100% online LLM Commercial Law

Develop the skills and expertise to succeed in commercial law with an online LLM from a university recognised for teaching and research excellence in law

Apply By 19 December 2023

To Start 9 January 2024

180 credits •
Complete within 12 months •
£7,800 total fees •
Internationally Excellent Research in Law

Why Sunderland?

100% online LLM within 12 months
QS 5 star rating for teaching, inclusiveness, employability and facilities*
Law courses ranked 2nd in UK for teaching quality**
Law courses ranked 3rd for student experience**
University of the Year for Social Inclusion***
£7,800 total fees, option to pay £650 per module

*QS World University Rankings, 2023
**Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2020
***The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2021

An online LLM in commercial law that opens up a range of career paths

The 100% online LLM Commercial Law from the University of Sunderland has been created for both lawyers and non-lawyers at all stages of their careers who have an interest in the commercial dimension of international legal issues and who want to gain a robust legal understanding of the global business environment. Whether you want to learn the commercial legal skills to support your pathway to working at a law firm, are currently in the legal profession and are looking to specialise in trade or corporate law, or are looking to develop a legal profile in a role within the civil service or the business world to accelerate your career progression, this online Master of Laws provides you with the knowledge, insights and skills to help you achieve your goals.

A University and law department acclaimed for research and teaching of law

The research of the Department of Law at the University of Sunderland was described as ‘internationally excellent’ in the latest Research Excellence Framework and our law academic staff are pre-eminent in important research in their fields. The teaching of the University of Sunderland Department of Law received national recognition in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020, when its law courses were ranked 2nd in the UK for teaching quality and 3rd for student experience.

We have been ranked internationally as a leading university, receiving five stars for teaching, inclusiveness, employability and facilities in the QS World University Rankings 2023, the highest rating that can be awarded to a university. A special recognition of our practical focus on developing the skills that enable career progression for our students all over the world.

What will you study?

The online Commercial Law LLM will equip you with an advanced understanding of the complex legal issues surrounding international commercial and trade law, corporate governance and commercial arbitration. It will provide you with a comprehensive appreciation of how international business transactions are regulated through domestic law and internationally-agreed rules.

Key knowledge and skills taught on this course:

International trade law
International commercial arbitration
Business law
Contract law
Land law
Employment law
Dispute resolution
European law
Public law
Tort law
Legal research skills

A cutting-edge online learning experience that enables flexible study globally

This law degree is hosted and studied in an online learning environment that has been specifically designed to enable peer-to-peer learning and collaboration, with group learning activities, discussion boards and forums central to the learning experience. You will be studying alongside fellow LLM students from a wide range of backgrounds and will have the opportunity to build connections and grow your global professional network.

The online delivery of this postgraduate degree is beneficial because it enables you to study from anywhere in the world, with no need to visit campus. The modern, flexible design of the academic content and our online learning platform enables you to access the course materials and content on demand, at times that suit you.

You can choose to either study this LLM programme part-time and complete your degree within 24 months, or full-time and complete your degree within 12 months. With six start dates a year, you’re not restricted to the traditional academic year and can begin your postgraduate studies within weeks.

You will also be allocated a dedicated Student Success Coordinator, who will proactively support you throughout your studies – from enrolment to graduation.

A University with a global presence, outlook and student population

There is a high percentage of international students at University of Sunderland, and we have students studying by distance learning around the world. Sunderland is also one of the UK’s leading widening participation Universities and was awarded The Times/Sunday Times University of the Year for Social Inclusion 2021. We were also shortlisted as University of the Year by the THE – Times Higher Education.

The University of Sunderland truly is a global university, with campuses in Hong Kong, Sunderland and London, and many global partnerships including in the Caribbean, Greece, Kenya, Malaysia, Lanka, Oman, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tashkent and Vietnam. The philosophy and approach to teaching of the University of Sunderland is based on encouraging diverse learner cohorts so that they can interact with and learn from fellow students from different cultures and backgrounds, engendering a richer learning experience.

Admission requirements

Applicants must be of age 19 and above and should have or be about to complete:

At least a UK 2.2 undergraduate degree

A UK master’s degree (or international equivalent)

Third-class or ordinary undergraduate degree (without honours) or UK equivalent professional qualification with a minimum of two years’ appropriate work experience

Applicants who do not hold a recognised degree will be asked to provide evidence which demonstrates a minimum of three to five years’ relevant professional experience

The work experience must be at a graduate level, in either a managerial or professional capacity which may include voluntary work, placements, internships, or project management

Fees

Total course fees: £7,800
Per 15-credit module fee: £650

If you are based in the UK, you may be eligible for a government-backed postgraduate loan to cover the full costs of the course.

In addition, if you have successfully completed an undergraduate degree at the University of Sunderland, you are eligible for a 10% tuition fees reduction on our postgraduate programmes.

You pay tuition fees for each module taken, either module-by-module or in full at the start of your course.

If you pay module-by-module, you will pay in instalments of £650.

Modules

International Trade Law

This module is designed to develop essential knowledge of and important insight into issues relating to international trade. The buying and selling of goods across national boundaries have been a critical feature of commercial activity over many years. The practices and processes are driven by the development of complex contractual relationships which include contracts of sale, including carriage and insurance as well as letters of credit. Each of these elements requires confidence and certainty between the trading parties when seeking to gain profit and it is the certainty in English law and how it mediates disputes between parties that is recognised and respected throughout the world. You will consider the nature of rights and obligations of buyers and sellers under contracts for the international sale of goods, focusing particularly on the Sale of Goods Act.

International Commercial Arbitration

This module provides you with a practical understanding of the mechanisms governing the arbitration of international commercial disputes. Disputes relating to international commercial sales, foreign investments, insurance and reinsurance, construction and maritime issues are generally resolved by arbitration. The module provides and builds on the tenets of alternate dispute resolution and the function of arbitration in theory and practice. You will be guided through the legal framework surrounding international commercial arbitration, the process of international commercial arbitration, methods of enforcement and the effect of arbitration on commercial organisations.

European Law

This module considers the history and structure of the European Union (EU), the development of EU law and the role that law has played in the process of integration. Particular attention is given to the constitutionalisation of the EU through case law, treaty reforms and other mechanisms. The module also focuses on substantive law and the provisions which form the basis of the internal market: free movement of persons, of goods and of services. The module provides an opportunity to study the constitutional and institutional structures of the EU, the way in which EU law impacts upon national law, and law-making in the internal market.

Legal Research, Skills And Methods

The study of law requires you to be able to develop and deploy a specific skill set involving critical reading and thinking, legal research, appropriate referencing, accurate drafting, note-taking, summarisation, and time management. These skills are indispensable to the successful practice of law. Although the acquisition and honing of the jurisdiction-specific skills and knowledge that are the building blocks of legal study are practiced in other modules, this module gives you the opportunity to learn and develop these more foundational disciplinary skills in a focused and direct way.

Introduction To Business Law

Most people in society realise that the law is designed to help, guide and assist individuals to live together harmoniously by providing frameworks for ensuring an orderly lifestyle. Therefore, the law does not remain static, but grows and develops as the society it serves adapts and changes, and it is its ability to reflect those changes that makes the study and practice of law interesting. Learning the different aspects of law that have an impact on a business is going to be pivotal to your career, not only as an employee but also if you become an employer. The law, even if not obvious, touches every aspect of a business. This module is designed as an introduction to the legal issues and legal skills which are important in a business context. It provides you with the opportunity to develop legal commercial awareness.

Contract Law

The principal aim of this module is to introduce you to the fundamentals of contractual formation, incorporation, vitiating factors, discharge and remedies in the context of all areas of contract law. You will consider the implications of legislation in relation to consumer contractual terms and analyse the types of remedy available. It will also introduce you to the nature of commercial contracts and liabilities.

Employment Law

This module introduces you to the main areas of employment law and explores how employment law in practice affects the working relationship between employers and employees.
The module addresses legal regulation of the employment relationship, the working environment and the impact of current employment practice. It also considers the law in relation to the termination of employment, focusing particularly upon the rights surrounding unfair dismissal and unlawful discrimination – the most common substantive claims heard by employment tribunals.

Criminal Law

This module focuses primarily on the criminal law of England and Wales, in addition to considering other jurisdictions to provide a broad understanding of the key principles, approaches and concepts that inform the development of English criminal law. Some of the most important issues in criminal law are analysed, as is the extent to which they can be resolved. The areas that will be considered include criminal responsibility, criminal standard of proof, fatal and non-fatal offences, parties to a crime, and defences.

Alternate Dispute Resolution

The module is designed to develop your understanding of the principles and practice of alternative dispute resolution. It examines the various mechanisms which together reflect alternate dispute resolution. This includes negotiation, mediation and arbitration but also considers the development of collaborative lawyering, early neutral evaluation, summary jury trial and mini-trials. You will also consider the development and value of online dispute resolution and the role of the Ombudsman.

Tort Law

This module is focused on the core concepts, scope of application, and concerns of tort law. It examines a number of different torts such as negligence, nuisance, defamation, as well as the principles of causation and vicarious liability. You will learn to apply the law to different factual situations and will explore some of the theoretical and conceptual issues around the subject. You will also critically examine the rationale and development of these torts and be capable of identifying and analysing the factual situations in which these torts typically arise.

Land Law

The module will provide an introduction to land law, and a detailed examination of the law of property related to land. Students will study what property rights are, how they differ from personal rights and be introduced to a variety of different property rights recognised in English law. The module will focus on the various ways in which new property rights can be generated, existing property rights can be transferred to others and the rules that are used to resolve disputes when two or more people have competing property rights to the same thing. The module requires careful and thorough engagement with statutory material and case law to examine and take account of the legal issues generated by English land law as it relates to real property.

Public Law

This module provides an introduction to the study of public law. It focuses on constitutional and administrative law by using the British constitution as a means to understand a broader, global context of constitutionalism. The module examines the core principles of the British constitution and the role of parliament and the courts within modern society. You will analyse key issues governing the relation between citizens and the state, including sovereignty and the division of powers between legislature, executive and administration (or judiciary).