Masters Degrees (Llm Top Up)

This 'top-up' course allows you to use your existing Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (after either the LPC or the BPTC/BVC or equivalent level professional legal qualification), and to complete a Research Methods unit and Dissertation or Research Project in order to obtain the fully-fledged Masters degree.

To ‘top-up’ your existing qualification to a full Masters level, you will complete a single taught module in Research Methods and then successfully undertake a dissertation or research project in an area of practical law, law in practice, or academic law chosen by you (subject to approval).

Whether studying on the accelerated, part-time or distance-learning mode, the LLM in Legal Practice degree course provides flexible study which allows you to deepen your knowledge of an area of the Law directly related to practice.

Placement options

There are opportunities for Law students to take part in voluntary pro bono work experience in a wide range of legal areas. We are continually adding to our portfolio of pro bono partners, to extend and improve the opportunities for students.

Assessment details

15,000 word dissertation or assessment of your research project

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The Robert Gordon University LLM Law degree is a taught postgraduate course with full-time, part-time and distance learning options.

Students study for a total of 180 credits, earned through core and optional modules, followed by a dissertation project. The programme awards a full Master of Laws degree.

Our Master of Law Degree will equip you with the knowledge and relevant skills to enhance your professional career in a range of legal environments.

Responding to student and employer demand, we have restructured our top-rated Law degree to incorporate maximum flexibility both in the topics you cover and in the way and pace you learn. Our courses are ranked within the top Universities by the Complete University Guide and The Guardian University Tables.

We have added further pathways allowing you to specialise in such sought-after areas of expertise as Dispute Resolution, International Commercial Law, International Law and Energy Law or to spread your studies across a wider selection of the modules we offer at Masters level. There is a strong international flavour to the subjects offered. You are now able to study online, on campus or combine on campus classes with online ones to suit your circumstances. Alternatively, individual modules are available for the purposes of Continuing Professional Development: http://www.rgu.ac.uk/professional

Visit the website: http://www.rgu.ac.uk/law/study-options/distance-and-flexible-learning/llm-law-degree/

Course detail

A candidate for the LLM Master of Laws must complete 180 credit points, comprising of our list of LLM modules (see link below), and including a dissertation. The choice of modules for any one candidate may be limited by module availability in any particular year, by timetabling factors, by prerequisites that a module may have, by the limit on online modules that may be taken by international students for visa purposes, and for any other reason approved by the Head of Law. A candidate who does not hold an LLB degree or equivalent may be required to include the Legal Framework module (subject to validation) within the modules chosen.

Master of Laws: LLM Specialism

Candidates may be awarded a specialist LLM if, in addition to fulfilling the requirements and conditions of the LLM, they obtain the appropriate ratio of credit points in the specialist area. In order to obtain an LLM ‘with’ a specialism, at least 25% of the modules studied must be from the chosen specialist list of modules; in order to an LLM ‘and’ a specialism, at least 40% of the modules studied must be from the chosen specialist list, as follows:

LLM Law and Dispute Resolution

• Theory And Principles Of Conflict Resolution

• Mediation In Practice

• Dispute Resolution in Oil and Gas Contracting

• Construction Adjudication Law

• Mediation in Context

• Advanced Mediation Practice

Either

• International Commercial Dispute Resolution

or

• Arbitration Law

LLM Law and International Commercial Law

• International Business Law (on campus only)

• Intellectual Property Law (on campus only)

• Employment Contracts & Rights

• Construction Law

• Advanced Construction Law

• International Corporate Governance (on campus only)

• European Union Trade Law (on campus only)

• Compliance (In International Business)

• Legal Aspects Of Mergers & Acquisitions

• Maritime Law

Either

• International Commercial Dispute Resolution

or

• Arbitration Law Module (Distance Learning)

LLM Law and International Law

This award cannot currently be obtained through fully online study, but will be available from 2017/18;

• International Business Law (on campus only)

• Public International Law (on campus only)

• European Union Trade Law (on campus only)

• Compliance (In International Business)

• International Construction Contracts

• Maritime Law

• Intellectual Property Law (on campus only)

• Comparative Company Law

LLM Law and Energy Law

No more than 5 modules may be selected from this list, students seeking to take further options in this specialism are advised to enrol on the LLM/MSc Oil and Gas Law course.

• Oil And Gas Law

• Oil & Gas Taxation: Fiscal Law and Policy (on campus only)

• Environmental Aspects Of Oil And Gas Law

• Energy Law And Policy

• Renewable Energy Issues

• Dispute Resolution in Oil and Gas Contracting

• Oil And Gas Contract Law

Format

You are able to choose whether to take only modules that are taught on campus in face to face classes or to add to the mix by taking online modules. In either case you are supported by the Moodle learning platform, and you will be taught and supported by a teaching team which contains a balance of experienced industry professionals and high quality academic staff - who will help create a challenging interactive environment for your study.

The programme is designed to maximise flexibility in the timing as well as the content of your studies: you can join the course in September or January; you can study full-time or part-time.

Careers

Whatever you choose, our classes prepare you for a future where your knowledge and skills will truly make a difference. If you are a recent graduate, this course will assist you in securing your first role within a law or business environment, or prepare you for further academic study. In an increasingly competitive jobs market, practitioners equipped with both understanding of commercially relevant aspects of law and strong professional skills are highly sought after. The programme also provides the opportunity for lawyers in mid-career to acquire increasingly expected skills and knowledge while non-lawyers are assisted in the transition into specialist legal areas that complement their existing experience in business and commerce.

A Masters qualification is key to career advancement and professional confidence, and is a highly regarded asset in any professional or academic sector. This course will enhance your knowledge and ability, professional standing and employability. Several of the modules are accredited or recognised by professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Energy Institute.

How to apply

To find out how to apply, use the following link: http://www.rgu.ac.uk/applyonline

Funding

For information on funding, including loans, scholarships and Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) please click the following link: http://www.rgu.ac.uk/future-students/finance-and-scholarships/financial-support/uk-students/postgraduate-students/postgraduate-students/

The following postgraduate funding may be available to study the Law LLM at Robert Gordon University.

UK postgraduate loans:

• English Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £10,280 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in England.
• Welsh Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £10,280 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in Wales.
• Scottish Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £10,000 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in Scotland, or EU students moving to Scotland to study.
• Northern Irish Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £5,500 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland.

Erasmus funding:

• Erasmus Masters Loans – Offering up to €18,000 for eligible students to study a Masters abroad.

Funding from FindAMasters:

• FindAMasters Scholarships – Offering up to £5,000 to new UK, EU and international postgraduates.

Fees

For academic year 2017/18.

All students:

Distance Learning Full Time: £8,820

Distance Learning Part Time: £3,310 Stage 1; £3,310 Stage 2; £2,200 LLM / MSc Dissertation Stage

UK / EU students:

Full Time: £4,640 (September 2017 start)

Full Time: £5,500 (September 2018 start)

International students:

Full Time: £11,740

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Conduct an independent research project in your chosen area of professional legal practice*, and top up your current qualification to an LLM in just six months to a year. We’ll give you training in research skills that will prove invaluable in your future career, and a dedicated supervisor for advice and support.

Overview

If you’ve completed the Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course, or you’re a practising solicitor or barrister who has taken the former Law Society Final Examinations or BVC, this course will top up your qualification to an LLM Legal Practice.

If you’re an overseas lawyer then, subject to taking the Qualified Lawyers' Transfer Scheme (QLTS/QLTT) and/or gaining university accreditation of prior learning and experience, you could also be eligible to apply.

Our course lets you explore your chosen area of legal professional practice in depth. You could focus on part of your current professional practice, an area that you wish to work in, or one that’s of academic interest to you.* Whichever you choose, you'll develop your research skills over a four-day seminar series. You'll learn to interrogate hard-copy and electronic sources; create and conduct surveys, questionnaires and interviews; and write-up and present your research findings. You’ll then apply these skills when researching and writing a 15,000-word dissertation.

The research skills you develop on this course are in great demand by employers in the legal profession.

We have three study days on campus in Chelmsford, but at other times you'll work independently with support from a dedicated supervisor. Your supervisor will help you to develop your research proposal or hypothesis, discuss your methodology (including ethics clearance) and act as a mentor throughout your time with us.

Our staff have been recognised for the quality of their work. In 2014, the Government acknowledged our ‘world-leading’ research in its Research Excellence Framework.

Teaching times: two Fridays from 10am-4pm in semester 1; one Friday from 10am-1pm in semester 2.

*choice of topics subject to approval and availability of supervision within Anglia Law School.

See the website http://www.anglia.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/legal-practice-top-up

Careers

This course will give you an in-depth understanding of your chosen area of legal practice to use in your future career, and teach you vital research skills that are in great demand in the legal profession and beyond.

Assessment

You’ll demonstrate your understanding of your chosen research area through a 15,000-word dissertation, which you’ll normally submit by the end of March if you study full-time, or September if you study part-time.

Where you'll study

Whether you aim to work in the creative industries or the social sciences, the legal profession or public service, the Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need for professional life.

Our lively, diverse community and ambitious academic environment will broaden your horizons and help you develop your full potential - many of our courses give you the chance to learn another language, study abroad or undertake work placements as you study.

If you’re interested in art, music, drama or film, check out our packed programme of events. Together with our partners in the creative and cultural industries, we’re always working to enrich the cultural life of the university and the wider community.

Our research is groundbreaking and internationally recognised, with real social impact. We support the Cultures of the Digital Economy Research Institute (CoDE), whose projects include interactive music apps and documenting lifesaving childbirth procedures, as well as nine international research clusters, such as the Centre for Children's Book Studies and the Labour History Research Unit.

In the Research Excellence Framework 2014, six of our subject areas were awarded world-leading status: Law; Art and Design; English Language and Literature, Communication, Cultural and Media Studies; History; Music, Drama, Dance and Performing Arts.

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Whether you are a graduate of the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (LPC) or a practising solicitor looking to specialise further, this course will enable you to 'top up' your education to a Masters degree level. The course provides practice-relevant study on aspects of substantive law or legal practice and enables you to develop the analytical and research skills necessary to write a detailed piece of research relevant to law practice.

The course will be assessed by dissertation and you can choose to complete this either by undertaking an extended piece of research or a self-directed work-based learning portfolio. This will enable working lawyers to critically reflect on their own legal practice throughout the course.

Research Methodology

The research and methodology module is more detailed and provides more teaching hours than similar courses from other providers. The module bridges the much needed gap between most LLM and MPhil/PhD research methods, and will enable you to write a research proposal that will eventually underpin your dissertation.

The module is divided into four parts.
• Undertaking Postgraduate Research
• Process and Demographics of Research
• Data Collection, Analysis and Dissemination Methods
• The Writing Up and Dissemination of Research.

The module is delivered through a blended mix of taught and online lectures, practical case studies and seminars and takes place over one semester. The assessment is designed so as to test both breadth and depth of knowledge in legal and related research.

Dissertation

The dissertation is an original piece of research into legal practice of between 10,000 to 12,000 words. Research undertaken must be self-managed though you will be assigned a dissertation supervisor either from staff at the University of West London with similar research interests or from within the legal profession.

Format

Teaching methods include lectures, tutorials, seminars, small group work and workshops. The emphasis is on developing your research skills to enable you to undertake a piece of self-managed research.

Assessment

The Research Methodology module includes a formative assessment, comprising a summary research proposal of approximately 1,000 words. This will not count towards your final module mark. You will also need to complete a summative assessment comprising a detailed research proposal of no more than 2,000 words.

Career and study progression

The LLM in Legal Practice complements the compulsory vocational stage of learning required to embark on a law career. The course will enhance your career opportunities by providing potential employers with evidence of your understanding and detailed knowledge of a particular area of legal practice, improving your employability in an increasingly specialised sector of the market.

On completion of the LLM Legal Practice (Top up) course, students may continue on to a PhD with the Ealing Law School.

How to apply

Click the following link for information on how to apply to this course: http://www.uwl.ac.uk/students/postgraduate/how-apply

Scholarships and bursaries

Information about scholarships and bursaries can be found here: http://www.uwl.ac.uk/students/postgraduate/scholarships-and-bursaries

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This Maritime LLM Top-up route allows students who have passed the London Metropolitan University and Lloyd’s Maritime Academy Postgraduate Diploma in Maritime Law distance learning course to obtain a Master's qualification. In the most recent (2014-15) Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, 100% of graduates from this course were in work or further study within six months.

More about this course

The LLM degree enables you to develop an advanced understanding of a specialist area of maritime law. It is suitable for those in both the legal and maritime industry who are looking to enhance their career prospects.

This unique distance learning programme for the shipping sector will:
-Allow you to develop an advanced understanding of an aspect of maritime law through independent research
-Improve both your research and independent study skills
-Enhance your ability to develop substantiated critical argument

There will be formative assessment on the research proposal and literature review which will precede the substantive research for the dissertation.

The summative assessment will be entirely by way of the dissertation.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2016/17 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:
-LLM in Maritime Law Top-Up Dissertation (core, 60 credits)

After the course

This course provides highly specialised knowledge and research skills relevant both to legal practitioners and to those operating more generally within the legal environment of the maritime sector. It would also assist anyone working in professions concerned with international trade and the maritime environment depending on the chosen line of speciality within the research framework.

Moving to one campus

Between 2016 and 2020 we're investing £125 million in the London Metropolitan University campus, moving all of our activity to our current Holloway campus in Islington, north London. This will mean the teaching location of some courses will change over time.

Whether you will be affected will depend on the duration of your course, when you start and your mode of study. The earliest moves affecting new students will be in September 2017. This may mean you begin your course at one location, but over the duration of the course you are relocated to one of our other campuses. Our intention is that no full-time student will change campus more than once during a course of typical duration.

All students will benefit from our move to one campus, which will allow us to develop state-of-the-art facilities, flexible teaching areas and stunning social spaces.

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The course will provide you with the opportunity to develop in-depth knowledge of an area of chosen legal interest. It will encourage you to challenge current intellectual thinking whilst developing an advanced knowledge and ability to analyse your selected specialist area of law directly. The degree is suitable for qualified solicitors and barristers who are looking to enhance their career prospects. It is also suitable for students who have completed the Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course (formerly the Bar Vocational Course) but have not yet secured a training contract or pupillage.

The topic of legal research may be one arising from academic interest or a legal issue pertinent to your current expertise in legal practice. On this masters course you will be given the opportunity to design a bespoke qualification where you will critically analyse and understand complexities that can arise as well as challenging and informing global and comparative perspectives. The course is underpinned in many areas by internationally recognised research in addition to emerging research and advanced scholarship. It will challenge your thinking and stimulate your academic aspirations in the further specialist study of law.

The Masters in Law degree is awarded after the successful completion of the Research Methods module with a dissertation. You will be supported by a supervisor and personal tutor during your studies on the course.

It may be possible to complete your Master of Laws top-up in 9 months.

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The Legal Practice LLM enables you to develop your critical, analytical and research skills. These skills are required to effectively contribute to current academic concerns in a variety of legal contexts.

The course includes a presentation assessment and dissertation element, which can be written on a subject of your choice. Examples of dissertations submitted by students in this area include: ‘The duties of the occupier for injuries sustained by those who enter the property to burgle’; ‘The rights of an employee following the successful patent of their invention’ and ‘The use of the corporate veil to avoid alimony/sharing assets following a divorce’.

This course also provides you with the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills and attributes required of an academic or legal professional. Studying for a Master’s degree is recognised as continuing professional development by the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority.

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The LLM in Environmental Law provides a unique specialisation in one of the most rapidly developing areas of law. Environmental law is one of the most challenging fields that has grown very rapidly over the past four decades and is now one of the key areas of both domestic and international law. At SOAS, we understand the environment in a broad sense which includes not only environmental issues strictly speaking but also all the links that they have with other areas such as natural resources, human rights, economic development trade or intellectual property rights.

The SOAS degree offers a distinct mix of modules that covers all the main areas of environmental law in their international and national dimensions. The international and global nature of many environmental issues makes the international law component a key part of the LLM in Environmental Law. We offer all the general topics that make up the core of international environmental law. Additionally, we focus specifically on the North-South dimension of international environmental issues given the key role this plays in most international environmental negotiations.

The LLM in Environmental Law specifically seeks to put international environmental law in its national context and examines the broad legal frameworks negotiated at the international level in the context of their implementation in selected countries of the South. It thus provides a much more grounded context to the study of environmental law.

Further, we also study the legal regimes of individual countries of the South to provide much more specific analysis of the discipline at the level of its implementation in specific contexts. The LLM in Environmental Law gives specific emphasis to different regions of the South, including South Asia, China and sub-Saharan Africa.

For further information about the general LLM at SOAS and a list of all the modules, please visit the General LLM description (http://www.soas.ac.uk/law/programmes/llm/llm/).

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/law/programmes/llm/llmenvlaw/

Duration: One calendar year (full-time)
Two, three or four years (part-time, daytime only)
We recommend that part-time students have between two-and-a-half and three days a week free to pursue their course of study.

Structure

Every student will be required to take modules equivalent to four (4.0) full units. Students who wish to graduate with a specialised LLM are required to take at least three (3.0) of the four (4.0) units within their chosen specialism, including the dissertation. The assessment of one of the chosen full units (within the LLM specialism) will be by means of a 15,000 word dissertation. The fourth unit can be chosen from either the general Law Postgraduate Modules or the following modules associated with the Environmental Law specialisation:

Please note: Not all modules listed will be available every year. Please see the individual module page for information.

Full Module Units (1.0):
- Climate Change and Energy Law and Policy - 15PLAC154 (1 Unit)
- Law, Environment and Sustainable Development in a Global Context - 15PLAC118 (1 Unit)
- Law and Natural Resources - 15PLAC126 (1 Unit)
- Water Law and Development: Conflicts, Governance and Justice - 15PLAC177 (1 Unit)

Half Module Units (0.5):
- Water and Development: conflict and governance - 15PDSH049 (0.5 Unit)
- Water Law: justice and governance - 15PLAH044 (0.5 Unit)

Examples of non-Law module options:
- Global Energy and Climate Policy - 15PFFC017 (1 Unit)
- Energy Policy in the Asia-Pacific - 15PFFH011 (0.5 Unit)

Dissertation (1.0):
The dissertation module unit forms part of the required three (3.0) units within the chosen LLM specialism. Please see the dissertation module units below. You will need to attend the teaching on the module and then submit a dissertation in place of the module method of assessment.

- Climate Change and Energy Law and Policy - 15PLAD154 (1 Unit)
- Law, Environment and Sustainable Development in a Global Context - 15PLAD118 (1 Unit)
- Law and Natural Resources - 15PLAD126 (1 Unit)
- Water Law and Development: Conflicts, Governance and Justice - 15PLAD177 (1 Unit)

Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (L&SS)

Welcome to the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at SOAS. The faculty is the largest in the School in terms of student and staff numbers and consists of the departments of Development Studies, Economics, Financial and Management Studies, Politics and International Studies and the School of Law, as well as the Asia-Pacific Centre for Social Sciences, the Centre for Gender Studies, the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, the Centre of Taiwan Studies and a number of department-specific centres. All five departments offer undergraduate programmes, and all but Finance and International Management offer joint undergraduate degrees which can be combined with other disciplines from across the School. Each department also offers a range of masters-level programmes with a regional or disciplinary specialism, as well as a postgraduate research programme. The range of course options and combinations is one of the most distinctive characteristics of studying at SOAS and all students are given the option of studying an Asian or African language, either as part of or on top of their degree.

Staff in the faculty come from all over the world and combine regional knowledge with disciplinary specialisms. Teaching draws heavily on academic staff’s individual research which allows the faculty to maintain a large portfolio of courses, often exploring cutting-edge issues. Many faculty members have played a significant part in public debates and policy-making in relation to Asia and Africa. Academics in the faculty are regularly consulted by governments, public bodies and multilateral organisations including the United Nations and the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, European Commission, DFID and other country-specific organisations and NGOs.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Whilst legal knowledge and skills are essential it is increasingly apparent that successful lawyers need to be competent business managers. The course is aimed at students either intending to enter legal practice or already in practice.

Students can choose from a wide range of modules either in legal subject specialisms or issues of legal practice management and development. Students are then required to complete a dissertation on a topic related to legal practice or legal practice management. The course is designed to aid career progression in private practice, partnerships, the public sector, commerce/industry or services ancillary to legal practice.

Course content

The course provides you with a unique and invaluable insight into the current business and regulatory issues that are faced by legal practices in the UK and overseas. The lecture programme is delivered by leading legal practitioners who speak directly of their professional experiences on such issues as Client Retention; The Drive for Quality; New Directions in Training Working With Others.

Employment opportunities

Please contact Martin Hannibal, the programme manager on 01782 294800 for a discussion about the course and the opportunities it provides.

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This is a multi-disciplinary distance learning programme designed to address the cross-border elements of the oil and gas industry and respond to the demand for highly qualified professionals in the sector. The modules have been designed to be relevant to you if you work in, or wish to embark on a career within the national and international oil, gas and energy industries and the renewable energy sector.

More about this course

This is a stimulating and rewarding course designed for individuals who currently work in the international oil, gas and energy industries or who wish to embark on careers in that industry. It is especially beneficial for private practice lawyers in oil, gas and energy law (or lawyers hoping to specialise in these areas).

The course is also ideal for in-house lawyers from the upstream and downstream oil, gas and energy sectors or non-legal professionals working in the oil, gas and energy sectors, in particular:
-Finance
-Compliance
-Business development
-Environmental positions
-Licensing
-Operations
-Procurement
-Project managers
-Taxation
-Contract managers
-Distribution
-Company secretaries
-Renewables

This distance learning course is taught in partnership with Informa via their online learning platform. It focusses on the practical aspects of oil and gas law and is set in the broader context of contemporary energy regulation, law and policy. It seeks to develop a deep understanding of how to resolve the challenges posed by national authorities to oil, gas and energy production.

Those working in the oil and gas sectors increasingly want and need to have an understanding of the legal principles that underpin many of their activities, from the drafting of basic contracts to the intricacies, controversies and complexities of the international regimes covering such matters as oil pollution from ships and the delimitation of continental shelf reserves between adjacent and opposite states.

This course seeks to introduce you to the fundamental precepts of English commercial law; to the institutional legal framework of the oil and gas economies; to contracts; regulations and treaties relating to oil and gas exploration and exploitation (including those relating to environmental issues); and to matters of finance, including investment, insurance and taxation.

The course provides a programme of postgraduate study which will develop your academic knowledge and awareness of issues in international oil, gas and energy law and increase your understanding of the legal dimensions to activities taking place in the oil, gas and energy fields and the extent to which they might give rise to legal issues. As well as deepening your understanding of the law in these areas, our focus throughout the programme is on the practical application of the law. The programme benefits from teaching by tutors with strong relevant backgrounds in the academic world and in legal practice with a number practising as barristers or solicitors.

This LLM top up will consist of one research based module followed by a dissertation of between 12,000-15,000 words.

For more information on the PGDip portion of this course, please view this web-page: http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/international-oil-gas-and-energy-law---llm/

Modular structure

This LLM top up consists of one research based module followed by a dissertation of between 12,000-15,000 words.

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Commercial law in a fast-moving globalised economy presents challenges and opportunities. Expert lawyers are needed to meet the challenges as well as to make the most of the opportunities, particularly when giving advice that can have considerable financial consequences.

The LLM International Commercial Law programme is one of our most popular and long established LLM programmes and is respected by top international commercial law firms. It is designed to meet the needs of students and lawyers who wish to study commercial law from an international perspective with emphasis placed on international conventions and agreements and their practical application.

Distinctive features

The LLM International Commercial Law programme:

• Provides you with a general appreciation of current issues in specific areas of law, both domestic and international.

• Stimulates a critical approach to evaluation of current and proposed regulation and cultivates independent and original thought.

• Enables you to undertake in-depth research and demonstrate advanced knowledge in specific areas of law.

The LLM International Commercial Law programme is very flexible and offers a wide range of modules which provide you with the ability to customise the programme to meet your own professional and/or employment needs or interests.

Structure

The course can be completed in one year with full-time study and in two years by part-time study.

You must select at least two of your four taught modules and complete the dissertation in the area of International Commercial Law. You may also select up to two modules from those listed in any other LLM programme or from a combination of LLM programmes.

The programme is delivered in two stages. Stage One (the taught component) comprises four 30 credit modules. Stage Two comprises the dissertation.

For a list of modules for the FULL-TIME route, please see website:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/international-commercial-law-llm

For a list of the modules for the PART-TIME route, please see website:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/international-commercial-law-llm-part-time

Teaching

Study for an LLM is intensive and challenging and it is important that you take full advantage of the teaching that is provided in order to succeed. Attendance at classes and dissertation supervisions is compulsory and we will expect you to be well prepared.

Our teaching is very flexible and your modules may be delivered through seminars or a combination of lectures and seminars. Other teaching methods include the online use of discussion boards, self-access study packs and formative quizzes and activities.

Modules may be diverse in content to cater for a high proportion of overseas students or students with previous qualifications other than in law. Modules are typically led by experienced staff actively engaged in research relevant to their subject area.

Assessment

We make use of both formative and summative assessment.

Formative assessments do not count towards your degree but are designed to give you the opportunity to practice for your summative assessments and enable you and your tutors to assess your progress in your modules. Formative assessments will normally involve written coursework or a class test or may comprise individual student presentations.

Summative assessments count towards your degree. Your marks in these assessments count towards your formal progression from stage one (taught modules) to stage two (the dissertation), and towards the determination of your final award. Summative assessments in stage one will vary by module but will typically involve written coursework (5,000 word essays), unseen examinations or pre-release examinations. The dissertation (up to 15,000 words) comprises the stage two summative assessment.

Career Prospects

A law degree doesn’t restrict graduates to careers within the legal profession and law graduates enter professions as diverse as finance, sales and marketing, digital communications and recruitment.

We are committed to extending extracurricular opportunities to our students, helping to enhance their CVs in a competitive graduate job market. We work in partnership with lawyers, charities and voluntary organisations to give students the opportunity to practise and extend their skills and we run several Pro Bono schemes and provide advice to members of the community on different legal issues.

Students successfully completing the LLM programme may have the opportunity to continue their legal study through the School’s PhD programme or through the Centre for Professional Legal Studies professional programmes (the Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course).

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The Derby LLM offers maximum flexibility. Available to lawyers and non-lawyers alike, it provides unrivalled choice and opportunity – enabling you to choose from specialist pathways and modules to build a degree that matches your career aspirations, research pursuits and personal interests.

-Choose a broad-based LLM programme or specialise in Commercial Law; Corporate and Financial Law; Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law; International Protection of Human Rights and Personal Freedom
-Improve your career prospects in one of the UK's top law schools for student satisfaction and success at postgraduate level
-Select the focus of your LLM and study at a time and pace to suit you and your circumstances
-Benefit from our modern approach to teaching law in a global context: you can tailor your coursework and assignments to different jurisdictions, so gaining a truly international flavour of law
-Combine your academic and theoretical knowledge with hands-on skills honed in our superb courtroom facilities
-Learn from our team of expert practitioners whose teaching is delivered with passion and professionalism.

Specialist pathways

You can choose to study a broad-based general LLM or follow a specific pathway towards a specialist LLM award:
LLM (Commercial Law) – a chance to study commercial law in a practical, international and contemporary context. Ideal both for lawyers and for professionals engaged in broader commercial practice, this pathway features negotiation and practice-driven modules, equipping you for senior roles in global enterprises.

LLM (Corporate and Financial Law) – giving you a thorough understanding of how law assists in mediating corporate and financial risk. Covering one of the most challenging and critical areas of law, this pathway focuses on the structures and constitution of corporate entities in light of the external factors which govern their liquidity and capitalisation.

LLM (Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law) – a pathway designed to meet the challenges of the global digital economy. You will explore data protection, information handling, e-commerce, international agreements on intellectual property, and the use and control of information in the context of the internet and other media.

LLM (International Protection of Human Rights and Personal Freedom) – building your awareness of the human rights regime at international, regional and national levels. Taking a practical approach to the investigation of human rights violations, this pathway prepares you for a rewarding career with organisations working in the human rights field, from law firms to governments and NGOS.

For those who have taken or are working towards the LPC, we also offer a route to ‘top up’ the qualification to an LLM in Legal Practice. If you are already employed and looking at professional career development, you can follow this route to enhance your CPD points.

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This distance learning LLM is designed to provide you with specialist knowledge of key areas of law relevant to international business.

Who is it for?

This course is suitable for those looking to develop a career in international business or law. Applicants to the course are likely to be recent graduates seeking to improve career prospects in international business and law or professionals working in international business, finance or international business law seeking to develop their expertise. As the emphasis of the programme is on the practical and problem solving aspects of the law, it will also help those who may not possess a legal background.

Students who complete the LLM may wish to continue their advanced legal studies by enrolling on the PhD or MPhil programmes offered by The City Law School.

The nature of the LLM as a distance learning programme means there is no requirement to enter the UK, so you do not require a visa if you are an overseas student.

Objectives

The programme is designed with one aim in mind: flexibility. As the programme is delivered online, students have the freedom to study in their own working environment and at their individual pace. Technology-enhanced learning environments support the student experience and students also have access to City's extensive range of legal databases, including e-journals and e-books.

This flexible, part-time LLM is designed to provide you with specialist knowledge and help to broaden your existing knowledge of the legal rules which impact on international business. You will acquire legal and research skills to help enhance your career prospects as an international business professional or legal practitioner.

On successful completion of the LLM International Business Law by distance learning, you will have gained specialist knowledge in the key areas of law from an international business perspective and will have acquired transferable skills essential to understanding and succeeding in international business.

Academic facilities

The LLM International Business Law is delivered entirely online via distance learning via City's virtual learning environment Moodle. All resources used on the programme are available online via Moodle and the Library. You are welcome to connect with your module leaders via email or arrange appointments to speak on Skype or meet in person if you are in London.

As a distance learning student you have access to the facilities, including the libraries, dedicated law libraries and Student Centre at City. You are also welcome to attend public events/lectures and use the on-campus facilities if you are in London.

Scholarships

New students will be invited to apply for a scholarship which will be awarded at the start of the programme and applied to the cost of the first module. Decisions will be made on the basis of applicants' academic merit, financial need and 250-words statement.

Prizes

Progressing students (on progression from the first module, Foundations of Law in International Business, to the elective stage) will be eligible for excellence awards. Excellence awards will be applied to the cost of the second module. Decisions will be made on the basis of the students' top performance on the Foundations module.

Teaching and learning

The programme provides you with interactive learning opportunities, combining a range of learning technologies. Whilst it is in essence a self-directed study course, there is also an emphasis on interactive engagement, using learning activities such as discussion forums and chat rooms to help you extend your learning and work collaboratively with your colleagues.

Learning will be facilitated by:
-Virtual learning environment (VLE) as e-learning platform
-High quality module learning packs written by our experts and available online
-Online academic support and personal tutoring (e.g. via email or webchats)
-Interactive multimedia content
-Virtual classroom environment (e.g. via discussion boards or Adobe Connect)
-24-hour IT support
-Online access to our extensive library resource database.

Each module is facilitated by an e-tutor who will offer academic and technical support as required. To enrol on the programme, you are required to have easy access to a computer or laptop that has a minimum technical specification and good internet access. We will provide you with an email account and secure access to your virtual learning environment. You are expected to regularly submit work online and engage in online activities.

Assessment

On a weekly basis, you will receive feedback via the discussion board per each discussion thread. The Learning Packs will contain self-assessment questions, and tutors will provide formative feedback on your responses to these questions. Participation on taught modules is a pre-requisite for sitting the final assessment. Participation is mandatory and is therefore assessed as a pass/fail summative assessment. The activity requiring participation may vary from module to module, however, a standard will be maintained across all modules. For instance, if a module requires participation vis-à-vis posting messages/responses on a module discussion board and there are eight weekly opportunities to do so, you will be required to submit four posts (50%) for assessment. Each post must be sufficient in length (i.e. approximately 500 words). You are expected to participate in all online activities.

Summative assessment of the taught modules that comprise the degree will be by coursework only (3,500 words). It is considered that you will obtain the greatest academic benefit and satisfaction from researching a topic, reflecting on it and providing considered arguments in relation to it, as well as affording the opportunity to explore particular topics in greater depth. All coursework must be submitted via the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Email submissions will not be accepted.

You will be offered a range of assessment titles in each subject. Additional titles may be added to reflect any developments in the subject occurring during the teaching of the module, enabling you to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues and to respond to the most up-to-date information available.

Modules

The distance learning LLM in International Business Law programme consists of taught modules of 150 credits (five modules at 30 credits each) and a compulsory Dissertation module of 30 credits.

In the first academic term, all students are required to take the Core module, Foundations of Law in International Business (30 credits). Upon successful completion of the Core module, you will select any further four taught modules from the range of available subjects. Students are free to take one or two modules each academic term.

All modules run over a period of 10 weeks (10 units). Each module requires approximately 300 hours of study and students will normally spend between 25 and 30 hours a week on each module, comprised mainly of self-directed and on-line hours. Typically, once all taught modules have been successfully completed, students proceed to the Dissertation (30 credits).

Elective modules - the elective modules will draw from a variety of sources of law, including laws from different systems of law (European Union Law, international law and the English common law) to make your learning experience more rewarding. The programme will take an internationalist and comparative legal approach wherever appropriate, an approach that is more enriching for professionals who work in a global environment. This distinguishes The City Law School distance learning LLM from most other LLMs offered by UK universities. The elective modules (30 credits each) currently offered on the LLM International Business Law include:
-Dispute resolution in international commerce
-E-commerce law
-International corporation law
-International investment law
-Law of international trade
-Legal aspects of international finance
-Privacy and data protection laws
-Regulation of information technology and intellectual property

Dissertation - the requirement to complete a 10,000-word Dissertation reflects the assumption, and the concerns of employers, that an LLM graduate should display a high standard of competence in research and a capacity for original thought. Dissertation supervision will be undertaken by internal members of staff and visiting lecturers ensuring that expert guidance is available to all. Where it is appropriate for a student to be supervised by a visiting lecturer, because of the subject area of the dissertation, the student should ensure that they have agreed in advance methods of communication including the mode and frequency of contact.

Career prospects

By the end of the programme, you will not only have gained specialist knowledge in key areas of law from an international business perspective but will have also acquired transferable skills essential to understanding, and succeeding in, the world of International Business Law. With this sound basis, you will be well placed for developing a career in international business or law.

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Studying an LLM Master of Laws offers unrivalled academic stimulation, the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the law and specialise your knowledge in a particular area, and improved career prospects at the highest level whether that be in practice or academia.

The Exeter LLM is a substantive, rigorous, and genuinely flexible programme of postgraduate study designed for the most ambitious and capable students. Delivered by some of the biggest names in legal research, our LLM allows you to create a bespoke programme of learning addressing your specific academic and professional needs, readying you to fulfil your career ambitions or for doctoral study.

Our faculty is able to teach and supervise an extensive range of international subjects, with particular specialities inspired by our renowned research in the areas of Commercial Law, Public Law, Human Rights Law, and Family Law.

Specialist Pathways

Students can obtain a specialised LLM. Specialisms include International Commercial Law, European Law, Maritime Law, Intellectual Property Law, Insurance Law, International Human Rights Law, and International Law, Conflict and Security.

International Commercial Law

The LLM in International Commercial Law provides a wide range of options. Students may focus on banking and financial law, corporate law or general commercial law. Exeter’s strong links with the legal profession’s top global firms and employers make this LLM a particularly attractive one for students who are looking to go into private practice or to work in banks or financial institutions. This LLM is also an ideal preparation for a career in international business as it covers areas of expertise required to succeed in senior positions in international trading companies. Internships in Europe and further afield, are often advertised to participants in this course, especially those with hard-to-find linguistic or other skills. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/commercial

European Law

This specialism is designed to give students the opportunity to study the constitutional issues which arise from the concept of the European Union, including law making and the relationship between the EU and Member States.

We provide modules which examine the substantive law of the EU and the way in which that law has been implemented in English law. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/european

Maritime Law

The LLM in Maritime Law is designed specifically for students who wish to study shipping and international trade law in detail.

The modules are particularly suited to students who intend to pursue careers in chartering, trade and marine insurance (including Protection and Indemnity Clubs).

English law is widely adopted in other jurisdictions, so a study of English law is particularly important. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/maritime

Intellectual Property Law

The LLM in Intellectual Property allows students to study in depth the substantive areas of law which make up intellectual property such as competition law, copyright, trade mark law, patents and consumer protection.

Much of the law is derived from EU measures, and the modules are taught from both a domestic and EU perspective. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/property

International Human Rights Law

This specialism has been specifically developed to allow you to construct a programme appropriate to private practice or public employment in the field of international human rights law.

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/humanrights

Insurance Law

Insurance is a key part of commercial law and practice but it is only researched and taught at a few universities. This pathway will allow you to construct a programme that will equip you with the knowledge, skills and practical tools needed to gain a thorough understanding of insurance law, practice and regulation.

The programme is designed for those with a special interest in the wide field of insurance law. While the precise modules available may vary from year to year, typical examples modules for the pathway might include general principles of insurance, consumer insurance, marine insurance, reinsurance, EU motor insurance and financial regulations. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/insurance

International Law, Conflict and Security

Designed with the needs of practitioners in mind, the programme will equip you with a comprehensive understanding of international conflict and security law, including the rules relating to the conduct of hostilities, peacetime military deployments, cyber operations and post-conflict governance. Consistent with its hands-on approach, the LLM will develop your professional and personal skills, including through a simulated command post exercise that will test your knowledge and aptitude in a practical setting. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/internationalconflictsecurity

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Why study LLM Mineral Law & Policy at Dundee?

The world’s long-term economic development depends on the existence of efficient, innovative and creative energy and resources industries. These in turn rely on individuals who possess a sound grasp of their legal, economic, technical and policy backgrounds.
LLM Mineral Law & Policy is at the heart of these issues and provides the best in advanced education in its field, preparing its graduates to meet the challenges posed by the evolving global economy.

This LLM is aimed at lawyers and other professionals, both in government and industry, who wish to gain an in-depth understanding of the law and practice of international business transactions and general international economic relations. The position of this programme at the Centre provides the student a unique opportunity to combine studies in general international economic and business law and practice with specialized courses in the energy and resources industries. This intensive professional and academic training, provided by internationally leading practitioners and professors in this field, leads to a distinctive and reputed advanced academic qualification based on academic excellence and professional relevance.

What's great about LLM Mineral Law & Policy at Dundee?

Throughout its history, the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy as part of the Graduate School of Natural Resources Law, Policy and Management at the University of Dundee has achieved continuous growth and has established international pre-eminence in its core activities. Scholarly performance, high level academic research, strategic consultancy and top-quality executive education. Currently, we have over 500 registered postgraduate students from more than 50 countries world-wide.

Our interdisciplinary approach to teaching, research and consultancy gives us a unique perspective on how governments and businesses operate. We offer flexible courses delivered by the best in the field, devised and continually updated in line with the Centre’s unique combination of professional expertise and academic excellence.

This provides a rigorous training for graduate students and working professionals. Full-time and distance-learning degrees, intensive training programmes tailor-made for individuals or companies and short-term professional seminars are all on offer.

We will teach you the practical and professional skills you need to mastermind complex commercial and financial transactions in the international workplace, and we will expose you to many varied and exciting opportunities. Why not take a few minutes to complete our application form - it could be the most far-reaching career move you’ll ever make!

How you will be taught

The LLM is made up of compulsory and elective modules with this taught component being followed by either:
A dissertation of up to 15,000 words on a topic approved by an academic supervisor

An Internship report - students who choose this option are required to source an organisation willing to offer a 3-month work placement, approved by an academic supervisor

An extended PhD Proposal - students who propose to follow up the LLM with a PhD may, with the approval of an academic supervisor, submit a 10,000 word PhD proposal

What you will study

Compulsory Modules:
Natural Resources Sectors: A Multidisciplinary Introduction
Dissertation or Internship
Core Modules:
International and Comparative Mineral Law
Risk Analysis for Energy and Mining Investment Decision Making
Mineral and Petroleum Taxation
Mineral Resources policy and Economics

Elective Modules: Candidates are advised to choose additional modules from what is available on the academic timetable subject to any restrictions that may apply.

How you will be assessed

Each course is assessed by a combination of examinations and a research paper.

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