University of London - Queen Mary (QMUL)

The University

Queen Mary, University of London is one of London and the UK's leading research-focused higher education institutions. Amongst the largest of the colleges of the University of London, Queen Mary's 3,000 staff deliver world class degree programmes and research across a wide range of subjects in Humanities, Social Sciences and Laws, in Medicine and Dentistry and in Science and Engineering.

With a budget of £200 million per annum and a yearly economic impact on the UK economy of some £500 million, Queen Mary offers a strong and diverse environment to its 13,000 students.

Having made a £200 million investment in facilities, Queen Mary is unique amongst London's universities in being able to offer a completely integrated residential campus, with a 2,000-bed award-winning Student Village on its Mile End site.

Queen Mary has been ranked in the top 14 universities in the UK and in the top 100 in the world. We have consistently been in the top group of universities for year on year increases in funding from the Higher Education Funding Council. The School has consistently ranked in the top 10 for research in the UK, based on the percentage of our staff rated 3* & 4* (4* being the highest) in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, denoting research excellence of international importance Our staff members have been honoured by election to Fellowships of the Royal Society, the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Medical Science and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The Law School

The School of Law at Queen Mary offers postgraduate research and teaching activities to over 700 students from all over the world. The breadth and depth of our expertise enables us to offer courses and supervision in virtually all major branches of law, whilst maintaining an internationally recognised research reputation. We were ranked 3rd in London, for research in the 2008 RAE, following on from our 5* rating in the 2001 RAE.
www.guardian.co.uk/education/table/2008/dec/18/rae…
www.rae.ac.uk/results/qualityProfile.aspx?id=38&ty…

The School of Law, comprising the Department of Law and the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS), has over 60 full-time members of academic staff, which makes us one of the largest Law Schools in the country, teaching both undergraduates and postgraduates.

It also provides access to a wide range of specialist institutions and practitioners who contribute their expertise to educational programmes that blend academic issues with practical skills. Government, public bodies, overseas institutions, the legal profession, industry and commerce all consult and utilise the experience, knowledge and skills of the School’s staff. The School is international in composition and outlook. It is able to draw on the input of distinguished resident and visiting scholars from overseas, and to engage in comparative examination of legal systems worldwide. This gives our students an exceptionally rich study environment.

The Department of Law

The Department of Law conducts an extensive range of teaching and research activities. It has particular expertise in the areas of public international law; international human rights; public law; European Union law; criminology, legal theory and legal history; equity, trusts and property law; healthcare law; comparative law; immigration, asylum and rights of ethnic minorities; company and commercial law; competition law; and criminal law.

The Centre for Commercial Law Studies

The School of Law’s research, teaching and consultancy work relating
to commercial law is focused within the world-renowned Centre for Commercial Law Studies. The CCLS was created in 1980 by Professor Sir Roy Goode to develop
a body of knowledge and skills in the areas of arbitration, intellectual property, international trade law, taxation, financial law, banking law, information technology law and European law that is used by governments, public bodies, international financial institutions, NGOs, the legal professions and industry and commerce.

CCLS hosts visits from officials from World Bank and IMF and engages in constructive discourse about trade and poverty. CCLS has well established links with numerous Law firms, as well as a number of leading barristers. Students will be offered mentoring for careers by a team from Gray’s Inn. CCLS is located within the new Postgraduate Law Centre at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn.

The Program

The School of Law offers a rich and diverse range of courses which lead to either a General LLM or one of several specialist LLM degrees. It is a one-year programme of study commencing in September. The LLM can be taken full-time (one year) or part-time (two years).

The General LLM

The General LLM is designed to give students maximum flexibility in the choice of courses
– any three taught courses may be taken and the dissertation may be in any field of law. You may choose from around 110 courses that are taught within the School of Law listed on page. The programme therefore allows you to follow a variety of interests (and take courses simply because you will enjoy them) or to select a range of courses designed with a specific career or personal aspiration in mind. Whichever courses you end up following you will, like students taking the Specialised LLM programmes, leave with a set of strong skills which will equip you well for the future.

The specialist LLMs

The specialist LLM programmes are:

• Banking and Finance Law
• Commercial and Corporate Law
• Comparative and International Dispute Resolution
• Competition Law
• Computer and Communications Law
• Economic Regulation
* Environmental Law
• European Law
• Human Rights Law
• Intellectual Property Law
• International Business Law
• Law and Development
• Legal Theory and History
• Medical Law
• Public International Law
• Public Law
• Tax Law

Details of which staff teach on the Programmes, profiles of current students and alumni can be found here:

www.law.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/llm/programmes/ind…

The LLM programme offered by the School of Law comprises more than 110 taught subjects.
To see an overview of all of courses, please visit:
www.law.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/llm/programmes/ind…

Full-time students complete four modules to obtain an LLM degree. One of the modules takes the form of an extended essay. The remaining three will be taught courses assessed by written examination or a combination of other assessment methods, for example a written examination and a short essay.

The taught modules cover the first two terms, from end of September to the end of March. During the third term students must focus on the essay component of their LLM.

Essay Component

This is an extended essay prepared as an original piece of work by the student. There is
a maximum length of 15,000 words for a full module essay. Students may choose to prepare essays on any legal topic, however the essay must not cover the same topic as may be examined in one of the student’s chosen taught modules.

Students will be supported in their essay preparation by specially designed courses
on research and writing skills.

Queen Mary Term Dates

Semester 1
• 22 September - 17 December 2010

During this period you will be attending lectures and tutorials. By the middle of October you will need to indicate your final choice of the 3 taught courses elements of your LLM. At this stage you can opt for a General or Specialised LLM which will depend on your choice of classes. The LLM Administrator will assist you with this process.

Winter vacation:
20 December - 7 January

Christmas vacation. There will be a break from teaching for 3 weeks. You will want to use this time to consolidate and develop the work you have done in term 1 ... and to have a rest.

Semester 2
• 10 January - 1 April 2011
Spring vacation
4 April - 29 April 2011

Four week Easter vacation. Between the end of teaching and the start of the examination period, there will be a 4 week break. This will be vital time for you to revise and develop your thoughts ahead of the examinations.

Semester 3; Examination period
• 3 May - 11 June 2011
(2 May is a bank holiday)


Mid August 2011
Your dissertation will need to be submitted for marking.

Mid October Provisional Results 2011
Results time! You will be notified of your results very soon after the meeting of the LLM Board of Examiners.

December 2011
Graduation ceremonies. Many LLM students return to QMUL for a graduation ceremony to celebrate their achievements with family and friends.

Throughout your Studies and Beyond: The Queen Mary Careers Service [new window] provides help and advice on furthering your career, both while you are a student and after you have graduated.

We encourage graduates to join the Queen Mary Alumni Association, which is a great way for you to keep in contact with both your peers and tutors and to keep up to date with latest news from Queen Mary.

www.qmul.ac.uk/alumni/index.html

*Please note that specific dates about
enrolment, induction and exams will be
provided to students once they have applied
to the College. Further details will also be
made available on the website:
www.law.qmul.ac.uk

Entry Requirements

Admission is based solely on academic merit. The usual qualification for entry to the LLM programme is a degree in law, or a degree with a substantial law content, normally of at least upper-second class Honours (or equivalent).

Non-law graduates with good honours, that have also obtained the equivalent of good Honours in CPE and Bar Finals/Legal Practice examinations, or passed the solicitors’ qualifying examination, may qualify. Law graduates with high 2.2 honours and at least five years professional legal experience may also qualify. Non-law graduates may be considered on the basis of exceptional professional experience that directly relates to specialist LLM taught courses.

For students with International qualifications, please visit: www.qmul.ac.uk/international. If your country is not represented, please contact the LLM Administrator, Sue Sullivan directly on LLMadmin@qmul.ac.uk

English Language Requirements

All students from countries where English is not the first language must supply a TOEFL or IELTS language test result. If you took your degree overseas and were taught in the English medium but your country’s main language is not English, you still have to provide a language score. The standard of English language used varies from region to region and indeed from university to university. It is therefore vital that all such students provide English language scores. If you have not yet taken an IELTS/TOEFL test at the application stage, you should still apply. If your IELTS/TOEFL results are not yet available, you could be made a conditional offer, subject to our normal academic requirements.
You should bear in mind however that should your score be lower than our full requirement we may be able to assist you with pre-sessional language training (in the summer prior to the LLM). You should therefore provide a language score in good time.

More information of our language requirements can be found on:
www.qmul.ac.uk/international/languagerequirements/…

Application Procedure

In order to apply, you must supply:

• a transcript of your law degree marks
• any other supporting qualifications (Solicitor, Barrister, Bar Council)
• two reference letters
• proof of English language proficiency

As we do not interview prospective students, these documents will form the basis of any decision made.

On the application form enclosed and available online (www.law.qmul.ac.uk), you will be applying for entry to the general LLM programme. All individual course and specialisation choices will be finalised after Registration. You will have a selection period, of approximately two to three weeks at the beginning of teaching, to attend lectures and receive full course outlines. This will enable you to make an informed final choice.

We encourage students to apply as early as possible -deadline Spring 2008.

Tuition and Fees

Fees for 2010-11 have not yet been set. We expect a small increase on last year's fees, listed here:

Further details

www.law.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees/

Discount for early settlement

Overseas student are entitled to a discount of approximately two per cent (2%) when the tuition fee is paid in full prior to enrolment. This applies only to cash, UK debit card, bankers draft and bank transfer payments only, made prior to enrolment.

Returning Study Abroad Associate students are entitled to a 10% reduction on Taught Masters tuition fees, if no other College scholarship has been offered.

Sons and daughters of alumni of the College are entitled to a 10% reduction on their tuition fees, if no other College scholarship has been offered.

www.qmul.ac.uk/international/feesfinance/index.htm…

Financial Aid

Scholarship details will be announced later in the year on

www.law.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees/

Location

The Postgraduate Law Centre at Lincoln's Inn Fields is the home of the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) and a base for LLM teaching and postgraduate research students.

The School of Law building in Lincoln’s Inn Fields is in the heart of ‘legal London’, close to many law firms and chambers and conveniently located for the University of London, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and its postgraduate library.

Accommodation

We are campus-based, right in the heart of things, just 15 minutes away from central London. The only college of the University of London to offer a fully integrated campus in central London , so you can live, study and socialise all in one place. We currently have 1930 bedroom places in mixed sex self-catering residences on or near the Mile End Campus.

All accommodation on campus is in modern, self-catered flats. All rooms are single and most have ensuite (private) bathroom facilities. Typically rooms are grouped in flats for between 4 and 11 students with shared kitchen facilities.

All rooms are carpeted, equipped with a single bed, wash basin, wardrobe, fridge, bookshelves, desk, chair, desklamp and storage space, data points for (free) internet connections. Shared Kitchens are equipped with refrigerators/freezers, cookers, storage cupboards, food preparation and dining areas.

All Queen Mary housing is fully integrated so you will be sharing with other students both from the UK and other countries around the world. All accommodation is centrally heated and fees are inclusive of all heating and electricity charges.

How to Apply and When

It is VERY important that you do not leave applying for a place in halls to the summer, as although priority is given to International students, there are not enough rooms for all Queen Students. You can apply once you have applied and have been made either a Conditional or Unconditional Offer:
www.ccrs.qmul.ac.uk/residences/accommodation/apply…

University of London Intercollegiate halls

However Queen Mary has an allocation of approximately 220 places reserved in University of London Intercollegiate halls for first year undergraduates and first year postgraduates, full year associates, IFC and SEFP students. Located in Central London close to its popular cinemas, theatres and museums, these halls offer the opportunity to meet students from other Colleges of the University of London, whilst still being within 30 minutes traveling time of the Mile End campus.

www.ccrs.qmul.ac.uk/residences/accommodation/inter…

Private Rented Accommodation

The Residences Office provides advice and guidance on all aspects of renting in the private sector. The office also offers lists of available accommodation and a contract reading service.
www.ccrs.qmul.ac.uk/residences/accommodation/priva…

Student Life

If you choose to live in Queen Mary’s student village on the Mile End Campus, you’ll find the student village just six stops away on the Tube (or the Number 25 bus). from Holborn, where the Postgraduate Law School is located.

As well as award-winning student accommodation, the Mile End Campus has all the facilities you would expect from a leading university, including the main Library, computer clusters, catering and laundry facilities, medical and dental centres, a gym and 24-hour security. Mile End is a bustling and cosmopolitan neighbourhood adjacent to the financial centres of the City of London (Liverpool Street) and Docklands (Canary Wharf) with many affordable places to eat and socialise and historic locations to explore. Brick Lane, Old Street, Spitalfields Market etc)

Around Holborn, you will also find a vast array of cafes, bars, restaurants, galleries, theatres, gyms and shops all of which are within easy walking distance.

College Support

The Queen Mary College Advice and Counselling Service is available to all Postgraduate students, and can help with finance advice and support with personal problems. All students can register with the College Health Centre too. This offers information, advice and guidance on a range of practical issues including financial problems related to study costs and international students issues. Queen Mary also offers a Counselling Service which is free and confidential to any registered student. Support for mature students is also offered and further information on all these services can be found at: www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk

Career Services

The Queen Mary Careers Service offers practical advice researching companies, specific jobs, practicing for aptitude tests, assessment centres, how to write your CV, complete applications and interview techniques.

www.careers.qmul.ac.uk/

In addition, throughout the year external companies and former students are invited to give presentations to current students. We do also get approached by several leading law firms offering internships to our best LLM students, which usually take place in Easter but also during the Summer holiday.

Pre-LLM Course

The English Language and Study Skills Unit (ELSS) offers a range of Pre-Sessional English Courses based on an applicant's English language results, to help students develop their command of English and academic communication, so that by the end of the course, a student's level of English meets the high standards required to undertake the LLM Programme.

www.languageandlearning.qmul.ac.uk/elss/presession…