Law
The following modules are available to incoming Study Abroad
students interested in Law.
Alternatively you may return to the complete list of Study Abroad
Subject Areas.
LAW.101x: English Legal System and Methods
- Terms Taught: Full Year Course
- US Credits: 8 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 15 ECTS Credits
- Pre-requisites: None
Course Description
This module introduces you to the central tenets of the English Legal System and supports the development of legal skills.
A combination of lectures, workshops and seminars provides you with a sustained opportunity to: deepen your knowledge of the English Legal System; learn how to read legal cases and journal articles and critically analyse legal materials; write law essays; and problem solve.
Outline Syllabus
Within the module we would typically include such topics as:
- the structure of the courts and tribunals
- legal precedent
- international sources of law
- the legal professions
- the judiciary
- lay justice
- the criminal trial process and civil litigation
- legal aid
Assessment Proportions
- Coursework 50%
- Portfolio 50%
LAW.104x: Criminal Law
- Terms Taught: Full Year Only
- US Credits: 8 US Semester credits
- ECTS Credits: 15 ECTS credits
- Pre-requisites: None
Course Description
Criminal Law may be defined as a body of rules concerned with the prevention and punishment of acts and omissions deemed to be public wrongs. This course introduces students to and conducts a broad investigation of the body of rules that make up Criminal Law. However, as Criminal Law is more than a body of rules, the course adopts a contextual approach to an understanding of the substantive law and of issues over how criminal responsibility is constructed and ascribed. As such, the course examines not only the general principles of Criminal Law but also selected major offences. It considers the nature, structure, aims and functions of Criminal Law while paying particular attention to the constituent elements of offences against the person and property. The course addresses key concepts of Criminal Law including the actus reus element - the requirement for a criminal act or omission - and the mens rea element - the culpable mental state. It also examines such matters as conceptions of harm; causation and criminal liability; accomplice liability and inchoate criminality (attempt, conspiracy and incitement); homicide; non-fatal offences against the person; sexuality and the enforcement of morality; theft and deception offences; and general defences.
Educational Aims
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
- Understand and describe the practices of criminal law
- Understand and discuss the basic judicial concepts associated with criminal responsibility
- Analyse the various contexts in which criminal law is practised
- Assess the aims and methods of criminal law
- Recognise and understand the major offences against the person and property
- Apply the knowledge and understanding acquired in the module to criminal law problem questions
Outline Syllabus
The syllabus is constructed around the professional requirements set by the Law Society and Bar Council. The common law and statutory aspects of each subject area will be examined from a range of perspectives, incorporating in particular, black letter, socio-legal and feminist approaches to assess when and how criminal liability arises in relation to the elements required to impose criminal liability generally and in relation to each specific area of crime.
- Actus Reus (guilty act), including the law relating to causation and omission.
- Mens Rea (guilty mind), distinctions between intention and motive as the basis for criminal liability will be discussed.
- Homicide, to encompass murder, manslaughter and relevant defences such as provocation and diminished responsibility.
- Non-fatal Offences Against the Person, including statutory and common assault and battery.
- Sexual Offences, specifically, rape and sexual assault as defined inter alia by the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
- Defences, including mistake, self-defence and duress.
- Complicity and the law governing the criminal liability of accomplices.
- Property Offences, specifically theft and deception as defined in the Theft Acts of 1968 and 1978 and additional offences outside of this legislation.
Assessment Proportions
- Test (Online Open-Book Exam): 40%
LAW.202x: Land Law
- Terms Taught:
- Full Year Course
- Michaelmas Term only
NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year and you select a course that has full year and part year variants, you will not be allowed to take only part of the course. - US Credits:
- Full Year – 8 semester credits
- Michaelmas Term only – 4 semester credits
- ECTS Credits:
- Full Year – 15 ECTS credits
- Michaelmas Term only – 7.5 ECTS credits
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
This course aims to locate the subject within its broad historical context and process of development. It aims to introduce students to basic themes, concepts and issues in land law including different possible conceptions of the nature of land, its possession and ownership. It also aims to consider the potential for reform and future development of land law. It aims to cover: Fixtures and Chattels; Three dimensions of land; Adverse possession; Registered and Unregistered Land; Co-ownership and trusts of land Mortgages; Leases; Easements: Restrictive covenants.
Assessment Proportions
Full Year students:
- Coursework: 50%
- Online Open Book Exam: 50%
Michaelmas Term students:
LAW.204: Legal Tech and Innovation
- Terms Taught: Lent/Summer Terms only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS credits
- Pre-requisites: At least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
Students will be introduced to legal tech and will examine the legal and social implications of key innovations. Students will also explore how design thinking can be applied to innovate creative solutions to legal problems and to deploy technology in ways that enhance the experiences of practising law and of receiving legal services.
Example topics may include blockchain, smart contracts and cryptocurrencies.
Throughout the module, we will consider many issues from a practical perspective. For example, in preparation for workshops, students may be asked to complete practical tasks such as advising a simulated client, preparing client briefings, or conducting legal research using practitioner databases. Discussion of the social implications of these technological developments will run alongside the practical focus.
Assessment Proportions
50% Coursework, 50% Presentation
LAW.206: Law and Young People
- Terms Taught: Lent/Summer terms only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: ECTS credits: 7.5 ECTS credits
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
This module will consider contemporary issues surrounding how the law impacts upon the lives of young people. Within this module you will take both a theoretical and practical approach to understanding and applying the law. At times in the module, you will be asked to assume the role of a lawyer and be given the opportunity to work through legal case studies.
It is anticipated that the curriculum will cover many of the following topics: Introduction to Children’s Rights; Parental rights v children’s rights; school admissions; school exclusions; special educational needs; sex education in schools; children’s right to protest; corporal punishment of children, as well as practical legal skills such as drafting and legal research.
The curriculum will be updated in line with key legal developments as appropriate.
Assessment Proportions
100% Coursework
LAW.213: Public Law
- Terms Taught:
- Full Year course
- Michaelmas Term only
NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year, you must select the Full Year variant. Students studying with us for the Michaelmas Term only should select the Michaelmas Term only variant. - US Credits:
- Full Year – 8 semester credits
- Michaelmas Term only – 4 semester credits
- ECTS Credits:
- Full Year – 15 ECTS Credits
- Michaelmas Term only – 7.5 ECTS Credits
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
The module will encompass Constitutional Law along with an introduction to Administrative Law and Human Rights and Civil Liberties in the UK.
Key themes in the course are power and the control of power by legal and political mechanisms, inter-institutional tension and conflict, the role and place of the citizen/subject, and the development of constitutions and constitutional thought. The indicative syllabus might include:
Introduction to British Constitution; Separation of Powers; Rule of Law; Parliamentary Sovereignty; Development of Parliament; Government and the Executive; the Judiciary and Judicial Independence; Administrative Law and Tribunals; Inquiries and Ombudsmen; Human Rights, Civil Liberties and Policing.
Assessment Proportions
Full Year:
- Coursework: 50%
- In-Person Exam: 50%
Michaelmas Term only variant:
LAW.224: Law of Torts
- Terms Taught:
- Full Year course
- Michaelmas Term only
NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year, you must select the Full Year variant. Students studying with us for the Michaelmas Term only should select the Michaelmas Term only variant.
- US Credits:
- Full Year – 8 semester credits
- Michaelmas Term only – 4 semester credits
- ECTS Credits:
- Full Year – 15 ECTS
- Michaelmas Term only – 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
Tort law addresses civil wrongs, aiming to provide a legal remedy. The scope of these civil wrongs is broad. For instance, tortious remedies might be sought in cases as varied as negligence causing harm, nuisances between neighbours, and intentional wrong.
This module will broadly cover core concepts in tort law at an introductory level and is mandatory for a qualifying law degree.
Topics covered may include: key principles in tort; negligence; international torts; nuisance; defamation; and vicarious liability. Related defences and remedies may also be covered.
Assessment Proportions
Full Year:
- Multiple Choice Question test (30%), Online Open Book Exam (70%).
Michaelmas Term only variant:
LAW.225: Human Rights and Civil Liberties
- Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS credits
- Pre-requisites: None
Course Description
The course adopts a critical and contextual approach to the subject of civil liberties and human rights in the UK. It explores the theoretical foundations for the existence of freedoms and rights; the legal mechanisms through which freedoms and rights are secured and protected (particularly the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998); and the justifiable limitations on freedoms and rights. Specific areas will be considered, such as the right to life, police powers of stop and search, the right to protest, the regulation of offensive speech, and rights to privacy and freedom from surveillance.
Outline Syllabus
Topics studied may include:
- Identification of the Employment Relationship;
- The Employment Relationship as a contract;
- Identification of Terms, with a focus on the implied term of trust and confidence;
- Identification of Terms, with a focus on restrictive covenants;
- Termination at Common Law;
- Unfair Dismissal;
- Redundancy; and,
- Discrimination in the employment context.
Assessment Proportions
- Coursework: 60%
- In-Person Multiple Choice Test Exam: 40%
LAW.230: Employment Law
- Terms Taught: Lent/Summer terms only
- US Credits: 4 US Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
- Pre-requisites: At least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
The Employment Law module examines the law and policy that surrounds and regulates the relationship between employers and employees in England and Wales. It examines the rights, responsibilities, and obligations that flow from the employment relationships; including, what employers can expect from employees, what employers can ask employees to do, and employees’ rights at work.
Topics studied may include:
Identification of the Employment Relationship;
The Employment Relationship as a contract;
Identification of Terms, with a focus on the implied term of trust and confidence;
Identification of Terms, with a focus on restrictive covenants;
Termination at Common Law;
Unfair Dismissal;
Redundancy; and,
Discrimination in the employment context.
Assessment Proportions
Coursework 100%
LAW.237: Principles of Commercial Law
- Terms Taught:
- Full Year course
- Michaelmas Term only
NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year, you must select the Full Year variant. Students studying with us for the Michaelmas Term only should select the Michaelmas Term only variant. - US Credits:
- Full Year: 8 semester credits
- Michaelmas Term only: 4 semester credits
- ECTS Credits:
-
Full Year: 15 ECTS
-
Michaelmas Term only: 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Previous study of Contract Law and Tort Law, or Commercial Law is essential.
Students interested in taking this module must schedule a meeting with the Module Convenor to seek permission to enrol.
Course Description
This module introduces a range of national and cross-border commercial law activities and the surrounding legal issues. The module is designed to prepare students for careers where they will be expected to have commercial awareness, understand commercial law in context and respond ot the dynamic nature of legal relations in business transactions.
Topics studied will typically include:
- Evolution of Commercial Law in the UK
- Sale of Goods
- Bailment
- Carriage of Goods by Sea
- Methods of Payment and Sources of Financing
- Insolvency, and
- Commercial Dispute Resolution
Assessment Proportions
Full Year students:
- Coursework (35%)
- Online Multiple Choice Test (30%)
- Online Open Book Exam (35%)
Michaelmas Term only students:
LAW.240: Family Law
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
The module aims to introduce students to a collection of laws as they impact upon the family as a unit and upon the individuals within a familial group. It will help you to develop a critical approach to the law in this area, and takes law as an object of study and examines how family relationships are understood in that context. The course will also develop students' ability to explain, analyse and evaluate the legal rules, concepts and values governing and regulating intimate or domestic relationships.
The module will locate the development of the law, including the institutions and procedures, within a broader historical, demographic and social context. Assumptions about family law will be tested and challenged. The module will promote awareness of the implications for family law of the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into the UK. It will also examine the relationship between families and the state, the interface between family law and family policy, the roles of individuals within families, and various theoretical perspectives on family law.
Assessment Proportions
Full Year students:
- 85% Online Open Book Exam
- 15% Online Multiple Choice Test
Michaelmas term only students:
LAW.257x: International Law
- Terms Taught:
- Full Year course
- Michaelmas Term only
NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year, you must select the Full Year variant. Students studying with us for the Michaelmas Term only should select the Michaelmas Term only variant. - US Credits:
- Full Year – 8 semester credits
- Michaelmas Term only – 4 semester credits
- ECTS Credits:
- Full Year – 15 ECTS
- Michaelmas Term only – 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: None
Course Description
The aims of this module are to give an introduction to the central elements of public international law. The topics should give students a basic knowledge of how international law works, its foundations, principles, as well as an understanding of its shortcomings and challenges. The areas introduced will cover different aspects of international law and should enable the students to identify legal issues in current international affairs. Specific areas covered are: the nature of the international legal system; the sources and subjects of international law; international law’s interaction with domestic law; jurisdiction; state responsibility; different territorial regimes; the environment; use of force; the laws of armed conflict; international crimes and other relevant aspects of international law.
Assessment Proportions
Full Year students:
- Coursework: 50%
- Online Open Book Exam: 50%
Michaelmas Term only students:
LAW.300: Health Care Law and Ethics
- Terms Taught:
- Full Year course
- Michaelmas Term only
NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year, you must select the Full Year variant. Students studying with us for the Michaelmas Term only should select the Michaelmas Term only variant.
- US Credits:
- Full Year – 8 semester credits
- Michaelmas Term only – 4 semester credits
- ECTS Credits:
- Full Year – 15 ECTS credits
- Michaelmas Term only – 7.5 ECTS credits
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
This module introduces you to the underlying conceptual framework and basic principles of health care law and ethics. You will use your understanding of these foundational issues gained in the first term, to explore specific and complex areas of health care law and practice in the second term, from medico-legal and ethical perspectives. The chosen areas will reflect current medical advances and the developing nature of medical and ethical practice.
Assessment Proportions
Full Year students:
- Multiple Choice Question test at end of the first term: 15%
- Self-recorded assessed presentation and bibliography at end of second term (30%)
- and choice of Coursework (55%) OR Online Open Book Exam (55%) in third term
Michaelmas Term only students:
LAW.301x: Environmental Law
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
The aim of this module is to examine the current law of the environment as it applies to England and Wales. This module will also consider wider aspects of Environmental Law such as the overarching principles and policy; as well as some of the International Environmental Law obligations that bind the UK. On successful completion of this module, students will have an understanding of the principles of Environmental Law and be able to critically analyse specific elements of environmental regimes.
The topics covered in this course will provide students with a knowledge of the key environmental regimes that apply in England and Wales. Students will be able to identify and engage with key issues of Environmental Law. Specific areas covered could include: principles of environmental law: environmental regulation and permitting; civil liability; climate change; waste management; and water pollution.
Assessment Proportions
Full Year Students:
- 50% Coursework
- 50% Online Open Book Exam
Michaelmas Term Only students:
LAW.303: Law, Ethics and Society
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas term only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
Ethics, Morality and Religion in the 21st century continue to attract and engage the attention of the government, parliament and the courts, as they have done throughout English legal history.
This module is relevant and significant from a career's perspective for those wishing to consider a career in law, as well as a career in other fields such as politics and media.
The Law, Ethics and Society module also introduces students to the laws which regulate morality and religious belief in the UK. It also examines how law and ethics presently interact in the UK.
The syllabus will cover a range of topics, which may include:
- Ethics and the SRA Principles
- The History of English Law and Morality
- The Legal Status of Religious Groups
- The Legal Definition of Morality
- The Human Rights Act 1998 and its Promotion of Religious Freedom
Assessment Proportions
LAW.307: Terrorism, Security and Threats
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas term only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS credits
- Pre-requisites: At least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
The course will typically include topics like:
- Introduction to Terrorism Studies
- Responses to Terrorism: Legal, Societal, and Practical
- Counterterrorism Practice and Strategy
- Spatialization: The Geopolitics of Terrorism
- Securitization: Terrorism, Migration, and Security
The overarching theme in the module is to examine the policing practice of terrorism in the UK. The module will begin with an introduction to terrorism studies as the means to frame 'Critical Terrorism Studies' as the analytical lens that students will adopt throughout the module. This will introduce students to 'terrorism' and 'counterterrorism' as legal concepts which will become a useful analytical standpoint. Typically, students will engage with four topics that will each cover a specific aspect of policing terrorism. Each of the topics will allow students to engage critically with policing terrorism in modern Britain given the dynamic nature of the prevailing threat of terrorism.
Assessment Proportions
Coursework or a portfolio comprising of a mixture of blogs and/or podcast: 100%
LAW.310: EU Law
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits: 4 semester credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
The module will examine the nature of EU Law and the EU legal system and its relationship with UK law. The focus of the module will be on key concepts and EU law principles that make the EU legal system unique, and how EU law interacts with UK law.
The module may such topics as:
- The Competences of the EU;
- Sources of EU law;
- Key EU law principles, such as Supremacy, and Direct Effect etc;
- Retained EU law; and,
- Case Studies highlighting how these rules and principles apply in real world disputes.
Assessment Proportions
LAW.311: Mass Atrocities and War Crimes
- Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
This course assesses the legal, practical, political and moral issues involved in using national and international courts, truth and justice commissions, and other techniques of ‘transitional justice’ to pursue accountability for war crimes and mass atrocities committed by repressive regimes. This includes the legacy of Nazi Germany, the central and southern American dictatorships, apartheid South Africa, communism in Europe up to 1989, and the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s. It will draw together disparate materials in law, politics, history and criminology to provide a critical window on how the very worst violations of human rights have been addressed.
Assessment Proportions
LAW.313: Intellectual Property Law and Policy
- Terms Taught: Lent/Summer terms only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
Intellectual property law is the umbrella term relating to the legal protection of intangibles through, for examples, copyright, patents and trademarks. Its study is strongly related to societal creativity and innovation.
This course focuses mainly upon copyright law and the law relating to patents. It takes a contextual and historical approach, which requires an assessment of how the law can create a balance between rights holders and society as a whole.
We will study how principles which were created to protect religious books can now be applied to a film or a musical sample. A strong theme will be the challenges and opportunities presented by the growth of the Internet and its accompanying political dimension.
In the half of the course looking at patents we will be looking at the current national, regional and international legal frameworks which govern patents. We will also look in more depth at some recent developments on human embryo stem cell patenting and employee compensation.
Assessment Proportions
- Coursework (100%) OR Online Open Book Exam (100%)
LAW.316: Immigration and Asylum Law
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites:
at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
This course introduces students to the principles of UK immigration and asylum law. Asylum is a subject seldom out of the media and it has received unprecedented political attention in the last decade. Given that immigration is now such a wide subject, with seven major new statutes in the last decade, students will only be introduced to selected highlights and the course will focus mainly on the asylum process. Consideration of the general issues is developed through the study of topics such as the nature of an asylum claim; the link between human rights and asylum; immigration detention; the foreign prisoner crisis and deportation.
Please note that students will be required independently to visit the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal prior to or in the first two weeks of the course and that the coursework essay is based on student choice and not a set title.
Assessment Proportions
LAW.319: Competition Law
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
The Competition Law module is designed to give you a good grounding in contemporary competition law and the economics and policy which underlie it. The main focus will be on EU and UK competition law, but reference will also be made to US and Australian law where it provides a useful counterpoint.
The course will examine the way in which antitrust and behavioural economics interact and inform the development of competition law and policy. The main EU antitrust provisions, their UK counterparts, and the merger control regimes in the EU and UK will be covered. The module will cover the basic provisions but special focus will be given to areas of controversy or recent reform. The way in which the law is enforced will also be given special consideration.
Assessment Proportions
Full Year Students:
- Coursework (case study): 50%
- Online Open Book Exam: 50%
Michaelmas Term Only:
LAW.334: Company Law
- Terms Taught:
- Full Year course
- Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits:
- Full Year – 8 semester credits
- Michaelmas Term only – 4 semester credits
- ECTS Credits:
- Full Year – 15 ECTS
- Michaelmas Term only – 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
The company law course covers the key areas of company law from incorporation to insolvency including corporate personality and piercing the corporate veil, the company’s constitution, contracts and companies, directors’ duties and minority shareholder protection. Also covered is the law relating to share and loan capital and company charges leading into the administration procedure and other insolvency regimes. Relevant theories relating to the corporation and its role in society generally are considered.
Assessment Proportions
Full Year:
- Coursework: 50%
- Online Open Book Exam: 50%
Michaelmas Term only:
LAW.335: Evidence
- Terms Taught: Lent/Summer terms only
- US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: at least two semesters of study in law
Course Description
This course introduces students to the principles of the law of evidence in criminal cases. It also introduces students to the nature and theory of proof.
These general issues are developed through the study of particular topics such as:
- The burden and standard of proof;
- Confessions and illegally obtained evidence;
- Disputed identification evidence and other warnings to the jury;
- Hearsay;
- The credibility of witnesses and bad character evidence.
Assessment Proportions
- Coursework: 50%
- Online Open Book Exam: 50%
LAW.336: Private International Law
- Terms Taught:
- US Credits:
- ECTS Credits:
- Pre-requisites: Students interested in taking this module must schedule a meeting with the Module Convenor to seek permission to enrol.
Course Description
Private international law - also known as conflict of laws - is the discipline of law concerned with cross border private law cases: for example, a transnational commercial dispute, or a tort claim arising out of an environmental disaster abroad. The discipline's central questions are jurisdiction (will an English court of a foreign court hear the case?), choice of law (should the court apply its own law or that of a foreign country?), and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgements. In addition to the rules by made in individual legal systems, international conventions, and regional legal instruments are relevant legal sources that seek to harmonise how such issues are resolved.
Topics covered may include:
- Fundamental conceptions
- Connecting Factors: Personal connecting factors and comparison with nationality
- Jurisdiction of English courts under the traditional English rules for actions in personam
- Recognition & enforcement of foreign judgements and decrees
- Choice of law in contract
- Choice of law in tort
- Comparative private international law
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5119: Intellectual Property Law
- Terms Taught: Lent//Summer terms only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites:
- Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject.
- Must have undertaken a course of study in intellectual property law (either in relation to a national jurisdiction, or with an international focus) at undergraduate level.
Course Description
This module is a highly-relevant look at Intellectual Property Law. It provides you with the opportunity to undertake an in-depth evaluation of the UK’s intellectual property framework and its interaction with international law.
We will introduce you to the key legal principles and political issues underpinning intellectual property protection. At the heart of our evaluation of the law is a strong focus on technological developments (e.g. film, television, software, the Internet, cloud storage, stem cell research).
Some of the specific themes and topics that you’ll study include:
- Intellectual property protection – is the legal framework fit for the modern age?
- Copyright – UK and EU measures to address the growth of peer-to-peer sharing of copyrighted works
- Patents – requirements/employee protection/biotech patents/software patents
- Trademarks – requirements/non-standard marks such as sound, smell or colour/exclusions/Internet auction sites and keywords
Our prestigious Law School is home to research-active lecturers and you will benefit from the convenor’s research examining: the regulation of the Internet: the ownership issues relating to software developed to facilitate responses to disasters; and the EU’s approach to robotics (driverless cars and healthcare robotics) ensuring that patent protection supports technological development.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5120: Corporate Governance
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
The governance of corporations is of great public, political and academic interest.
This module introduces (and then explores in more depth) the main areas of English law and legal practise relating to Corporate Governance. We use the theory of company law, the ‘stakeholder debate’, comparative corporate law, and regulation and globalisation as the background for our study.
Throughout this engaging module, comparisons will be made to relevant parts of the law in Europe, the USA, Canada, China and other jurisdictions.
We will also consider the governance of family and closely-controlled firms from a comparative perspective. And, we will examine the roles of key players within such firms – from the board and its sub-committees, to shareholders and institutional investors.
A combination of independent reading and regular seminars with our highly-regarded, research-active academics will provide you with a sound grasp of the major legal regimes that govern corporate governance. You will also develop a greater understanding of the central questions and debates arising from this area of law.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5205: International Law
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
Diverse and fascinating: the rules, laws and customs that govern inter-state relationships come into sharp focus in this module. It provides you with a base from which you can further your study of specific areas of international law.
As we explore the essential elements of international law, and the way that they are used to shape the world in which we live, you will gain an in-depth understanding of both theory and practice. You will be given ‘real’ examples of international law to critically assess, allowing you to identify its shortcomings and challenges.
You will be introduced to fundamental principles and concepts if international law and to some topical issues:
- The nature and sources of international law
- The relationship between international and national law
- Statehood and self-determination
- Jurisdiction
- Immunities
- State responsibility
- Dispute settlement
- Use of force
Our prestigious Law School is home to some of the most highly-regarded international lawyers and research-active lecturers – you will benefit from their expertise as they teach on areas closely aligned with their own research interests.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5207: International Business Law and Institutions
- Terms Taught: Lent/Summer terms only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
We live in a world where an increasing amount of business is conducted across international borders. International Business Law and Institutions (WTO) considers the role of law, institutions, law makers and regulators in the international business environment.
You will look at the international legal and institutional framework that regulates transnational business and you will analyse the nature of legal and regulatory arrangements, including:
- National laws affecting international investment (and their regulation)
- Forms of international law affecting transnational business (bilateral and multilateral treaties, codes of conduct, decisions of international organisations)
- The basic principles of GATT
- The structure and role of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
- The interplay between the WTO and other areas of global regulation (health and environmental protection)
- Product standards
- International aspects of intellectual property rights
- Regulatory aspects of the internationalisation of services (especially financial)
A combination of independent reading and regular seminars with our highly-regarded, research-active lawyers and academics will provide you with a sound grasp of this fascinating legal area.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5212: International Environmental Law
- Terms Taught: Lent/Summer terms only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
Our world is facing an ever-increasing number of global environmental challenges. This engaging module examines the international legal response to those challenges.
We will delve into the socio-economic, political and scientific implications of environmental problems. As we do so, we will assess the impact of those implications on law and policy-making.
The module focuses on a number of contemporary environmental problems: climate change, marine pollution, the protection of international watercourses, fisheries and biodiversity, and the relationship between trade and the environment. You will assess the strengths and inadequacies of the law in regulating each of these issues.
Your studies will also include:
- Fundamental concepts and principles of international environmental law
- Sustainable development and the precautionary principle
- How international environmental law operates (law-making, environmental governance and institutional structure)
- Compliance with environmental rules and standards
You will be taught by lecturers who are specialists in their field and active researchers. Current, cutting-edge research within the teaching team informs this module.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5213: International Human Rights Law
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas term only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
How do international laws protect, govern and shape your human rights?
This course provides an overview of the various rights that are protected through international instruments: civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
You will also be given a general introduction to regional and universal systems for human rights protection and promotion. This will focus on the UN human rights system but you will be encouraged to take a comparative view of regional human rights protection systems.
You will gain a substantive and procedural knowledge of human rights through the international system. And you’ll engage with some key debates in this legal arena, such as the development of human rights and the human rights obligations of non-state actors.
To get the most from this module, you will have some knowledge of general international law and have a law or social science background.
Our prestigious Law School is home to some of the most highly-regarded international lawyers and research-active lecturers - you will benefit from their expertise as they teach on areas closely aligned with their own research interests.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5216: Insolvency Law
- Terms Taught: Lent/Summer terms only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
This a rare opportunity to study an issue of growing social and commercial importance: insolvency. Together, we will take an in-depth look at the fundamentals of insolvency law in the UK, including corporate, personal and cross-border insolvency.
At the heart of this popular module is a critical appraisal of the current UK insolvency institutions and insolvency law. You will see insolvency as a pervasive issue in business transactions, tracking the role it plays over the lifespan of a company from incorporation to trading to ultimate insolvency.
By the end of your studies you will understand the links between companies and viable economies and you will be in a position to recommend much-needed reforms.
Our Insolvency Law module also covers the EC regulation on insolvency proceedings, which will serve to raise your awareness of a range of current EC commercial policies.
You will be taught by lecturers who are specialists in their field and active researchers. They will bridge the gap between law in theory and law in practice by introducing you to the faculty’s empirical research (and the central issues it reveals). This approach will encourage discussion and deepen your understanding of this fascinating legal area.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5217: Corporations in International Business Law
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
This module, taught and developed over 25 years, helps you to develop a coherent international perspective on business law as it relates to, and affects, corporations. We use our globalised economy as the context for an in-depth study of corporate law.
You will be asked to consider the view that a national corporate is merely a service which international business can access if it suits their needs. And you will critically assess and discuss the pros and cons of this perspective.
As we continue to interrogate this line of thought, you will have the opportunity to examine the strengths and weaknesses of UK corporate law - taking a comparative view when measuring UK corporate law against international standards. Strong links to practitioners will inform our insights.
Lancaster University is home to some of the most highly-regarded international business lawyers and scholars. This module draws upon 40 years of research experience and the expertise of a convenor with wide experience of doctoral candidate supervision.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5221: The Law of the United Nations
- Terms Taught: Lent/Summer terms only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
International organisations such as the UN, EU, NATO and IMF play a prominent role in international society. All have rights and obligations under international law but they also hold different positions, exhibit their own personalities, and establish differing systems and structures.
This module seeks to make the concept of international organisations (and their rights and obligations under international law) familiar to you.
In the course of your studies you will look at the structure, membership, law-making powers and accountability of international organisations, taking the United Nations system as your particular focus.
You will also be encouraged to critically analyse the interplay between these prominent organisations and the current body of international law.
Our prestigious Law School is home to some of the most highly-regarded international lawyers and research-active lecturers. The convenor of this module has recently contributed the chapter on International Organisations for the Oxford Handbook on Jurisdiction.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5235: International Commercial Litigation
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
Three main questions arise when civil and commercial disputes before the English courts contain an international element. These are the questions that you will tackle in this thought-provoking module:
- How do we decide which court can legitimately claim jurisdiction in relation to the dispute?
- Which system of law will the court claiming jurisdiction apply to the dispute? and,
- Once a decision has been reached by the courts in one country, under what circumstances will that decision be recognised or enforced in the other country or countries?
For example: a contract between an English company and a French company is to be performed in Germany. Should the French, the German or the English courts hear the dispute? Should the contract be governed by French, German or English law? And, if the dispute is decided in England by an English court applying French law, can this decision be enforced against a German defendant in Germany?
This module is delivered through a series of intensive seminars facilitating discussion between you, your peers, and the lecturer who is a recognised expert in the commercial conflict of laws. The module is informed by the lecturer's cutting-edge research on issues at the forefront of legal knowledge. You will be encouraged to form your own considered views on contentious issues.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5236: International Criminal Law
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
What are the merits of international criminal justice? And what are the main challenges that present themselves in this area of law?
This module provides you with an opportunity to consider these key questions as you benefit from an introduction to substantive international criminal law.
You will explore the central theme of international crimes, deepening your understanding of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Within your analysis, you will address the role of international courts and tribunals, mixed and hybrid courts and tribunals, as well as developments in national courts.
This is your chance to critically engage with stimulating examples of prosecution and punishment, which are central to the subject of international criminal law. Your studies will be informed by the convenor’s cutting-edge research on transitional criminal justice and retrospective justice.
A combination of independent reading and regular seminars will provide you with a sound grasp of this fascinating legal discipline.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5238: Environmental Law
- Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only`
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject
Course Description
How have the principles of environmental law developed? How effective is the environmental law of England and Wales?
Law students and students from Lancaster Environment Centre study side by side on this module. This presents you with a rare interdisciplinary opportunity to share ideas and perspectives between lawyers and scientists. Together, we will explore the sources, principles and effectiveness of environmental law in England and Wales.
Within your studies you will investigate the efficacy and effect of environmental law. Topics analysed include: water pollution, the history of environmental law, green criminology and the protection of the countryside. The module then builds upon this critical analysis to explain how the aqueous, atmospheric and terraneous environments are protected by law.
Environmental law is taught by research-active academics who will introduce you to their cutting-edge research into green criminology, access to the countryside, market mechanisms and environmental protection. This research informs their teaching and you can choose an essay based on these topics or develop your own question with the support of our lecturers.
Assessment Proportions
LL.M5244: Business and Human Rights
- Terms Taught: Lent and Summer Terms Only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law related subject.
Course Description
The relationship between human rights enjoyment/violations and the behaviour of business enterprises has been a topic of discussion for several decades. Challenges posed by business behaviour have led to the development and implementation of many initiatives by international institutions, such as the UN. In this module, the rational for considering human rights in the context of business activities will be studied, and also the challenges faced by traditional international law to try to accommodate these concepts. The module will address voluntary guidelines and more legally binding provisions, as well as following the UN process of drafting an international treaty on business and human rights.
Assessment Proportions
- Presentation: 20%
- Coursework: 80%
LL.M5248: Corporations and Sustainable Development
- Terms Taught: Lent/Summer terms only
- US Credits: 5 Semester Credits
- ECTS Credits: 10 ECTS
- Pre-requisites: Student must have completed 3 years undergraduate study in Law or Law-related subject.
Course Description
Questions surrounding the ways that regulation of business by the law will contribute to facilitating and promoting sustainable economic development now dominate newspaper headlines, policymakers’ agendas, and academic research. This module provides an insight into the concepts and legal issues related to facilitating and promoting sustainable economic development, with a focus on the law regulating corporate governance and capital markets. In addition to established concepts regarding the integration of wider environmental and social considerations in business and finance, this module explores the theories, legal concepts and efforts to promote sustainable economic development and the legal issues and challenges they generate. The module provides an account of the legal regulation of corporate governance and capital markets in the UK and the EU that seeks to promote sustainable economic development, but comparisons will be made with relevant parts of the law from other jurisdictions as well. Among other topics, the module considers the difference of ‘weak’ and ‘strong’ forms of sustainability, the regulation of the corporate objective by reference to promoting sustainable economic development, the development and regulation of sustainable corporate governance and stewardship, the development of sustainable finance, and issues arising from practices in specific industry sectors, such as the garment/fashion industry. A combination of independent reading, regular seminars and other teaching and reflective activities will provide you with a sound grasp of the challenges sustainability and sustainable economic development poses to the legal regulation of business. You will also develop a greater understanding of the central questions and debates arising from this area of law.
Assessment Proportions
