Subject to Approval: This programme is awaiting approval to commence in 2010. Please contact the School of Law to find out more details.

Law: Financial Services Regulation LLM

www.law.stir.ac.uk

Financial Services Regulation is a fast growing and vital area in the global financial services industry - and employers in both the private and public sectors increasingly seek staff who have specialised in it. LLM in Financial Services Regulation graduates will be equipped with the essential specialist knowledge and understanding in both financial regulation and finance to be valuable resources for financial services employers. Staff in the Stirling School of Law and the Division of Accounting & Finance are leading figures in their respective fields and several have professional and academic experience both in the UK and abroad.

Programme Objectives

The objectives of the LLM in Financial Services Regulation are to:

• Provide you with knowledge, understanding and skills at LLM level, appropriate to careers in financial services regulation or related areas.
• Provide you with an advanced knowledge and understanding of the substantive content and theoretical context of Financial Services Regulation and relevant areas of finance.
• Develop your appreciation of the international dimensions of Financial Services Regulation and Finance.
• Provide the basis for progression to PhD-level study.

Entrance Requirements

A good Honours degree in Law, Finance, Accounting, Business or related disciplines. In light of the accounting and finance elements in the programme, a good level of numeracy is required.

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your proficiency such as a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 (minimum 6 in each skill) or TOEFL 577/233/90 (Paper/Computer/Internet).

Funding

For information on possible sources of funding, visit: www.stir.ac.uk/postgrad/finance

Modes of Study

Full-time: 1 year

Programme Start Date

September

Programme Directors

Professor Gavin Little

School of Law

Subject to Approval

Structure and Content

The programme is multi-disciplinary, because financial services regulators need to understand not only the law but also key areas in finance.  It consists of eight taught modules which are delivered by the School of Law and the Accounting & Finance Division. A combination of specialist law and finance modules are taken in both the Autumn and Spring semesters and you will also write a 10,000-word law dissertation over the period 1 June to middle of August.

The taught modules will run each year from the list below. Although every effort will be made to ensure that as many modules as possible will be available, it is not possible to guarantee that every module will be available in any given year:

• Comparative Financial Regulation: Key aspects of UK, EU and US financial regulation.
• Insurance Law and Regulation: Analysis of the principles of English insurance law and regulation, which is the major system of insurance law in the international context.
• Law of Banking and Finance: Core legal aspects of banking and the financing of international trade.
• Investment Ethics and Regulation:  Key substantive and regulatory aspects of investment ethics for finance professionals.
• Financial Reporting: Provides an appreciation of the underlying assumptions and limitations of accounting information.
• Corporate Finance: Provides an understanding of how corporations raise finance (debt and equity) and how they invest money (capital budgeting, hedging, acquisitions). This module examines the major decision areas of corporate finance.
• Financial Statement Analysis: Develops skills in the interpretation and use of financial statements.
• Derivatives: Focuses on the uses and the pricing of the key derivative instruments: options, futures, forwards and swaps.
• Investments and Portfolio Management: Focuses on the valuation of both equities and fixed-interest securities and the management of equity and fixed-interest portfolios.

Delivery and Assessment

Teaching is delivered via a combination of lectures and seminars. Assessment is by class tests, essays, student presentations and final examinations which take place at the end of each semester. The coursework assessment methods and format of final examinations vary according to the specific requirements of each module. Every effort is made to develop key transferable skills in the delivery of teaching and the design of assessments.

Timetable

Contact the School for information on your timetable and reading lists.

Career Opportunities

The global financial services industry and regulatory authorities need employees who have specialised knowledge of financial services regulation combined with an understanding of key related areas of finance. Graduating with an LLM in Financial Services Regulation will significantly improve your knowledge and understanding of the subject and will enhance your attractiveness to employers.

Research Opportunities

The primary aim of the doctoral programme is to provide quality doctoral graduates with top quality research training in Law. You should be qualified to conduct high-level research in your chosen area. While you will be equipped for employment in academia, successful completion of the Stirling PhD will be valuable for any career where critical, interpretative and analytical skills are required.

Doctoral research involves exploring an area in great depth and carrying out your own work to advance the state of knowledge in that area. Typically, you will expand on existing work in an area to make a significant contribution to knowledge in that field.

Research activity is organised around several areas of research strength. Staff research and research postgraduate supervision is in the following areas:

• Scots Private Law
• Family and Child Law
• Public Law
• Business Law
• International Commercial Law
• European Law
• Employment Law
• Environmental Law
• Entertainment and Sports Law
• Discrimination Law
• Statutory Interpretation and the Legislative Process
• Commercial Dispute Resolution

For more information on the School’s research activity, see: www.law.stir.ac.uk/research

Research Proposal

Applicants are required to provide a statement of up to 1,000 words on the topic they intend to research. For further information on postgraduate research in the School of Law, visit: www.law.stir.ac.uk/research

RAE Rating

The UK-wide Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) confirmed the quality of the work being done by our researchers. 85% of the University of Stirling’s research has been judged to be internationally excellent and internationally recognised, with the top 10% of that judged to be world class.

View the full outcomes of Stirling’s RAE performance

Application Procedure

Subject to Approval: This programme is awaiting approval to commence in 2010. Please use the contact information for the School of Law to find out more details.