Program Overview

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Legal and Constitutional Studies (MLitt) 2025 entry

Overview

Study different theoretical approaches to law, legal history, and constitutionalism, using the past to interrogate and investigate current issues and controversies.

Application Deadline

Thursday, 7 August 2025

Duration

One year full-time

School

School of History

Fees

• UK: £12,030
• Rest of the world: £25,900

Why Study This Course?

The MLitt in Legal and Constitutional Studies is an interdisciplinary programme run jointly by the Schools of History and International Relations. Students can construct an individually tailored degree with a primary focus in legal history or international law, or they can pursue an integrated, interdisciplinary degree.

Highlights

• Students have the opportunity to work on an individual and small-group basis with internationally leading scholars in the fields of legal, constitutional, and historical research.
• The flexible nature of the programme makes it suitable both for those wishing to go on to doctoral research and for those wishing only to take a year’s specialist study.
• The compulsory modules equip students with knowledge of different theoretical approaches to law, legal history, and constitutionalism, using the past to interrogate and investigate current issues and controversies.

Teaching

Delivered through seminars, workshops, one-to-one discussions, and supervised independent research projects.

Dissertation

A 15,000-word project with regular support.

Assessment

Coursework only, no exams.

Modules

The St Andrews degree structure is designed to be flexible. You study compulsory modules delivering core learning together with optional modules you choose from the list available that year.

Semester 1

• The Idea of Law: introduces fundamental concepts, questions, and analytical frameworks relevant to legal, historical, and constitutional research.
• Approaches to Legal History: a grounding in particularly influential authors and works on the history of law.
• Aspects of International Law: underlying philosophical issues arising from the nature and practice of international law.

Semester 2

• Comparative Studies in Legal and Constitutional Research: a forum for students to develop, present, and write on a particular field or topic, drawing on methodological ideas from Semester 1 modules.
• Comparative Studies in Legal History or Global Constitutionalism or an individually supervised Special Topic in Legal and Constitutional Studies.

What It Will Lead To

Careers

Legal and Constitutional Studies is designed to prepare students for work beyond the MLitt, such as:

• doctoral research within the field
• study for a law degree
• employment in areas more broadly related to law, legal history, global constitutionalism, and international relations.

Further Study

Many graduates continue their education by enrolling in PhD programmes at St Andrews.

Why St Andrews?

The Institute of Legal and Constitutional Research at St Andrews hosts a number of workshops, seminars, and lectures, including visiting speakers and cross-discipline presentations, on legal and constitutional research and ideas.

Alumni

When you graduate, you become a member of the University's worldwide alumni community. Benefit from access to alumni clubs, the Saint Connect networking and mentoring platform, and careers support.

Entry Requirements

• A 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree in a subject-related area. If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
• English language proficiency. See English language tests and qualifications.

Application Requirements

• CV or résumé. This should include your personal details with a history of your education and employment to date.
• A personal statement
• A sample of your own, single-authored academic written work (2,000 words)
• Two original signed academic references
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates

English Language Proficiency

If English is not your first language, you may need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. See approved English language tests and scores for this course.

Scholarships and Funding

We are committed to supporting you through your studies, regardless of your financial circumstances. You may be eligible for scholarships, discounts, or other support:

• School of History MLitt Awards
• Snowdon Trust Masters Scholarship
• GREAT Scholarship
• St Andrews Sanctuary Scholarship
• St Leonard's funding opportunities
• Graduate discount (15% off tuition fees)

Whenever it is relevant to your programme and possible, the School makes available competitive language bursaries for training prior to the start of an MLitt programme. To find out more, please contact as early as possible.