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Corporate Law LLM

About this course

Nottingham Law School has a leading reputation in the field of Corporate Law and students on this course will benefit from our research and expert teaching staff.

Our Centre for Business and Insolvency Law has links with a number of international agencies including INSOL International, the Insolvency Service and the World Bank. It also hosts an annual International Insolvency Conference and a number of other events throughout the year in partnership with other agencies.

You will complete your LLM with a strong understanding of Corporate and Insolvency Law within a European and International context, as well as being able to demonstrate an awareness of the wider economic and social factors which influence corporate institutions.

We are the only UK Law School with its own on-campus teaching law firm - NLS Legal

Our award-winning on-campus teaching law firm, NLS Legal, is the only of its kind amongst all UK universities. Providing a practical learning environment, you can get involved in the running of the firm, from conducting client interviews to representing them at tribunals. All NLS students can benefit from this, and our other opportunities to gain real-world experience ensuring our graduates are more than qualified at the end of their courses.

  • Experience practical teaching like no other; NLS is the only UK Law School with its own on-campus law firm - NLS Legal.
  • Build key skills; NLS hosts Support Through Court's National Remote Services, offering exclusive work experience opportunities.
  • Benefit from our reputation; celebrating our 60th anniversary, we're one of the UK's largest and most established law schools.
  • Become more than qualified; work/work-like experience and practical skills are integrated directly into your course.

What you’ll study

LLM Corporate Law is oriented around the law as it relates to corporate entities and, in particular, offers the opportunity to focus on legal responses to incidences of insolvency in this area. The course reflects the rapid growth in the development of corporate and insolvency law practice in the United Kingdom, European Union and globally. The course offers substantial opportunities for academic and professional development and specialisation.

LLM Corporate Law offers the opportunity to focus on a variety of specialist areas, including the form and ownership of corporate bodies, as well as the management of corporate assets, liabilities and obligations. The course offers opportunities to specialise in particular in the legal regulation of insolvency issues in the corporate context.

You will be taught six modules followed by a dissertation

Core module:

  • Corporate Governance

Optional modules:

You can select up to five modules from any subject area, however, we do advise you to select modules from the below options if possible:

  • Business Organisations
  • Corporate Insolvency Law
  • Fundamentals of Intellectual Property
  • Global Data Governance, Technology and Corporate Responsibility
  • Contemporary Issues in Technology and IP Law
  • Global Innovation and Intellectual Property

Optional modules are offered subject to sufficient uptake.

Dissertation

You will study six taught modules followed by a dissertation.

Core module:

Corporate Governance

Large companies wield great power and can impact on lives in many ways.  Some will have power and reach equivalent to that a nation state.  The aim of this module is to consider how risks arising from corporate power can be addressed without stifling innovation.  We will look at how different types of shareholder can influence the way in which firms are run.  As well as this internal perspective we will consider the company’s external impact and how this shapes its obligations.  We will look primarily at the position in the UK with some comparative insights.

Optional modules:

You can select up to five modules from any subject area. We do advise you to select modules from the above options if possible.

Business Organisations

This module examines the key business models available to small and medium sized businesses in the UK and compares their various legal features in order to develop legal expertise in setting up, running and winding up a business, and the ability to evaluate the relative merits of the different models for different businesses.

Corporate Insolvency Law

This module aims to provide a supportive and structured learning environment in which to develop a high level of knowledge and critical insight of the structure and objectives of corporate insolvency law in England and Wales. As a key element of this analysis the module seeks to foster an evaluative appreciation of the key themes arising in the context of the regulation of insolvent companies. The module further seeks to develop in the student a high level of understanding of the role of traditional liquidation against the background of the modern preference for business rescue.

Fundamentals of Intellectual Property

This module aims to introduce students to a critical and detailed understanding of intellectual property rights within UK regulatory framework whilst introducing some elements of comparative law by looking also at EU IP law. It aims to provide an overview of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) looking at the fundamentals of copyright, patents, designs and trade marks.  The modules seeks to contextualise IPRs in terms of their economic and commercial utility whilst examining some of the issues that are posed on the path to commercialisation.

Global Data Governance, Technology and Corporate Responsibility

The module introduces key legal theory as applied to Global Data Governance and Technology.

Contemporary Issues in Technology and IP Law

This module aims to develop students’ understanding of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) with a focus on technology and how IPRs interact with some of the key technological themes of modern times.  It aims to develop an awareness of some of the issues which IPRs face but also issues which they can solve.  The modules seeks to ask students to consider whether IPRs are always suitable or whether there are better options and why this might be the case.

Global Innovation and Intellectual Property

This module critically develops the key issues underpinning innovation and the discipline of patent law, including their application in UK and internationally, often in a public health and sustainable development context.

Dissertation

The dissertation is an extended piece of academic work, independently researched and written. You will be supported in your work by one-to-one supervision from a tutor expert in the chosen field. Subject to academic suitability and the availability of an appropriately expert tutor, you may select your own area of study for the dissertation phase of the course.

Please be aware that all optional/elective modules are subject to availability, and NTU reserves the right to amend, change or withdraw modules at its discretion.

At NLS, embedding work experience and practical skills development into the curriculum is a priority focus as we know it helps produce well rounded graduates with increased employability skills. Here are just some of the ways you'll be able to get involved:

NLS Legal

Our on-campus teaching law firm, NLS Legal, is the only of its kind amongst all UK universities. Students from all years can work with NLS Legal and are involved in all aspects of the running of our law firm, from dealing with new enquiries and helping monitor risk and compliance, to conducting client interviews, undertaking relevant research, drafting letters of advice and even representing clients at tribunal.

Support Through Court

Through NLS Legal, you can gain legal work experience through our partner organisation, Support Through Court, a national charity that provides practical and emotional support to people going through court without representation (litigants in person).

NLS hosts Support Through Court Nottingham and Support Through Court's National Online services, providing NLS students with hundreds of on-campus work experience opportunities every year.

Additional opportunities

Find out more about your NLS experience, including the opportunities to engage in competitions and extra-curricular activities.

Further information on what you'll study

Please be aware that all optional/elective modules are subject to availability, and NTU reserves the right to amend, change or withdraw modules at its discretion.

We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.

Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves

Student Profiles

Shafqat Aziz

I enjoy the fact that most of the modules I am currently studying are mostly new and developing areas of law which are projected to become highly demanding areas of law sought by employers.

Waleed Ahmed

...experience of the teaching staff at NLS were the primary factors for making NTU my home in the UK

How you're taught

How will I study?

The academic year for the LLM courses is split into three parts: two ten-week terms (Term One runs from the beginning of the academic year until the Christmas vacation, Term Two between Christmas and Easter) and the summer period.

Full-time students – who complete the course over one academic year – study three modules in each term and complete the dissertation over the summer.

Part-time students who complete the course over two academic years – study three modules across Terms One and Two in each year (six in total), beginning work on researching their dissertation during the first summer period and completing it during the second.

On the full-time and part-time modes modules are taught throughout the week. Depending on your timetable you may be expected to attend on more than one day. Seminars are led by academics but will usually require you to carry out extensive guided preparatory work and will often involve short presentations or other contributions.

Assessment

In each case modules are assessed through one piece of course work. This usually takes the form of a problem- or essay-style question, but will vary by module. You can submit and receive feedback on assessments over the course of each module.

Your dissertation will be assessed through a research based written assignment of 12,000 words. The topic that you choose for your dissertation should be relevant to the course specialism and the chosen title will be subject to approval by the Course Leader.

Additionally, you will complete a reflective report consisting of three pre-set questions, each with a maximum word count attributed to it; approximately 330 words, i.e. 1000 words in total.

Expert Teaching Staff

Our courses are taught by academics with significant subject expertise. The School’s vocational focus and strong links with the legal profession mean that many of our academic staff members have extensive practical experience. The courses also have a strong research base. Our academic staff actively research and publish, and many are recognised as being among the leading experts in their fields.

Research Expertise

We have a number of internationally recognised experts in a wide range of legal areas. We also have a Centre for Business and Insolvency Law.

Research informed teaching

By daring to think differently our research is tackling real-world issues. The subjects you will study with us are informed by our research so you can be sure your knowledge will be cutting-edge in your field. In the last Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) - the UK's system for assessing the quality and impact of research in universities - we’re proud that 100% of NTU's Law submission was assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent.

Staff Profiles

Chinedum Okpala - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham Law School

Dr Chinedum Okpala is a Lecturer at Nottingham Law School, NTU and teaches on the postgraduate and undergraduate courses

Rebecca Parry - Professor

Nottingham Law School

Rebecca Parry is a Professor at the Nottingham Law School, NTU and is the Co-Director of the Centre for Business and Insolvency Law.

Phoebe Gatoto - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham Law School

Dr Phoebe Gatoto is a Lecturer at the Nottingham Law School, NTU and teaches mostly on the undergraduate courses

Professor Jingchen Zhao - Professor

Nottingham Law School

Jingchen Zhao a Professor of Law at Nottingham Law School. Jingchen’s research specialism is within AI and law, corporate law, corporate social responsibility and corporate governance.

Julia Jennings - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham Law School

Julia has been working as a Law Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University since 2019. She currently teaches Company Law, Contract Law, Law in Action, and Legal and Professional Environment.

Careers and employability

Your career development

Career development is an integral part of the programme and our careers team run a series of workshops where you can identify methods and strategies to enable you to pursue your career goals.

Due to the School's excellent reputation within the legal profession, our graduates are highly sought-after and recognised for the depth and relevance of their knowledge. While this course does not currently offer placements we do encourage our students to pursue placement opportunities.

Find out about the opportunities available through our pro bono and University volunteering schemes.

Continuing professional development (CPD)

Practitioners can study individual modules from the LLM programme for CPD awards.

Learn a new language

Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have.

Learning a new language can:

  • enhance your communication skills
  • enrich your experience when travelling abroad
  • boost your career prospects.

Find out more about the University Language Programme.

Re:search Re:imagined

To us, research is about more than writing papers and proposing new ideas. By daring to think differently, we’re disrupting the research landscape and finding the answers to the questions that really matter. From social media addiction to sustainable farming, we’re inspiring the brightest minds to rise up and find solutions to some of the most significant global challenges facing society.

Qualification

Please note that this course is not vocational in nature, and that successful completion does not, of itself, lead to qualification as a solicitor or a barrister in England and Wales.

Campus and facilities

Entry requirements

UK students

Academic entry requirements

  • A good law degree, 2.2 or above.
  • Applicants whose first degree is not Law will be required to provide evidence of commitment to the LLM subject that they wish to study.

Applicants from other disciplines will be welcomed in appropriate circumstances, particularly if they have experience in the area, even if not as lawyers.

International students

Academic entry requirements

We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international qualifications on our international entry requirements page.

English language requirements

See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.
  • Full-time - £8,750
  • Part-time - £4,375

Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including scholarships, discounts and loans.

Scholarships

You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to students who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies.

Alumni discount

We’re happy to offer a 20% alumni discount to most current NTU students and recent NTU alumni. This discount is currently available for those starting an eligible postgraduate taught, postgraduate research or professional course.

Postgraduate loans

There is a government postgraduate loan scheme for Masters degrees. The loan contributes towards costs of study, and students can put it towards tuition fees, maintenance costs or other costs at their discretion. Find out more about postgraduate loans.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.
  • Full-time - £17,850
  • Part-time - £8,925

Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including scholarships, discounts and loans.

Scholarships

We offer scholarships for international students up to 50% off your tuition fee. You can apply for a scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.

Alumni discount

We’re happy to offer a 20% alumni discount to most current NTU students and recent NTU alumni. This discount is available for those starting an eligible postgraduate taught, postgraduate research or professional course.

Living costs

See our advice on managing your money, the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget.

Paying fees

As an international student, you'll need to make an advance payment of £6,000 when you've accepted your offer to study at NTU. You'll then need to pay your tuition fees in full, or have an agreement to pay in two further instalments, before the start date of your course.

Find out how and when to pay your fees, including information about advance payments, instalment dates and how to make payments securely to the University.

Enquiries

If you have any queries relating to advance payments or arrangements to pay, please contact our friendly and experienced international enquiries team.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Most modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential textbooks, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) - meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Fees and funding advice

For more advice and guidance, you can email our Student Money Team or phone us on +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Cost of living information and support

Managing your money can help you make the most of life at NTU. Here's how we can support you, and now you can make your funding go further.

How to apply

Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.

If you are interested in joining us in September 2025, this course will be open for applications through the applicant portal from September 2024.

Writing your application

Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. Make sure you include as much information as possible, including uploading evidence of results already achieved, as well as a personal statement.

Keeping up to date

After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU in our postgraduates’ guide.

Getting in touch

If you need any more help or information, please contact our Admissions Team or call +44 (0)115 848 4200.

Good luck with your application!

Apply online through our NTU applicant portal.

If you are interested in joining us in September 2025, this course will be open for applications through the applicant portal from September 2024.

Application advice

Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example.  After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

For advice on applying for a visa please visit our visa information page.

Writing your personal statement

Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:

Postgraduate research

If you’re applying for postgraduate research please visit our Research pages for information about our research areas and how to make your application.

Apply now (portal)

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.

Keeping up to date

After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

Getting in touch

If you need any more help or information, please contact our Admissions Team or call +44 (0)115 848 4200.

Good luck with your application!