LLM Law, Commercial Law
When can you start this course? | Course code | Fees | Course length | Entry requirements
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You can also start this course in January |
Why choose this course?
- The LLM (Commercial Law) offers you a great deal of flexibility and choice while studying commercial law in a practical, international and contemporary context.
- Available to lawyers and those more broadly engaged in commercial practice you can choose from a wide range of modules covering legal issues as diverse as International Commercial Arbitration and the management of information security in a commercial setting. This means that you can develop your knowledge and build a degree that's right for you, meeting your career aspirations, your research and personal interests.
- We have a modern and contemporary approach to teaching law in a global context. You can tailor your coursework and assignments to different jurisdictions, so gaining a true international flavour of law.
- You'll be taught by our professional, experienced and knowledgeable teaching team, whose passion for their subjects and teaching incorporates their research interests and who regularly write and present in many areas of law.
- The highly supportive learning environment and professionalism of the team have made us one of the UK's top Law Schools for student satisfaction and success at postgraduate level.
- Enhance your career development. You'll gain CPD points as you study each module.
- Study at a time and pace to suit you and your circumstances. You can study full time or part time. This LLM is also available online
- Find out what it's like to study your LLM at Derby - watch the video
About the course
We've worked with the legal professions, judiciary and private sector to design the LLM (Commercial Law) fit for the 21st century, which offers you genuine opportunities for flexible study and specialisation.
The curriculum can be drawn on for wide ranging or specialist study in and around the commercial law field. It provides unique learning opportunities to investigate areas that other courses simply do not offer. You will find subjects delivered with extraordinary passion and professionalism.
You will focus on some of the core aspects of knowledge in law, with many of the option modules also reflecting unique and distinctive areas of specialist knowledge. Choose from 16 modules to develop your knowledge and design a degree that's right for you, meeting your career aspirations, your research and personal interests. Alternatively, after the Postgraduate Certificate stage, you can choose swap your focus to one of our other specialist named awards:
- LLM
- LLM (Corporate Law and Finance)
- LLM (Human Rights and Personal Freedom)
- LLM (Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law)
- LLM (International and Comparative Law)
- LLM (in an approved area of legal scholarship)
There's a real practical focus to studying the LLM at Derby. You will be taught in our lecture theatres and Courtrooms, in various styles that all emphasise the practical application of your knowledge. In particular the International Trade and Construction Law modules are negotiation and practice driven. You will be involved in the cut and thrust of commercial non-contentious and contentious activities. You'll combine academic and theoretical knowledge with practical skills.
We're also one of the few universities in the UK where you can spend time in a professional organisation applying what you're learning. This gives you an unequalled opportunity to explore areas of personal interest in greater depth than is usually possible at this level of study.
Research is at the heart of this degree. From the start, through the Legal Scholarship module, you will be encouraged to develop your research, communication and independent learning techniques which will help you throughout your masters degree and also assist you with your personal and professional development. This module also provides a stepping stone for you if you wish to present your work at conferences, and includes sessions relating to getting your work published. The final Independent Studies module provides you with the opportunity to develop deep and specialist knowledge through scholarship. You will be supported throughout this module by a member of our law team who is an expert in the area you choose to research.
The highly supportive learning environment and professionalism of the team have made us one of the UK's top Law Schools for student satisfaction and success at postgraduate level.
For the professional looking at career development, you can follow this route to enhance your CPD points. You can also choose the pace of your studies so you can fit studying around your other commitments. You can study full time or part time - blended learning.
Your career
An LLM is considered essential for pursuit of an academic career but also is increasingly seen by employers as demonstrating specialism. For non-lawyers a postgraduate qualification in law can sharpen commercial awareness in a way that contributes significantly to operational and strategic management. This provides a genuine advantage when applying for positions within and beyond the legal sector.
The particular benefit of study on this programme is that you can blend subject matter and mode of study (studying some modules by online distance learning and others on campus) according to your professional and personal needs.
In addition, in a turbulent world of work where people's roles evolve the flexibility of the programme means that it can adapt to your changing professional development needs. In fact, should you find that you need to change from a commercial law focus in to an area such as corporate law or information technology law the programme is designed to facilitate this.
The LLM (Commercial Law) provides sufficient opportunity for specialisation to be a springboard for MPhil or PhD research in the School of Law and Criminology.
What our students say
"I have really enjoyed the relaxed and informal learning of the subjects as they are genuinely interesting and applicable to working life. It's been tough at times to find a suitable balance, doing the course at the same time as working full time, but so far it has been very fulfilling."
How you'll learn
You will learn in our fantastic law facilities which include two full size courtrooms. Take the video tour
You will learn alongside your peers, giving you the chance to collaborate with other talented people with a passion for the same kind of legal issues.
You will also work hard to acquire the independent research and writing skills that will enable you to put together strong legal arguments within the pieces of work that you submit.
Your lectures provide a solid foundation in the areas for study. Emphasis is placed on aiding research and guiding you in a way that stimulates your desire and interest to further explore the module area and specific topics.
Opportunity is provided through tutorials and discussion for you to explore topic areas and issues. Also, on an ongoing basis, you will be able to highlight study areas of particular interest.
Your tutors will acknowledge how study of a particular module in isolation serves to develop your knowledge and understanding in this area. Beyond this, the provision of the module in the context of the LLM pathway as a whole is acknowledged and account taken of the link and relationship with other modules you are studying.
How you're assessed
Types of assessment are wide ranging and include assignments, portfolio preparation, reports, case studies and online preparation of material. In many modules you can relate your assessment to different jurisdictions, so that your national law can be the focus of your award.
Assessment is integrated into learning and teaching for modules. A consistent loading of work, managed through the progressive development of work is scheduled in an inclusive and balanced way.
The final masters stage is assessed through the submission of your Independent Study or masters thesis. This will be on a specialist topic of your own choosing. You are supported in preparing this by your tutors here at Derby.
Anything else?
Unique modules
The University of Derby is unique in integrating practice based learning in to all of its LLM provision. This means in effect that regardless of the subject of study you have the opportunity to engage in relevant professional activity within the commercial or public sector.
The Clinic module supports and structures this practice based learning allowing you to gain credit towards your award.
Research
Our staff are actively engaged in research. Find out more
Our facilities
We are proud of our fantastic law facilities, with two full size courtrooms and an interviewing suite we have the perfect learning environment
Scholarships and funding
We have a number of bursaries and scholarships to help you with your fees. Find out more.
To enquire about the course
Please contact the programme leader, Chris Poole:
T: +44 (0) 1332 591896
Start dates
You can start this programme in January or September
Course code
MM1AEFees*
UK/EU students
- £495 per single module (you usually take 9 of these modules in total).
International students
*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2012 and August 2013. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year.
Course length
- Full time: one year
- Part time: three years
Entry requirements
You will need: a good honours degree or relevant experience if your first language is not ...
