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Programme structure

At LSE Law, you will be able to choose from a wide variety of courses in composing the subject matter of your degree.

Structure of the LLM

The LSE LLM programme is designed to give you the flexibility to create a degree programme that suits your academic and professional objectives. You can either expand your horizons by engaging with diverse legal areas, or alternatively focus on a particular subject area and choose to graduate with a specialist LLM.

All LLM students take total of eight courses, usually over a period of one year of full-time study. Seven of those will be ‘taught’ courses, chosen from a diverse menu of LSE Law courses, which changes each year to make the most of our world-leading faculty’s research expertise and interest in that given session. Subject to Law School approval, up to two of these taught courses may be non-Law, Masters-level courses run by other LSE departments; this option has been popular, for example, with students interested in adding an interdisciplinary perspective to their study. The eighth course making up the LLM degree is a compulsory course on Legal Research and Writing Skills, which is assessed via a 10,000 word independent dissertation on a topic of your choice and will be supervised by one of our expert faculty members.

You can choose to pursue your LLM with a general focus or to select a subject specialism, the options for which are outlined below. If you take a minimum of four Law School courses within one of these specialist areas, you can request that your chosen specialism is included on your degree certificate upon graduation. Your specialism may include the compulsory Legal Research and Writing course should your dissertation topic directly relate to your specialism topic and upon agreement from the Law School.

Specialisms and Courses

The LSE Law School runs over 70 postgraduate courses each year, divided between two teaching terms. We encourage our LLM students to think broadly, challenge themselves and take courses that promise to develop their legal education in ways that take them outside their comfort zone.

It is important for students to note that the exact range of LLM taught courses on offer will vary from year to year. The law school's areas of research expertise feed directly into the content taught on the LLM. Some courses run in most years whereas some are only offered in certain years when the teacher (often a leading expert in the field) is available. New courses in developing fields of research are also regularly introduced to ensure that our programme remains at the leading edge of legal scholarship. 

Depending on a student’s interests and career goals there is an option to select a specialism on the LLM, which approximately half of the students on the programme opt to do. However, even those students who follow a specialism routinely take three or four courses from a completely different field of law, which considerably enriches their experience and expands their perspectives on more specialist material.  

The following specialisms and courses are available to take in the 2024/25 academic year. Please note that specialisms may also be subject to change. Although we do not guarantee any student a place on a particular course, all students are generally able to meet their chosen specialism. For further information on individual courses please refer to the relevant course guide.

 

Courses within the Competition and Innovation Specialism

LL4AF Principles of Global Competition Law

LL4AG  Advanced Competition Law 

LL4AV International Economic Law and Development

LL4AY International Tax Systems: A Global Perspective

LL4B1 International Trade Law 

LL4BM The Legal Protection of Inventions  

LL4BP Current Issues in Intellectual and Cultural Property Law

LL4BQ Trade Mark Law

LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries  

LL4EE The Regulation of Competition in Digital Markets

LL4GE Advanced Digital Platform Regulation

LL4GG Sports: Law and Governance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GH The European Market  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GK Tackling Climate Change: Legal Strategies

LL4N6 Principles of Copyright Law

LL4S1 Cyberlaw

LL4S2 E-Commerce Law

LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security

LL4Z2 Resolving International Tax Disputes: A Global Perspective

LL4Z5 State Aid and Subsidies Regulation   

Courses within the Corporate and Commercial Law Specialism

LL4AF Principles of Global Competition Law

LL4AG Competition Law, Technology and Intellectual Property 

LL4AH Corporate Governance 

LL4AJ Corporate Rescue and Reorganisation  

LL4AK Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law  

LL4AT Regulation: Strategies and Enforcement

LL4BK Corporate Crime

LL4BL Financial Crime

LL4BM The Legal Protection of Inventions  

LL4C5 International Commercial Arbitration

LL4C6 Advanced Issues in International Arbitration 

LL4CC Commercial Remedies

LL4CF UK Corporate Law

LL4CP Tax Avoidance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4CQ Legal Aspects of Private Equity and Venture Capital

LL4E7 International Investment Law and Arbitration

LL4EC Anglo-American Contract Law

LL4ED Taxation of Corporate Finance

LL4EF Key Issues in Private Law

LL4F2 The Law and Practice of International Finance  

LL4F3 Mergers, Acquisitions and Restructurings in Europe

LL4F4 Takeover Regulation in the UK and the US

LL4G8 Law of Corporate Finance

LL4GG Sports: Law and Governance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GH The European Market  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GJ Legal Aspects of Sustainable Finance

LL4H4 International Financial Law

LL4K8 Law of Corporate Finance: Securities Regulation   (not available 2025/26)

LL4K9 European Capital Markets Law

LL4N6 Principles of Copyright Law

LL4S2 E-Commerce Law

LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security

LL4Z1 Business Taxation: Principles and Practice

LL4Z5 State Aid and Subsidies Regulation   

Courses within the Criminal Law and Justice Specialism

LL4AR International Criminal Law: Core Crimes and Concepts

LL4AS International Criminal Law: Prosecution and Practice (not available 2025/26)

LL4AT Regulation: Strategies and Enforcement

LL4BK Corporate Crime

LL4BL Financial Crime

LL4CE Security and Criminal Law  (not available 2025/26)

LL4CL Explaining Punishment: Philosophy, Political Economy, Sociology 

Courses within the Dispute Resolution Specialism

LL4A8 International Law and the Use of Force 

LL4AL International Business Transactions: Commercial Litigation

LL4AV Global Economic Governance

LL4B1 International Trade Law 

LL4C5 International Commercial Arbitration

LL4C6 Advanced Issues in International Arbitration 

LL4E6 International Dispute Resolution: Courts and Tribunals 

LL4E7 International Investment Law and Arbitration

LL4GD International Energy Law

LL4GG Sports: Law and Governance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4Z2 Resolving International Tax Disputes: A Global Perspective  

Courses within the Environment and Energy Law Specialism

LL4A6 Climate Change and International Law

LL4AT Regulation: Strategies and Enforcement

LL4AV Global Economic Governance

LL4BV Transnational Environmental Law

LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries  

LL4GD International Energy Law

LL4GK Tackling Climate Change: Legal Strategies

Courses within the European, Comparative and Transnational Law Specialism

LL475 Terrorism and the Rule of Law

LL4A6 Climate Change and International Law

LL4AF Principles of Global Competition Law

LL4AG Competition Law, Technology and Intellectual Property 

LL4AJ Corporate Rescue and Reorganisation  

LL4AK Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law  

LL4AL International Business Transactions: Commercial Litigation

LL4AN International Business Transactions: Conflict of Laws, Extraterritoriality, and Global Governance

LL4AY International Tax Systems: A Global Perspective

LL4BG Rethinking EU Law 

LL4BH Law and Government of the European Union 

LL4BV Transnational Environmental Law

LL4C5 International Commercial Arbitration

LL4C6 Advanced Issues in International Arbitration 

LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries  

LL4EC Anglo-American Contract Law

LL4EE The Regulation of Competition in Digital Markets

LL4F3 Mergers, Acquisitions and Restructurings in Europe

LL4GA Constitutionalisms in the Global South

LL4GE Advanced Digital Platform Regulation

LL4GF Law, Society and Development

LL4GG Sports: Law and Governance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GH The European Market  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GJ Legal Aspects of Sustainable Finance

LL4GK Tackling Climate Change: Legal Strategies

LL4H8 Employment Law

LL4H9 Human Rights in the Workplace

LL4K9 European Capital Markets Law

LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security

LL4Y9 Comparative and Transnational Law

LL4Z5 State Aid and Subsidies Regulation  

LL4Z6 Comparative Constitutional Law

LL4Z7 Comparative Constitutional Rights  

Courses within the Financial Law and Regulation Specialism

LL4AT Regulation: Strategies and Enforcement

LL4BF International Financial Regulation

LL4BK Corporate Crime

LL4BL Financial Crime

LL4CQ Legal Aspects of Private Equity and Venture Capital

LL4F2 The Law and Practice of International Finance  

LL4G8 Law of Corporate Finance

LL4GG Sports: Law and Governance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GH The European Market  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GJ Legal Aspects of Sustainable Finance

LL4H4 International Financial Law

LL4K8 Law of Corporate Finance: Securities Regulation   (not available 2025/26)

LL4K9 European Capital Markets Law

LL4Z9 Banking Law    

Courses within the Human Rights Law Specialism

LL468 European Human Rights Law  (not available 2025/26)

LL469 UK Human Rights Law  (not available 2025/26)

LL475 Terrorism and the Rule of Law

LL4A6 Climate Change and International Law

LL4A8 International Law and the Use of Force 

LL4A9 Law in War 

LL4AD Rethinking International Law 

LL4AQ Constitutional Theory

LL4AR International Criminal Law: Core Crimes and Concepts

LL4AS International Criminal Law: Prosecution and Practice (not available 2025/26)

LL4AW Foundations of International Human Rights Law 

LL4AX Selected Topics in International Human Rights Law

LL4BA International Law and the Movement of Persons within States

LL4BB International Law and the Movement of Persons Between States

LL4BG Rethinking EU Law 

LL4BH Law and Government of the European Union 

LL4BV Transnational Environmental Law

LL4BW Law and Political Thought

LL4C2 World Poverty and Human Rights

LL4E6 International Dispute Resolution: Courts and Tribunals 

LL4GA Constitutionalisms in the Global South

LL4GD International Energy Law

LL4GE Advanced Digital Platform Regulation

LL4GF Law, Society and Development

LL4GG Sports: Law and Governance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4H2 Freedom of Speech, Media and the Law

LL4H3 Media Law: Regulating Newsgathering

LL4H8 Employment Law

LL4H9 Human Rights in the Workplace

LL4K4 The International Law of Self-Determination  (not available 2025/26)

LL4L6 Theory of Constitutional Rights  (not available 2025/26)

LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security

LL4Z6 Comparative Constitutional Law

LL4Z7 Comparative Constitutional Rights 

Courses within the Intellectual Property Law Specialism

LL4AG Competition Law, Technology and Intellectual Property 

LL4AT Regulation: Strategies and Enforcement

LL4BM The Legal Protection of Inventions  

LL4BP Current Issues in Intellectual and Cultural Property Law

LL4BQ Trade Mark Law

LL4BT Cultural Property and Heritage Law  (not available 2025/26)

LL4BU Art Law  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GE Advanced Digital Platform Regulation

LL4H2 Freedom of Speech, Media and the Law

LL4H3 Media Law: Regulating Newsgathering

LL4N6 Principles of Copyright Law

LL4S1 Cyberlaw

LL4S5 Regulation of Digital Creativity and Investment  (not available 2025/26) 

Courses within the International Business Law Specialism

LL4AF Principles of Global Competition Law

LL4AG Competition Law, Technology and Intellectual Property 

LL4AH Corporate Governance 

LL4AJ Corporate Rescue and Reorganisation  

LL4AK Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law  

LL4AL International Business Transactions: Commercial Litigation

LL4AN International Business Transactions: Conflict of Laws, Extraterritoriality, and Global Governance

LL4AV Global Economic Governance

LL4AY International Tax Systems: A Global Perspective

LL4B1 International Trade Law 

LL4BF International Financial Regulation

LL4BK Corporate Crime

LL4BL Financial Crime

LL4BM The Legal Protection of Inventions  

LL4C5 International Commercial Arbitration

LL4C6 Advanced Issues in International Arbitration 

LL4CC Commercial Remedies

LL4CP Tax Avoidance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4CQ Legal Aspects of Private Equity and Venture Capital

LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries  

LL4E7 International Investment Law and Arbitration

LL4EC Anglo-American Contract Law

LL4EF Key Issues in Private Law

LL4F2 The Law and Practice of International Finance  

LL4F3 Mergers, Acquisitions and Restructurings in Europe

LL4F4 Takeover Regulation in the UK and the US  

LL4GD International Energy Law

LL4GF Law, Society and Development

LL4GG Sports: Law and Governance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GH The European Market  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GJ Legal Aspects of Sustainable Finance

LL4H4 International Financial Law

LL4K9 European Capital Markets Law

LL4S2 E-Commerce Law

LL4Y9 Comparative and Transnational Law

LL4Z2 Resolving International Tax Disputes: A Global Perspective

LL4Z5 State Aid and Subsidies Regulation   

Courses within the IT and Data Law Specialism

LL4AT Regulation: Strategies and Enforcement

LL4BM The Legal Protection of Inventions  

LL4BP Current Issues in Intellectual and Cultural Property Law

LL4BQ Trade Mark Law

LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries  

LL4EE The Regulation of Competition in Digital Markets

LL4GE Advanced Digital Platform Regulation

LL4H2 Freedom of Speech, Media and the Law

LL4H3 Media Law: Regulating Newsgathering

LL4N6 Principles of Copyright Law

LL4S1 Cyberlaw

LL4S2 E-Commerce Law

LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security

LL4S5 Regulation of Digital Creativity and Investment  (not available 2025/26)

Courses within the Law, Politics and Social Change Specialism

LL469 UK Human Rights Law  (not available 2025/26)

LL475 Terrorism and the Rule of Law

LL4A6 Climate Change and International Law

LL4AD Rethinking International Law 

LL4AE The Politics of International Law

LL4AX Selected Topics in International Human Rights Law

LL4BG Rethinking EU Law 

LL4BH Law and Government of the European Union 

LL4BP Current Issues in Intellectual and Cultural Property Law

LL4BV Transnational Environmental Law

LL4BW Law and Political Thought

LL4C2 World Poverty and Human Rights

LL4CE Security and Criminal Law  (not available 2025/26)

LL4CL Explaining Punishment: Philosophy, Political Economy, Sociology

LL4EA Race, Class, and Law

LL4EB Key Issues in Medical Law and Ethics

LL4EF Key Issues in Private Law

LL4GA Constitutionalisms in the Global South

LL4GB Law and Critical Theory

LL4GC Global Commodities: the Foundations of International Law

LL4GD International Energy Law

LL4GF Law, Society and Development

LL4GG Sports: Law and Governance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GK Tackling Climate Change: Legal Strategies

LL4H2 Freedom of Speech, Media and the Law

LL4H3 Media Law: Regulating Newsgathering

LL4H8 Employment Law

LL4H9 Human Rights in the Workplace

LL4Z7 Comparative Constitutional Rights 

Courses within the Public International Law Specialism

LL475 Terrorism and the Rule of Law

LL4A6 Climate Change and International Law

LL4A8 International Law and the Use of Force 

LL4A9 Law in War 

LL4AD Rethinking International Law 

LL4AE The Politics of International Law

LL4AR International Criminal Law: Core Crimes and Concepts

LL4AS International Criminal Law: Prosecution and Practice (not available 2025/26)

LL4AV Global Economic Governance

LL4AW Foundations of International Human Rights Law 

LL4AX Selected Topics in International Human Rights Law

LL4AY International Tax Systems: A Global Perspective

LL4B1 International Trade Law 

LL4BA International Law and the Movement of Persons within States

LL4BB International Law and the Movement of Persons Between States

LL4BT Cultural Property and Heritage Law  (not available 2025/26)

LL4BV Transnational Environmental Law

LL4C2 World Poverty and Human Rights

LL4C6 Advanced Issues in International Arbitration 

LL4E6 International Dispute Resolution: Courts and Tribunals 

LL4E7 International Investment Law and Arbitration

LL4GC Global Commodities: the Foundations of International Law

LL4GD International Energy Law

LL4GG Sports: Law and Governance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GH The European Market  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GK Tackling Climate Change: Legal Strategies

LL4K4 The International Law of Self-Determination  (not available 2025/26)

LL4Z2 Resolving International Tax Disputes: A Global Perspective 

Courses within the Public Law Specialism

LL468 European Human Rights Law  (not available 2025/26)

LL469 UK Human Rights Law  (not available 2025/26)

LL475 Terrorism and the Rule of Law

LL4AQ Constitutional Theory

LL4AT Regulation: Strategies and Enforcement

LL4BG Rethinking EU Law 

LL4BH Law and Government of the European Union 

LL4BV Transnational Environmental Law

LL4BW Law and Political Thought

LL4CP Tax Avoidance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries  

LL4GA Constitutionalisms in the Global South

LL4GG Sports: Law and Governance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4GH The European Market  (not available 2025/26)

LL4H2 Freedom of Speech, Media and the Law

LL4H3 Media Law: Regulating Newsgathering

LL4L6 Theory of Constitutional Rights  (not available 2025/26)

LL4Z2 Resolving International Tax Disputes: A Global Perspective

LL4Z6 Comparative Constitutional Law

LL4Z7 Comparative Constitutional Rights 

Courses within the Taxation Law Specialism

LL4AY International Tax Systems: A Global Perspective

LL4CG Tax Policy and Design 

LL4CO Taxation of Wealth 

LL4CP Tax Avoidance  (not available 2025/26)

LL4ED Taxation of Corporate Finance

LL4Z1 Business Taxation: Principles and Practice

LL4Z2 Resolving International Tax Disputes: A Global Perspective 

Teaching delivery

Our LLM taught courses are delivered primarily in the form of small-group teaching with a strong emphasis on independent study, cutting-edge materials and lively class discussion. We believe that the student experience on our taught courses should be challenging, intellectually stimulating and participatory. As such, it is important that students on our courses should have the opportunity to be actively involved in class discussions and be able to interact both with the teacher and fellow students to develop their legal skills and understanding in a particular subject. You can therefore expect a challenging, but also thought-provoking and rewarding experience on our courses. 

It is important to note that that places on all LLM taught courses are limited by class size. Admission onto any particular course is therefore not guaranteed and is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis in the course selection window. The ‘first-come, first-served’ nature of the course selection system means that the majority of students will not get places on all seven of the courses that they initially plan to take. The result, however, is that students expand their current field of expertise or interest and will always be taking courses that offer cutting-edge, research-led learning. In our view, this outcome creates well-rounded lawyers, who want to be challenged and pushed to think outside of the box.

Assessment

The taught courses are assessed generally by written examination, held during the Spring Term in May/June. Dissertations are submitted in August. To prepare for the exams you will be asked to write a minimum of one short formative (practice) essay per course on which you will receive constructive feedback.

 

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