Master of Law LLM: Maritime Law pathway

The LLM in Law offers a dynamic range of fourteen different taught modules and there are eight named pathways, which you can opt to study: Chinese Commercial Law, Commercial Law, Commercial Dispute Resolution, E-Commerce Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Law, International Financial Law and Maritime Law. 

If you choose to study a named pathway then you will study two compulsory modules (one each semester) as well as two options (one each semester). There is also the option to study for a Joint Pathway, (where you study the two compulsory modules from the two named pathways) to give you a total of four modules of study. Or, you can study for a general LLM in Law, which allows you a completely free choice of four modules so that you can study areas of law of particular interest to you.

Following a general examination of Admiralty jurisdiction, the course will then look more closely at actions in rem and actions in personam and the related topics of maritime liens and the arrest of ships the ship as property including ownership, sale and shipbuilding contracts. The course further looks at the Financing of such contracts with an examination of mortgages, mortgage registration Safety at Sea through an examination of Flags of Convenience and Port State Control. The course then looks in depth at Marine Insurance. The course then examines salvage at common law and contractual salvage before looking at environmental issues and current topics such as piracy.

Semester C: Dissertation or Internship?
As well as taking the four taught modules you are also required to complete a 15.000 word dissertation (this counts as two modules) on a topic related to your chosen pathway (Semester C). However, the Law School with its innovative and professionally facing ethos led to the validation of the Internship Module option to run in Semester C alongside the traditional dissertation. 

Students have the option of pursuing either the dissertation or the Internship module (the Internship module is subject to an application procedure). If you choose the Internship, it will provide you with the opportunity to work in a law firm and/or the legal department of a business for one or two days per week over a period of about three months. 

Teaching methods
Teaching takes the form of weekly lecture/workshop sessions. You are expected to come to these sessions prepared and ready to contribute to discussions. If you are studying full-time, you attend for two lectures and small group seminars per week and part-time for one lecture and small group session per week. You will be given comprehensive module guides and reading lists at the beginning of each module to enable you to read widely and research issues independently. You are expected to approach issues of law critically and to consider law in its social, political and economic context.