Program Overview

Pre-Masters Programme at our International Study Centre prepares you for your degree at Lancaster University. You will focus on English language, university-level study skills, and academic modules that relate to your degree subject.

Your postgraduate preparation
The Pre-Masters Programme is available over two or three terms at the International Study Centre, providing you with the skills necessary for postgraduate study at Lancaster University. You will  build on the knowledge gained in your earlier studies whilst developing your practical English language and mathematical abilities, as well as study and research skills.

You will develop an intellectual appreciation of issues relevant to your chosen degree through classes designed specifically for international students. These will be based on study and careers skills, as well as subject specific modules, which prepare you for your chosen Masters degree at Lancaster.

How does it work?
When you apply to the International Study Centre, you will choose between two pathways, depending on your career aims. Upon acceptance to the Pre-Masters Programme, you will also receive a conditional offer to study a Masters degree at Lancaster University after successful completion of your Pre-Masters.

Business, Law and Social Sciences
By studying the Pre-Masters Programme in Business, Law and Social Sciences, you can prepare for a successful future in a wide range of roles across business and management, law and the social sciences. The programme leads to a variety of Masters degrees at Lancaster University, including some at the Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) – one of the top 100 business schools in the world.

Programme structure
During this programme, you will study subject specific modules to prepare for your future Masters degree, as well as academic study and English language skills. You will discover how to undertake independent research, as well as developing your writing fluency for postgraduate level. The programme also explores contemporary global issues whilst encouraging you to expand your knowledge by critically analysing the subject matter.

International Business and Corporate Law
The LLM International Business and Corporate Law uses the globalised economy as the context for an in-depth study of corporate law. It enables you to gain a coherent international and European perspective on corporate and business law, and to examine the strengths and weaknesses of UK corporate law in the global context. Combining core and elective modules, you have the opportunity to explore a wide range of globally and commercially significant issues while developing specialist expertise. The degree is taught by many of our research-active academics based in the Law School and offers you the opportunity to engage with teaching staff who are working in the field of international research.

For your degree, you will study 6 taught modules plus writing a dissertation of 15,000 words. Some of these modules are compulsory (core), while you can choose the rest from our list of optional modules.

Our Law School is home to the Centre of international Law and Human Rights, the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice, the Centre for Law and Society, and the Centre for Child and Family Justice; these influential centres underpin our postgraduate teaching, which is often research-led and research-informed.

Your core modules are Corporations in International Business Law, at least two more corporate related modules, Research Methods in law, and the LLM Dissertation. The module in Corporations in International Business Law uses the globalised economy as the context for an in-depth study of corporate law. You will have the opportunity to examine the strengths and weaknesses of UK corporate law as judged against international standards.

The Research Methods in Law module will provide an insight into various theoretical approaches to the study of law, as well as give guidance on research desgin and ethics.

The dissertation is an independent, in-depth inquiry into a research topic of your choosing. The topic will link to a key legal question or issue and may also directly relate to your professional/career interests. This is your opportunity to make a contribution to the legal and academic community with new, original research and writing. A dissertation supervisor can provide you with support and introduce you to relevant legal material and research; their personal research interests will closely align with your chosen topic wherever possible.

We pride ourselves on the choice and breadth of elective modules available, offering you access to expertise in relevant and growing fields such as Intellectual Property Law, European Union Law, The Law of International Organisations and Institutions, Contracts and Companies, and International Environmental Law.

Our teaching approach is international in scope and comparative by nature, and we actively encourage you to build a beneficial network of academics, peers and alumni during your time with us. All of this will help you to broaden your experience, deepen your understanding, and prepare for your next step.

Your postgraduate LLM degree can open doors to a range of careers. You will have the opportunity to develop the skills required to critically evaluate research relating to international business and corporate law; skills which can be highly prized by employers in the UK with international commercial interests, and by international corporations. Whilst on the degree you will also have the chance to develop your analytical and communication skills which can help to build on your employability in any sector. The LLM is also an ideal stepping stone to PhD study and academia.