LLM International Commercial and Business Law

Program Overview

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Learn to think globally, tackling the complex and ever-changing regulation of businesses in the UK, Europe, and across the world. Our LLM International Commercial and Business Law is a specialist course covering contemporary developments and debates related to the traditional and emerging forms of legal governance of domestic, European and international commercial and consumer markets. You will improve your knowledge of the key theoretical and practical issues in this field; as well as your skills of analysis, evaluation and problem solving. The course covers the ways in which good corporate governance and competitive markets are promoted, as well as how legal and soft law rules and codes regulate:

• Goods and services
• Internet activities
• Data protection
• Consumer protection
• The environment

At Essex we specialise in commercial law, public law, and human rights law. We are 3rd in the UK for research power in law (THE research power measure, REF2021) and we are ranked 47th for Law in THE World University Rankings by Subject 2023. Our law course will develop your intellectual and critical faculties, encourage you to think independently and teach you to present rational, coherent and accurate arguments orally and in writing. It will provide you with an excellent foundation for any career. Why we're great.

• Investigate the fast-paced regulation of businesses in the UK, Europe and across the world
• Challenge convention and debate governance of commercial and consumer markets
• Develop the critical, analytical and research skills needed for an international law career

Our expert staff

Our internationally diverse community of staff and students gives us a breadth of cross-cultural perspectives and insights into law and justice around the world. This community, combined with opportunities to study abroad during your time with us, ensures you graduate with a genuine worldview and a network of international contacts.

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Specialist facilities

• Volunteer at the Essex Law Clinic where you can work alongside practicing solicitors to offer legal advice to clients
• Gain commercial awareness at our Business and Legal Advice Clinic
• Work on key human rights projects at our Human Rights Clinic
• Participate in mooting competitions to develop your skills, particularly important if you hope to become a barrister
• Test your mediation and negotiation skills in our Client Interviewing Competition (sponsored by Birkett Long Solicitors)
• Join our Model United Nations society, which can improve your skills of argumentation, oral presentation and research
• Network at our student-run Law Society , Human Rights Society , and Bar Society , which provides legal advice to the Commonwealth Students’ Association (CSA)
• Take advantage of networking opportunities throughout the year with visiting law firms

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Your future

Essex Law School graduates have gone on to a wide variety of careers in international and intergovernmental organisations or employment with governments across the world, in commerce and banking, in non-governmental organisations and, as might be expected, in the legal profession and the judiciary. During the year, we hold a careers session for our students in which we reflect upon our own careers and how they have been built as well as those from former students. We are always available to discuss career options and if you are interested in a particular area of the law, we can link you up with the relevant alumni to offer advice. We also work with the university’s Employability and Careers Centre to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

Program Outline

Course structure

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The following modules are based on the current course structure and may change in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, or in response to COVID-19, we’ll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

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Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose. Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

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Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits. In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available. Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code . For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

HR	100	4	FY
The department or school the module will be taught by. In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.	The module number.	The UK academic level of the module. A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course. A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules. A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.	The term the module will be taught in. AU : Autumn term SP : Spring term SU : Summer term FY : Full year AP : Autumn and Spring terms PS: Spring and Summer terms AS: Autumn and Summer terms

Year 1 This module aims to apply the comparative and case study methodologies to examine the national and global legal, philosophical, historical and socio-political contexts of business law and commercial relationships and transactions. View Contemporary Issues in Commercial and Business Law on our Module Directory COMPONENT 02: OPTIOL ICBL Business Law option(s) from list (30 CREDITS) COMPONENT 03: OPTIOL ICBL Business Law option(s) from list (30 CREDITS) COMPONENT 04: OPTIOL Business Law option(s) from list (30 CREDITS) COMPONENT 05: OPTIOL Business Law option from list (15 CREDITS) The Foundation Essay is a diagnostic essay intended to provide an early opportunity to engage in legal analysis and writing. It is designed to provide students with an opportunity to learn and demonstrate independent learning, legal writing, research, methodologies and analysis, necessary for postgraduate study. The Foundation Essay is also a formative exercise for modules in the LLM courses. The mark for the essay does not count towards the final assessment of the degree, but it is a compulsory piece of work. View Foundation Essay on our Module Directory You’ll undertake a dissertation of 12,000 words in length for your LLM course. This is a compulsory element of the course. View Dissertation on our Module Directory

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Teaching

• Taught through small-group interactive seminars that foster critical debate and analysis
• Teaching is supplemented by lectures, where appropriate
• Postgraduates are welcome to join the numerous guest lectures held at the School yearly

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Assessment

Modules are assessed via a coursework, an examination, or a combination of the two.

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Dissertation

• Your dissertation is normally 12,000 words in length
• You will have the freedom to select your own dissertation topic
• A special dissertation module that offers guidance on topic selection and the writing process, as well as one-to-one supervision given from a member of academic staff