Course description
The LLM in International Financial Law offers you an opportunity to gain specialist knowledge in one of the most topical and high-profile areas of legal studies today.
Taught by experts in the field of financial regulation and securities markets, this course provides you with insights into the different specialist areas of financial law, and a deeper understanding of this complex discipline.
This course introduces the major regulatory and transactional issues in international financial and banking law, and is focused around two mandatory modules that deal with core aspects of international financial law, namely the regulation of financial markets and the law and practice of securities markets.
This LLM strikes an ideal balance between theory and practice to the benefit of both future practitioners and those looking for a career in academia.
Aims
- Provide you with an in-depth understanding of the complex discipline of international financial and banking law.
- Inform you about the current international financial services and banking sector.
- Help you to develop analytical and research skills for the writing of a dissertation based on topics such as: international trade and corporate law, financial services regulation, European law, international economic law, intellectual property law, human rights law, corporate governance, and law and finance in emerging markets.
Special features
The Law School works in partnership with institutions outside the higher education sector to enable you to produce research with a wider relevance and to develop your knowledge and expertise.
We are dedicated to shaping policy-making and practice in diverse areas; from national healthcare guidelines, to influencing police procedures in countries such as Norway, Australia and Brazil.
Teaching and learning
Coursework and assessment
Most course units are assessed by standard methods - either one unseen written examination, or one coursework essay, or a combination of these two methods of assessment. The assessment method of each individual course unit is listed in the course unit description on the website.
The course has a compulsory research component, in which you have to submit a 12,000 word dissertation (60 credits). The research element of the course is supported by weekly research methodology lectures delivered throughout semesters one and two, designed to improve your legal writing and research skills. For specialised streams, your dissertation topic must be within those streams, but for general LLM dissertation topics, they must be within one of the course units you have chosen.
Course unit details
You will be doing 180 credits in total, 120 of which will be taught modules and the remainder 60 credits in the form of a dissertation.
The LLM course will typically offer around 30 different course units in any one year, and will always reflect a wide range of subjects across the legal spectrum.
There will usually be course units offered on such diverse topics as:
- international trade and corporate law;
- financial services regulation;
- European law;
- international economic law;
- intellectual property law;
- human rights law;
- corporate governance;
- law and finance in emerging markets.
Course units are of the value of 15 or 30 credits. You will be required to select course units to a total of 120 credits, and so must choose a minimum of four course units or may be able to choose a maximum of eight course units to make up your course of study. This involves taking one core course unit (International Financial Services Regulation) of 30 credit value, and the remaining 90 credits from an approved list of commercial law options.
The course has a compulsory 12,000 word dissertation (60 credits). The taught element of the degree course will total 120 credits and the research element will total 60 credits, for example, you will study 180 credits for a master's course. The dissertation must be within the area of one unit you have chosen. The research element of the course is supported by weekly research methodology lectures delivered throughout semester one and two, designed to improve your legal writing and research skills.
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.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Regulation of International Finance | LAWS70352 | 30 | Mandatory |
| LL.M Dissertation | LAWS70990 | 60 | Mandatory |
| International Law and Practice of Securities Markets | LAWS72021 | 30 | Mandatory |
| Academic Skills for Legal Studies | LAWS50000 | 0 | Optional |
| International Banking Law | LAWS63071 | 30 | Optional |
| Transnational Corporate & Capital Markets Law | LAWS70081 | 30 | Optional |
| Intellectual Property Law | LAWS70101 | 30 | Optional |
| The Principles and Practice of Corporate Governance | LAWS70362 | 30 | Optional |
| International Investment Law | LAWS72042 | 30 | Optional |
| International Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Law | LAWS77082 | 30 | Optional |
Scholarships and bursaries
The School offers a number of awards for students applying for master's study.
To find our more, please visit our master's funding opportunity search page.
What our students say
Facilities
You will be supported by the first-class resources you would expect from a top law school.
In addition to the networked study spaces, you can access a specialist moot courtroom, enabling you to hone your debating skills in a realistic court setting.
There is also 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.