Medical Law and Ethics (Online Learning) LLM Level: Postgraduate taught Subject: Law Year of entry: 2026 Study options Mode of study Online learning Part-time LLM | up to 3 years | Start date: multiple dates Full-time LLM | 1 year | Start date: September 2026 Key facts School Edinburgh Law School College College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Programme website Medical Law and Ethics Accreditation Not available Apply now 15 October: Postgraduate Online Learning Essentials Find out what it’s like to study online at Edinburgh, with insights into learning, community and the support available to online postgraduate students. Register now Open Days on Demand Dive into an extensive selection of programme-specific session recordings hosted by our Academic and Professional Services staff. Watch the recordings Overview About the degree programme This programme draws on the expertise and tradition of Edinburgh Law School to deliver an internationally focused, interdisciplinary programme that combines flexible learning with the most up-to-date teaching on all of the important issues affecting medicine, law and ethics today.Medical law is a fascinating field of study as advances in medical research and new technologies shift the boundaries of medicine. New health issues are emerging and patient rights are increasingly taking centre stage. New and complex medico-legal dilemmas arise in clinical practice, in the realities of human health, and in the relationships between patients and healthcare professionals.The programme enables you to explore the international and interdisciplinary dimensions of medical law and ethics. You will have opportunities to examine healthcare policy and the regulation of medicine in different parts of the world. You will also evaluate responses to technology and debate possible futures for medical law.Applications are welcomed from legal professionals and healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses, and from all those with an interest in this area. Study options Flexibility is built into our online LLM programmes, with a range of study durations to choose from and start dates in both September and January. Programme rankings 16th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings: Law 202521st in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Law and Legal Studies Programme benefits The University of Edinburgh has been delivering online degrees since 2005, with more than 11,000 graduates from over 180 countries. Fees, costs and funding Tuition fees Tuition fees by award and duration Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year. Part-time LLM Medical Law and Ethics (20 months) tuition fees LLM Medical Law and Ethics (32 months) tuition fees LLM Medical Law and Ethics (3 years) tuition fees LLM Medical Law and Ethics (2 years) tuition fees Full-time LLM Medical Law and Ethics (1 year) tuition fees Graduate discount If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.Find out how to receive your graduate discount Deposit If you receive an unconditional offer of admission, you will be asked to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme, either within 28 days or by the start of the orientation period, whichever is sooner.The deposit for this programme is £1,000.The deposit amount will be deducted from the first tuition fee instalment you pay.Find out more about tuition fee deposits Funding opportunities Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:borrowing moneytaking out a loanfamily supportpersonal savingsincome from workemployer sponsorshipscholarshipsExplore sources of funding for postgraduate study The University of Edinburgh offers a range of scholarships for online learning masters programmes.Online learning funding opportunities Search for other funding opportunities You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.Postgraduate funding opportunities Entry requirements These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026. Qualifications A minimum UK 2:1 honours degree from a UK university, or its international equivalent, in law.We also consider candidates with a degree in a related discipline, such as medicine, which includes relevant prior study.In evaluating your application for postgraduate study, greater emphasis may be placed upon results of prior learning in subjects relevant to the intended degree programme.Entry to this programme is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements for consideration does not guarantee an offer of study.Supporting your applicationRelevant work experience is not required but may increase your chances of acceptance.Relevant professional qualifications will be considered.Preference will be given to those with grades above the minimum requirements due to strong competition for places on this programme. International qualifications To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list. Where you studied - Select a country or region -AfghanistanAlbaniaAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of CongoDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFinlandFranceGabonThe GambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaHaitiHondurasHong Kong-SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKorea, Republic ofKuwaitLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMacau-SAR ChinaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritiusMexicoMoldovaMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlands, TheNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPacific IslandsPakistanPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTajikistanTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTogoTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of AmericaUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamWest Indies and CaribbeanZambiaZimbabweMy country or region is not listed English language requirements You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:an English language testa degree that was taught and assessed in Englishcertain professional qualifications English language tests we accept We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher: IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 7.0 in writing and 6.5 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements. TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 25 in writing and 23 in all other components. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements. C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 185 in writing and 176 in all other components. Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components. Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 8 in writing and 7 in all other components. Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 155 in writing and 145 in all other components. How old your English language tests can be Tests no more than two years oldThe following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:IELTS AcademicTOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)Trinity ISEOxford ELLTOxford Test of English AdvancedTests no more than three and a half years oldAll other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality. Degrees taught and assessed in English We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.UKVI list of majority English speaking countriesWe also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).Approved universities in non-MESCHow old your degree can beIf you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country. Find out more about our English language requirements Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.English language requirements Programme details What you will study To be awarded LLM Medical Law and Ethics you must successfully complete 6 courses, 5 of which must be core courses, as well as a 10,000-word dissertation during your chosen duration of study.The LLM in Medical Law and Ethics offers a comprehensive range of core courses which cover the fundamental areas of medical law. Compulsory courses You must complete these courses:The Fundamentals of Law and Medical Ethics (20 credits)Fundamentals in Bioethics (20 credits)Law and Ethics at the Start and End of Life (20 credits)Core coursesYou must select between 40 and 60 credits from the following courses:Mental Health Law (20 credits)Ethics of Health Technologies (20 credits)Public Health Ethics (20 credits) Option courses You can choose between 0 and 20 credits from the following courses:Regulation of Autonomous Systems: the Law of Robotics (20 credits)European Competition and Innovation (20 credits)EU Data Protection Law (20 credits)International and European Law of the Media (20 credits)Space Law and Policy (20 credits)Software and the Law (20 credits)Electronic Commerce Law (20 credits)You can choose between 0 and 20 credits from the following courses with the approval of your Programme Director:International Commercial Arbitration (20 credits)Dispute Resolution Methods (20 credits)Contract Law in Europe (20 credits)Corporate Compliance: Case Studies in Law and Ethics (20 credits)Comparative and International Corporate Governance (20 credits)International Law, Human Rights and Corporate Accountability (20 credits)Banking and Financial Law: Case Studies (20 credits)Full details of the programme structure and course options are available on the Law School's website.View programme structure and course options Disclaimer Courses shown above are scheduled to run in the 2025-26 academic year and are subject to change in future academic years. Courses for the 2026-27 academic year will be confirmed by May 2026.Due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year. Teaching and assessment Teaching Our online learning programmes are delivered entirely online via a virtual learning environment. Learning and teaching happen ‘asynchronously’. This means that you have the flexibility to log in at times and in places convenient to you, contribute your views and respond to others, and still maintain a sense of community with your fellow students across time zones.Find out about studying online with Edinburgh Law School Assessment Our courses are assessed using a range of different forms of assignment. Each course will have a number of different summative assessments, which may include:an essay to be submitted at the end of the semestera coursework assignment to be completed during the semestera contribution to a debate on a particular topica reflective blog posta problem-based exercisecontributions to online discussions throughout the semesterEach assessment element on a course will test your knowledge and skills and will ensure that the course’s learning outcomes are met. None of our online courses are assessed by a formal examination. Support for your studies You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need. How we support you Online learning How online learning works This degree programme is taught entirely online. There is no need to come to the city or University campus. All learning and teaching takes place within our virtual learning environment (VLE). Through the VLE, you can: access all your learning materials and study resources, including e-books and library resourcesinteract with your tutors and classmates An online degree from the University of Edinburgh is academically equivalent to an on-campus postgraduate degree and involves the same level of work overall. The qualification you get is of equal value. Your degree certificate will not mention that you studied the programme online. Watch our video to see how online learning works. Time commitment This programme is designed to be fully flexible to fit around your schedule. You can study in your own time and access all your learning resources, such as reading lists, discussion forms and slides from anywhere in the world. If there are live online sessions, you can watch a recording later in the virtual learning environment at a time convenient to you. Typically, you will need to dedicate around 10 to 20 hours per week to your programme although managing this is up to you. This may also vary from course to course, and the time commitment may increase when assignments are due. See 'Find courses' in Programme details for more information about study time commitment Equipment and software needs To study this online programme, you will need access to: a computer or laptop the internet the latest version of a web browser As an online student, you will have access to a range of software you can download to help you complete your coursework, including Microsoft Office 365. IT support is available if you have technical difficulties. IT and computing help Support for online students As an online student, you will have access to a range of support services throughout your time at university if you need them.These support services include:academic support servicesebooks and ejournals within the librarythe disability and learning support serviceEnglish language supportskills development courses on LinkedIn Learningemail-based sessions delivered by the Counselling Servicesupport for students who are parents Careers and further study Career opportunities Most of our graduates are already in secure careers in the medical field, and use their degrees to advance those careers. Other graduates of our online distance learning programmes progress to a range of careers in Law and related medico-legal fields, including work in local and international firms, government legal departments, other public institutions, international organisations and in academia.The programmes are also an ideal platform for advanced research. Further study After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.Applying for research degreesMoving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service) Careers Service Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. With the Careers Service, you can: access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengthstry different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you developget help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobsattend careers events and practice interviewsget information and advice to help you make informed decisions Visit the Careers Service website Applying How to apply You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant. When to apply Programme start date Application deadline 7 January 2026 3 November 2025 14 September 2026 30 June 2026 6 January 2027 3 November 2026 We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. Application fee There is no fee to apply to this programme. What you need to apply As part of your online application, you will need to provide: a personal statementdetails of relevant knowledge/training skillsYou will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:copies of your degree certificates and academic transcripts that confirm your current or final marksreferencesevidence you meet the English language requirementscertified translations if your original documents are not in EnglishWhen you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide. Apply Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for. Select programme - Select a programme -LLM Medical Law and Ethics (20 months)LLM Medical Law and Ethics (32 months)LLM Medical Law and Ethics (3 years)LLM Medical Law and Ethics (2 years)LLM Medical Law and Ethics (1 year) After you apply Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.Checking the status of your applicationWe will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.Receiving our decisionWhat to do if you receive an offer:Receiving an offerAccepting an offerSubmitting supporting documents Contact General enquiries If you have any questions about the LLM in Medical Law and Ethics please don't hesitate to contact us.futurestudents@ed.ac.uk Phone:+44 (0)131 650 2386
