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 60 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 2022/23 academic year. Please note that courses for the 2023/24 academic year will be confirmed later in 2023. 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.
LL4BF International Financial Regulation (LT)
LL4BK Corporate Crime (MT)
LL4BL Financial Crime (LT)
LL4F2 The Law & Practice of International Finance (LT)
LL4G8 Law of Corporate Finance (MT)
LL4H4 International Financial Law (MT)
LL4K8 Law of Corporate Finance: Securities Regulation (LT)
LL4K9 European Capital Markets Law (MT)
LL4Z9 Banking Law (MT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL4AF Principles of Global Competition Law (MT)
LL4AG Competition Law, Technology and Intellectual Property (LT)
LL4AV International Economic Law and Development (LT)
LL4B1 International Trade Law (MT)
LL4BP Current Issues in Intellectual and Cultural Property Law (LT)
LL4BQ Trade Mark Law (MT)
LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries (MT)
LL4N6 Principles of Copyright Law (MT)
LL4S1 Cyber Law (LT)
LL4S2 E-commerce Law (LT)
LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security (MT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL4AF Principles of Global Competition Law (MT)
LL4AG Competition Law, Technology and Intellectual Property (LT)
LL4AH Corporate Governance (MT)
LL4AJ Corporate Rescue and Reorganisation (MT)
LL4AK Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law (LT)
LL4BK Corporate Crime (MT)
LL4BL Financial Crime (LT)
LL4C5 International Commercial Arbitration (MT)
LL4C6 International Arbitration (LT)
LL4CC Commercial Remedies (LT)
LL4CF UK Corporate Law (MT)
LL4CH VAT and VAT Litigation: UK, EU and Global Perspectives (LT)
LL4CP Tax Avoidance (MT)
LL4CQ Legal Aspects of Private Equity and Venture Capital (LT)
LL4E7 Investment Treaty Law (LT)
LL4F2 The Law & Practice of International Finance (LT)
LL4F3 Mergers, Acquisitions and Restructurings in Europe (LT)
LL4G8 Law of Corporate Finance (MT)
LL4H4 International Financial Law (MT)
LL4K8 Law of Corporate Finance: Securities Regulation (LT)
LL4K9 European Capital Markets Law (MT)
LL4N6 Principles of Copyright Law (MT)
LL4S2 E-commerce Law (LT)
LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security (MT)
LL4Z1 Business Taxation (MT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL4AH Corporate Governance (MT)
LL4BF International Financial Regulation (LT)
LL4BK Corporate Crime (MT)
LL4BL Financial Crime (LT)
LL4CF UK Corporate Law (MT)
LL4CQ Legal Aspects of Private Equity and Venture Capital (LT)
LL4F2 The Law & Practice of International Finance (LT)
LL4F3 Mergers, Acquisitions and Restructurings in Europe (LT)
LL4G8 Law of Corporate Finance (MT)
LL4H4 International Financial Law (MT)
LL4K8 Law of Corporate Finance: Securities Regulation (LT)
LL4K9 European Capital Markets Law (MT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL4AR International Criminal Law: Core Crimes and Concepts (MT)
LL4AS International Criminal Law: Prosecution and Practice (LT)
LL4BK Corporate Crime (MT)
LL4BL Financial Crime (LT)
LL4CE Security and Criminal Law (MT)
LL4CL Explaining Punishment: Philosophy, Political Economy, Sociology (MT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL468 European Human Rights Law (MT)
LL4AF Principles of Global Competition Law (MT)
LL4AG Competition Law, Technology and Intellectual Property (LT)
LL4BG Rethinking EU Law (LT)
LL4BH Law and Government of the European Union (MT)
LL4BV Transnational Environmental Law (LT)
LL4CH VAT and VAT Litigation: UK, EU and Global Perspectives (LT)
LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries (MT)
LL4F3 Mergers, Acquisitions and Restructurings in Europe (LT)
LL4H8 Employment Law (MT)
LL4H9 Human Rights in the Workplace (MT)
LL4K9 European Capital Markets Law (MT)
LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security (MT)
LL4Z6 Comparative Constitutional Law (MT)
LL4Z7 Comparative Constitutional Rights (LT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL468 European Human Rights Law (MT)
LL469 UK Human Rights Law (MT)
LL475 Terrorism and the Rule of Law (MT)
LL4A6 Climate Change and International Law (LT)
LL4A8 International Law and the Use of Force (MT)
LL4A9 Law in War (LT)
LL4AQ Constitutional Theory (MT)
LL4AR International Criminal Law: Core Crimes and Concepts (MT)
LL4AS International Criminal Law: Prosecution and Practice (LT)
LL4AX Selected Topics in International Human Rights Law (LT)
LL4BG Rethinking EU Law (LT)
LL4BH Law and Government of the European Union (MT)
LL4BW Law and Political Thought (LT)
LL4C2 World Poverty and Human Rights (LT)
LL4E6 International Dispute Resolution: Courts and Tribunals (MT)
LL4H2 Freedom of Speech, Media and the Law (MT)
LL4H3 Media Law: Regulating Newsgathering (LT)
LL4H9 Human Rights in the Workplace (MT)
LL4K4 The International Law of Self-Determination (MT)
LL4L6 Theory of Constitutional Rights (MT)
LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security (MT)
LL4Z6 Comparative Constitiutional Law (MT)
LL4Z7 Comparative Constitutional Rights (LT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL4BP Current Issues in Intellectual and Cultural Property Law (LT)
LL4BQ Trade Mark Law (MT)
LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries (MT)
LL4H2 Freedom of Speech, Media and the Law (MT)
LL4H3 Media Law: Regulating Newsgathering (LT)
LL4N6 Principles of Copyright Law (MT)
LL4S1 Cyber Law (LT)
LL4S2 E-commerce Law (LT)
LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security (MT)
LL4S5 Regulation of Digital Creativity and Investment (LT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL4AG Competition Law, Technology and Intellectual Property (LT)
LL4BP Current Issues in Intellectual and Cultural Property Law (LT)
LL4BQ Trade Mark Law (MT)
LL4BU Art Law (LT)
LL4H2 Freedom of Speech, Media and the Law (MT)
LL4H3 Media Law: Regulating Newsgathering (LT)
LL4N6 Principles of Copyright Law (MT)
LL4S1 Cyber Law (LT)
LL4S5 Regulation of Digital Creativity and Investment (LT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL4AF Principles of Global Competition Law (MT)
LL4AG Competition Law, Technology and Intellectual Property (LT)
LL4AH Corporate Governance (MT)
LL4AL International Business Transactions: Commercial Litigation (MT)
LL4AM International Business Transactions: Advanced Procedure and Tactics (LT)
LL4AV International Economic Law and Development (LT)
LL4AY International Tax Systems (MT)
LL4B1 International Trade Law (MT)
LL4BF International Financial Regulation (LT)
LL4BK Corporate Crime (MT)
LL4BL Financial Crime (LT)
LL4C5 International Commercial Arbitration (MT)
LL4C6 International Arbitration (LT)
LL4CC Commercial Remedies (LT)
LL4CH VAT and VAT Litigation: UK, EU and Global Perspectives (LT)
LL4CP Tax Avoidance (LT)
LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries (MT)
LL4E7 Investment Treaty Law (LT)
LL4F2 The Law & Practice of International Finance (LT)
LL4F3 Mergers, Acquisitions and Restructurings in Europe (LT)
LL4H4 International Financial Law (MT)
LL4K9 European Capital Markets Law (MT)
LL4S2 E-commerce Law (LT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL475 Terrorism and the Rule of Law (MT)
LL4A6 Climate Change and International Law (LT)
LL4AQ Constitutional Theory (MT)
LL4BG Rethinking EU Law (LT)
LL4BP Current Issues in Intellectual and Cultural Property Law (LT)
LL4BW Law and Political Thought (LT)
LL4CE Security and Criminal Law (MT)
LL4CL Explaining Punishment: Philosophy, Political Economy, Sociology (MT)
LL4CO Taxation of Wealth (MT)
LL4CP Tax Avoidance (LT)
LL4L6 Theory of Constitutional Rights (MT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL468 European Human Rights Law (MT)
LL475 Terrorism and the Rule of Law (MT)
LL4A6 Climate Change and International Law (LT)
LL4A8 International Law and the Use of Force (MT)
LL4A9 Law in War (LT)
LL4AE The Politics of International Law (MT)
LL4AR International Criminal Law: Core Crimes and Concepts (MT)
LL4AS International Criminal Law: Prosecution and Practice (LT)
LL4AV International Economic Law and Development (LT)
LL4AX Selected Topics in International Human Rights Law (LT)
LL4B1 International Trade Law (MT)
LL4BV Transnational Environmental Law (LT)
LL4C2 World Poverty and Human Rights (LT)
LL4E6 International Dispute Resolution: Courts and Tribunals (MT)
LL4E7 Investment Treaty Law (LT)
LL4Z7 Comparative Constitutional Rights (LT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL468 European Human Rights Law (MT)
LL469 UK Human Rights Law (MT)
LL475 Terrorism and the Rule of Law (MT)
LL4AQ Constitutional Theory (MT)
LL4BG Rethinking EU Law (LT)
LL4BH Law and Government of the European Union (MT)
LL4BV Transnational Environmental Law (LT)
LL4BW Law and Political Thought (LT)
LL4CP Tax Avoidance (LT)
LL4CS Law and Economics of Network Industries (MT)
LL4H2 Freedom of Speech, Media and the Law (MT)
LL4H3 Media Law: Regulating Newsgathering (LT)
LL4L6 Theory of Constitutional Rights (MT)
LL4Z6 Comparative Constitiutional Law (MT)
LL4Z7 Comparative Constitutional Rights (LT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
LL4AY International Tax Systems (MT)
LL4AZ Taxation of Multinational Enterprises: Transfer Pricing (LT)
LL4CG Tax Policy and Design (MT)
LL4CH VAT and VAT Litigation: UK, EU and Global Perspectives (LT)
LL4CO Taxation of Wealth (MT)
LL4CP Tax Avoidance (LT)
LL4Z1 Business Taxation (MT)
[MT = Michaelmas Term; LT = Lent Term]
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 Summer Term in May/June. Some courses are assessed by extended essay, submitted in May. 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.
Information for Prospective LLM Students: Specialisms and Courses from 2023/24
As noted above, the LLM courses for the 2023/24 academic year will be confirmed later in 2023. Following a review of our LLM Specialisms, the following specialisms will be available from the academic year 2023/24:
Financial Law and Regulation
Corporate and Commercial Law
International Business Law
Criminal Law and Justice
Human Rights Law
Competition and Innovation
IT and Data Law
IP Law
Taxation Law
Law, Politics and Social Change*
Public International Law
Public Law
European, Comparative and Transnational Law
For indicative lists of courses falling within these specialisms, please consult the information above for the 2022/23 academic year, but please note these lists will be subject to change for 2023/24.
* Law, Politics and Social Change is a new LLM specialism for 2023/24, covering courses that adopt a legal perspective to analyse cutting-edge social and political issues of our time. Courses within this specialism (subject to confirmation) will include a new LLM course in Law, Race and Decolonisation; a new LLM course in Medical Law; Employment Law; Human Rights in the Workplace; Climate Change and International Law; and Law and Political Thought.