Shipping law offers you a challenging global career. Ninety per cent of world trade is carried out by sea. Contracting parties frequently select English law as the applicable law of shipping contracts, and London is often chosen as the forum for the resolution of any disputes. Study in London and be taught by international maritime law experts from the Centre for Commercial Law Studies.
- Study close to major international law firms and institutions such the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Lloyd’s of London and the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA)
- Enjoy the contribution of distinguished guest speakers, including legal practitioners from City law firms and barristers’ chambers with many years of experience in maritime law, as well as experts from the shipping industry.
- Your fellow students will come from the UK and more than 80 other countries, each able to draw on prior academic and professional experience from different jurisdictions
- Take part in networking and social events run by the Queen Mary Postgraduate Law Society
Application procedure
Grant opportunities
There are a number of ways you can fund your postgraduate degree.
School of Law scholarships
The School of Law offers a range of scholarships for Law Masters programmes each year. Full details are made available on the law funding page from October – November each year.
Other sources of funding
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Postgraduate loans (UK students)
- Country-specific scholarships for international students
Our Advice and Counselling service offers specialist support on financial issues, which you can access as soon as you apply for a place at Queen Mary. Before you apply, you can access our funding guides and advice on managing your money:
Learning outcomes
You will cover aspects of the law of the sea, maritime insurance and arbitration, as well as taking an overview of public, international and European air transport law and maritime conflict of laws. In addition to your specialist shipping law studies, you will be able to select up to 45 credits of modules from the wider LLM programme. Please note that not all modules will be available in every year.
You do not have to choose your modules until you have had the opportunity to learn about them in greater detail during your comprehensive two-week induction period.
The LLM Year Planner gives you an idea of the structure of the programme and key periods for assessment and exams.
Structure
You will need to complete 180 credits in total:
- 150 credits of taught modules
- 30 credits by dissertation of 10,000 words
Prerequisites
UK
Degree requirements
A 2:1 or above at undergraduate level in Law or a degree with substantial law content.
Law graduates with a 2:2 honours degree who also have other legal qualifications and/or substantial professional legal experience may also qualify.
Other routes
Non-law graduates with a minimum second class honours degree, that have also obtained a Merit (or 60 per cent) in the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) recognised by the UK professional bodies, may also qualify. Non-law graduates may also be considered on the basis of exceptional professional experience (of at least five years) in a legal area or an area directly related to their programme of study.
Find out more about how to apply for our postgraduate taught courses.
English language requirements
If you got your degree in an English speaking country or if it was taught in English, and you studied within the last five years, you might not need an English language qualification - find out more.
The minimum English Language requirements for entry to postgraduate degree programmes within the School Law are:
7.0 overall including 7.0 in Writing, and 5.5 in Reading, Listening and Speaking.
Visas and immigration
Find out how to apply for a student visa.
ISCED Categories
