the boundaries of legal thought.
SOAS Law distinguishes itself through its interdisciplinary approach. Here, law is not studied in isolation but rather within the rich tapestry of global contexts. Students gain a profound appreciation for how legal systems function within diverse social, political, and economic landscapes. This pluralistic approach empowers graduates to navigate complex legal issues across borders with confidence, competence and cultural sensitivity.
SOAS Law champions a multifaceted understanding of law. Whether your passion lies in advocating for social justice, tackling the environmental crisis, or pursuing a career in international law, SOAS Law equips you with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel. The school offers a variety of master’s programmes, including the LLM (Master of Laws), MA Legal Studies (General Programme) and MA International Law, all sharing a dedication to the realities of the Global South, with a particular focus on Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
These programmes allow you to forge your own path towards civic impact. By offering customisable options, you can build a unique skillset tailored to your chosen career and the causes you’re passionate about. A diverse range of courses are available, including comparative law, international law, law and development, Islamic law, and dispute resolution. These can be combined with options in languages, cultures, arts, humanities, politics, economics, finance, and more.
If you want to embark on a career supporting causes you care about or transitioning from corporate law to human rights activism, SOAS Law is the ideal place. Source: SOAS School of Law, Gender and Media
The LLM programme is ideal for LLB graduates or legal professionals seeking to expand their knowledge of and critical engagement with law, particularly as it relates to the Global South. The LLM culminates in a dissertation, allowing students to delve deeply into a research project of their choice.
The MA Legal Studies programme is designed to equip students with a foundational understanding of general legal fields and how legal structures and processes function within diverse social and cultural contexts beyond the Western world. You’ll conclude the programme with a dissertation, an in-depth research project on a chosen topic. The MA can be taken full-time over one year or part-time over a period of two to four years, catering to various academic needs.
The MA in International Law is a critical examination of the theory and practice of international law, with a keen focus on issues of contemporary significance within the Global South. These include topics such as refugee law, the migrant crisis, climate change, women’s rights, gender and armed conflict, international criminal law, and conflict resolution.
You’ll also gain fresh insights into the fundamentals of international law while having the opportunity to engage in issues reflecting the research specialisations of SOAS’s expert teaching faculty. What’s more, the programme adopts an innovative, interdisciplinary, and critical approach to teaching and learning, drawing on the wider international community of academics, legal practitioners, and NGOs in London and internationally. Through student-led conferences, student blogs, author book review sessions, simulated legal arguments, and historical reenactments, international law comes to life.
At SOAS Law, students can immerse themselves in a cosmopolitan setting where they are constantly challenged to question, analyse, and broaden their understanding of the world. Source: SOAS
Whichever programme you choose, earning a degree here is an arguably unmatched bespoke, community-oriented experience. Students are not merely passive recipients of information but rather active participants. The best part? You learn from a distinguished faculty of thought leaders, practising lawyers, and experts from many disciplines, gaining invaluable insights from the best minds in the field. The school fosters a close-knit environment where everyone knows each other and your professors are on a first-name basis.
Professors like Fareda Banda (keynoting at the World Bank on their Gender Policy), Dr. Nimer Sultany (leading expert on Israel’s war on Gaza), Professor Emilia Onyema (part of Africa’s 20 Arbitration Power List 2022) and Professor Philippe Cullet (head of major environmental projects with sizeable grants) are just a few of the luminaries who guide students on their academic journeys.
Hajirah Noor, studying an LLM in International Commercial and Economic Law, describes her SOAS experience as nurturing. “Engaging in discussions with peers from diverse backgrounds opened my eyes to new perspectives while collaborating with esteemed faculty members allowed me to delve deeper into my areas of interest,” she says. “These interactions not only enriched my academic journey but also laid the foundation for a global network of professionals and scholars who continue to inspire and support me in my career endeavours.”
SOAS Law goes beyond traditional classroom learning, offering many resources to enhance the student experience. Centres such as the Centre for Human Rights Law, Centre for Development, Environment and Policy, Centre for Palestine Studies, Centre for Law in Asia, and the Centre for Islamic and Middle Eastern Law provide additional avenues for specialised research and networking opportunities.
Interested? Learn more about the SOAS School of Law, Gender and Media’s postgraduate programmes.
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