International Commercial Law and Practice, LLM (Online Learning) The University of Edinburgh

The LLM in International Commercial Law & Practice will enable you to engage with a wide range of subject areas and to gain advanced knowledge and understanding of international legal principles.

The courses allow you to develop a practical understanding of the legal issues surrounding specific industries, markets and commercial relationships. They also facilitate a broader and more generic understanding of underlying themes such as harmonisation, regulation and compliance.

The programme will enable you to look beyond the technical content of the relevant law and to think critically about the underlying problems and conflicting solutions. Having studied the programme, you will emerge with an understanding not just of legal issues, but regard to ethical principles and the social and economic context. Here, particular emphasis is placed on the economic and commercial context.

Entry Requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2023/24 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2024/25 academic year will be published on 2 October 2023.

A minimum UK 2:1 honours degree from a UK university, or its international equivalent, in law.

We will also consider candidates with a degree in a related discipline which includes relevant prior study.

Entry to this programme is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements for consideration does not guarantee an offer of study.

Supporting your application

Relevant work experience is not required but may increase your chances of acceptance.

Relevant professional qualifications will be considered.

Preference will be given to those with grades above the minimum requirements due to strong competition for places on this programme.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 7.0 in writing and 6.5 in all other components.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 25 in writing and 23 in all other components.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 185 in writing and 176 in all other components.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 70 in writing and 62 in all other components.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Programme structure

To be awarded LLM International Commercial Law & Practice, you must successfully complete six courses, four of which must be core courses, and a 10,000-word dissertation during your chosen duration of the study.

During your studies, you will also have the opportunity to study up to two courses from different subject areas such as information technology law, intellectual property law and medical law.

Year 1

Dissertation LLM International Commercial Law and Practice

Group A

• Contract Law in Europe
• Dispute Resolution Methods
• European Competition and Innovation
• Corporate Compliance: Case Studies in Law & Ethics
• Comparative and International Corporate Governance
• International law, human rights and corporate accountability
• Banking and Financial Law: Case Studies
• Sustainable Capitalism and Investment

and

Group B

• Communications Law
• Regulation of autonomous systems: the law of robotics
• EU Data Protection Law
• Fundamentals in Bioethics
• International and European Law of the Media
• Mental Health Law
• Space Law and Policy

and

Group C

• Information Technology Law
• Information: Control and Power
• The Fundamentals of Law and Medical Ethics
• Global Health: Law and Policy
• Law and Ethics at the Start and End of Life
• Clinical Negligence and the Law
• Biotechnology, Regulation and Society

The majority of students in the Law School’s LLM programmes by online distance learning are mid-career, and they often work across international boundaries. Many will already be established in their career, but wish to use the programme to consolidate skills and knowledge accumulated over time.

Graduates of our online distance learning programmes progress to a range of careers in law and related legal fields, including work in local and international firms, government legal departments, other public institutions, international organisations and in academia. The programmes are also an ideal platform for advanced research.

For some graduates, successful completion of the programme will lead to a promotion within their current positions. Others aim to develop a new professional direction altogether. The programme aims to support students in whichever outcome they aspire to, through developing their knowledge and understanding of the law, but also through acquiring transferable skills and, not least, the experience of engaging with leading academics in the field and with fellow students.

The profile of online distance learning LLM students, and their needs for career guidance, are recognised by the University careers service, which offers information resources relevant to international and non-Law careers, and the opportunity to arrange individual consultations with students who are based remotely.