Overview

Course overview

Develop specialist expertise in the laws and institutions shaping global trade, investment and economic governance.

  • Prepare for careers in international trade law, policy, regulation and global commerce, including law firms, government departments and international organisations.
  • Build real-world advocacy skills through our Justice Hub Legal Advice Centre, working on live cases before you graduate.
  • Learn from academics whose research and expertise informs international economic policy and influences organisations including the United Nations and World Trade Organization.
  • Graduate from the UK's most targeted university by top employers (High Fliers, The Graduate Market Report 2026).

Our students. Real experiences. Visit Students Stories page to hear from our students as they share what it's really like to study here.

Open days

The University holds regular events throughout the year, including webinars and the annual on-campus Master’s Expo, all of which offer the opportunity to find out more about our facilities and courses from our academic and admissions staff.

We also attend a number of education fairs both in the UK and overseas throughout the year.

For more details on how you can meet us, visit out events page: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/masters/meet-us/

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Social Sciences
Contact name
School of Social Sciences
Telephone
+44 (0) 161 804 9198
Email
Website
https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/law
School/Faculty overview

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

We require a UK bachelor's degree with a First or Upper Second (2.1) classification or the overseas equivalent in Law. Candidates should demonstrate a strong background in Law modules relevant to the course, including Public Law and Contract Law and achieve scores of 2.1 or above in relevant modules.  

When assessing your academic record, we consider the grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.

English language

Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:

  • IELTS Academic test score of 7 overall, including 7 in writing with no further component score below 6.5
  • TOEFL IBT 100 with 25 in writing and no further score below 22 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757. From 2026: 5 overall, with 5 in writing and no other subskill below 4.5
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 76 overall, with 76 in writing and no further score below 70

Pre-Sessional English Courses

We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you may be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.

To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:

6 Week Pre-Sessional Course : IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing and no more than one sub-skill of 6.0.

10 Week Pre-sessional Course : IELTS 6.0 overall with 6.0 or above in each sub-skill

If you have not yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate to ensure that you are eligible for a separate visa for the English language course.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Applicants from Majority English-speaking countries

If you are a national of a   majority English-speaking country   (or have studied for a full bachelor's degree or higher from one of these countries) you may be exempt from submitting further evidence of English language proficiency

Other international entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from across the globe. To help international students, the university provides specific information for many individual countries. Please see our   country-specific information page   for guidance on the academic and English language qualifications which may be accepted from your country.

Fees and funding

Fees

Fees for entry in 2027 have not yet been set. For reference, the fees for the academic year beginning September 2026 were as follows:

  • LLM (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £16,800
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £31,000

The fees quoted above are fully inclusive of tuition, administration and computational costs.

Fees for entry are subject to yearly review. The University reserves the right to increase your tuition fee by up to 7% each year for courses lasting more than one year, including to reflect rising costs associated with delivering our educational and wider student experience. Postgraduate fees information .

Always contact the admissions team if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Application and selection

How to apply

Staged admissions

As there is a high demand for our courses we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places and high quality of applications that we receive, we give preference to students from high-ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.

Please ensure you submit all supporting documentation with your application to avoid a delay in processing.

Applications for 2027 entry:

Stage 1:Application received by6th December 2026; Application update by19th February 2027

Stage 2:Application received by1st March 2027; Application update by2nd May 2027

Stage 3:Application received by4th May 2027; Application update by18th June 2027

Stage 4:Application received by4th July 2027; Application update by30th July 2027

Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date.

Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.

Please note:All places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be reaching capacity or be closed to further applications. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early in the cycle to avoid disappointment.

Tuition fee deposits

If you are successful in receiving an offer, you will be required to pay a tuition fee deposit of £2,500 by the deadline stated in your offer letter to confirm your place. We ask for the deposit as competition for places is high and there is limited availability. The deposit amount is then deducted from your tuition fees when you register on the course.

Course details

Course description

With trade disputes, economic uncertainty and shifting global priorities reshaping international markets, understanding the law has never been more important.

Our LLM International Economic Law gives you the specialist knowledge to navigate the legal rules, institutions and policies governing cross-border trade, investment and finance.

Such expertise is in growing demand as trade patterns shift, sanctions regimes expand and digital commerce reshapes global markets. Graduate with the skills you need to be work at the centre of such changes.

Throughout your studies, you will examine the development and operation of the multilateral trading system, the World Trade Organization and regional trade agreements, alongside international investment frameworks. Case-based learning puts you directly into real disputes, sanctions regimes and investment arbitrations, giving you legal analysis skills you can use in action.

Our teaching is informed by our internationally recognised research. You will learn from academics whose work contributes to debates on international economic policy. We will bring global perspectives into your learning, through our strong links to organisations including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and a range of legal authorities.

Our course pairs advanced academic study with hands-on legal practice. Through our Justice Hub Legal Advice Centre and our specialist moot courtroom, you can put legal knowledge to work on real issues while sharpening the reasoning, advocacy and research skills that set you apart.

You will graduate as part of one of Europe's leading law schools, ready to critique, design and apply the legal tools that underpin international economic activity.

Aims

On this course, you will:

  • Develop specialist training in all aspects of international trade regulation, transactional requirements and the problems that threaten the success of trade.
  • Equip more lawyers with the tools in international trade process and legal structure to further global development.
  • Provide you with a good understanding of international trade, the transactional conditions conductive to its development and the specific and general problems which threaten the success and integrity of individual transactions.
  • Develop research and legal writing skills in the writing of a dissertation.

Special features

Strong partnerships

The Law School works with organisations beyond higher education – from leading NGOs to blue-chip companies – so your research tackles real-world issues. Recent projects have informed national healthcare guidelines and shaped police procedures in Norway, Australia and Brazil, giving you experience that resonates far outside the classroom.

Justice Hub

Our Justice Hub brings together students, staff and local practitioners to provide free, supervised legal advice to the community – giving you hands-on casework experience while making a positive social impact.

International impact

You learn from academics whose evidence is cited by bodies such as the United Nations, World Trade Organization and national governments. Their policy-shaping work feeds directly into seminars, ensuring the LLM stays aligned with the latest developments in international business and commercial law.

Teaching and learning

The LLM in International Economic Law is taught by an interdisciplinary team using a variety of delivery methods:

  • lectures;
  • workshops;
  • student-led presentations and debate;
  • group work;
  • individual research.

Coursework and assessment

Most course units are assessed by standard methods, either:

  • one unseen written examination;
  • one coursework essay;
  • or a combination of these two methods of assessment.

Course unit details

A master’s degree is formed of 180 credits.

On the LLM International Economic Law, there are three mandatory course units, including a dissertation worth 60 credits. The dissertation is a compulsory research component of around 14,000-to-15,000-words. Your dissertation must be within the area of one of the course units you have chosen. Weekly research-methodology lectures in both semesters support your legal writing and research skills.

You will also choose two optional course units worth 30 credits each, giving you freedom to choose the topics that interest you the most.

The availability of individual optional course units may be subject to change. Information that is sent to you in August about registration onto the course will clearly state the course units that are available in the academic year ahead.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
LAWS67031 30 Mandatory
LAWS70990 60 Mandatory
LAWS72042 30 Mandatory
LAWS50000 0 Optional
LAWS60171 30 Optional
LAWS63051 30 Optional
LAWS63071 30 Optional
LAWS70081 30 Optional
LAWS70291 30 Optional
LAWS70352 30 Optional
LAWS70362 30 Optional
LAWS72021 30 Optional
LAWS77082 30 Optional
Displaying 10 of 13 course units

What our students say

Meet some of our postgraduate students studying for a master's in International Law, Healthcare Ethics and Law and Financial Law in Student Spotlights .

Facilities

At The University of Manchester Law School, students are supported by the first-class resources of a top law school. In addition to the networked study spaces at the Williamson Building, you can access a specialist moot courtroom, enabling future legal minds to hone your debating skills in a realistic court setting.  

You also have access to The University of Manchester Library , which houses a substantial collection of law books and periodicals, as well as texts to support all the degrees we offer.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

Career opportunities

The University of Manchester is the most targeted university by the UK’s top graduate employers (The Graduate Market in 2026, High Fliers Research).

Today's legal landscape calls for graduates with broad legal knowledge, strong analytical skills and the ability to tackle complex challenges.

Our LLM International Economic Law equips you with advanced legal knowledge and specialist skills for careers focused on international trade, investment and regulation. You will be well equipped for careers across the public, private, and third sectors, such as in:

  • international trade-law practice in national and global law firms;
  • in-house legal teams for multinational corporations and major trading houses;
  • banking, trade finance and regulatory compliance;
  • trade and investment policy roles within government departments, inter-governmental bodies such as the World Trade Organization and UN Trade and Development, and NGOs;
  • business and human rights advocacy and corporate sustainability.

You will develop transferable skills in legal research, critical analysis, negotiation, contract drafting and cross-border dispute resolution, opening further opportunities in:

  • risk management and consultancy;
  • corporate social responsibility and environmental, social, and governance compliance;
  • international business development and supply-chain governance;
  • academia and further legal research.

Throughout your time at Manchester, you will develop transferable skills including legal analysis, research, critical thinking, contract drafting, negotiation and communication. You could also progress to a PhD in Law at Manchester or another university.

Careers support

At Manchester you will have access to a number of o pportunities to help boost your employability , such as careers fairs, employer presentations, and workshops through the University's dedicated Careers Service . As a student at Manchester, you would have full access to this service during your studies and for two years after you graduate.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.