ObjectivesThe course is centred on the needs of the modern professional lawyer working or intending to work in an international and business environment. The course of legal study is set in a broad context while giving you a detailed knowledge and depth of understanding. We offer a wide range of over 25 taught modules from which you make a full choice for a tailored degree programme of your own. You can take a wide range of commercial options to broaden your knowledge, or specialise. You can use your research project or dissertation to specialise further in your chosen topic. Tuition is through seminars for which you will be expected to come prepared and willing to contribute to a discussion. Participation will help you develop analytical, critical, communication and research skills useful not only for your studies but on which you can build in your future career. A compulsory one-week foundation programme precedes the first semester to provide you with a foundation in common law and EC legal principles, skills of information technology, legal writing, library research and examination technique. Given the wide choice of modules you have on this course, it is particularly important that you attend the Foundation programme to discuss your module choices.
Entry requirementsNormally, a UK or overseas degree in law of at least lower second class or its equivalent. Alternatively, a non-law degree plus a professional legal qualification. Prior certificated learning may be given credit.
Academic titleLLM International and Comparative Business Law
Course descriptionCourse structure
You can choose to take either eight taught modules and a research essay or six taught Comparative Business Law modules and a dissertation. Students who wish to undertake a dissertation or are required to do so by employers/sponsors must discuss the topic of the dissertation with the course leader before undertaking it, so that an appropriate topic can be approved and an appropriate supervisor allocated.
You will study some compulsory modules, and then may choose from those modules listed here or from any of the extensive list of Comparative Business Law modules and OR from approved modules in related non-law postgraduate courses offered by other departments of the University. Contact the department for further details.
All students must take Researching Business Law.
The Comparative Business Law modules include:
-European Community Competition Law
-International Carriage of Goods by Sea
-Law of Transnational Corporations
-Admiralty Law
-Comparative Company Law
-Comparative Employment Law
-Comparative Industrial Relations Law
-Comparative Law and Regulation of Financial Markets in the UK
-Comparative Law of Copyright
-Comparative Law of Designs Protection
-Comparative Law of Financial Crime
-Comparative Law of Patents and Confidential Information
-Comparative Law of Trademarks
-E-commerce and the Law
-European Community Trade Law
-International Commercial Arbitration
-International Economic Institutions
-International Economic Law
-International Environmental Law -International Insurance Law
-International Law of Banking and Finance
-Intellectual Property Rights: Competition and World Trade Laws
-International Sale of Goods Law
-Legal Issues of Airline Liability
-Legal Issues of Business Ethics
-Legal Issues of Multimodal Transport
-Principles of International Insurance Law
-Read more details about the modules
Assessment
Assessment is through a mix of seen and unseen examination questions and independently researched coursework.
Career opportunities
This degree provides highly specialised knowledge and skills for those who wish to be practitioners. A Masters degree in law is a natural stepping-stone towards an MPhil or PhD.