This module will help you develop a coherent international perspective on business law as it relates to and affects corporations. The module will use our globalised economy as the context for an in-depth study of corporate law.

You will be asked to consider the view that a national corporate is merely a service which international business can access if it suits their needs and will critically assess and discuss the pros and cons of this perspective.

As you continue to interrogate this line of thought, you will have the opportunity to examine the strengths and weaknesses of UK corporate law - taking a comparative view when measuring UK corporate law against international standards. Strong links to practitioners will inform insights.

In an increasingly globalised economy, understanding how international law shapes business is essential. This module explores the legal and institutional frameworks that govern cross-border commerce and investment. You’ll examine how national laws, international treaties, regulatory bodies and global institutions influence the rules of international business.

Key areas of study include:

• International investment regulation
• Bilateral and multilateral trade agreements
• Soft law instruments such as codes of conduct
• Decisions of global organisations
• The structure and role of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
• The basic principles of GATT
• The WTO’s interaction with other areas of global regulation, including health and environmental protection

Offering a critical, practice-relevant perspective, the module examines how international legal systems facilitate, constrain and reshape business across borders.

By combining doctrinal analysis with current global challenges, it equips you with a nuanced understanding of transnational legal governance in a complex and evolving world.

The dissertation is your opportunity to design and deliver an original research project on a legal topic you’re passionate about. With the freedom to choose your own area of focus, you’ll develop in-depth expertise while showcasing your critical thinking, methodological precision and academic writing skills.

You’ll be supported and supervised throughout by a dedicated academic from the Law School whose own research aligns with your chosen topic. Your supervisor will provide you with tailored guidance, intellectual mentorship and feedback grounded in cutting-edge legal scholarship.

Whether you aspire to pursue doctoral study, enter a specialist legal field or influence policy and practice, the dissertation will demonstrate your ability to produce independent, rigorous legal research.

We view the dissertation as more than an academic exercise: it’s a personalised opportunity to shape your future in law.

This module will help you develop the skills required for the postgraduate study of law and leads up to your dissertation.

You will gain insights into:

• How to carry out good academic work
• What characterises ethical research
• How to be conscientious about research methods
• How choices of method impact on research and outcomes

You will learn how to, design research projects, approach research and writing in an analytical and critical manner and reference correctly.

Whilst also engaging in sessions on critical writing, you will learn how to express your unique voice through text.

The relationship between human rights enjoyment/violations and the behaviour of business enterprises has been a topic of discussion for several decades. Challenges posed by business behaviour have led to the development and implementation of many initiatives by international institutions, such as the UN.

In this module, you will study the rationale for considering human rights in the context of business activities, as well as the challenges faced by traditional international law to try to accommodate these concepts.

The module addresses voluntary guidelines, more legally binding provisions, and following the UN process of drafting an international treaty on business and human rights.

Corporate governance lies at the intersection of business, law and public accountability, making it a vital and evolving area of legal study. This module offers a critical examination of the legal frameworks that regulate how companies are governed and controlled. The primary focus is on the UK and EU law regulating corporate governance, with comparative insights drawn from jurisdictions such as the USA.

You’ll explore key topics including:

• Corporate purpose
• Board structure and diversity
• Executive remuneration
• Shareholder rights and stewardship
• Stakeholder engagement
• Corporate social responsibility

Through in-depth analysis of governance practices and regulatory models, you’ll engage with real-world case studies and contemporary debates on corporate ethics, accountability and reform.

This module stands out for its integration of theory, practical application and international comparison—equipping you with a global and critical perspective on corporate law. It deepens your understanding of how legal systems shape, support and challenge corporate power and responsibility.

Questions surrounding the ways that regulation of business by the law will contribute to facilitating and promoting sustainable development now dominate newspaper headlines, policymakers’ agendas, and academic research. This module provides an insight into the concepts and legal issues related to facilitating and promoting sustainable development, with a focus on the law regulating corporate governance and capital markets.

In addition to established concepts regarding the integration of wider environmental and social considerations in business and finance, this module explores the theories, legal concepts and efforts to promote sustainable development and the legal issues and challenges they generate.

The module provides an account of the legal regulation of corporate governance and capital markets in the UK and the EU that seeks to promote sustainable development, but comparisons will be made with relevant parts of the law from other jurisdictions as well.

This module will enable you to develop your independent research skills in preparation for your dissertation module. It also provides you with the opportunity to study an area of law that is currently unavailable within our optional modules.

This module will enable you to develop their independent research skills in preparation for your dissertation module. It also provides you with the opportunity to study an area of law that is currently unavailable within our optional modules.

This module offers a rare opportunity to explore the growing legal, commercial and social significance of insolvency. You’ll examine the core principles of UK insolvency law, including corporate, personal and cross-border insolvency.

A key focus is the critical appraisal of UK insolvency institutions and the effectiveness of existing legal frameworks. You’ll learn to see insolvency as a pervasive feature of business life—shaping decisions from a company’s incorporation to its trading practices and ultimately to its financial collapse.

The module also explores the EU Regulation on Insolvency Proceedings, offering comparative insight into European insolvency regimes and their policy objectives.

By understanding the deep links between business failure, legal systems and economic sustainability, you’ll be well positioned to analyse and recommend much-needed legal reforms in insolvency law.

This module is a highly relevant look at Intellectual Property Law. It provides you with the opportunity to undertake an in-depth evaluation of the UK’s intellectual property framework and its interaction with international law.

The module will introduce you to the key legal principles and political issues underpinning intellectual property protection. At the heart of the evaluation of the law is a strong focus on technological developments such as:

• Film
• Television
• Software
• The Internet
• Cloud storage
• Stem cell research

Three central questions arise when civil and commercial disputes before the English courts involve an international element:

• How do we decide which court can legitimately claim jurisdiction in relation to the dispute?
• Which system of law will the court claiming jurisdiction apply to the dispute?
• Once a decision has been reached by the courts in one country, under what circumstances will that decision be recognized or enforced in the other country or countries?

These are the key issues you will explore in this intellectually engaging and practically relevant module. Alongside litigation-focused analysis, the course provides a foundational understanding of cross-border commercial arbitration.

You’ll study topics such as arbitral jurisdiction, the legal status of arbitration agreements, international arbitral procedures, and the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards under international frameworks.

This module equips you with essential knowledge of international dispute resolution mechanisms and prepares you to engage with complex legal challenges in global commercial practice.