University of the West of England

The University
The University of the West of England (UWE) is one of the largest universities in the UK, with around 24,000 students (of whom nearly 2,000 are international students). The Bristol Law School is situated on its main campus at Frenchay, which is approximately four miles from the city centre.

Introduction to the Bristol Law School
Over a period of 35 years, the Bristol Law School has established itself as one of the largest providers of legal education and training in the United Kingdom with around 2,000 students enrolled on its courses. It offers a wide and comprehensive portfolio of programmes at academic (LLB, LLM) professional (CPE, LPC and BVC) and post-qualification (CPD) stages.

The Bristol Law School offers a friendly and supportive environment that is carefully structured to ensure that students do not feel lost in the sheer size and complexity of its academic provision – concentrating on the individual, rather than the many. The School attracts students from all over the world, in particular from Europe, North America, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and China. The Faculty can boast of alumni who have distinguished themselves professionally in many parts of the world. Every academic year, around 50% of the LLM cohort are international students.

The LLM scheme
The Bristol Law School offers a comprehensive range of law options unparalleled in most other law departments in the UK. Students may choose to study one of eight taught Master’s courses (described below) that cover a diverse range of legal disciplines and that cater for their individual learning needs.

The LLM awards overlap with the areas of principal research interest in the School. The School has a thriving research culture and most members of staff who teach on the LLM awards actively publish in leading academic law journals (see below). Coupled with the School’s ‘Excellent’ rating for its teaching delivery given to it by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in the UK, this means that students will participate in carefully planned, lively and highly informative seminars.

The Bristol Law School’s commitment to excellence in postgraduate education is underpinned by the following features:

Student selection
We aim to recruit students who have demonstrated intellectual and academic excellence, from a variety of legal backgrounds across the world. Therefore, there is a rigorous selection process administered by experienced admissions tutors (see admissions requirements below).

Teaching and learning process
The teaching of postgraduate students in the Law School is distinctive in two important respects. First, students are taught in small seminar groups, ranging from four to a maximum of 20 people. Secondly, postgraduate students are taught separately from undergraduate students, whereas, in some universities in the UK, final-year undergraduates and postgraduates are taught together.

Class-contact hours typically involve six seminars per module, of three hours’ duration. Students study six modules (three per semester) and undertake supervised research for a 15,000-word dissertation over the summer period.

Physical and academic infrastructure
The Bristol Law School has a fully equipped ‘mock’ courtroom with audio and visual facilities, assessment studios and a dedicated PC room. The Bolland Law Library is one of the finest university law libraries in the south of England.

LLM courses
Commercial Law (FT, PT)
Criminal Justice (FT, PT)
European Business Law (FT, PT)
Industrial and Commercial Law (FT, PT)
International Law (FT, PT)
International Economic Law (FT, PT)
International Human Rights Law (FT, PT)
International Trade Law (FT, PT)

Each course has its own distinct module content. For comprehensive details about the specific courses and modules, visit the website or request an LLM brochure (address listed below).

Mode of study
Full-time students begin in late September and study for nearly 12 months. Students may study part time over either two or three years. There is only one annual intake of students. There is no distance learning alternative at present.

Assessment
There are two elements of assessment per module: an essay (3,000–4,000 words in length) and an oral examination (of 20 minutes’ duration). The culmination of the LLM is the dissertation undertaken during the summer.

Research in the Bristol Law School
The School contains research staff of international repute. Recent publications include:
Billings, ‘Refugees, the Rule of Law and Executive Power’ [2003] 54(4) Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 1.
Cape, ‘The Revised PACE Codes of Practice: A Further Step Towards Inquisitorialism’ (2003) Criminal Law Review 355.
Chandler, Devenney & Poole, ‘Common Mistake: Theoretical Justification and Remedial Inflexibility’ (2004) (Jan.) Journal of Business Law 34.
Dawson, ‘Cross-border Insolvency in the European Context’ in Parry (ed) Corporate Rescue in Europe (Kluwer, 2004).
Edwards, ‘Judicial Deference and the Human Rights Act’ (2002) 65(6) Modern Law Review 859.
Holland and Burnett, Employment Law – LPC Course Guide (OUP, 2004).
Pontin, ‘Access to Environmental Justice in the UK’ in Ebbesson (ed) Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in the EU (Kluwer, 2002).

Admissions
Entry requirements
An upper second-class honours degree (2.1) in law (LLB (Hons)) or a combined honours degree where law comprised a substantial element, or overseas equivalent. However, students with lower second-class honours degrees (2.2) will also be considered. Non-law graduates may be admitted if they have relevant work experience. Admissions tutors are advised by the University’s admissions department regarding the nature and quality of academic qualifications obtained by students from institutions abroad. This ensures there are equal opportunities for international students.

English language
Students whose first language is not English must provide recent evidence that their spoken and written command of the English language satisfies UWE’s English-language proficiency requirements. This may take the form of substantial education (usually at least 12 months) or work experience (usually at least 18 months) conducted in English, no more than three years prior to the date of enrolment.

Alternatively, applicants must provide a recognised English-language qualification.
IELTS – an overall grade of 6.5, with a minimum 6 in listening, reading, writing and speaking.
TOEFL – paper-based: 600 plus 4.5 in the Test of Written English (TWE); computer-based: 250 plus essay rating of 4.5.

Fees
Home/European Union students: £3,263 (2007/08)
Overseas students: £8,250 (2007/08) 

Contact
Bristol Law School
Frenchay Campus
UWE Bristol
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol
BS16 1QY

Tel: +44 (0)117 328 2604 (reception)
Dr Kate Dawson, LLM Scheme Director,
Ms Evadne Grant, LLM Scheme Deputy Director or Nicola Liles, LLM Scheme Administrator
Email: Nicola.Liles@uwe.ac.uk or Law@uwe.ac.uk
Web: http://law.uwe.ac.uk