Master of Laws in National Security Law [LLM(NSL)] (Subject to the university's approval)

[English version only 只備英文版本]

Programme Features

Empowering graduates to make meaningful contributions to domestic reform, international dialogue, and transnational legal practice in national security law.

This new curriculum fills a critical void in Hong Kong’s legal education landscape, directly addresses national security as a comprehensive discipline, fostering professionals with focused expertise in this strategic area. Against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions and transnational threats, and leveraging Hong Kong's unique legal and strategic position, the programme equips graduates with in-depth knowledge of national security legal systems, international law, compliance frameworks, and interdisciplinary expertise. This enables them to navigate complex legal and security frameworks and address practical challenges.

The [LLM(NSL)] strategically complements EduHK’s existing Master of Laws in Digital Governance [LLM(DG)] through a clear division of focus and market positioning. Taught in English and serving all mainland, Hong Kong and international markets, the [LLM(NSL)] addresses the security implications and risk management aspects of these same transformations.

Prospective Students

This programme aims to attract candidates who aspire to engage in national security legal practice, compliance management, government and international affairs, as well as academic research in fields related to national security law. It is designed to shape professionals who will advance the rule of law and strengthen institutional governance at the national and global levels.

Future Career Development

Become a National Security Law Expert with Cross-border Legal Expertise and Open up more Possibilities for Future!

This course aims to develop and enhance the potential of individuals to become experts in National Security Law:

1. National Security & Legal Policy Professionals: Working in governmental organs, public institutions, and relevant enterprises, applying legal theories and national security strategy-related skills to national legal development, institutional resilience building, and public strategy formulation.
2. Legal Advisory & Diplomatic Professionals: Serving in law firms, professional consulting agencies, and international organizations, providing legal advisory services to meet domestic and transnational legal compliance requirements, and undertaking diplomatic roles related to national legal and security affairs.
3. Regulatory & Legal Implementation Specialists: Employed in government regulatory departments and public institutions, responsible for implementing policies aligned with national comprehensive security strategy, supervising legal compliance in related fields, and promoting legal innovation across domestic and transnational settings.
4. Academic or Further Education: Those who may choose to pursue a PhD in  public administration, international relations, law and other related fields, and work as a teacher or researcher at a university to advance academic research on national legal development, security strategy, and transnational legal issues.

Programme Aims

1. To prepare students to critically assess legal issues related to national security and apply appropriate legal instruments and policy solutions;
2. To fosters students capable of shaping responsive legal frameworks, enhancing institutional resilience, and contributing to regional and international dialogue on security governance;
3. To develop students' curiosity and creativity in exploring the potential of legal reasoning and strategic decision-making, within government, the private sector, or civil society.

Structure

The LLM (DG) (One-year Full-time) is a 24-credit-points (cps) programme. Students need to complete 24 credits in order to graduate. Each course bears 3 credits (if students choose to do Independent Research, the course bears 6 credits). Students need to complete 4 core courses and 4 elective courses (or two elective courses and one Independent Research course).

Medium of Instruction

The medium of instruction is mainly English.
 

Study Location

Classes in the same or different semester(s) may be scheduled on weekday daytime/evenings, weekends and/or during long holidays at the Tai Po Campus / Tseung Kwan O Study Centre / North Point Study Centre / Kowloon Tong Satellite Study Centre and/or other locations as decided by the University. 

Disclaimer

The University is committed to upholding the educational quality and standard of the programmes it offers. The University, being funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC), is one of the nine self-accrediting institutions in Hong Kong. In addition, the quality of the educational experience in all programmes offered by the UGC-funded universities is subject to the quality assurance process administered by the Quality Assurance Council of the UGC. Individuals who wish to apply for qualification certification in Mainland China after graduation should contact the CSCSE (website: https://zwfw.cscse.edu.cn/cscse/lxfwzxwsfwdt2020/xlxwrz32/index.html) directly for updated details and confirmation. The certification in Mainland China is an independent process from the conferral of academic qualification in Hong Kong by the University. For the avoidance of doubt, no warranties are given in respect of individual graduate’s qualification certification or recognition in Mainland China or any other professional qualification or license outside Hong Kong.
 

In the event of inconsistency between information in English and Chinese versions or where an interpretation of the programme content is required, the decision of the University shall be final.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this website. Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time as due to change of circumstances and the University reserves the right to revise any information contained in this website as it deems fit without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information contained in this website.

Any aspect of the courses and course offerings (including, without limitation, the contents of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University if necessary. Without limiting the generality of the University’s discretion to revise the courses and course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors including staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by change of circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.

EdUHK, has not collaborated with any agency in Mainland China or Hong Kong on admission, and does not encourage students to entrust their applications to any third-party agents and we always contact applicants directly on updates regarding the applications. You must complete and submit your own application via the EdUHK online admissions system and provide your own personal and contact details. Please refer to the official EdUHK channels, such as programme websites and the admissions system, for the required information to complete your application.

Important Notes for Students from Mainland China on Overseas Credential Evaluation 

• Students who have fulfilled the programme requirements will be conferred the degree upon the approval of the University's Academic Board. The University bears no responsibility for the evaluation of its degrees outside of Hong Kong. Students are advised to consult with the relevant authority(ies) for the prevailing rules/regulations.

• Individuals who would seek qualification certification in Mainland China after graduation should contact the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) 中国(教育部) 留学服务中心 (https://www.cscse.edu.cn) for updated details.

• The certification in Mainland China is an independent process from the conferral of academic qualification in Hong Kong by the University. For the avoidance of doubt, no warranties are given in respect of individual graduate's qualification certification or recognition in Mainland China or any other professional qualification or license outside Hong Kong. 

• CSCSE  takes a very prudent approach in evaluating each application, including the students' residential period in Hong Kong during the entire study period. When evaluating graduates' credentials, the full border entry and exit records of individual applicants will be examined.

• Students who would pursue credential recognition should be aware that short stays in Hong Kong during the study period may not fulfil the CSCSE residential requirements, leading to possible uncertainty and risks to their credential recognition.

• Students are seriously advised to consider the above when making personal plans, such as accommodation and travel plans from Hong Kong, etc. and make necessary arrangements where appropriate.  

• It is the responsibility of the students to be familiar with and comply with the University regulations and guidelines governing the Taught Postgraduate Programmes. Students should refer to the Graduate School website for the General Academic Regulations and the Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmes for details. 

• Students should consult with CSCSE if they have any enquiries. 

[English version only 只備英文版本]

Entrance Requirements

1.  General Requirements

• Recognised Bachelor's Degree or other equivalent qualifications.

• Applicants who obtained degrees from universities in Mainland China are required to provide:

  • Degree Certificate and Online Verification Report of Higher Education Degree Certificate issued by the CHSI with a validity period of six months;
  • Graduation Certificate and Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate issued by the CHSI with a validity period of six months; and
  • Final Transcript.

2. Work Experience

• Preference will be accorded to individuals boasting over two years of professional experience, particularly those who have refined their expertise in mid-level to senior management positions.

3. English Language Proficiency Requirements

• Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution in a non-English speaking system should normally fulfil one of the following minimum English proficiency requirements:
  
  i. Overall score of IELTS 6.0 (academic version) #; or
  ii. TOEFL score of 80 (internet-based test) #; or
  iii. Band 6 in the College English Test (CET) # with a total score of 430; or
  iv. Grade C or above in GCSE/GCE O-Level English; or
  v. Other equivalent qualifications
  
  # The test should be taken in test centres and the result should be valid within two years. For example, if you are applying for 2026/27 academic year, your IELTS / TOEFL / CET6 test must be obtained on or after 1 January 2024. TOEFL Home Editions, TOEFL MyBest Score, IELTS Indicator, IELTS Online, IELTS One Skill Retake, Duolingo and National Postgraduate Entrance Examination (全國碩士研究生招生考試) are NOT acceptable.

4. Interview

• Shortlisted applicants are required to attend an admission interview.

5. Supplementary Documents

Applicants are also required to submit supplementary documents through online application system:

• Two Referee’s Reports

Applicants are required to invite two referees to complete the Referee's Report through the "Confidential Report/References" section in the online application system, or to write a Reference Letter.

• A Personal Statement of 800 words in English

Disclaimer: This Master of Laws programme is primarily designed for applicants with a prior law background and aims to provide advanced academic training in national security law for legal professionals. This programme should NOT be interpreted as a shortcut or alternative pathway for non-law graduates seeking to qualify for China's national judicial examination. Eligibility for the judicial examination is determined solely by national regulations and is not directly related to obtaining this degree. Prospective applicants should consult relevant authorities regarding examination eligibility requirements.

Tuition Fee

The tuition fee (2026/2027 Cohort) is HK$198,000 (24 cps) for the whole programme, which is provisional and subject to adjustment. Tuition fees paid are normally not refundable or transferable. Students who still need to take courses to meet graduation requirements beyond the regular study period (one year for full-time will need to pay a fee for extended study.

The University reserves the right to make changes to tuition fee without prior notice. 

Application and Enquiries

Interested applicants please submit your application via EdUHK Online Application Systems. Prior to your submission, please visit https://www.eduhk.hk/acadprog/postgrad.html for detailed application and admission information.

Should you have enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us at llmnsl@eduhk.hk

Disclaimer

The University is committed to upholding the educational quality and standard of the programmes it offers. The University, being funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC), is one of the nine self-accrediting institutions in Hong Kong. In addition, the quality of the educational experience in all programmes offered by the UGC-funded universities is subject to the quality assurance process administered by the Quality Assurance Council of the UGC. Individuals who wish to apply for qualification certification in Mainland China after graduation should contact the CSCSE (website: https://zwfw.cscse.edu.cn/cscse/lxfwzxwsfwdt2020/xlxwrz32/index.html) directly for updated details and confirmation. The certification in Mainland China is an independent process from the conferral of academic qualification in Hong Kong by the University. For the avoidance of doubt, no warranties are given in respect of individual graduate’s qualification certification or recognition in Mainland China or any other professional qualification or license outside Hong Kong.
 

In the event of inconsistency between information in English and Chinese versions or where an interpretation of the programme content is required, the decision of the University shall be final.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this website. Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time as due to change of circumstances and the University reserves the right to revise any information contained in this website as it deems fit without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information contained in this website.

Any aspect of the courses and course offerings (including, without limitation, the contents of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University if necessary. Without limiting the generality of the University’s discretion to revise the courses and course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors including staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by change of circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.

EdUHK, has not collaborated with any agency in Mainland China or Hong Kong on admission, and does not encourage students to entrust their applications to any third-party agents and we always contact applicants directly on updates regarding the applications. You must complete and submit your own application via the EdUHK online admissions system and provide your own personal and contact details. Please refer to the official EdUHK channels, such as programme websites and the admissions system, for the required information to complete your application.

Important Notes for Students from Mainland China on Overseas Credential Evaluation 

• Students who have fulfilled the programme requirements will be conferred the degree upon the approval of the University's Academic Board. The University bears no responsibility for the evaluation of its degrees outside of Hong Kong. Students are advised to consult with the relevant authority(ies) for the prevailing rules/regulations.

• Individuals who would seek qualification certification in Mainland China after graduation should contact the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) 中國(教育部) 留學服務中心 (https://www.cscse.edu.cn) for updated details.

• The certification in Mainland China is an independent process from the conferral of academic qualification in Hong Kong by the University. For the avoidance of doubt, no warranties are given in respect of individual graduate's qualification certification or recognition in Mainland China or any other professional qualification or license outside Hong Kong. 

• CSCSE  takes a very prudent approach in evaluating each application, including the students' residential period in Hong Kong during the entire study period. When evaluating graduates' credentials, the full border entry and exit records of individual applicants will be examined.

• Students who would pursue credential recognition should be aware that short stays in Hong Kong during the study period may not fulfil the CSCSE residential requirements, leading to possible uncertainty and risks to their credential recognition.

• Students are seriously advised to consider the above when making personal plans, such as accommodation and travel plans from Hong Kong, etc. and make necessary arrangements where appropriate.  

• It is the responsibility of the students to be familiar with and comply with the University regulations and guidelines governing the Taught Postgraduate Programmes. Students should refer to the Graduate School website for the General Academic Regulations and the Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmes for details. 

• Students should consult with CSCSE if they have any enquiries.