Postgraduate course
Commercial Law and Practice (LLM)
Law is an intellectually challenging and stimulating subject. On this course you will develop a broad range of transferable skills which will equip you for a career in a variety of legal fields.
/prod01/yorksjacuk/media/content-assets/safe-images/1600-x-1000/Law-hero-1-1600x1000.jpg)
Our dedicated team of academics and legal professionals offers supportive, engaging teaching. You will develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and research skills valuable across various sectors. This course prepares you for diverse career paths, both within and beyond the legal field, through an inclusive learning experience that fosters versatile professional capabilities.
York campus
- Duration – 1 year full time, 2 years part time.
- Start date – September 2025
- School – York Business School
Minimum entry requirements
2:2 honours degree from any discipline
Tuition fees
UK 2024-25 £11,400 full time
International 2024-25 £14,000 full time
Course overview
This degree is crafted to enhance your commercial legal understanding. You will have the unique opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills to real-world scenarios through the York St John Law Clinic, allowing you to apply the law in a real setting. You'll be tasked with supporting clients by critically evaluating the objectivity and effectiveness of the law in specific cases.
You will participate in the York St John Law Clinic, working alongside peers and academics to provide pro bono advice and assistance to individuals and small businesses in the local area. This experience spans diverse cases and topics, enabling you to make a meaningful contribution to the community whilst studying. It reflects the University's commitment to social justice and allows you to assess the impact of the law on local lives.
In a client-regulated environment, you'll gain valuable experience in preparing legal advice and documentation. You'll develop a thorough understanding of professional conduct rules and working practices, including data protection and client care. The clinic provides an authentic context to hone transferable professional skills such as client interviewing, legal research, letter writing, and drafting.
You will join a vibrant student community and benefit from comprehensive career advice and development opportunities throughout your studies. Optional subsidised field trips will further enrich your learning experience.
This course equips you with versatile skills applicable to various professional paths, both within and beyond the legal sector.
Course structure
How you will study
You will study 3 core modules and complete a year-long research project in an area of your choice, following a thorough grounding in research methodology and supervision from a subject expert. All optional modules on this course have a practice element and you are expected to choose one.
You can find out which modules are available in each term in the Course Specifications.
Modules
Credits: 30
Compulsory module
Corporate governance is a key part of law. You will be introduced to the fundamental and contemporary aspects of corporate governance. As part of this module, you will develop an understanding of the issues around governance and explore the need for more efficient governance whilst considering the interests of shareholders and stakeholders.
Topics will range from corporate governance theories, law, and practice as you develop your understanding of analysis. This will you to analyse various case studies of corporate failures, identify gaps and make recommendations for future change. You will also look at:
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- Money laundering
- Criminal offences relating to breaches of obligations
Rights of shareholders
Credits: 30
Compulsory module
This module is your opportunity to explore a practical introduction to all the main areas of commercial law and practice, building on principles of contract law. You will understand the importance of contractual relations and the use of agencies to create terms of the contract, marketing arrangements and issues relating to the sale of goods in both a commercial and consumer context.
In addition, you will develop your knowledge by offering legal advice and assistance for a relevant case in the YSJ Law Clinic. Therefore, acquiring an understanding of the practical and professional considerations in this area of legal practice.
Credits: 30
Compulsory module
Globalisation offers many benefits to us all. However, it also provides a risk for exploitation with international trading which requires monitoring. You will be introduced to the fundamental legal rules, methodologies, concepts, models, principles and institutions of international trade law. These include the trade of goods and services and the various contexts in which international trade law functions. You will be expected to research and develop an appreciation of the difficulties that exist relating to commercial transactions across borders, involving different jurisdictions and systems of law.
Credits: 30
Optional module
Social and political aspects play a significant role in employment law. The evaluation of employment relationships and their associated rights and duties will be analysed in detail in this module. We will provide you with a framework to understand and assess the various employment rights including historic rights and the development of these to the present day. This module addresses aspects of sustainability, ethical practice in employment law, equality, human dignity, and social justice.
Credits: 30
Optional module
You will be introduced to the law of intellectual property as it applies in the UK, the EU, and internationally. A key aspect of this module is understanding the intellectual property system alongside the laws of copyright, patents, passing off, trademarks and breach of confidence facilitating critical evaluation of current issues in this dynamic area of law.
Credits: 30
Optional modules
On this module, you will understand how the law creates a resolution of commercial disputes in England and Wales as well as internationally. Although, there are a few complexities of the law relating to disputes, with a specific focus on arbitration, mediation and conciliation in commerce and trade.
You will create a portfolio on practical legal issues and dispute resolutions and the implications on commercial contracts for your assessment in this module.
Credits: 30
Compulsory modules
This is your opportunity to reflect on your studies and to collate your own research study of the law or legal issues. The previous modules you have studied will enable you to thrive in your independent research and study. At this stage, supported by a supervisory team of academics, as well as an industry-based advisor, you will develop your research project. You will be allocated a supervisor with appropriate expertise in your chosen field of research. The three key areas of focus for this module are:
- Research design
- Research methodologies
- Ethics
This project will bring everything you have learnt together. You will be expected to think critically, develop reasoned arguments and write in a professional academic style.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning
You will be taught through lectures to introduce a topic followed by a workshop. These sessions will require you to prepare for pre set tasks which in turn will allow you to put what you have learned into practice. Workshops will involve a maximum of 25 students to help facilitate collaborative groupwork with the expectation for you to share ideas and engage in activities. Workshops typically reflect on your preparation before introducing activities to apply learning in new contexts and finishing with a plenary to reflect on what has been learned and deepen understanding.
Assessment
You will encounter a range of assessments which are designed to be educationally impactful and develop skills. These include essays which allow for independent research and the development of reason and critical argument, portfolios will allow for the practical application of knowledge as a topic progresses, and reports which require you to look at a particular business failure and discuss impact and implications which demonstrate knowledge and skills in a real-world context.
Entry requirements
Qualifications
Minimum entry requirements
2:2 honours degree from any discipline
International students
If you are an international student you will need to show that your qualifications match our entry requirements.
Information about international qualifications and entry requirements can be found on our International pages.
If English is not your first language you will need to show that you have English Language competence at IELTS level 6.0 (with no skill below 5.5) or equivalent.
International entry requirements
Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)
If you do not have traditional qualifications, you might be able to provide evidence of professional experience in the subject as an alternative way to meet the entry requirements. This is called Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL). Appropriate references and records of employment would need to be presented to support your case for admission.
Terms and conditions
Our terms and conditions, policies and procedures contain important information about studying at York St John University. You can read them on our Admissions page.
Fees and funding
The fees for this course have not yet been confirmed for 2025 entry. The fees listed here would apply if the course were running in 2024. They are subject to change before 2025.
UK
The tuition fee for UK entry to this postgraduate course is £11,400 for full time study.
This cost applies to all UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students.
Postgraduate loans are available to help you pay for your master’s course. Find out more about funding your postgraduate studies.
International
The tuition fee for international entry to this course is £14,000 for full time study.
These costs apply to all students living outside the UK.
Due to immigration laws, if you are an international student on a student visa, you must study full time. For more information about visa requirements and short-term study visas, please visit the International Visa and Immigration pages.
Find out more about funding your postgraduate studies.
International Fees and Funding
Alumni Scholarships
If you are alumni of York St John University we have scholarships available to help you continue your studies.
Tuition fees
UK 2024-25 £11,400 full time
International 2024-25 £14,000 full time
Additional costs and financial support
Course-related costs
While studying for your degree, there may be additional costs related to your course. This may include purchasing personal equipment and stationery, books and optional field trips.
Accommodation and living costs
View our accommodation pages for detailed information on accommodation and living costs.
Career outcomes
Where could Commercial Law and Practice (LLM) take you?
This course will prepare you for a career in the legal sector. The skills you build will also open up many other career options. These skills include critical thinking, problem solving and researching.
This degree could be the first step toward your career as a:
- Barrister
- Solicitor
- Paralegal
- Human resource professional
- Business manager
- Civil Service worker
Discover more career options on Prospects careers advice pages.
You could also progress onto a postgraduate degree and take your learning even further.
Stand out from the crowd with postgraduate study
Our careers service, LaunchPad provides career support tailored to your ambitions. Through this service you can access:
- Employer events
- LinkedIn, CV and cover letter sessions
- Workshops on application writing and interview skills
- Work experience and volunteering opportunities
- Personalised career advice
This support doesn't end when you graduate. You can access our expert career advice for the rest of your life. We will help you gain experience and confidence to succeed.
Course highlights
Practise Law in York St John Law Clinic
Apply your knowledge and practise your legal skills by helping individuals and small businesses who cannot afford legal advice and assistance.
/prod01/yorksjacuk/media/content-assets/clearing-images/law-2.jpg)
More to explore
/prod01/yorksjacuk/media/Humanities-1.jpg)
Discover postgraduate study
/prod01/yorksjacuk/media/content-assets/safe-images/500-x-500/POSTGRAD-PG-4.jpg)
Open Evenings
/prod01/yorksjacuk/media/content-assets/safe-images/500-x-500/Campus-grounds---Lord-Mayors-Walk-7.jpg)
