LLM – International & Comparative Law

NUS Faculty of Law

OVERVIEW

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Master of Laws (LLM) – International & Comparative Law Specialisation is offered by the NUS Faculty of Law.

This specialisation offers a good mix of public and private international law and comparative law modules. There are courses that focus on trade, investment and commercial issues; as well as those covering modules such as public international law, human rights and environmental protection. There are also specialised courses offering a comparative focus on the laws of major countries such as China, the United States of America, European Union nations, India, Indonesia, Korea and Vietnam.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the NUS LLM programme is granted on a competitive basis as places in the programme are limited. Applicants should possess the following minimum requirements:

Academic

Bachelor’s Degree in Law
Skill/Experience

Not applicable
English Language

Applicants from English-medium institutions in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States:

  • No requirement

Applicants whose LLB or LLM degrees were conducted entirely in the English medium:

  • May submit a request with supporting documents for consideration (on a case-by-case basis) to be granted a waiver

Applicants whose native tongue and medium of university instruction is not completely in English:

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) minimum score of 100 (Internet-based), or
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) minimum Academic score of 7.0.

Candidates who have obtained a TOEFL score of 92–99 (Internet-based) may also apply, but may be invited to attend an interview or be required to undertake a prescribed intensive English language training course, prior to commencing law studies.

Note: TOEFL / IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date and should not have expired at point of application. Expired scores will not be considered for the application. In view of COVID-19, TOEFL iBT® Special Home Edition, TOEFL ITP® Plus (with a score of at least 627) for China and IELTS indicator (with the same scores as the standard IELTS test) will be accepted in the interim until testing centres reopen.

Other

Not applicable

MODE OF STUDY AND PROGRAMME CANDIDATURE

The NUS LLM programme is offered on the following basis (with estimated time to complete the programme indicated below):

 Full-time  12 months 

Note: International applicants must be accepted into an approved full-time course in Singapore to apply for a Student’s Pass. For more information, refer to the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The NUS LLM is a 40–44-modular credit (MC) coursework-based graduate degree programme comprising:

  • Core/essential modules (at least 24 MCs), and
  • Elective Modules (up to 20 MCs).
Core/Essential Modules

Students who wish to specialise in International & Comparative Law must complete at least 24 MCs of modules from the International & Comparative Law subject cluster, including the compulsory module Public International Law (5 MCs)—students who have read and passed Public International Law at NUS or its equivalent in a common law jurisdiction are exempted from having to take this module. Students from non-Common Law jurisdictions are required to take Singapore Common Law of Contract in Semester 1.

View Modules

Module Code Module Title MCs
LC5050 Public International Law 5
LC5337 Singapore Common Law of Contract 4
 International & Comparative Law
Module Code Module Title MCs
LL5299 Advanced Issues in the Law & Practice of International Arbitration (Sem 2) 4
LL5102V Advanced Torts (Sem 2) 5
LL5100 Arbitration and Dispute Resolution in China (Not Offered in AY2020-2021) (Sem 1) 4
LL5202V ASEAN Economic Community Law and Policy (Sem 2) 5
LL5287V ASEAN Law and Policy (Sem 1) 5
LL5004V Aviation Law & Policy (Sem 1) 5
LL5003V China, India and International Law (Not Offered in AY2020-2021) (Sem 2) 5
LL5431V Choice of Law: Practice and Theories (Sem 2) 5
LL5388 Comparative Civil Law: Thai Contract Law (Sem 2) 4
LL5012V Comparative Constitutional Law (Sem 2) 5
LL5173V Comparative Corporate Law (Sem 2) 5
LL5295 Conflict of Laws in Int'l Commercial Arbitration (Sem 2) 4
LL5382V Core Aspects of Private International Law (Sem 1) 5
LL5319V Current Problems in International Law (Sem 2) 5
LL5054 Domestic & International Sale of Goods (Sem 2) 4
LL5069V European Union Law (Not Offered in AY2020-2021) (Sem 1) 5
LL5435 Foundations of Environmental Law (Sem 2) 4
LL5214 International and Comparative Oil and Gas Law (Sem 1) 4
LL5029BV International Commercial Arbitration (Sem 1) 5
LL5235V International Contract Law: Principles and Practice (Not Offered in AY2020-2021) (Sem 2) 5
LL5285V International Dispute Settlement (Sem 1) 5
LL5356V International Economic Law Clinic (Sem 2) 5
LL5031V International Environmental Law & Policy (Sem 1) 5
LL5251V International Humanitarian Law (Sem 1) 5
LL5032 International Investment Law (Sem 1) 4
LL5150V International Investment Law and Arbitration (Not Offered in AY2020-2021) (Sem 2) 5
LL5109V International Law and Asia (Sem 1) 5
LL5033V International Legal Process (Sem 1) 5
LL5432V International Litigation: Themes and Practice (Sem 2) 5
LL5034V International Regulation of Shipping (Sem 2) 5
LL5343V International Regulation of the Global Commons (Sem 2) 5
LL5320 International Space Law (Sem 1) 4
LL5178V Law and Practice of Investment Treaties (Sem 1) 5
LL5140V Law of the Sea: Theory and Practice (Sem 2) 5
LL5205V Maritime Conflict of Laws (Sem 2) 5
LL5364V Principles of Civil Law: Law of Obligations & Property (Sem 1) 5
LL5364V Principles of Civil Law: Law of Obligations & Property (Sem 2) 5
LL5318V Public Health Law and Regulation (Sem 2) 5
LL5292V State Responsibility: Theory and Practice (Sem 1) 5
LL5289V The Evolution of International Arbitration (Sem 2) 5
LL5219 The Trial of Jesus in Western Legal Thought (Sem 2) 4
LL5322V Trade Finance Law (Sem 1) 5
LL5286V Transnational Terrorism and International Law (Sem 1) 5
LL5060B
 World Trade Law (Sem 1)
 8
Elective Modules

Up to 20 MCs of modules may be selected from those offered in other subject clusters in the LLM programme.
For a complete list of modules in all the subject clusters, please refer to the NUS Law website Course Listing.

Note: For more information about the modules listed above (as well as other modules offered in the current academic year), please visit NUSMODS.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To graduate from the NUS LLM programme with an International & Comparative Law specialisation, students must meet the following requirements:

Programme and/or Specialisation

Read and pass a total of 40–44 MCs. 
Module and/or Qualification

At least 24 MCs must be from modules in the International & Comparative Law subject cluster, including the compulsory module Public International Law—unless exempted. Students from non-Common Law jurisdictions are required to take Singapore Common Law of Contract.
Cumulative Average Point (CAP) 

Not applicable
Other 

Not applicable

FEES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Kindly note that all fees for the NUS LLM programme quoted on this page are exclusive of prevailing GST, unless otherwise stated. The University reserves all rights to review fees as necessary and adjust accordingly without prior notice.

Tuition

S$33,317.76 (excluding GST) per annum* /
S$35,650.00 (including GST) per annum*

* Non-subsidised tuition fees shown here.

Financial Assistance

Singaporeans and Singapore PRs may enjoy tuition fee subsidies1.

Students in this programme have in the past been eligible for, or received funding support from:

• Kwa Geok Choo Graduate Scholarship (All nationalities)

• Faculty Graduate Scholarship (FGS) (All nationalities)

• Scholarship for Young Asian Academics (SYAA) (Asian students)

For more about graduate tuition fees and subsidies, please refer to the NUS Registrar’s Office.

For more about loans and other financial assistance, please email Law Graduate Admissions.

1 Information about subsidised tuition fees for LLM can be found on the Faculty of Law web page on Tuition Fees.

Application

S$50 (including GST)

• Non-refundable and non-transferable

Acceptance

Not applicable

Student Services

As published by NUS Registrar’s Office

• Payable every regular semester

Programme at a Glance*

Upcoming Webinar(s):

Watch this space for updates!

Updating soon!
Next Intake:
Application Period:

Online Submission:
15 Sep 2021–15 Nov 2021

Closed
Submission of Supporting Documents:
By 22 Nov 2021

* For full details, please refer to main write-up.

Related Content

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For Frequently Asked Questions relevant to the Faculty of Law and its programmes, please click here.

For more Frequently Asked Questions, click here.

For enquiries, please email us at pgc@nus.edu.sg.

 
10 November 2021