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Commercial Law and Professional Legal Practice at Southampton, Solent University - UCAS

There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

Designed for professionals looking to enhance their CV with sought-after legal knowledge and skills, this specialist master’s offers detailed insight into real-world commercial law alongside the practical expertise to add value in business, management, compliance, legal, tech, HR and other roles. Students will develop a solid understanding of the fundamentals of commercial law, building on existing knowledge from your law or other undergraduate degree, and enhancing your employability in business, management or other commercial areas – without the additional expense and investment of time required to become a fully qualified, court-specialised lawyer. As a graduate of this LLM, you will be well placed to work on legal issues faced by businesses or other organisations – offering specialist knowledge and a practical approach to applying that knowledge in a commercial context. For international students, English commercial law and the laws relating to international commercial law form the basis of contracts and dispute resolution around the globe. This LLM programme would provide significant value to international students who wished to study in the UK before returning home to work in their home jurisdiction. After an early focus on the fundamentals of commercial law, you will develop your specialist expertise; exploring risk management and compliance within an organisation, and learning to reduce both internal and external risks. You will also look at alternative non-court-based dispute resolution mechanisms, from mediation to arbitration, and have the opportunity to develop your own negotiation and advocacy skills with our law school’s mooting and debate society. You will complete your master’s with either a dissertation tailored to your own personal and career interests, or through a practical internship at a real-world organisation, giving you valuable commercial experience and enhancing your applied and practical professional skills. The course is ideal for students looking to add a legal element to their career, both in the UK and internationally – particularly those interested in managerial or in-house legal positions. While an undergraduate law degree is not required, prospective students should be able to show a passion for the law and interest in its practical commercial applications.

Modules

Core modules

  • Commercial Law
In this module, you will be provided an introduction to English commercial law as a whole, combined with an in-depth coverage of some contemporary aspects. You will become familiar with the fundamental principles of commercial law, and you will be able to apply these principles to a wide range of transactions, centred on contracts and the usages of the market, between merchants.
  • International Commercial Law
You will develop an in-depth understanding of the interaction, and implications, between national legal systems and the body of legal rules affecting international trade. You will explore standard contract terms for international commercial transactions, such as the United Nations Conventions on the International Sale of Goods and the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts, and you will conduct an appraisal of documentary credits.
  • Legal Risk Management, Compliance and Artificial Intelligence
You will learn the process of identifying, assessing, and controlling legal, strategic, and compliance risks of an organisation. How to reduce internal operational risks, such as fraud, and external legal risks such as lawsuits.
  • Negotiation and Dispute Resolution
You will learn the difference and suitability of several kind of alternative to court dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation, negotiation and arbitration. You will learn the strategy and tactics required for a successfully outcome.
  • Optional modules
One of the following:
  • Dissertation
You will learn about the processes and academic debates around doing research, planning, applying for ethics, collecting data, analysing data and writing your research project into a dissertation. You will learn how to manage the research process and understand complications and how to manage these when they arise during data collections.
  • Internship
The specific areas of study will depend on the context of the internship. This module will allow you to enhance, and document achievements, in a range of skills and knowledge areas. Common achievements include successful team working, customer awareness, problem-solving skills, skills in literacy and communications. Enhanced skills may include conflict management, negotiation and professionalism.


How to apply

International applicants

All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office. We strongly advise all applicants to check the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to visit our website to see the relevant information that outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.

Entry requirements

• 2:2 (or higher) honours degree Language Requirements: Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are: • IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component • TOEFL IBT 92 with a minimum of 22 in writing and a minimum of 20 in reading, listening and speaking • Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 100 in each component or equivalent. Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.


Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £4575 Year 1
Northern Ireland £4575 Year 1
Scotland £4575 Year 1
Wales £4575 Year 1
Channel Islands £4575 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

International and EU part-time fees: Students from outside the UK are usually unable to obtain a visa for part-time study. Please visit our visas and immigration page for more information. While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact [email protected].

Sponsorship information

Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.

Commercial Law and Professional Legal Practice at Southampton, Solent University - UCAS