Master of Laws - International Trade and Maritime Law with Professional Placement

Students develop a thorough and in-depth knowledge and understanding of the main principles of law in the areas of international trade and maritime law. Exploring the social, political, cultural and economic background of the laws in question, students gain an understanding of how national, European Union Law and International Law interact. Students will cover a variety of topics, including: financing international trade, how marine insurance protects ships and cargoes, international law of the sea issues, sale and carriage of goods by sea contracts, and environmental protection laws.

At Essex they specialize in commercial law, public law, and human rights law. They are ranked in the top 100 Law Schools in THE World University Rankings 2020 and are 4th in the UK for research excellence.

Essex's course uniquely combines International Trade Law with a particular focus on Maritime Law and their close proximity to London means students are near the heart of the UK Finance, Insurance and Shipping industries. Students develop intellectual and critical faculties, encouraging them to think independently and teaching them to present rational, coherent and accurate arguments orally and in writing. It will provide students with an excellent foundation for any career.

LLM International Trade and Maritime Law with Professional Placement offers a unique opportunity for students to gain relevant work experience within an external business or organization, giving them a competitive edge in the job market and providing them with key contacts within the industry. The placement is undertaken between the taught part of the course and the individual project. Its aim is to allow students to acquire industry experience and, especially, develop an appreciation of how the skills acquired in the taught part of the course can be applied to real-world work.

Students will be responsible for securing their own work placement, but if they change their mind and decide not to do their placement, or if they are not able to secure a placement, students can start their dissertation earlier and complete their Masters in the first year.

Essex's School of Law graduates have gone on to a wide variety of careers in international and intergovernmental organizations or employment with governments across the world, in commerce and banking, in non-governmental organizations and, as might be expected, in the legal profession and the judiciary. Students have joined Protection and Indemnity Clubs, working in the Insurance industry including Lloyd’s of London opportunities; they join shipping companies and associations such as the International Maritime Purchasing Association. Others have gone on to Shipping Law firms or Commercial Banks and students can aspire to careers in organizations such as the International Maritime Organization, UN Conference on Trade and Development or the International Chamber of Commerce. Maritime Law offers a plethora of opportunities and whilst students are at Essex, staff can advise what type of careers will be suitable according to the modules students found interesting in the course.