International commercial law is one of the pillars of the contemporary globalising economy. Economic restructuring and technological innovation have influenced changes to the organisation and regulation of consumer relations, credit, banking and other financial services, business transactions and international trade. They have also stimulated the development and expansion of property regimes such as those governing electronic data, creative expression and inventions and financial assets. Students of International Commercial Law at Kent have been studying these developments since the early 1980s in a programme that has a well-established reputation for excellence.

The LLM degree in International Commercial Law opens up access to a range of occupations that require specialist expertise. It equips students with the necessary intellectual tools to practise international commercial law, or work for relevant government departments, regulators and international organisations in a policy-making or advisory capacity. The degree also provides an excellent foundation for students who may wish to pursue a research degree in the field.

The curriculum combines a thorough grounding in technical legal instruments of international commercial law with sophisticated training in interdisciplinary frameworks for analysis of global business regulation as well as reflective evaluation of the operation and effectiveness of law. The modules are taught by distinguished academic specialists who cover a large and diverse range of subjects within the field.

The Master's degrees offered within the Law School are taught by seminar and dissertation.

You take three modules in each of the first two terms. These are normally assessed by a single essay of 4-5,000 words for each module, but some modules make special arrangements for assessment, for example, by requiring two essays of 2-2,500 words, or by awarding up to 20% of the marks according to the quality of student participation.

In the third term and during the summer period, you write a 15-20,000 word dissertation, under the supervision of a member of academic staff. This should be on a specific topic within the field of the degree.

For all of the Law taught Master's degrees, there is the alternative of studying for a postgraduate diploma. Students registered for the diploma take the same modules as a Master's student, but do not write a dissertation.

Course content

• At least three international commercial law modules, currently including: Air and Outer Spaces; Banking Law; Commercial Credit; Corporate Governance; Information Technology Law; Intellectual Property Law; International and Comparative Consumer Law Policy; International Business Transactions; International Commercial Arbitration; International Financial Services Regulation; International Law on Foreign Investment; International Trade Law and the Environment; Law and Development; Laws of Maritime, World Trade Organisation Law.
• Up to three modules from any others offered by the Kent Law School
• Dissertation of 15-20,000 words

Assessment

Assessment is by a 4-5,000-word essay for each module, or equivalent coursework, and the dissertation for the Master's award.

T: +44 (0)1227 827272
E: information@kent.ac.uk

Postgraduate Office, Kent Law School, Eliot College,
University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NS, UK
T: +44 (0)1227 824595
F: +44 (0)1227 827442
E: klspgoffice@kent.ac.uk

Before applying, please read our ‘How to apply’ section.

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