International Trade Law

The compulsory modules studied over the course of the academic year will give you the opportunity to:

• examine the framework of international law governing the economic relations between states
• analyse bilateral investment and free trade treaties, and explore regional trade agreements
• investigate the workings of World Trade Organisation law
• study international trade regulation.

These modules will also enable you to hone your legal research and writing skills, culminating in your dissertation – an independent piece of research on your chosen topic.

You’ll also benefit from our academic skills programme. This 10-week programme runs alongside your taught academic programme, and is specifically designed to meet the needs of home and international students in the School of Law. It allows you to refine and develop the academic and transferable skills needed to excel during your taught postgraduate programme, as well as prepare for professional roles after graduation.

The wide-ranging list of optional modules means that you can explore a diverse range of related subjects of interest to you.

If you’re a part-time student, you’ll take four compulsory modules and choose two optional modules in your first year. You’ll then take the compulsory dissertation module and two optional modules in your second year to complete your programme.

Course structure

These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Modules Year 1

Compulsory modules

• The International Law of Foreign Investment 15 credits
• World Trade Organisation Law 15 credits
• Postgraduate Legal Research Skills 15 credits
• Dissertation 60 credits
• International Economic Law 15 credits

Optional modules

• International E-Commerce Law 15 credits
• International Competition Law 15 credits
• Corporate Social Responsibility 15 credits
• International Law of Credit and Security 15 credits
• International Trade Finance Law 15 credits
• International Sales Law 15 credits
• Trade Marks, Geographical Indications, Designs and Trade Secrets 15 credits
• Environmental Law - international permit-based control of pollution 15 credits

For more information on typical modules, read International Trade Law LLM Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information on typical modules, read International Trade Law LLM Part Time in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

Our compulsory and optional modules are taught through a range of smaller group seminars, and lectures depending on the module. All students meet weekly in the first semester for academic skills training. Support for the dissertation is provided via two group sessions, a number of one-to-one meetings and comment on draft work.

Independent study is integral to this programme – not just to prepare for classes but to develop research and other critical skills.

Assessment

Assessment is by a variety of methods but primarily involves the writing of an essay of up to 4,500 words at the end of each module. We assess the dissertation through your submission of a written piece of work of up to 15,000 words.