Introduction
Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time
The SOAS LLM in International Commercial and Economic Law is designed for law graduates and practising 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.
Why SOAS?
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. Similarly, it offers an opportunity to develop a critical awareness of international investment law, intellectual property, the law of Islamic finance and settlement of international commercial disputes. The modules are taught by leading scholars in the field and guest lectures are delivered by experienced practitioners.
Why You?
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 International Commercial and Economic LLM programme is restricted to applicants who hold an LLB. If you do not hold an LLB but are interested in pursuing a master’s degree in law at SOAS, please see details of the MA.
Structure
Students must take modules to a total value of 180, 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 his or her specialised LLM, a further 30 credits within the School of Law (General Law Postgraduate Taught Module List), and a final 30 unit which can either be taken within the School of Law or from the Language Open Options or Non-Language Open Options pages with the LLM Programme Convenor’s permission. The dissertation topic will be undertaken within the LLM specialisation.
Please note: Not all modules listed will be available every year.
Dissertation
Dissertation (12,000 words), on a topic related to the specialism of the degree.
LLM Dissertation in Law
Taught Component
Multinational Enterprises and the Law I
Multinational Enterprises and the Law II
Guided Option
Choose modules from the List A below to the value of 60 credits.
and
Choose a module(s) from the List A or General Law PGT Options below to the value of 30 credits.
and
Choose a module(s) from the List of General Law PGT Options below or from Postgraduate Open Options to the value of 30 credits.
*subject to approval from LLM convenor & module convenor. Includes language modules.
List A (Specialism Modules)
International Commercial Arbitration
Intellectual Property Law (PG)
Islamic Law in Global Financial Markets
International Investment Law
Business and Human Rights in the Global Economy
Comparative Company Law
General Law Options
Gender, Law and Society in The Middle East and North Africa
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Gender, Sexuality and Law: Selected Topics
Gender, Sexuality and Law: Theories and Methodologies
Human Rights and Islamic Law
International Commercial Arbitration
International Human Rights Clinic
International Investment Law
Islamic Law (MA/LLM)
Law and Development in Africa
Law and Society in Southeast Asia
Law and Society in the Middle East and North Africa
Law, Rights & Social Change
Preliminary Law, Legal Reasoning and Legal Methods
International Migration Law
International Refugee Law
Law and Society in South Asia
Mapping International Law in London: International Legal Geography in the Capital of Empire
Law, Environment and Social Justice
Law and Justice in Contemporary China
Climate Change Law and Policy
Colonialism, Empire and International Law
Comparative Constitutional Law
Foundations of International Law
Human Rights of Wome
International Criminal Law
International Protection of Human Rights
Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post Conflict Societies
Law and Natural Resources
Law and Policy of International Courts and Tribunals
Law and Postcolonial Theory
Islamic Law in Global Financial Markets
Israel, Palestine, and International Law (30Cr)
Multinational Enterprises and The Law
The Law of Armed Conflict
The Law of International Trade and/or Financial Regulation
Water Justice: Rights, Access and Movements (Law)
Intellectual Property Law (PG)
Human Rights of Women
Law and Global Commons
International Environmental Law I
International Environmental Law II
Water and Development: Commodification, Ecology and Globalisation (Law)
Multinational Enterprises and the Law I
Multinational Enterprises and the Law II
Business and Human Rights in the Global Economy
Comparative Company Law
Israel, Palestine and International Law
Palestine, Resistance, and the Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution I
Alternative Dispute Resolution II
International laws on the use of force
Gender, Armed Conflict and International Law
Note: all PGT School of Law modules, unless explicitly restricted to MA or MRES students, should be available to LLM students.
Open Options NoteOpen options will need the approval of deputy PG programme convenor (LLM or MA).
Important notice
The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session.
Admissions and Applications
You can apply for this course via the online application form.
We aim to assess a complete application and provide a decision within a 5-week time frame. Overseas students who require a Tier 4 visa and wish to join SOAS should bear in mind visa applications can take several weeks, so you should apply as soon as possible.
Consideration of Application
The whole application, including transcript and references, is considered before a decision is reached. You are therefore advised to submit a complete application including references and transcript (where required). An incomplete application will add considerable delays to the decision-making process.
Students will receive an acknowledgement of their application. Each application is carefully considered and although we try and respond as quickly as possible, we do ask that students should expect to receive a response within five weeks of receipt.
Candidates who are available in the United Kingdom may be called for an interview. The absence of academic members of staff (or instance on study leave) may affect the timing of decisions.
Entry Requirements
Minimum upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in Law. We welcome applications from students who are close to an upper second class honours degree (High 2:2) and who have other relevant qualifications or work experience.
English Language Entry Requirements
You must be able to show that your English is of a high enough standard to successfully engage with and complete your course at SOAS. Please note that we take our English language requirements seriously and failure to meet them exactly may well result in your application to SOAS being rejected. It is not possible to negotiate if your scores are below our required levels, with the expectation that because they are 'close enough' they will be accepted. It is important that you plan appropriately, well in advance, so that your English language test comes in good time and so that you have time to retake the test if necessary. We do not accept reasons of inconvenience or financial hardship for not submitting or retaking an English test.
International students
For EU and International students who need a visa, if unconditional entry scores are achieved we accept qualifications from several countries, as well as a range of international qualifications and tests.
If a Tier 4 entry visa is required then a SELT, such as UKVI IELTS may be needed. For this reason, we recommend all Tier 4 visa students to choose the UKVI IELTS Academic test as the test of first resort.
