ObjectivesThis programme will be of interest to legal practitioners, legal academics, those in business and those people in the public sector who encounter various aspects of international law. International legal studies is defined broadly to include European, commercial, transnational, comparative and international legal concepts and issues. Subjects included in the degree focus on areas of law that do not simply stop at national frontiers. The result is a rich variety of modules from which you can choose ones to suit your background and experience. The degree is structured so that you can take different pathways enabling you to specialise, for example in public international law, international commercial law or European law, or to take a more general degree suited to your background and requirements. The degree is based on a structured first semester, which will provide you with the essential international legal principles, and fundamental research skills required for further study. You will then broaden your substantive knowledge through studying a range of options in semester two. You will also develop your research skills and in-depth understanding through preparing a dissertation on a specific area under the supervision of an expert member of staff. The programme can be studied full-time over one year, or on a part-time basis over a maximum of three years.
Entry requirementsEntry requirements We welcome students from all over the world to study on this programme. You will need a good Upper-Second class degree (or the international equivalent) in law. If your degree is not in law, then it should have a large law component, although we will consider your application if you have other qualifications. If your first language is not English, and you have not studied at degree level in English before, we require a qualification in English, currently IELTS 7.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component.
Academic titleLLM International Legal Studies
Course descriptionCourse content
Semester one:
-Legal Research and Writing Skills (15 credits)
45 credits taken from the following choices – this is based on students´ existing knowledge, and module choices are determined in discussion with the Programme Director.
-Principles of International Law - foundation (15 credits)
-Advanced Issues in International Law (15 credits)
-Introduction to Company Law (15 credits)
-Commercial Transactions (15 credits)
-Law of International Organisations (30 credits)
-Principles of European Law (15 credits)
-Inter-state Litigation (15 credits)
Semester two:
60 credits of options
60 credit dissertation
Optional modules *
-Discrimination in Employment Law (15 credits)
-International Environmental Law (30 credits)
-International Trade Law (15 credits)
-International Monetary & Development Law (15 credits)
-Individual Employment Law (15 credits)
-Trade Union & Industrial Action Law (15 credits)
-Advanced European Union Law (30 credits)
-Intellectual Property Law (30 credits)
-Competition Law I (30 credits)
-International Law of the Use of Force (15 credits)
-Peacekeeping Law and Practice (15 credits)
-International Humanitarian Law (15 credits)
-The Corporation as Criminal (15 credits)
-Commercial & Business Fraud: International Issues (15 credits)
-International Commercial Litigation (15 credits)
-International Family Law (15 credits)
* This list does not provide a guarantee that these optional modules will run. Other options may be available, and a full list of options will be provided at registration.