In the first term, you will take a compulsory module providing a solid grounding in the subject. In the second term, you have the opportunity to take more advanced core modules that cover a range of topics in international dispute resolution. On completion of your choice of taught modules, you will be able to apply the knowledge, lawyering skills and legal reasoning to real-life situations to resolve issues, problems and disputes within the legal parameters.
We deliver teaching through student-led seminars. Your dissertation is pursued by independent research with individual supervision. You will be part of an inclusive and diverse community of students from different countries and backgrounds, who enrich the course with their academic and professional experiences.
Our School hosts the Durham International Dispute Resolution Institute and the Institute of Commercial and Corporate Law. You are encouraged to participate in their many activities. Upon completing the curriculum, you will be able to demonstrate a strong understanding of legal knowledge and be able to critically analyse and evaluate legal principles and arguments at a required level to meet the legal profession’s standards and expectations and the community. You will also be able to present effective legal arguments in the professional context and explain the Law effectively to lay clients and members of the larger community.
Course Structure
Core modules:
International Commercial Arbitration
Investor-State Arbitration
International Commercial Mediation
In recent years, optional modules have included:
Advanced Issues of Corporate Law
Advanced Issues of International Law
China and the International Legal Order
Competition Law
Contemporary Issues in International Intellectual Property Law
Cross-Border Commercial Litigation
Frontiers in Biolaw
Global Environmental Law
Global Financial Law
Fundamentals and advanced issues in International Commercial Arbitration
This course involves taught modules and a substantial dissertation component. We deliver taught modules through seminars.
Seminars are smaller-sized, student-led classes. You are expected to carry out reading prior to classes and you will apply your knowledge to set questions or problems. You can also test and refine your understanding through class discussions and the presentation of papers in a relaxed and supportive environment.
All taught postgraduate students are encouraged to attend various events including guest talks and seminars, organised through the School’s research centres, including the Durham International Dispute Resolution Institute, the Institute of Commercial and Corporate Law and the Durham European Law Institute.
Moot Court Participation
Durham Law School regularly participates in moot court competitions; Vis Moot, East Vis Moot and Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot. The competitions provide you with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your skills and knowledge. Our Durham Law School team is coached by the faculty and DLS alums practising in leading law firms.
Assessment
Assessment on the LLM is thorough and carried out through writing tasks with the majority of the modules assessed through essays of 3,000-6,000 words in length. The core module on applied research methods will be assessed on a proposal you will present for a research topic. You will present a dissertation on an area of international dispute resolution of interest to you.
Entry requirements
A good 2:1 degree (or its equivalent) in law, or in a degree in which law is a major component.
Students whose native language is not English must show evidence of general proficiency in the English language by normally achieving 7.0 or higher in IELTS with a minimum of 7.0 in the writing component and a minimum of 6.5 in all other components.
Students from EU member states whose native language is not English may show evidence of general proficiency in the English language by normally achieving 102 or higher in TOEFL with a minimum of 27 in the writing component and a minimum of 25 in all other components.
The tuition fees for 2025/26 academic year have not yet been finalised, they will be displayed here once approved.
The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).
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