International Law LLB (Hons)

30 credits

This module develops your understanding of the English Legal System (ELS) – courts, procedure and sources of law – in order to make sense of your legal studies.

You will be equipped with a legal methods toolkit, covering skills for research, analysis and writing relevant to your studies and in legal practice.

This module also has a strong emphasis on developing your personal and professional skills. We will help you to build your professional identity and global citizenship, enhancing your understanding of ethical issues, values, design thinking and commercial awareness. You will be guided by your Personal Tutor to plan your own personal and professional development journey and identify your core graduate attributes.

30 credits

The law of contract is the law of legally-enforceable agreements and is at the heart of English common law. It is one of the seven foundations of legal knowledge and invariably forms part of any degree with an overt legal content. It describes the rules which govern commercial activity, allowing businesses and consumers to maintain stable, consistent relationships over time and over distance. The law of contract covers everything from a complex multi-party agreement to construct a stadium, the employment of the cleaners and the star players, as well as the purchase of a hot dog from a stall outside.

30 credits

The module introduces you to the constitutional and administrative law of the United Kingdom through a study of the core constitutional principles present within the UK legal system and the control of executive action by the courts. The module provides an essential introduction to the study of law since the validity of any particular law is a function of a constitutional rule which establishes manner, form and necessary pedigree for what is to qualify as a valid particular or occasional law.

30 credits

Tort can be described as the area of civil law which provides a remedy for a party who has suffered the breach of a protected interest. The module focuses on the wide range of activity to which tort law applies and examines the remedies it provides for many different types of loss or harm. Tort is also one of the foundations of legal knowledge subjects required by the professional bodies as part of a qualifying law degree for those seeking entry to the legal profession.

30 credits

Land law studies the nature of land, the history of the current legislative structure and third party interests in, on and over private land in England and Wales. It introduces the concepts behind ownership and use of private land, considering also how the law operates in the context of freehold and leasehold title, rights of way and squatters' rights.

30 credits

This module studies the general principles of criminal liability, definitions of what constitutes particular crimes and offences, and how that law affects particular circumstances. This involves not only a critical examination of the law, but also, using hypothetical factual situations, an understanding its detailed application. 

30 credits

The European Union's (EU) development has had a significant impact in Europe and globally. Although the UK has left the EU, its law is still relevant not only because it remains part of the applicable law of the UK, but also to understand how the UK now interacts with the EU.

You will develop detailed knowledge and in-depth understanding of the core areas of EU law, and the relationship between the EU and its member states and the respective role of the Court of Justice of the European Union and national courts in applying EU law.

This module also has a strong focus on developing your employability skills. You will take part in personal development activities designed to strengthen your professional identity and global citizenship, while expanding your knowledge of legal practice in different professional contexts.

30 credits

How does law shape our globalised world? This module explores international law and comparative legal systems through real case studies, guest lectures, and research-led teaching.

The first part introduces public international law, examining sovereignty, statehood, the use of force, self-determination, territorial disputes, state responsibility for wrongdoing, international organisations, and environmental protection. Learning is case-based and interactive, supported by multimedia resources and workshops that also form part of the assessment. Guest speakers, practitioners and world-renowned scholars, bring real-world insight into pressing legal debates.

The second part turns to comparative law, focusing on France, Germany, and the United States. By exploring their constitutions, court structures, and legal histories, students discover how different traditions address common challenges.

Mapped to Kingston’s Future Skills framework, the module helps students build critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and digital fluency. They will be equipped to evaluate the legal dimensions of international and domestic issues as they appear in the news and are shaped by landmark case-law.

30 credits

This module examines the idea of conscience in English law. It looks at how, historically, equity developed from the authority of the King in order to ameliorate the problems caused by an increasingly inflexible common law, at a time when Parliament met infrequently. The concept of the trust, where ownership is divided between legal and beneficial owners, is examined including the conscience-inspired constructive trust, and the use of the trust in many contexts, including charity law. The administration of trusts is also considered.

30 credits

This module gives you the opportunity to carry out independent research and write in depth about an international legal topic that interests you – particularly one you may not otherwise have the chance to explore. You’ll develop a 5,000-word essay over the course of the academic year, with support and guidance from an experienced supervisor.

By the end of the module, you should be able to:

• Research a legal issue in depth
• Construct a reasoned, well-supported argument and analysis
• Produce a well-structured, clearly presented essay of 5,000 words
• Reach a considered and evidence-based conclusion on your chosen topic

This is your chance to take ownership of your learning and develop specialist knowledge in an area of international law that matters to you.

15 credits

This module gives you a dedicated opportunity to develop your Future Skills Graduate Attributes. 

At the start of the module, you will be supported to self-assess your current skills profile. You will determine which attributes and skills you need to develop to support your career ambitions. In this process, you will be supported by a dedicated career coach, helping you explore a range of options that includes self-employment/freelancing, starting your own business, higher level study, and other professional graduate-level opportunities. Throughout the module, you will be given opportunities to engage with external mentors, to support reflection and to develop a professional network.

You will undertake a tailored series of activities and projects, aligned to your goals, from a menu of development options. This could include short courses, enrichment activities and experiential learning options such as micro-placements. You will also be able to reflect on activities outside the University that develop your graduate attributes, such as work or volunteering.

30 credits

This module tackles some of the most urgent questions of justice in the modern world. The international criminal law component examines how law seeks to end impunity for the gravest crimes. From Nuremberg to today’s International Criminal Court, students explore how those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression can be brought before justice.

The human rights component takes a problem-based approach to contemporary challenges. We look at pressing issues such as how artificial intelligence shapes our rights and freedoms, alongside more traditional concerns like the prohibition of torture. Special attention is given to the protection of specific groups, including women, migrants, and minorities, and to rights linked to health and socio-economic status.

Students gain practical insight into how individuals and groups can seek redress through international mechanisms,  whether at the United Nations or within regional systems in Europe, Africa and the Americas, while developing critical, analytical, and communication skills required to expand their employability horizons.

30 credits

This module explores the role of law in responding to and shaping technological innovation. It also covers the legal protection offered by intellectual property laws and considers particular types of such property (e.g. copyright and patents).

The module is designed to give you the competitive edge in evolving legal and non-legal fields that embrace technological development. Particular focus is given to standards and regulations of artificial intelligence, cyberspace and cybercrime, e-commerce, employment, environment, healthcare, intellectual property rights, and outer space. These areas are of particular importance in the current global market. The module implements an international and interdisciplinary approach, covering different jurisdictions, technologies, and industries.

30 credits

This module examines the most common juristic person, the company (limited by shares or guarantee and both public and private limited companies). The cornerstones of the module include critical evaluation of the role of the company as a separate legal juristic person; directors and their duties; shareholders and their rights and legal remedies; employees and their position under the Companies Act 2006. Close examination is undertaken of the policy and reform process leading up to the enactment of the Companies Act 2006. Primary sources (statute and case law) and secondary sources (academic comment, reform discussion) are used at length during the module. This module is relevant for anyone interested in working in the commercial world.

15 credits

This module will be of interest to students who wish to study how the law regulates family life and how effective it is in doing so. The module covers the formation and termination of marriage and civil partnership; how occupation and ownership of the family home is regulated, and how effective these remedies are in cases of domestic violence; the law's approach to finance and property division on divorce, as well as maintenance for children, comparing this approach with the regulation of cohabitation.

The module then considers legal parentage and parenthood; parental responsibility, and the regulation of disputes between parents about their children. 

Finally, local authority provision for vulnerable children and those who are experiencing harm in their families is considered, and adoption as a solution for children who cannot live with their birth families will be covered.

This module aims to consider the law in context of social policy which encourages desired types of family behaviour.

15 credits

International trade 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 you to understand different aspects of international law, and to be able to apply them to business and management problems arising in a global economy. The module examines the legal, economic, political and institutional underpinnings of the world trade regime, and the core principles and legal rules governing international trade in goods, and services. A key focus is the World Trade Organization (WTO), which began to work in 1995 as a general umbrella organisation coordinating laws affecting trade, but which has a much wider impact on the regulation of international business activities. The module 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 dispute settlement will be explored.