Course Summary

Description

This course provides an opportunity to develop an advanced knowledge of corporate law. There is a (compulsory) foundation course providing a solid grounding in the subject. Having completed your choice of taught modules, you will then undertake an extended dissertation on a corporate law topic of your choice, supervised by a member of staff with expertise in their chosen subject area.

Teaching is by a mixture of lectures and smaller, student-led, seminar or tutorial groups. The dissertation is pursued by independent research with individual supervision. Students attending the course are drawn from a broad range of countries, and their previous academic or professional experiences enrich the course.

The School is host to the Durham Institute of Commercial and Corporate Law, and you are encouraged to participate in its many activities. The Library has extensive holdings of corporate law materials.

Course Structure

You must study modules in Fundamentals and Advanced Issues in Corporate Law. You must also choose a number of additional taught modules, from a large body of optional modules. Finally, a dissertation must be completed, on a topic chosen by you in consultation with your allotted supervisor.

Core modules:

• Fundamentals of Corporate Law
• Advanced Issues in Corporate Law
• Applied Research Methods in Law
• Dissertation (of 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 words).

Examples of optional modules:

You will also study and be assessed in modules from the following list to the value of (when added to the core modules chosen above) at least 120 credits. Please note: not all modules necessarily run every year, and we regularly introduce new modules.

• Comparative Corporate Governance
• Corporate Compliance
• Corporations in an EU Context              
• Introduction to Corporate Governance
• Introduction to Corporate Insolvency Law
• Introduction to Intellectual Property Law
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• International and Comparative Corporate Insolvency Law
• International Tax Law
• Takeover Regulation in the EU
• Advanced Issues in International Economic Law
• Advanced Issues of Intellectual Property Law
• EU Competition Law
• Introduction to EU Law
• Advanced Law of Obligations
• Law of Oil and Gas Contracts
• International Trade Law & Policy

Course Learning and Teaching

This course involves both taught modules and a substantial dissertation component. Taught modules are delivered by a mixture of lectures and seminars. Although most lectures do encourage student participation, they are used primarily to introduce chosen topics, identify relevant concepts, and introduce you to the main debates and ideas relevant to the chosen topic. They give you a framework of knowledge that you can then develop, and reflect on, through your own reading and study.

Seminars are smaller-sized, student-led classes. You are expected to carry out reading prior to classes, and are usually set questions or problems to which to apply the knowledge you have developed. Through class discussion, or the presentation of papers, you are given the opportunity to test and refine your knowledge and understanding, in a relaxed and supportive environment.

The number of contact hours in each module will reflect that module’s credit weighting. 15-credit modules will have, in total, 15 contact hours (of either lectures or seminars); 30-credit modules will have 30 contact hours. You must accumulate, in total, between 90 and 120 credits of taught modules for the course (depending upon the length of your dissertation).

In addition to taught modules, you must produce a dissertation of between 10,000 and 20,000 words. This is intended to be the product of your own independent research. Each student is allocated a dissertation supervisor, and will have a series of (usually four) one-to-one meetings with their supervisor over the course of the academic year.

Finally, all taught postgraduates on this course, are encouraged to attend the various events, including guest lectures and seminars, organised through the School’s research centres, including the Institute for Commercial and Corporate Law, and Durham European Law Institute.

Admissions Process

Subject requirements, level and grade

A good 2:1 degree (or its equivalent) in law, or in a degree in which law is a major component.

English Language requirements

Please check requirements for your subject and level of study.

How to apply

www.durham.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply

Fees and Funding

Full Time Fees

The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of full time study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

Scholarships and funding

www.durham.ac.uk/postgraduate/finance

Career Opportunities

Law School

For further information on career options and employability, including the results of the Destination of Leavers survey, student and employer testimonials and details of work experience and study abroad opportunities, please visit our employability web pages. 

Open days and visits

Pre-application open day

www.durham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Overseas Visit Schedule

www.durham.ac.uk/international/office/meetus

Postgraduate Visits

www.durham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit/

Department Information

Law School

Overview

Durham Law School is one of the UK’s most distinguished law schools. We are a leading centre of legal research in the UK with an equally strong commitment to excellence in teaching and learning. We have modern, purpose-built, state-of-the-art facilities. Featuring a moot court, the Harvard-style Hogan Lovells lecture theatre, spacious dedicated work suites with superb views of Durham Cathedral, attractive social areas, and modern wireless and audiovideo enabled research spaces, this is one of the most striking and best-equipped law buildings in the UK. Our complement of full-time academic staff has grown
to 49, and comprises researchers of high distinction as well as a number of promising early career researchers.

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