LLM
Law
Choose to pursue your own specialities in law
Course Overview
Why take this course?
This LLM Law is designed to provide a flexible educational experience that enables law graduates, non-law graduates and lawyers to develop their specialist legal interests at postgraduate level.
Develop your expertise in very practical and sought-after subjects through taught units and supervised research on a course that promotes individual choice for your future careers.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Choose to take this course in full-time or part-time mode – whichever suits you best
- Tap in to our Library’s vast selection of electronic resources, which can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection
- Focus on particular areas of academic interest or develop a wider range of skills and knowledge
What opportunities might it lead to?
This course is unique in that it provides a CILEx Level 6 Master's unit on this programme. Graduates with a Law degree who take this unit have the opportunity to become a member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx), the governing membership body for Legal Executives and trainee Legal Executives. Being a member of the CILEx will be a valuable asset in helping you develop your legal career.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- working in law firms
- the police force
- crime prevention
- criminological research
My tutors endorsed a practical approach to learning and if it wasn’t for their endless encouragement, I can safely say that I wouldn’t have won an Inns of Court Scholarship.
Matthew Champ, LLM Law student
Key Facts
- Duration
- 1 year full time, 3 years part time
- Entry
A second class honours degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications.
English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with a minimum score of 6.0 in all individual components, or equivalent.- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £5,000, part-time students: £1,670 p/a* (3 years)
International full-time students: £11,000, part-time students: £3,670 p/a* (3 years)
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- pbs.postgradadmissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 8200 - Department
- School of Law
Structure & Teaching
The full-time mode of this course lasts for one year and you will follow one of the following routes:
Law Route
Those who hold a UK law degree or equivalent will undertake a dissertation or professional practitioner project, and four units from the following list:
- Community Legal Research Project
- Corporate Governance Theory, Law and Practice
- Employment Law
- Global Corporate Responsibility
- CILEx Level 6 (only available to holders of a qualifying law degree)
- Intellectual Property Law
- International Banking Law*
- International Commercial Arbitration*
- International and European Business Law
- International Private Law
- Work-based Learning Unit
Non-Law Route
Those who do not hold a UK law degree or equivalent will be enrolled on the non-law route and will undertake the following compulsory units:
- Legal Approach to Business
- Dissertation or Professional Practitioner Project
Three optional units from options including:
- Intellectual Property Law
- International Banking Law*
- International Commercial Arbitration*
- International and European Business Law
- International Private Law
- Community Legal Research Project
- Work-based Learning Unit
The part-time mode of this course lasts three years and you will follow one of the following routes:
Law Route
Those who hold a UK law degree or equivalent will undertake the following units:
Year one
You will undertake two units from options including:
- Community Legal Research Project
- Global Corporate Responsibility
- CILEx Level 6 (only available to holders of a qualifying law degree)
- Intellectual Property Law
- International Banking Law*
- International Commercial Arbitration*
Year two
You will undertake two units from options including (excluding units undertaken in the first year):
- Community Legal Research Project
- Corporate Governance Theory, Law and Practice
- International Banking Law*
- International Commercial Arbitration*
- International and European Business Law
- International Private Law
- Work-based Learning Unit
Year three
In the final year, you will either work on and submit their dissertation, or undertake and submit a professional practitioner project.
Non-Law Route
Those who do not hold a UK law degree or equivalent will be enrolled on the non-law route and will undertake the following units:
Year one
You will undertake the following compulsory units:
- Legal Approach to Business
One unit options including:
- Community Legal Research Project
- Corporate Governance Theory, Law and Practice
- Employment Law
- Global Corporate Responsibility
- International Private Law
- Work-based Learning Unit
Year two
You will undertake two units from options including (excluding units undertaken in the first year):
- Community Legal Research Project
- Corporate Governance Theory, Law and Practice
- Employment Law
- Global Corporate Responsibility
- Intellectual Property Law
- International Banking Law*
Year three
In the final year, you will either work on and submit their dissertation, or undertake and submit a professional practitioner project.
Teaching and Assessment
You will be expected to attend eight hours of class time per week if you are on the full-time course whereas for the part-time course you attend approximately four hours per week. You will be encouraged to undertake independent study with time also devoted to group problem solving, discussion and debate.
How are you assessed?
The majority of the units will be assessed via exams, however much of your time will also be spent researching and writing your dissertation which concentrates on a topic of your choice.
Facilities & Features
Mock Courtroom
Be part of mock trials and moots in our mock courtroom
Flexible Learning
Benefit from web, email or phone access to many of our facilities and services
Mentoring
Our mentoring programme links you with legal professionals
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books
Mock Courtroom
You can be part of our full blown mock trials and moots in our mock courtroom. The £1 million development is an exact replica of a crown court, complete with dock, witness box, public gallery, jury room and interview rooms. Gain firsthand experience of a realistic court setting.
Flexible Learning
Depending on your mode of study, you may not always be campus based. However, you will still benefit from web, email or phone access to many of our facilities and services. Our student website, LookUP, will be your one-stop shop for all news, information and links to other services, and 24/7 online access to the University Library’s vast electronic book, journal and database collections will help you find the right resources for your research.
Mentoring
We pride ourselves on the good reputation we have in the area. Maintaining good links with the Court Service in Portsmouth allows us to facilitate court visits, marshalling and even work experience. Our mentoring programme also brings in members of the legal profession who work in local solicitors’ firms, for the government and in a variety of other contexts and links them with you.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
The LLM in Law provides a springboard for many career paths. It allows potential law lecturers to develop expertise in a variety of subjects and provides the basis for a career in business or the public sector. It could also enable law practitioners to pursue new subject specialities.
Additionally, Law graduates who complete the CILEx option may apply for membership status of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx). Membership of CILEx and success on this LLM course will provide a real edge when competing for trainee legal executive opportunities.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- designated detention officer
- legal clerk
- paralegal assistant
- business development executive
Career planning
One of the benefits of studying at Portsmouth is the support that we provide to our Master's and Research Degrees students in career planning. Our careers and recruitment service – Purple Door – can assist you in career research and finding employment opportunities. Help is also available if you wish to find a part-time job while studying your degree. We offer our postgraduate students and alumni one-to-one appointments with a careers adviser, or an online service for those not able to travel back to the University. Our alumni can call on our career services for five years after graduation.
In addition, regular employability events offer you the chance to meet employers, find out about different career sectors and improve your applications or CV. The Graduate Summer Programme provides a range of guidance and employability seminars and workshops.