This is a one-year, full-time programme and interdisciplinary in presentation.
The programme is divided into two semesters.
First semester
In the first semester, the students participate in an intensive custom-designed curriculum of coursework.
During this time, the students complete two modules:
- Advanced International Trade Law and
- Advanced International Investment Law
both of which emerged from the field of International Economic Law, a major subset of the broader discipline of Public International Law. See module details below.
Second semester
In the second semester, the students’ formal requirement is to write a mini-dissertation of 23,000-25,000 words on a topic selected by the student in consultation with the Academic Director. Where available, students are encouraged to take up internship positions in related organisations. The internship programme is to enrich the learning experience of the students and it offers them real-world insights and exposures to actual working life in the world of trade and investment. An internship stint also offers a head-start in securing gainful employment and in pursuit of a career.
Subjects (First semester)
Advanced International Trade Module
Module content
- Regulation of international trade – the WTO
- Intellectual property law and transfer of technology
- Trade, environment, human rights and labour
- Agriculture
- Services
- Trade facilitation
- Regionalism
- Industrial products (NAMA)
- Dispute resolution
- Trade remedies
- Trade negotiations
Advanced International Law
Module content
- Introduction to international law and regional law: theory and source
- Economics literacy and basic business management skills
- International financial institutions and loan transactions
- Investment and trade in Africa: bilateral and multilateral perspectives
- European Union law
- Financial services and securities regulation
- International business transactions
- Investment and procurement
Research methodology 801 (RHP 801)
Module content
- Planning and organising a research project
- Drafting a research proposal: Hypotheses and research question
- Theory in research and methodological approaches to legal research
- Language
- Citation and ethics of citation
- Drafting of chapters and presentation
Research proposal 803 (RHP 803)
Module content
Development and presentation of a research proposal. (A research proposal must be submitted to the supervisor and accepted in the first semester of the first year of study before the student will be allowed to register for the mini-dissertation.)
Subjects (Second semester)
Mini-dissertation 803 (MND 803)
Module content
- The student must submit a research proposal during his/her first year of registration for the LLM degree to the supervisor prior to commencing with the writing of the mini-dissertation.
- A mini-dissertation (MND 803) of 23 000 to 25 000 words inclusive of footnotes but excluding the list of contents and the bibliography, is required.
- The mini-dissertation must be submitted to the study leader not later than August of the second year of registration for the LLM programme (in which event the student will take two years to complete the programme).
- The mini-dissertation must deal with the subject content of one of the modules or a combination of the modules registered for by the student for his/her LLM degree.
- Any request for an extension of the period for submission of the mini-dissertation may only be granted by the Dean on recommendation of the LLM Committee.
