Law LLM

Enhance your understanding of the complex frameworks of international law-making and governance. Investigate and apply theories, principles and rules of international law. Graduate and embark on a rewarding career.

Skills Boost NE Discount

Info on joining us in September 2020

Overview

This Law LLM will set you on track for a successful career in law and help you develop valuable skills employers look for, including ‘Advanced Legal Skills’ and ‘International Perspectives in Law’.

The course mixes taught elements with independent research, and you can negotiate the topic of your dissertation project to fit both your personal interests and the supervisory expertise of Sunderland's tutors.

Why us?

95.3% of our graduates are in employment or further study within six months of graduating, according to DLHE 2016/17 (based on UK postgraduate students)
LLM Law achieved a 100% overall satisfaction rating (from 11 respondents) in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2019 (PTES)

Research in Law at Sunderland has been described as ‘internationally excellent’ by the latest Research Excellence Framework

Joining us in 2020

We are pleased to welcome you to Sunderland Law School as you start the academic year 2020/21.

In your first week of the course, you will be introduced to your Programme Leader and Personal Tutor, David Sixsmith, and our Head of Clinic, Catherine Arnold and her clinic team. Your law course will be delivered using a hybrid model which combines face-to-face and online teaching to ensure that you can undertake your course with us and keep safe. We use the latest in digital technology to support the teaching of our law courses, and this enables you to develop your knowledge and skills through a variety of different learning experiences. Your recorded lectures allow you to view your sessions ‘on demand’ – enabling you to re-watch, pause and rewind your lectures as and when you choose.

During your first semester, you’ll receive weekly face-to-face sessions and participate in a range of online learning activities. These sessions will be specifically designed to develop your legal knowledge and a wide range of key legal and practice-related skills. Your timetable will detail when your face-to-face teaching and live online lectures and classes will take place.

An important part of your course is the work that you will do in the Sunderland Student Law Clinic. You will have a comprehensive induction into clinic practices as well as core Drafting, practical research, and interviewing skills in addition to introducing you to CLIO – our online client management system which will become a vital part of your work in clinic. You will work in firms with other students under the supervision of Qualified Solicitors who will support you with your learning and development.

You’ll meet the law team, your colleagues in your firms and have the opportunity to get involved in a range of extra-curricular activities. For example, you can get involved with Client Interviewing, Client Negotiation and Mooting competitions as well as the Freedom law clinic programme, which is a national programme which focuses on Criminal law and Human Rights cases- if you have time. You can get involved in running our Sunderland Student Law Journal, and you can present at our staff and student research conference. We will continue to review the position on social-distancing and as the conditions develop will adapt our approach accordingly. The team will make sure you are aware of any changes that impact you.

At Sunderland Law School, we are dedicated to providing exceptional student support to all of our law students. So rest assured, we will ensure that during your time with Sunderland Law School, you will receive high quality teaching and a wide range of experiences that will develop your knowledge and skills, preparing you for the career you want.

Course structure

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods which include weekly three-hour workshops. These are interactive and require a high level of preparation. You’ll also undertake a research project and dissertation which are supervised by your tutor.

Your progress will be assessed by written coursework, usually a 6,000 word essay for each taught module.

Compared to an undergraduate course, you will find that this Masters course requires a higher level of independent working.

Semester 1

Advanced Legal Skills (30 credits)
Criminal Law & Justice or Commercial Law & International Trade or International Human Rights (30 credits)

Semester 2

Applied Legal Methods (30 credits)
Legal Research Project (30 credits)

Semester 3

Dissertation (60 credits)

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Facilities

You’ll be based at the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s on the banks of the River Wear, within walking distance of the coast.

Entry requirements

Our typical offer is:

Qualification	Minimum grade
a Canadian bachelor's degree	GPA 2.40
a USA bachelor's degree	GPA 2.5

If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.

We usually require you to hold at least a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant area.

We also welcome applications from students who have experience in a range of disciplines and professional backgrounds. To discuss your application, please get in touch and the Programme Leader will be able to advise.

If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The annual fee for this course is:

£6,250 if you are from the UK / EU
£13,000 if you are an international student

If you are unsure whether you qualify as a UK, EU or international student, find out more in our Help and Advice article.

The Skills Boost North East Discount is a 20% waiver on the full cost of course fees for postgraduate taught Masters courses for any worker who has been furloughed, has been made redundant, or is likely to be made redundant and who has a local connection to the North East region. The discount is also available to anyone with a connection to the North East who graduated in academic year 2019/20 with an undergraduate degree from any university, or who has graduated with an undergraduate degree from a university in the North East in academic year 2019/20 and has been unable to secure full-time graduate employment due to pressures of Covid-19. Read more about the discount.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Career ready

This LLM course equips you with advanced skills and knowledge in a specialised area of law. As a result, you’ll have an important edge when applying for roles in the Crown Prosecution Service, police, and prison or probation services. Salaries of law graduates are among the highest of all graduates.

You’ll also be better equipped for applying for training contracts or pupillages, if this is appropriate to your career stage.

In addition a Masters degree will enhance opportunities in academic roles or further study towards a PhD.

The Enterprise Place

If you have a good idea for a new business and have the dedication and motivation to make it happen, then we want to hear from you. The Enterprise Place, based on-campus at St Peter's Gate Business Centre, is the perfect environment for entrepreneurial students and graduates to turn their business ideas into reality. You will have access to free hot desk space, IT facilities, specialist advice and support and business mentors and networking opportunities.

To find out more about how we can help you start a business, please contact the University's Enterprise Team:

Tel: 0191 515 3751

Email: enterprise@sunderland.ac.uk

Meet the students

The best aspect of the Law course was the standard of teaching.

Syed Ahmed

Meet the team

Related courses

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Business, Law and Tourism.

Page last updated: 03 September 2020

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