ObjectivesThis is a part-time Master of Laws (LLM) in Environmental Health Law by distance learning with residential weekends, commencing in September every year. This programme is aimed at environmental health professionals seeking to enhance their qualifications, and is particularly attractive to environmental health practitioners and lawyers specialising in environmental and public health law. Teaching is provided by a blend of online distance learning and weekend residential sessions held in Guildford. The programme aims to provide an academically rigorous, taught programme leading to a prestigious postgraduate qualification in environmental health law. It offers in-depth study of environmental health law, examined from a number of different perspectives. The programme will provide you with a sound postgraduate education in key aspects of environmental and public health law with particular emphasis on the role of law in protecting the environment and environmental health. It covers legal and regulatory aspects of the main areas of environmental health law and the process of enforcement. The objective is to enable you to analyse critically the key principles, policies, concepts and doctrines in this field of law while improving your understanding of the legal controls, regulation and enforcement techniques at the UK, European and international levels.
Entry requirementsTypical entry requirements Applicants should normally possess a first degree (law or non-law), at not less than Second class standard (or equivalent). Exceptionally, equivalent professional experience may be accepted. Students whose first language is not English will be expected to have achieved a minimum of 6.5 in the English Language International Testing System.
Academic titleLLM in Environmental Health Law
Course descriptionLLM in Environmental Health Law Module overview
Compulsory Modules
The Framework for Environmental Health Law: Enforcement and the Regulatory Process
This module introduces key legal concepts which underpin environmental health law. It examines both national and international sources of law, the role of decision-making bodies and the impact of basic issues of governance relating to environmental health. The range of enforcement aspects are explored, including the powers of environmental health officers, human rights law, the local government ombudsman and prosecution processes in English courts.
Europe and World Trade: the Environmental Health Law Dimension
This module focuses on European and international legal issues informing the development of environmental health law today. The roles of the European Union and the World Trade Organization are examined to provide an overview of the evolutionary nature of environmental health law and its relationship with international economic law, and an appreciation of the conflicting policy objectives at supranational and international level.
Optional Modules
Food Safety Law
This module examines the law regulating the production, marketing and supply of food. The development and operation of food law are explored in detail, along with the enforcement processes and alternative enforcement regimes. Aspects of food law of particular relevance to food safety will be examined in detail.
Law Relating to Housing Standards and Conditions
This module examines the development of housing policy and law, and the various approaches, both past and present, used to address problems of inadequate and unhealthy housing. Emphasis is placed on the range of legal instruments currently available to implement public policy in this area and whether the use of the appropriate legal procedures can resolve housing problems.
Occupational Health and Safety Law
This module examines the development and current context of health and safety law with a view to understanding the legal framework presently promoting health and safety in the workplace. The range of options available to law makers and their implications for enforcement in private and public law will be considered in detail, as will the increasing importance of European and international legal developments.
The Law of Statutory Nuisance
This module addresses the law relating to the various nuisances under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The module considers the historical context and likely future legislative developments. Particular emphasis is on the application and enforcement of the law, and particularly the prosecution processes available.
Students will also complete a dissertation on a selected field of environmental health law.
Programme length
24 months part-time by distance learning