Teaching
The LLM is a nine-month taught master's degree commencing at the beginning of October each year and finishing by the end of the following June. Students take four courses from the list of available LLM course offerings. Whilst in principle students have a free choice as to the four courses they take, if a course is particularly popular it might become necessary to limit the number of students enrolled in the course to ensure the best possible learning experience for all participants. In recent years, the number of LLM courses on offer has tended to be in the region of 30. While some courses are quite popular, in most courses student numbers do not usually exceed approximately 30.
| One to one supervision |
If the dissertation option is offered for the academic year of study and any specific course offers a dissertation in lieu of examination, an LLM student choosing to write a dissertation for that course may receive some one-to-one supervision from their dissertation supervisor. |
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| Seminars & classes |
Teaching typically comprises 16 two-hour seminars and/or lectures for each of a student's four courses. Provision is normally also made for discussion in smaller groups. |
| Lectures |
See Seminars and Classes. |
| Practicals |
There are no formal 'practicals', but all LLM students are expected to undertake substantial amounts of reading and private study for each of their four courses and may be required to produce written work in preparation for some classes. |
| Small group teaching |
In addition to the seminars and/or lectures for each course, additional provision is made for discussion in smaller groups in the form of several workshops. |
| Journal clubs |
LLM students are encouraged to contribute to the student law review, the Cambridge Journal of International and Comparative Law. In addition, many LLM students are involved in the Faculty's Graduate Law Society. |
| Posters and Presentations |
This style of presentation is reserved for PhD students, but LLM students are welcome to attend. |
| Taught/Research Balance |
Entirely Taught
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Feedback
Formative assessment (i.e. assessment not contributing to final grades) is delivered by way of feedback on students' practice essays. In general, students can submit two practice essays for each of the four courses they are taking. Course convenors and lecturers will advise on topics, but the aim is to produce short pieces of writing which provide a concise, rigorous argument or cogent analysis of the issues in question, replicating the standard expected in the examination. If the dissertation option is offered in the academic year of study and any specific course offers a dissertation in lieu of examination, an LLM student choosing to write a dissertation for that course may receive feedback on a partial dissertation draft.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
If the dissertation option is offered in the academic year of study, and any specific course offers a dissertation in lieu of examination, LLM students will have the option of writing a full dissertation in lieu of examination for one of their four courses (only) subject to prior formal approval of their dissertation topic and availability of the dissertation option.
Written examination
Courses in the LLM are generally assessed by means of an examination at the end of the LLM year. In the academic year of study, a dissertation option may be offered on specific courses in lieu of the examination, in which case students can choose the dissertation option for one course (only), subject to prior formal approval of their dissertation topic. Whether specific courses (if any) offer a dissertation option is determined prior to the start of the academic year.