Welcome to the Full-Time LL.M. and Diploma in International Business Law and Transactions

The LL.M. in IBT is aimed at lawyers and other professionals, both in government and industry, who wish to gain an in-depth understanding of the law and practice of international business transactions and general international economic relations. The position of this programme at the Centre provides the student a unique opportunity to combine studies in general international economic and business law and practice with specialized courses in the energy and resources industries. This intensive professional and academic training, provided by internationally leading practitioners and professors in this field, leads to a distinctive and reputed advanced academic qualification based on academic excellence and professional relevance.

Structure

The LL.M. is made up of 200 credits as follows:

	Credits
Induction Programme	20
Core modules	60
Credits for chosen specialiation	80
Dissertation, Internship or extended PhD Proposal	40
	200

The associated Diploma is made up of the Induction Programme plus an additional 120 module credits.

To find out everything you need to know about the programme, please click on the headings above. Additional useful information about the LL.M. can be found using the links in the table below:

Programme	Finance	Other
Duration	Tuition Fee + Living Expenses	Pre-Arrival Information
Entry Dates	Funding Opportunities	Who does what?
Application Deadlines		Hours of Study
Admissions Criteria		Career Path
Deferred Entry Policy		Alumni Page
		General Useful Links

Induction Programme (20 credits)

The Induction Programme provides students with vital knowledge and skills before they embark of the main components of CEPMLP�s taught Masters and Diploma programmes. CEPMLP student have a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds and the Induction Programme provides each student with a basic introduction to all the main disciplines included in the degrees programmes, namely law, economics, finance and geology. It also provides training in research methods.

Core Modules

Candidates should choose a minimum of 60 credits from the list below:

EC Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy (20 credits)
The principal aim of the course is to provide an introduction to the main law and policy issues relating to the energy sector of the EC. An introduction to EC institutions, its legal system and its procedures and origins is provided, with particular reference to energy issues. Particular emphasis is placed upon the policy of increasing energy integration among the 27 Member States, known as the Internal Energy Market, and the possible lessons it may yield for liberalisation in other parts of the world (in addressing problems such as stranded costs, unbundling and third party access, for example). The EU external policy towards non-member countries is also considered as is the growing role of environmental policy in fields such as renewable energy and climate change. The approach does not presuppose any previous knowledge of EC law on the part of the student, but this would be an advantage.

Human Rights and the International Natural Resources Industry (20 credits)
The primary aim of the course is to provide an understanding of the main issues in the field of human rights as they affect the energy and mineral resources industry. It helps prepare the Centre�s students for an emerging field of law practice, advising corporations and host country governments on policies and laws dealing with communities affected by mining and development of energy and natural resources. The focus on mining and minerals development (including petroleum) will be located within a broader framework of foreign investment and the role of corporations in social development. The course will examine the different policy and legal instruments affecting corporations and their relationships with communities.

International and Comparative Petroleum Law and Policy (20 credits)
The main objective of the course is to provide an introduction to the main law and policy issues in the international petroleum industry, with an emphasis upon transactional arrangements concluded between host government and oil company/investors. Common and diverging objectives between the two parties and indeed among the international corporate and financial investors themselves are faced in a candid and practical way, with an emphasis upon ways of accommodating the interests of diverse stakeholders in the development of petroleum resources. A brief introduction is provided to petroleum taxation issues. The approach is a comparative one and focuses upon problem-solving techniques in a variety of settings, noting the inputs of lawyers, economists, accountants, engineers and geologists.

International Arbitration (20 credits)
To provide the candidate with an overview of the law and practice of international arbitration as a major means of settling international disputes. The course will be taught comparatively with reference to various international laws, the arbitration rules of UNCITRAL, the rules of leading arbitration institutions (e.g. AAA, ICC, LCIA, ICSID), and the major international instruments relevant to international arbitration.

International Business Law (20 credits)
This course has two basic aims: (1) to develop in each student a good understanding of the various legal doctrines applicable to international business transactions; (2) to develop in each student a number of useful skills (drafting, negotiating and resolving disputes) for working in this area. To this effect, there will be a strong emphasis on the practical problems that lawyers and business executives encounter in the various types of commercial agreement and the manner in which those problems can be resolved.

International Dispute Settlement (20 credits)
The main objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the nature and forms of international disputes and the different mechanisms of addressing such disputes in an amicable manner.

International Law of Natural Resources and Energy (20 credits)
The main objective of the course is to provide an introduction to the fundamental concepts and specific legal and jurisdictional issues in the field of international and transboundary natural resources. The emphasis is on ensuring a proper understanding of the existing legal mechanisms and international regimes applicable to various types of natural resources located beyond States� jurisdiction or control.

International Project Finance (20 credits)
The objective of the course is to provide an understanding of the issues surrounding project finance. The objective is to demonstrate how the concept can be used to fund investment in energy (and infrastructure) projects. The course also looks at how governments might encourage the use of project financing in cases where domestic funding is not sufficient to meet demand.

International Trade Law (20 credits)
The main objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the overall regulatory framework within which international business transactions take place. This includes an understanding of international treaties regulating cross-border trade relations and the operation of pertinent international organisations administering those treaties, particularly the WTO. The course approaches most issues from a natural resources perspective.

Transatlantic Negotiation Simulation Exercise (10 credits)
The Transatlantic Negotiation Exercise is carried out between the students at the CEPMLP and the post- graduate students at the American University, Washington College of Law, International Legal Studies Programme. The main objective of this exercise is to provide a formal forum, in which using tried and tested methods of international negotiation, in a detailed form, the participants can gain, or improve their negotiating skills. The emphasis is on providing an understanding of the main issues in international negotiations.

Transnational Investment Law and Policy (20 credits)
The main objectives of this course are to provide a survey of international investment law and policies, and to set the various approaches to regulating foreign investment in a social, economic and political context. In addition the course will provide students with an understanding of current and emerging developments in investment laws and policies.

Recommended Elective Modules

Candidates are advised to choose additional modules from what is available on the academic timetable subject to any restrictions that may apply.

Together with the core modules above, excluding the Induction Programme they should add up to 140 for the LL.M. or 120 credits for the Diploma.

LL.M. Candidates

In addition to the Induction Programme plus the core and elective modules, LL.M. candidates are required to complete an additional 40 credits as follows:

The Dissertation: Candidates are required to write a Dissertation of up to 15,000 words on a topic approved by an academic supervisor.

An Internship: Candidates are required to source an organisation willing to offer a 3-month work placement, approved by an academic supervisor. The Internship includes the submission of a written report as part of the assessment.

An extended PhD Proposal: Candidates who propose to follow up the LL.M. with a PhD may, with the approval of an academic supervisor, submit a 10,000 word PhD proposal in lieu of the Dissertation.