Overview
Specialise in International Arbitration and Commercial Law LLB. Apply for MCIArb status.
The Brunel LLB Law with International Arbitration and Commercial Law degree will give you specialist knowledge of international arbitration and commercial law. Along with the topics on the traditional LLB degree you’ll learn commercial, international and comparative law and about cross-border transactions and cross-cultural dispute resolution.
We offer two study options. You can choose three years full-time, or four years full-time with a one-year professional placement between years two and three that will give you hands-on experience working in a legal practice. You will have a law careers adviser you can discuss career ideas with and who can offer guidance on placements and further study options throughout your time with us.
You’ll be able to discuss career ideas with your careers advisor and get guidance on placements and further study options.
Employers know that law graduates have a variety of useful, transferable skills that make them excellent employment prospects in both legal and non-legal careers so you will finish your degree as a professional, sought-after graduate.
To qualify as a solicitor you will need a degree and to pass the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), Parts 1 and 2. The Brunel LLB provides a solid grounding in the core legal subjects aspiring solicitors need to know.
Brunel students can benefit from discounts for BARBRI SQE preparation courses, and we offer two fully-funded BARBRI scholarships each academic year to our best-performing final year students to help to set you on the path to a successful and rewarding career.
To qualify as a barrister you will need a law degree which covers the foundations of legal knowledge subjects, which the Brunel LLB does. For further information on solicitor and barrister qualification routes, please refer to www.sra.org.uk and www.barstandardsboard.org.uk
Course content
The LLB with International Arbitration and Commercial Law consists of both compulsory and optional modules, which are designed to give you a full grounding in the English law, international arbitration and commercial law. Students joining Brunel from the 2024/2025 academic year will study the following modules. Modules are either studied at 30 credits for a full academic year, or at 15 credits for one term of an academic year.
In their final year, students will have the option to choose optional modules to a total of 60 credits, and may choose optional modules in line with their interests and career aspirations.
Optional modules are indicative, and availability may be subject to change. Students are able to choose either one 30 credit modules and two 15 credit modules (one in Term 1 and one in Term 2), or four 15 credit modules (two in Term 1 and two in Term 2). Some optional modules available in Term 2 may require students to have completed specified modules in Term 1.
Compulsory
- Public Law and Legal Skills
- Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Systems
- Contract Law and Civil Justice Systems
- Academic and Professional Development
Compulsory
- Land Law
- Tort Law
- Law of Equity and Trusts
- EU Law in its UK Context
- Academic and Professional Development
- Foundations of Legal Research: Preparing for your dissertation
Compulsory
- Dissertation
- International Commercial Arbitration
Optional
- Banking Law
- Company Law
- EU Trade Law
- Evidence
- Family Law
- Foundations of Law: Science and Technology
- Intellectual Property Law: Trademark and Copyright
- Intellectual Property Law: Designs and Patents
- International Investment Law
- International Investment Law and Arbitration
- International Human Rights: Theories and Institutions
- International Human Rights: Substantive Rights
- International Law I
- International Law II
- Jurisprudence I
- Jurisprudence II
- Parliamentary Studies
- Penology
- Principles of Revenue Law
- Regulation of Emerging Technologies
- Sentencing
- Substantive Issues of Trust Law and Policy
This course can be studied 3 years full-time or 4 years full-time with placement, starting in September.
This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.
Careers and your future
Graduates from Brunel University London rank 27th nationally, and 9th in London for the salaries they earn - earning £4,300 more than the median salary across the university sector.*
Our high-quality placements will give you first-hand professional legal experience and a real taste of what life after your studies could be like. You’ll benefit from the guidance of dedicated careers advisors and the expertise of your personal tutor so whether you want to explore your passion for law or already have your dream job in mind, we’ll support you on your career journey.
Our strong links with industry will help you to boost your career potential. We offer a number of exciting opportunities which are unique to students studying at Brunel Law School. Brunel is one of the few UK universities on the Blake Morgan Brand Ambassador Scheme – offering great work experience opportunities, mentoring programmes and giving you great exposure to the graduate recruitment team of a leading law firm.
We have a partnership with Macfarlanes to offer a training scholarship for three Brunel law students annually, and to provide opportunities for Brunel students to gain insights into working in a top law firm.
We offer two fully-funded BARBRI scholarships each academic year to our best-performing final year students, and Brunel students can also benefit from discounts to the BARBRI SQE preparation courses. We also have links with a number of other professional practices, and opportunities to participate in mentoring programmes are also available to Brunel students.
You will have the opportunity to develop your legal skills with our Law Lives programme. You’ll build, develop and strengthen transferable skills and experiences through a range of activities and programmes such as Brunel’s Pro Bono Legal Advice Centre, which offers pro bono legal advice through various clinics in different areas of law.
You will graduate with a firm grounding in legal theory, allowing you to be flexible in your future choices. Law affects every part of our society, and so we will prepare you for work in the corporate world and government, as well as legal roles in the humanitarian and criminal fields.
Whatever your career aspirations are, you can begin on your path to success with Brunel Law School. Recent graduates went on to pursue careers in range of high-profile organisations such as the Court of Appeal, Blake Morgan, CPS, Freshfields, Mishcon de Reya, the Home Office and Linklaters.
* Longitudinal Employment Outcomes 2022
UK entry requirements
2024/25 entry
- GCE A Level AAB-BBB (all subjects considered excluding General Studies).
- BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma DDM in Business, Applied Law, Applied Psychology, Enterprise & Entrepreneurship, Marketing.
- BTEC Level 3 Diploma DM in Business, Applied Law, Applied Psychology, Enterprise & Entrepreneurship, Marketing subjects with an A Level at grade B.
- BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma D in Business, Applied Law, Applied Psychology, Enterprise & Entrepreneurship, Marketing subjects with A Levels grade BB.
- International Baccalaureate Diploma 30 points. GCSE English equivalent SL 5 or HL 4 and Mathematics SL 4 or HL 4.
- Obtain a minimum of 120 UCAS tariff points in the Access to HE Diploma in Law, Criminology, Business, Business and Law or Humanities and Social Science, Law, Criminology & Politics with 45 credits at Level 3.
- T levels : Distinction overall.
A minimum of five GCSEs are required, including GCSE Mathematics grade C or grade 4 and GCSE English Language grade C or grade 4 or GCSE English Literature grade B or grade 5.
Brunel University London is committed to raising the aspirations of our applicants and students. We will fully review your UCAS application and, where we’re able to offer a place, this will be personalised to you based on your application and education journey.
Please check our Admissions pages for our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs and more information on other factors we use to assess applicants.
EU and International entry requirements
English language requirements
- IELTS: 6.5 (min 5.5 in all areas)
- Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
- BrunELT: 63% (min 55% in all areas)
- TOEFL: 90 (min R18, L17, S20, W17)
Fees and funding
2024/25 entry
UK
£9,250 full-time
£1,385 placement year
International
£19,430 full-time
£1,385 placement year
Teaching and learning
You will be taught by experts in your field of study, and you will have the opportunity to interact and engage with academics and your fellow students throughout your programme.
Your programme will consist of a variety of learning and studying activities, including lectures and seminars which will be delivered in person on campus. These will be supported by pre- and post-sessional activities which are designed to enhance your studies and provide a rich, dynamic learning experience.
In Year 1 you will study four modules which will span the whole academic year. In Year 2 you will have two modules which will span the whole academic year, and four which will be taught in one academic term.
In Year 3 you will study a combination of modules, some taught over the course of the academic year, and others taught for one academic term. This helps students organise their time, and prevents an excess of assessment at particular points in the year. In Year 3 you will also write your dissertations. This is a compulsory element which all students will complete. Supervision of the dissertation module will take the form of individual meetings with a dissertation supervisor, dissertation surgeries and presentations across the teaching terms.
Outside of the classroom, all students will also have the opportunity to seek guidance during module lecturers’ feedback and consultation hours. Additionally, students will be able to seek support in individual meetings with their personal tutors, both on campus and online. There will also be regular cohort meetings and student society events, at both programme and departmental level.
All lectures, seminars, and social activities will occur in person on the Brunel campus. It is expected that students will regularly attend these events, as sustained engagement with a learning community is a central dimension of the Brunel experience.
The majority of core texts are available through the University website. Students may prefer to purchase a physical copy. Copies are also available via Brunel Library.
Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found.
We have computers available across campus for your use and laptop loan schemes to support you through your studies. You can find out more here.
Our teaching is research-led in its focus, building on Brunel’s strong reputation for producing excellent research. The 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) rated the majority (72.7%) of our research activity as either world-leading or internationally excellent. Our research was rated 58th globally for research impact. This robust culture provides a dynamic space for students to learn and contribute to current knowledge.
The course itself will consist of lectures, tutor-led seminars, private study and one-to-one supervision with your tutor. You will have lectures as a full cohort, and your seminar groups will consist of up to 15 students. Lectures are generally one- or two-hours in length, and are followed by a seminar in each module. You will receive further professional and academic skills on your Academic and Professional Skills module where you'll begin to build your professional and legal profile.
Independent learning features heavily on the Law undergraduate degrees, and you will be expected to complete around 10-12 hours of self-directed study a week alongside your lectures and seminars.
Your learning continues out of the classroom. A number of professional development activities are provided to help you develop the legal and transferable skills that will make you stand out in the job market.
- We run workshops, short courses and career events with experts from across the legal spectrum that will give you an insider’s view of the various aspects of the profession
- Our mentoring scheme gives you the opportunity to work individually with an experienced legal practitioner and gain insight into a particular area of law and the profession in general
- Mooting sessions, which are mock courtroom hearings, allow you to test out the presentation, argument and research skills you’ve been learning
You will receive your timetable in advance of the course starting.
We also have an excellent Student Support and Welfare Team who are here to help should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel
Assessment and feedback
Modules are assessed by a variety of methods, including written coursework, examinations, oral presentations, reflective and participatory assessments based on seminars, continuous assessment and other methods.
All final year students are required to research and write a dissertation on a legal topic.
