General Law LLM
Why choose this course?
Kingston's LLM offers you an exciting opportunity to gain a solid postgraduate education in law at the same time as boosting your professional career, through development of your research, analytical and practical skills
This course is a flexible, rigorous masters programme: you can take modules at a high academic level in any area of law that interests you. We combine excellent, rigorous academic teaching with opportunities to engage with the professional world and to develop your professional network.
The Department of Law has a team of highly skilled academics, some of whom combine teaching with legal practice. This helps to ensure that the courses are constantly refreshed with the latest industry thinking and practice, and provides you with the opportunity to mix with people who can provide hands-on experience and insight into their area of legal work.
| Mode | Duration | Attendance | Start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full time | 1 year | Mixture of daytime and evening classes depending on choice of modules | September 2023 |
| Part time | 2 years | Mixture of daytime and evening classes depending on choice of modules | September 2023 |
| Location | Penrhyn Road |
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- The academic team includes National Teaching Award winners, fellows from the Higher Education Academy, and staff who combine teaching with legal practice, research and scholarship.
- You may present your work at research workshops, enter competitions in client interviewing, mediation and mooting, and volunteer with our Legal Advice Centre.
- Studies are enhanced by legal events and guest lectures, covering legal aspects of areas such as technology, employment, climate change and human trafficking.
What you will study
The General Law LLM allows you to tailor your programme to your interests and career goals, with no named specialisation. Students will:
- undertake a core dissertation in an area of their choice, subject to the availability of an appropriate supervisor
- choose four modules from a range of any of the optional modules. This ensures your degree is transferable to any career path upon completion.
You can choose to take the full-time programme (one year) or the part-time one (two years).
Core module
Elective modules
Core module
Legal Research and Dissertation
60 credits
This module is a core requirement for all LLM programmes. It aims to develop students' skills in advanced legal research and their appreciation of the theoretical underpinnings of legal research. The module also enables students to choose their own area of legal interest to research in depth and to produce an extended piece of academic writing demonstrating their skills in research and analysis.
Elective modules (choose 4)
Alternative Dispute Resolution
30 credits
Alternative Dispute Resolution is becoming increasingly important within the civil justice system and this module will provide students with an opportunity to evaluate the various methods available for resolving conflicts, including conciliation, mediation, negotiation and adjudication. Students will gain a theoretical and practical knowledge of dispute resolution procedures, particularly with reference to negotiation and mediation.
Arbitration
30 credits
Arbitration has been one of the most important processes for resolving disputes for several centuries and, although other methods of dispute resolution have evolved in recent years, (for example, mediation and conciliation), arbitration continues to retain its importance in both domestic and international contexts. This module seeks to provide a critical understanding of important aspects of international and domestic arbitrations. It explores the characteristics of arbitration and discusses its operation in various international forums. The main focus of this module is on arbitration on the international context, but reference is also made to domestic arbitration. It is assessed through coursework.
Company Law
30 credits
This module provides an understanding of the potential problems posed as a result of the extensive power wielded by those in control of large companies and it explores ways in which society can control this. It aims to provide students with the opportunities to analyse the ways in which English law imposes liability on companies and with the understanding of how a business might be run, including the identification of any potential problems.
Employment Law
30 credits
This module examines the law relating to the individual relationship between an employer and a worker from its inception to its termination. Employment law is a dynamic amalgam of common law principles with significant statutory overlay. International law, EU law and the European Convention on Human Rights are other important sources of employment law standards. This module explores the respective rights and duties of the parties to the employment relationship from a number of critical perspectives. There will be an emphasis on the most topical issues of the moment.
Evidence and Arbitral Awards
30 credits
This module seeks to provide one with detailed and systematic knowledge and understanding of the nature and forms of civil evidence. It explores the various techniques required in the assessment of evidence and in the analysis and drafting needed to prepare and write arbitral awards.
Law of International Trade
30 credits
International trade is an elective which would be of interest to students wishing to be employed in the commercial field in both the UK and overseas. This module covers the international legal and institutional framework for regulating international trade. The module helps students to understand different aspects of international law and be able to apply them to business and management problems arising in a global economy. It examines the legal, economic, political and institutional underpinnings of the world trade regime, the core principles and legal rules governing international trade in goods, and services. One of the focus will be the World Trade Organization (WTO), which began to work in 1995 as a general umbrella organization coordinating laws affecting trade, but is also having a much wider impact on the regulation of international business activities. It also examines the various contracts that are essential components of international trade transactions, such as international sales contracts, the contract of carriage and the insurance contract. In addition, legal issues arising from international trade and dispute settlement will be explored in the class.
Energy and Climate Change Law
30 credits
This module provides students with an overview of the legal issues concerning energy and climate change. It examines the legal frameworks that govern both international and domestic energy and climate change regimes. It does this within the context of the scientific, economic, social and political factors which influence the development of law and policy in this area. This module provides students with an understanding of the challenges that are faced in developing effective legal and policy solutions by evaluating existing methods and considering developments which are taking place on national and international levels.
Labour Law in the Global Economy
30 credits
This module examines the regulation of collective labour relations between management and trade unions in the context of English law and international labour standards. This involves analysis of the development of collective institutions and procedures for the governance of labour relations at national and international levels. The study of labour law in a global context will be informed by policy debate on the effectiveness of enforcement of essential labour rights in a competitive economy.
The information above reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. Updates may be made on an annual basis and revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. The regulations governing this course are available on our website. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this may not be offered.
After you graduate
Your LLM in General Law is a demonstration of your skills, determination and expertise.
For practising legal professionals, an LLM will help you improve and focus your career towards the areas that interest you most. You will expand the scope of your knowledge and use your dissertation as an opportunity to carry out independent research any area that interests you.
Many of the graduates from this course go on to complete their solicitor or barrister training or join graduate schemes in a range of areas including procurement and contracts; in-house legal advice or compliance.
Our LLM graduates have gone on to work for law firms, private business, government, NGO's and charitable organisations. They work in a breadth of roles with job titles including assistant solicitor, barrister, paralegal, partner, lawyer, legal advisor, judge, consultant, policy compliance manager, general counsel, company secretary and senior associate.
Regional and global companies that our graduates work for include Norton Rose Fulbright, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Blaser Mills Solicitors, Campbell Johnston Clark, Fluor, Nabarro, Guile Nicholas Solicitors, Adams and Remers, Crown Court Worcester, Carter Bells, Adler Fitzpatrick Solicitors LLP, Surrey Law Society; Government Legal Services, Russell Cooke Solicitors, FPG Solicitors, Rose & Rose and IBM.
What our graduates say
Entry requirements
Teaching and assessment
Who teaches this course?
Fees for this course
Additional costs
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.
Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.
