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Course Title:
LLM EU Law and Comparative Legal Studies

Entry Criteria:
A good upper second class honours degree or its equivalent in Law, or in a related discipline. IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 230/570.
[If an applicant does not meet the specified criteria, he or she may discuss the application with the Head of Postgraduate Admissions.]

Admissions:
Please see the postgraduate prospectus for further information. Any queries can be directed to pgadmit@essex.ac.uk or by telephone: 01206 872719.

English Language Requirements:
Non-UK students are generally required to produce evidence of proficiency in the English Language. We are able to take into account some school or other English Language grades as well as IELTS or similar. Please contact us if you have queries.

Information for Prospective Postgraduates:

LLM EU Law and Comparative Legal Studies (not running in 2009)

Student studyingFinal Award: LLM, Master
Mode of study: Full time or part time
Location: Colchester Campus

Aims and Objectives

The LL.M EU Law and Comparative Legal Studies is an advanced programme focusing on the in-depth study of the global legal environment. It is not only considering EU law and domestic law of EU Member States but is also developing students’ understanding of law in a global and comparative context.

The course intends to capture comparative law as a modern discipline in its own right, with its history, development and its new challenges (globalisation, emergence of China, harmonisation of European Law, etc). In addition to catering for both general and specific approaches to comparative law, giving a solid background, it will provide a comprehensive review of more specialised subjects, such as comparative public law or comparative telecom law.

Moreover, the programme aims to provide students with an advanced conceptual understanding of the legal principles of European Community law and the European Union, as well as the legal cultures and the main legal systems presents in Europe.

By expanding their knowledge and understanding the law at both regional and global level, students will be ready to work within the European Community/European Union, Members States and international and business organizations, whether they choose to be lawyers, regulators, civil servants, legal advisers or researchers or academics.

Course Structure

Compulsory Module:

Theory and Method of Comparative Legal Studies

Optional Modules:

Comparative Legal Systems
Comparative Public Law
Comparative Study of the Jurisprudential/Philosophical Basis and French Law
Comparative Law of the Persons
Comparative Law of Indigenous people
One full year option to two half options from the LLM European Union Law.

Further information is available from the University's Module Directory.

Dissertation

The dissertation must be of a length of approximately 15,000 – 20,000 word. The topic of the dissertation is determined by the student in agreement with supervisor early in the third term.

Supervision and writing of the dissertation takes place in the third term and over the summer period. The dissertation must be submitted by mid-September.

Assessment

Assessment for all law modules is by means of assessed essays. Optional modules on other LLM’s may be examined by other methods appropriate to the module in question.

More Information: taught postgraduate modules - frequently asked questions.