Postgraduate Diploma in Law 

Here's the BIG Picture

This programme is an advancement from the Postgraduate Certificate in Law, developed for practitioners, by practitioners. It focuses on developing technical and practical proficiency through innovative learning methods. The learning objectives and criteria for assessment of learning outcomes are directed to professional, effective, and practical presentation of work, oral and written communication skills, demonstration of relevant content knowledge, demonstration of relevant practical knowledge, higher-order thinking, with advanced and integrated application of professional knowledge and skills.

The student is required to complete eight (8) subjects. Students who have already completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Law are required to complete a further four (4) subjects only, and may not repeat modules already taken at Certificate level.

Students who successfully complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Law will be able to apply for the Master of Laws with the University of Hertfordshire for a one year top up to graduate with the LL.M.

With this Course You Will:

• Advance your knowledge towards specialised and integrated understandings about the subject in its respective fields.
• Deepen and/or broaden your existing professional knowledge and skills for application in legal practice.
• Develop expert, specialised cognitive and technical skills to analyse critically, reflect on, and synthesise information and concepts.
• Solve complex legal problems and support decision-making, and interpret and transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

COURSE MODULES

International Commercial Arbitration: Law, Procedure & Evidence

Assessment: Online Assessment, Individual Written Assignment & Final Exam

This subject provides an in-depth exploration of the key factors involved in determining the applicable law for arbitration proceedings. It covers methods for identifying the governing law, the role of mandatory rules, and the relevant substantive laws and rules that guide the process. The subject also examines the relevance of lex mercatoria and similar standards in arbitration, and familiarises students with arbitration procedure from initiation through to the consideration of procedural issues — including control of arbitration procedures, minimal procedural standards, and methods for the taking of evidence.

International Commercial Arbitration: Jurisdiction & Enforcement

Assessment: Online Assessment, Individual Written Assignment & Final Exam

This subject focuses on the scope and limitations of the arbitration tribunal's power concerning both the dispute and the parties involved. Students will gain a thorough understanding of arbitrability, the principle of Kompetenz-Kompetenz, and the tribunal's authority in relation to protective and provisional measures. Key topics include the form and content requirements of arbitration awards, the grounds for challenging an award, the possibility of appeal, and the grounds on which an award may resist enforcement. The subject also addresses multiparty and multicontract disputes.

International Commercial Arbitration: The Infrastructure

Assessment: Online Assessment, Individual Written Assignment & Final Exam

This subject provides students with a comprehensive understanding of arbitration, including its terminology, relevant concepts, legal texts, and major institutions. It offers a solid foundation in the legal issues surrounding arbitration agreements — particularly their formal and substantive validity — and familiarises students with the complexities involved in drafting international arbitration agreements, including the challenges and problems that may arise in the process.

Tribunals and Types of Arbitration

Assessment: Online Assessment, Individual Written Assignment & Final Exam

This subject provides a comprehensive discussion of key issues related to the arbitration tribunal, including the selection and appointment of arbitrators, the rights and obligations of arbitrators and arbitrants, and the liability or immunity of arbitrators and arbitration institutions. It also serves as an introduction to arbitration involving state parties, with a particular focus on investment disputes, and explores various specialist arbitration systems including online dispute resolution.

International Commercial Litigation: Theory & Practice

Assessment: Online Assessment, Individual Written Assignment & Final Exam

This subject develops students' knowledge and understanding of private international law by providing a comprehensive appreciation of its historical background. Students will explore individualist, state, and economic theories of private international law, and gain an understanding of the distinction between a court's jurisdiction and competence, the rules governing jurisdiction under the Brussels Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001, and parallel rules in the United States.

International Commercial Litigation: Applicable Law & Enforcement

Assessment: Online Assessment, Individual Written Assignment & Final Exam

Building on the foundations of private international law, this subject equips students to explain the rules under the Rome I Regulation (EC) No. 593/2008 and Rome II Regulation (EC) No. 864/2007, as well as other choice of law rules applicable in England and Wales. Students will also gain an understanding of the rules relating to jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in England and Wales, with outline coverage of approaches in the United States.

International Trade: Export Sales and Carriage of Goods by Sea

Assessment: Online Assessment, Individual Written Assignment & Final Exam

This subject provides students with a thorough knowledge of the main principles of export sales under English law, including the legal and commercial background of overseas sales. It covers the law of carriage of goods by sea, enabling students to understand the role of the carrier in shipment sales and the rights, duties, and liabilities involved in the transport of goods. Students will gain practical tools to navigate both export sales law and international transport law.

International Trade: Documentary Credits and the United Nations Sales Convention 1980

Assessment: Online Assessment, Individual Written Assignment & Final Exam

This subject provides students with a thorough understanding of payment methods in international sales, including the functioning of letters of credit, performance bonds, and their essential role in international transactions. It also covers the main principles of the United Nations Sale Convention 1980, giving students experience in dealing with legal principles derived from international conventions and developing a comprehensive understanding of international sales and payment systems in global trade.