School of Law

LLM International Commercial and Economic Law (2022 entry)

Select year of entry: 2022 2021

Overview

Overview and entry requirements

The SOAS LLM in International Commercial and Economic Law is designed for law graduates and practicing lawyers who would like to acquire in-depth knowledge of the commercial world. Whether you want to join a commercial law firm or become an in-house counsel at a multinational company, or just want to know more about international commercial and economic law, this programme will provide you with the necessary knowledge to achieve your potential.

See School of Law

Why study LLM International Commercial and Economic Law at SOAS

we are UK Top 20 and World Top 200 for Law (QS World University Rankings 2021)
our research publications have been rated first in the UK - and our School of Law rated sixth in the UK - in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
this programme examines commercial and economic law from an international and comparative perspective
it explores the legal, political and social aspects of commercial and economic law in the common and civilian law systems and covers the developed and developing worlds
it provides students with a solid understanding of the legal context within which multinational enterprises operate and the dynamics of international trade
it offers an opportunity to develop critical awareness of international investment law, intellectual property, law of Islamic finance and settlement of international commercial disputes
modules are taught by leading scholars in the field and guest lectures are delivered by experienced practitioners.
this programme is ideal for LLB graduates or legal professionals with an interest in the theory and practice of commercial law. You will join an international body of SOAS alumni many of whom are now working in international commercial law firms, as in-house counsel at some of the major multinational companies, in policy or in academia

Please note that the LLM is restricted to applicants who hold an UK law degree or international equivalent. If you do not hold a law degree but are interested in pursuing a master’s degree in law at SOAS, please see details of the MA here.

Explore

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September intake only

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

Entry requirements

We will consider all applications with a Bachelor of Laws with 2:2 (or international equivalent). In addition to degree classification we take into account other elements of the application such as supporting statement. References are optional, but can help build a stronger application if you fall below the 2:2 requirement or have non-traditional qualifications.

Please see our 'postgraduate entry requirements' page for Overseas and EU qualifications and equivalencies.

Featured events

duration:: One calendar year (full-time)
Two, three or four years (part-time, daytime only)
We recommend that part-time students have between two-and-a-half and three days a week free to pursue their course of study.

Fees 2022/23

UK fees:

£17,000

Overseas fees:: £24,650

Fees for 2022/23 entrants. This is a Band 3 fee. The fees are per academic year. Please note that fees go up each year. Further details can be found on the Postgraduate tuition fees page

Convenors

Dr Makeen F Makeen Convenor

Structure

Students must take modules to a total value of 180 credits, consisting of a dissertation (60 credits) and 120 credits of taught modules. Taught modules are worth either 15 or 30 credits. Students who wish to graduate with a specialised LLM are required to take at least 60 credits associated with their specialised LLM, and the dissertation topic will be undertaken within the LLM specialisation.

Please note: Not all modules listed will be available every year. Please see the individual module page for information.

Dissertation

Dissertation (12,000 words), on a topic related to the specialism of the degree

Module	Code	Credits	Term
LLM Dissertation in Law	15PLAD178	60	Full Year

Taught Component

Students take the following compulsory modules

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Multinational Enterprises and the Law I	15PLAH077	15	Term 1
Multinational Enterprises and the Law II	15PLAH078	15	Term 2

AND

Choose modules from List A to the value of 60 credits
Choose modules from List A and List B OR from Postgraduate Open Options to the value of 30 credits

List A (subject to availability)

Module	Code	Credits	Term
International Commercial Arbitration	15PLAC153	30	Full Year
International Investment Law	15PLAH063	15	Term 1
Business and Human Rights in the Global Economy	15PLAH079	15	Term 1
Comparative Company Law	15PLAH080	15	Term 2
Transnational Law, Finance and Technology	15PLAH089	15	Term 2

List B (subject to availability)

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Gender, Law and Society in The Middle East and North Africa	15PLAH056	15	Term 2
Gender, Sexuality and Law: Selected Topics	15PLAH061	15	Term 2
Gender, Sexuality and Law: Theories and Methodologies	15PLAH062	15	Term 1
Human Rights and Islamic Law	15PLAC150	30	Full Year
International Commercial Arbitration	15PLAC153	30	Full Year
International Investment Law	15PLAH063	15	Term 1
Law and Development in Africa	15PLAC160	30	Full Year
Law and Society in Southeast Asia	15PLAH049	15	Term 2
Law, Rights & Social Change	15PLAH064	15	Term 1
Preliminary Law, Legal Reasoning and Legal Methods	15PLAC162	0	Term 1
International Migration Law	15PLAH068	15	Term 2
International Refugee Law	15PLAH069	15	Term 1
Law, Religion, and the State in South Asia	15PLAC129	30	Full Year
Law, Environment and Social Justice	15PLAH067	15	Term 1
Colonialism, Empire and International Law	15PLAH025	15	Term 2
Foundations of International Law	15PLAH021	15	Term 1
Human Rights of Women	15PLAC112	30	Full Year
International Criminal Law	15PLAH055	15	Term 1
Law and Natural Resources	15PLAC126	30	Full Year
Law and Postcolonial Theory	15PLAH050	15	Term 2
The Law of Armed Conflict	15PLAH022	15	Term 2
Water Justice: Rights, Access and Movements (Law)	15PLAH044	15	Term 1
Law and Global Commons	15PLAH070	15	Term 2
International Environmental Law: Principles, Institutions & Enforcement	15PLAH073	15	Term 1
Biodiversity, Nature and Wildlife Law and Policy	15PLAH074	15	Term 2
Water and Development: Commodification, Ecology and Globalisation (Law)	15PLAH076	15	Term 2
Multinational Enterprises and the Law I	15PLAH077	15	Term 1
Multinational Enterprises and the Law II	15PLAH078	15	Term 2
Business and Human Rights in the Global Economy	15PLAH079	15	Term 1
Comparative Company Law	15PLAH080	15	Term 2
Israel, Palestine, and International Law (15Cr)	15PLAH081	15	Term 2
Palestine, Resistance, and the Law	15PLAH082	15	Term 2
Alternative Dispute Resolution I	15PLAH083	15	Term 1
Alternative Dispute Resolution II	15PLAH084	15	Term 2
International laws on the use of force	15PLAH020	15	Term 2
Gender and the Law of War	15PGNH005	15	Term 1
The Prohibition of Torture in International Law	15PLAH075	15	Term 2
Climate Change Law and Policy	15PLAH085	15	Term 2
International Protection of Human Rights (15Cr)	15PLAH086	15	Term 1
International Law: Contemporary Problems of World Order	15PFFH009	15	Term 2
Gender and the Law of Peace	15PGNH013	15	Term 2
Islamic Family Law	15PLAH087	15	Term 2
Islamic Legal Theory	15PLAH088	15	Term 1
Transnational Law, Finance and Technology	15PLAH089	15	Term 2
Colonial Geographies of International Law	15PLAH090	15	Term 2
Law and Society in The Middle East and North Africa	15PLAH091	15	Term 1
Research Methods in Law	15PLAC181	30	Full Year
Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post-Conflict Societies	15PLAH040	15	Term 1
Artificial Intelligence: Power, law and resistance	15PMSH042	15	Term 2

Open Options Note

Open options will need approval of deputy PG programme convenor (LLM or MA)

Programme Specification

LLM International Commercial and Economic Law Programme Specification (pdf; 368kb)

Important notice

The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. If you are a current student you can find structure information on the previous year link at the top of the page or through your Department. Please read the important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching & Learning

All Masters programmes consist of 180 credits, made up of taught modules of 30 or 15 credits, taught over 10 or 20 weeks, and a dissertation of 60 credits. The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which optional.

Contact hours

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study, including reading and research, preparing coursework, revising for examinations and so on. It will also include class time, which may include lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects, such as learning a language, have more class time than others. At SOAS, most postgraduate modules have a one hour lecture and a one hour seminar every week, but this does vary.

More information is on the page for each module.

Knowledge and understanding

Students will acquire specialist knowledge of commercial law in an international and comparative context.
This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, knowledge and understanding of the following:
1. the theoretical and practical underpinnings of international and comparative commercial law;
2. the context in which law is made, interpreted, adjudicated, and amended;
3. the role played by law, particularly commercial law in different international and comparative situations;
4. the role and function of legal institutions in managing commercial relationships in an international and comparative context;
5. the weight and significance of different sources and methodologies.
Students will develop knowledge of how to locate relevant materials and assess their relevance and/or importance.

Intellectual (thinking) skills

Students should develop rigor in analysis and assessment of legal arguments.
Students should develop the ability to understand, summarise and critically assess differing perspectives on theoretical debates.
Students should develop independence of thought and the confidence to challenge the accepted wisdom.
Students should learn to identify issues and formulate questions for further research through independent work.
Students will be encouraged to bring to bear their own previous experience and knowledge in addressing legal issues in an interdisciplinary manner.

Subject-based practical skills

The programme will help students develop the ability to:

Write clear research essays and dissertations.
Research in a variety of specialized research libraries and institutes and online, and retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources.
Present seminar papers and defend the arguments therein.
Discuss ideas introduced during seminars.
Develop essay and dissertation research questions.
Read legal source materials rapidly and critically.
Present legal arguments in moots and debates.

Transferable skills

The programme will enable students to:

Communicate effectively in writing.
Structure and communicate ideas and arguments effectively both orally and in writing.
Read and comprehend significant quantities of reading rapidly and effectively and develop critical faculties.
Find and use a variety of written and digital materials, especially legal materials, in libraries and research institutes.
Present (non – assessed) material orally.
Develop teamwork skills.

SOAS Library

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Fees for 2022/23 entrants, per academic year (Band 3 tuition fee)

Full-time		Part-time 2 Years		Part-time 3 Years
Home Students	Overseas Students	Home Students	Overseas Students	Home Students	Overseas Students
£17,000	£24,650	£8,500	£12,325	£5,610	£8,135

Fees go up each year, therefore your tuition fee in your second and subsequent years of study will be higher.

Our continuing students, on the same degree programme, are protected from annual increases higher than 5%.

Full details of postgraduate tuition fees can be found on the Postgraduate tuition fees page.

Scholarships

Anthony Dicks Memorial Scholarship

Application Deadline: 2022-05-02 00:00

Felix Non- Indian Scholarship

Application Deadline: 2022-01-28 15:00