Effective legal frameworks and institutions are pivotal in tackling inequality, alleviating poverty and creating a sustainable environment.

The Master of Law and Development (MLaw&Dev) allows you to examine the legalisation of development and the role of international and regional actors in law reform projects. It also offers the opportunity to investigate and analyse both international law and the ‘rule of law’ in a developmental context.

As a student, you can choose from subjects that take a range of practical, historical, critical, applied and theoretical perspectives.

It’s ideal for those working in international development from a government, non-government or not-for-profit background, as well as for those who wish to undertake specialist study in the area in preparation for a research degree. It’s available for both law and non-law graduates.

Students who do not have a law degree must complete International Law, as well as at least 75 credit points from the prescribed list (including the compulsory subject International Law and Development). Students may choose the remaining 12.5 credit points from the subjects available in the Master of Laws (excluding Fundamentals of the Common Law and the Minor Thesis).

Students with a law degree must complete at least 75 credit points from the prescribed list (including the compulsory subject International Law and Development). Students may choose their remaining 25 credit points from the subjects available in the Master of Laws (excluding Fundamentals of the Common Law).

As a student in the Master of Law and Development, you’ll develop an advanced understanding of the complex body of knowledge in the field of law and development, including:

• the processes and actors involved in the legalisation of development
• the history and range of rule of law or law reform projects initiated by international and regional institutions
• the role of international economic institutions in proposing, designing and implementing law reform projects
• development strategies enabled or foreclosed by attempts at law reform or legal institutional design
• the success or failure of particular attempts at law reform or rule of law initiatives
• theoretical approaches to understanding and critiquing law and development initiatives