Aston Business School

The University

Aston is a long established research led University recognised for its world-class teaching quality and strong links to industry, government and commerce.

Successfully combining a blend of traditional roots, with a progressive approach to teaching and learning, our history has been one of academic excellence, where research informs high quality learning and teaching.

Our programmes are well aligned to meet the needs of the 21st Century and our research strengths address priority areas for business and society, preparing graduates for a successful and rewarding career.

Student Life

The city of Birmingham is a vibrant, multi-cultural city with a population of over one million people. It is described as a cultural powerhouse hosting with an enviable list of theatres, arts and music venues that enjoy an international reputation. Alongside the wealth of urban attractions there are beautifully maintained parklands and gardens in and around the city.
Aston is situated on a friendly and compact, 40 acre site, with over 6,000 students to accommodate; the campus encompasses all of the University’s academic, social and accommodation facilities.

Due its central location, Birmingham has excellent transport links, offering easy access to Britain’s other major cities, as well as destinations across Europe and the rest of the world.

The Law School

Aston Business School is situated on the Aston University campus, a thriving student location which is based in the centre of Birmingham.
The Business School has an established global reputation for the quality of its teaching, research and its innovative environment. Our talented graduates have taken up positions in prestigious companies all around the world. We take pride in offering high levels of welfare and support for all our students as well as providing a valuable learning environment.

There are currently over 700 non-UK students enrolled on postgraduate programmes at Aston from 100 countries around the world, providing a lively, diverse and social environment. Law has been taught at postgraduate and undergraduate level within the Business School for many years.

As an LL.M student, we will encourage and support you to invest in your personal development and skill set, enhancing your career and boosting your employability in the years to come.

The Program

The programme is delivered using seminars, lectures and tutorials. Students undertake a mix of individual group work, and interactive and media-based teaching methods are employed. Students will benefit from the contributions of guest speakers and the strong links between law academics and legal practitioners.

As the course progresses, students are assessed through examinations, except for the Advanced Legal Research & Writing module. Formal classes are complemented by a substantial piece of research leading to the completion of a dissertation in the student’s particular area of interest.

This course is aimed at International and EU students with a law background (normally at university undergraduate level) who will gain expertise in legal specialisms within a commercial context. Home law graduates will also benefit from the opportunity to deepen and broaden their commercial law portfolio and enhance their legal career prospects.

In addition to affording the opportunity to acquire international commercial legal expertise the programme is designed to equip students with advanced transferable legal research and writing skills.

Modules

Compulsory Module - Advanced Legal Research

A core element of the LL.M Programme, this essential module focuses on the fundamentals of legal research and writing process; it relates to and supports other aspects of the modules included in the LL.M Programme.
The emphasis of this module is on the development of research techniques and key analytical and rhetorical techniques, combined with basic theories and skills to continue independently with postgraduate studies.

Elective Modules – Students choose three elective modules

Comparative Contract Law

This module compares approaches to contractual regulation and remedies in a range of different international jurisdictions, e.g. France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the Unites States. The module will include the study of uniform principles such as the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts and the U.N Convention on the International Sales of Goods. It also introduces students to the European agenda for Contract Law from harmonization through to arguments for a European Contract Code and the new Draft Common Frame of Reference (DCFR).
Students will examine aspects of regulation such as the different approaches to pre-contractual liability, no fault events and contractual remedies.

Comparative Corporate Law

This module examines the international and European contexts for the development of corporate law, providing knowledge of the different forms of association in selected jurisdictions and historical background to the development of the corporate law regime.
Students are given an overview of current regulatory principles and reform issues in these common law and civil law jurisdictions. Through a series of seminars, workshop discussions and presentations, students will be taught key aspects of English corporate law, whilst addressing comparative common law issues through critical analysis and evaluation tools.

Corporate Crime

Rather than cover criminal law in its entirety, this module is designed to highlight criminal law as it affects corporate entities and their management. Core concepts will include corporate and vicarious liability and relevant defences such as due diligence. Amongst the legislation to be examined in detail will be The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act (2007), The Fraud Act (2006), The Computer Misuse Act (1990).

The directed learning and seminars will explore international dimensions, and, in-particular, the United States of America and Australia will provide a basis for comparison with English law.

European Community Competition Law

The overarching aim of the module is to examine rigorously topical issues in cartels, horizontal and vertical collaborations, state action, mergers, third-party action and enforcement. The module includes an introduction to the competition provisions of the EC Treaty and examination of the institutional structure together with an analysis of merger regulation.

The opportunity will be taken, where appropriate, to compare the European legal regime in this area with that of the United States of America.

Intellectual Property Law

Awareness of intellectual property rights is essential for successful innovation in any knowledge-based economy. This module will provide the student with a comprehensive overview of UK and European intellectual property rights with international comparison where appropriate. Issues of technology transfer will be addressed. Any student studying this module should acquire a deep understanding and awareness of how to profit from intellectual property rights.

The teaching on this course is strongly influenced by the module leader’s connections with the European Patent Office. She takes special interest in promoting the dissemination of intellectual property awareness throughout the university curricular within Europe.

International Banking Law

This module is concerned with the legal rules and principles applicable to prominent types of banking transactions and services. It is international in focus and will explore international harmonization efforts relating to the banking sector, especially in the initiatives of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT). The students will thus be able to develop a clear vision of the relationship between domestic and international banking law, regulation and model rules.

Particular attention will be paid to the needs and objectives of the banks and their corporate clients, thereby promoting an understanding of the role of the law in assisting the smooth functioning of international commerce.

The teaching and assessment methods will enhance the students’ ability to analyse the relevant legal principles, apply them in their practical context and propose directions for reform.

International Sales Law

The module will address the main international legal dimensions of international business sales and financing and the allied aspect of international transportation of goods concentrating particularly on the commodity markets. This will include the study of the main types of export sales contract and contracts concerning the international carriage of goods. The study will concentrate upon the internationally influential English law but will include a comparison of the legal solutions provided by international harmonization and unification efforts such as the United Nations Convention on the International Sale of Goods.

International Tax Law

International tax law explores taxation issues arising from cross border business activities and transactions. It is heavily focused around UK tax systems and UK tax legislation; Students are required to study relevant aspects of European law, private international law, and the OECD Model Convention and taxation treaties.

A requirement of this module will be to understand and apply the rules within the tax system relating to transfer pricing, to include central principles governing the UK’s jurisdiction to tax individuals and companies.

*N.B modules available in any particular academic year may vary slightly.

Modules are complemented by a substantial piece of research leading to the completion of a dissertation of up to 15,000 words in a student's particular area of interest.

Entry Requirements

One of:
• Normally at least upper second class honours undergraduate degree in law (or degree with majority law content)
• Normally at least upper second class undergraduate degree in non-law subject AND at least Merit in PG Diploma in Law/CPE (or average mark of 60% or above)
And:
• International students whose native language is not English or who have not completed a full degree programme taught in English will also need a TOEFL or IELTS qualification.
IELTS requirements are: 7.0 overall with no less than 7.0 in Writing and Speaking and 6.5 in Listening and Reading.
TOEFL requirements are: Paper-based test: 620 with a *TWE of 5.0, Computer-based test: 260 with a *TWE of 5.0 and Internet-based test: 105 with a minimum of 25 in Writing and Speaking and 23 in Reading and Listening.
• 2 academic references relating to law studies
• Pre-sessional English language programmes are available for good applicants whose English qualification falls just short of these requirements.

*TWE = Test of Written English

Location

Application & contact:
Aston Business School Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0) 121 204 3200
Fax: +44 (0) 121 204 4202
Email: abs-msc@aston.ac.uk