Law LLM
LLM Law
Overview
If you want to add to your existing law qualifications – or you're a graduate from another subject area who's looking to develop your legal knowledge and gain a relevant qualification – our LLM Law degree course is the perfect next step for you.
On this flexible course – which can be studied either part-time or full-time – you'll develop expertise in law, supplemented with a choice of specialist subjects, including corporate governance, employment law, intellectual property law, and international commercial arbitration.
Law graduates on our LLM programmes can also study for The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) Level 6 Diploma in Law and Practice (Graduate Fast Track Diploma).
And when you graduate, you'll be qualified to work as a legal executive or paralegal and following three years of qualifying employment, you can apply to be admitted as a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives. Other opportunities include working for the Court Service and in business.
What you'll experience
On this course, you'll:
On this course you'll:
- Learn from a skilled and experienced team of academics, through group work, discussion and debate
- Gain experience of a realistic court environment in our £1m mock courtroom, where you'll get to take part in mock trials and moots
- Benefit from our links with the Portsmouth Court Service. You'll get the opportunity to go on court visits, take part in marshalling and work experience in the Courts, and get the opportunity to participate in our professional mentoring programme
- Tap in to our Library’s vast selection of electronic resources 24/7, including thousands of online ejournals
- Pursue specific areas of academic interest or, if you prefer, develop a wider range of skills and knowledge
Work experience and career planning
We'll help you to identify internships, voluntary roles and opportunities that will complement your studies.
When you finish the course, our Careers and Employability service can help you find a job that puts your legal skills to work.
After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.
Careers and opportunities
The LLM Law degree course provides a springboard for many career paths, including business or the public sector. If you're already a law practitioner, you'll have the opportunity to pursue new subject specialities. If you're a law graduate and take the CILEx Level 6 Diploma in Legal Practice, you'll also have a recognised professional qualification in addition to your degree, once you join CILEx as a paying member.
Career opportunities include:
- Designated detention officer
- Legal clerk/executive
- Paralegal assistant
- Business development executive
- Paralegal
- Claims handler
- Compliance officer
- Further research or study
Professional accreditations
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 place you in a strong position when competing for trainee legal executive positions.
Entry requirements
- A second-class honours degree or equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.
Course costs
Tuition fees (2018 start)
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students
- Full-time: £7,500 (may be subject to annual increase)
- Part-time: £2,500 (may be subject to annual increase)
International students
- Full-time: £14,700 (may be subject to annual increase)
- Part-time: £4,900 (may be subject to annual increase)
Additional course costs
These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending.
Our accommodation section shows your accommodation options and highlights how much it costs to live in Portsmouth.
You’ll study up to 6 units a year. You may have to read several recommended books or textbooks for each unit.
You can borrow most of these from the Library. If you buy these, they may cost up to £60 each.
We recommend that you budget £75 a year for photocopying, memory sticks, DVDs and CDs, printing charges, binding and specialist printing.
If your final year includes a major project, there could be cost for transport or accommodation related to your research activities. The amount will depend on the project you choose.
What you'll study
Law route
If you have a UK law degree or equivalent, you'll undertake a dissertation or professional practitioner project and four units from the following list:
- CILEX Level 6 (this unit is only available to those who hold a UK qualifying Law degree)
- Community Legal Research Project
- Corporate Governance: Theory, Law and Practice
- Employment Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- International and European Business Law
- International Commercial Arbitration
- Work-based Learning Unit
- Commercial and Consumer Law
- Theory of ADR
- Negotiation Theory and Practice
- Dissertation or Professional Practitioner Project
Non-law route
Those who don't have a UK law degree or equivalent will be enrolled on the non-law route and will undertake the following units:
- Legal Approach to Business
- Dissertation/Professional Practitioner Project
You'll also choose three units from:
- Community Legal Research Project
- Corporate Governance: Theory, Law and Practice
- Employment Law
- Global Corporate Responsibility
- Intellectual Property Law
- International and European Business Law
- International Commercial Arbitration
- Work-based Learning Unit
- Commercial and Consumer Law
- Theory of ADR
- Negotiation Theory and Practice
- Dissertation or Professional Practitioner Project
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional units may not run every year. If a unit doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative unit.
Learning support
As well as support by faculty teaching staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University’s Academic Skills Unit (ASK).
ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:
- academic writing
- note taking
- time management
- critical thinking
- presentation skills
- referencing
- working in groups
- revision, memory and exam techniques
Teaching
If you're studying full-time, you'll be expected to attend 8 hours of class time per week. If you're studying part-time, you'll be expected to attend around 4 hours of class time per week.
You'll be encouraged to study independently, with time devoted to group problem solving, discussion and debate.
How you'll spend your time
Each academic year is divided into 2 teaching blocks and 2 assessment periods:
- September to December – teaching block 1
- January – assessment period 1
- January to mid-May – teaching block 2 (includes Easter break)
- Mid-May to early June – assessment period 2
Most teaching takes place during the day, on Thursdays, Fridays and very occasionally on Saturdays. You may occasionally need to go to University and course events in the evenings and at weekends.
How you're assessed
Apply
Apply for this course using our online application form.
International students
If you're from outside of the UK, you can apply directly to us or you can get an agent to help with your application. Check your country page for details of agents in your region. To find out what to include in your application, head to the how to apply page of our international students section.
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study with us, you also agree to our terms and conditions as well as the University’s policies, rules and regulations. You should read and consider these before you apply.- Subject area
- Law
- Criminology and forensic studies
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