Be the bridge between law and tech with this interdisciplinary programme creating future lawyers and legal technologists (with Placement Opportunity).
The Programme provides you with knowledge in areas of law needed in a corporate, banking and finance, and law firm environment, as well as computing fundamentals in software development, data science and business intelligence.
Created in response to demands from industry, and with significant input from major global banking, legal, and consulting firms, the Corporate Law, Computing and Innovation programme at Ulster University provides you with a unique opportunity to learn from seasoned industry experts across disciplines. It presents an exciting, first-of-a-kind partnership between the School of Law and the School of Computing, Engineering, and Intelligent Systems.
The fields of law and technology need transdisciplinary experts who can work within different teams at law firms, tech companies, government, and civil society. As technology becomes a bigger part of our lives, firms look to adopt it, tech companies grapple with existing laws, and lawmakers scramble to regulate it. People who can comfortably sit at the intersection of business, law, and technology are needed and sought after. Those who complete the Course will have opportunities for careers in law and legal practice across industries, consulting, banking, and technology firms.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
In this section
Modules;
Part-time students can undertake each Module in Years 1 or 2. However, Professional Software Development I must be undertaken before Business Intelligence or Data Science Foundations. Part-time students can also request to undertake the programme over a 3 Year period.
Professional Software Development I
The module introduces software development concepts and practices in a scaffolding manner enabling students to progressively develop their knowledge. This will be reinforced by interwoven practical lab sessions and tutorial workshops which will focus on and enhance all the necessary practical skills: problem solving, software design, programming skills and software testing to the high level of competence required by industry. The module is also intended to equip students with the knowledge, skills and habits that enable them to function as autonomous, accountable IT professionals.
Business Intelligence
This module aims to contextualise the role of Business Intelligence (BI) and why we need BI systems. A particular focus will be on how to turn already stored data into valuable information and why this is important. Vast amounts of data regarding company's customers and operations is routinely collected and stored in large corporate data warehouses. This data can be of immense value if properly analysed. Students will explore techniques and tools for data analysis, and presentation of the results to non-technical and managerial staff, in alignment with business strategies. Big Data technologies do offer BI although however, they are open to certain ethical and consent issues along with risks. These will be analysed, reviewed and evaluated.
Data Science Foundations
The focus of this module is to present an understanding of key data science concepts, tools and programming techniques. Within the arena of data science, the theory behind the approaches of statistics, modelling and machine learning will be introduced emphasising their importance and application to data analysis. The notion of investigative and research skills will also be introduced through a number of problem solving exercises. Material covered will be contextualised by providing examples of the latest research within the area. Students will also be introduced to programming with Python / R. They will learn the basics of syntax, and how to configure their development environment for implementation and testing of algorithms related to data science.
Corporate Law
The effective and efficient running of businesses (and their establishment) requires students to understand a number of concepts, principles and rules of law in such areas as business structures, corporate law, corporate governance, disputes, dissolution and related legal issues (including an overview of the basics of contract and tort), as well as close familiarity with the nature, structure and key characteristics of the legal system in which such businesses operate. In addition, students will also need to acquire certain skills, such as those of instant recall, critical analysis, argumentation and articulation, and the ability to apply legal concepts and principles to practical problems or to refer such problems to appropriate dispute resolution methods. This module provides the necessary information, knowledge and intellectual equipment to acquire such knowledge and skills.
Technology and Internet Law
This module spans a range of contemporary issues spanning law and technology. It covers basics of intellectual property (copyright, marks, patent and software licensing) as well as basic principles of artificial intelligence (machine learning and natural language processing) as they apply to the practice of law. In addition, the module covers privacy, encryption, Internet law (telecommunications law, conflict of laws, free speech, safe harbour) as well as providing several practical lessons with software applications/platforms used in the professional legal marketplace.
Derivatives and Financial Markets
This module, offered in association between Ulster University and Fieldfisher LLP's Belfast and London offices, guides students through the key areas of financial markets trading and regulation with a specific emphasis on derivatives and securities financing. Students will consider, in particular, master agreements used for a variety of transactions in cross border markets. This module not only equips students with underpinning knowledge of relevant aspects of the law but also provides key opportunities to directly engage in case studies based on the type of practical work undertaken by an experienced financial services practice.
Project
This module is optional
The project allows the student to demonstrate their ability in undertaking an independent project, developing theoretical perspectives, addressing research questions and analysing and implementing real world solutions. The student will be expected to utilise appropriate methodologies and demonstrate the skills gained earlier in the course when implementing the project. This will typically involve a systems analysis of the needs for a realistic application or actual organisation and identification and application of tools/techniques required to deliver a well-formed solution. In summary the masters project represents a piece of work performed by the student under suitable staff supervision, which draws both from the practical and creative nature of a problem-solving project and the traditional, scholarly exposition of an area of study. The content of the work should have a degree of originality and contain a critical appraisal of the subject area.
Dissertation
This module is optional
The dissertation module is designed to enable students to develop and apply the demonstrable research skills in the form of independent research leading to 12,000 words dissertation on a topic of choice in commercial-law related fields. Students would be advised to choose their research topics in areas for which there are supervision expertise within the school of law.
Attendance at lectures and seminar sessions is compulsory.
The full-time programme is held across 3 semesters in one academic year.
The part-time programme is taken over 2 years.
The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits and a dissertation (for LLM) or project (MSc) worth 60 credits.
The course also offers competitive Placement Opportunities with firms.
As part of the programme, we also offer an optional Advanced Practice Module to full-time students, in which you can undertake for an additional 12 weeks following successful completion of the LLM/MSC, giving you the opportunity to complete an internship with a company or a practical project.
A range of teaching and assessment methods will be employed to develop learning throughout the course with the use of Blackboard Learn for dissemination of teaching and learning materials. As a student, you will benefit from the course having been developed in consultation with industry experts in response to their employment needs, and industry experts will be involved in the delivery of the course.
Assessment is by a variety of methods. The Law modules will be 100% coursework, while the computing modules contain both practical and coursework assessment methods.
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until near the start date and may be subject to change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days of attendance will often be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10- or 20-credit modules and postgraduate course typically 15- or 30-credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Masters courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be via one method or a combination e.g. examination and coursework . Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessment. The precise assessment will depend on the module and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification and the assessment timetable. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have four learning outcomes, and no more than two items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised.
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6 (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Masters degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study. In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures correct for academic year 2019-2020.
The teaching in this Programme is delivered by a mix of Ulster University academic staff and industry professionals recognised for excellence in their fields. Law modules will be taught by licensed lawyers with practical professional experience. This Programme is run by the Ulster University Legal Innovation Centre, a ground-breaking partnership between the School of Law and the School of Computing, Engineering, and the built environment.
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 59% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (25%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (20%) or Lecturers (55%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic staff (81%) are accredited fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advanced HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures correct for academic year 2021-2022.
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The Belfast campus is situated in the artistic and cultural centre of the city, the Cathedral Quarter.
Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
Year: 1
Status: C
The module introduces software development concepts and practices in a scaffolding manner enabling students to progressively develop their knowledge. This will be reinforced by interwoven practical lab sessions which will focus on and enhance all the necessary practical skills: problem solving, software design, programming skills and software testing to the high level of competence required by industry. The module is also intended to equip students with the knowledge, skills and practices that enable them to function as autonomous, accountable IT professionals.
Year: 1
Status: C
The effective and efficient running of small businesses (and their establishment) requires students to understand a number of concepts, principles and rules of law in such areas as contract, tort, employment, intellectual property and franchising, as well as close familiarity with the nature, structure and key characteristics of the legal system in which such businesses operate. In addition, students will also need to acquire certain skills, such as those of instant recall, critical analysis, argumentation and articulation, and the ability to apply legal concepts and principles to practical problems or to refer such problems to appropriate dispute resolution methods. This module provides the necessary information, knowledge and intellectual equipment to acquire such knowledge and skills.
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module aims to contextualise the role of Business Intelligence and Business Analytics and why we need them. A particular focus will be on how to turn already stored data into valuable information and why this is important. For instance, vast amounts of data regarding company's customers and operations is routinely collected and stored in large corporate data warehouses. This data can be of immense value if properly analysed. Students will explore techniques and tools for data analysis, and presentation of the results to non-technical and managerial staff, in alignment with business strategies. Business intelligence and analytics however, are open to certain ethical and consent issues along with risks. These will be analysed, reviewed and evaluated.
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
The focus of this module is to present an understanding of key data science concepts, tools and programming techniques. Within the arena of data science, the theory behind the approaches of statistics, modelling and machine learning will be introduced emphasising their importance and application to data analysis. The notion of investigative and research skills will also be introduced through a number of problem-solving exercises. The material covered will be contextualised by providing examples of the latest research within the area. Students will also be introduced to programming with Python. They will learn the basics of syntax, and how to configure their development environment for the implementation and testing of algorithms related to data science.
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
The dissertation module is designed to enable students to develop and apply the demonstrable research skills in the form of independent research leading to 12,000 words dissertation on a topic of choice in commercial-law related fields. Students would be advised to choose their research topics in areas for which there are supervision expertise within the school of law.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module spans a range of contemporary issues spanning law and technology. It covers basics of intellectual property (copyright, marks, patent and software licensing) as well as basic principles of artificial intelligence (machine learning and natural language processing) as they apply to the practice of law. In addition, the module covers privacy, encryption, Internet law (telecommunications law, conflict of laws, free speech, safe harbour) as well as providing several practical lessons with software applications/platforms used in the professional legal marketplace.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module will introduce students to the practical conduct of a commercial litigation case in Northern Ireland, focusing on the impact of e-Discovery tools, technology platforms and international developments in online litigation.
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
The project allows the student to demonstrate their ability in undertaking an independent project, developing theoretical perspectives, addressing research questions and analysing and implementing real world solutions. The student will be expected to utilise appropriate methodologies and demonstrate the skills gained earlier in the course when implementing the project. This will typically involve a systems analysis of the needs for a realistic application or actual organisation and identification and application of tools/techniques required to deliver a well-formed solution. In summary the masters project represents a piece of work performed by the student under suitable staff supervision, which draws both from the practical and creative nature of a problem-solving project and the traditional, scholarly exposition of an area of study. The content of the work should have a degree of originality and contain a critical appraisal of the subject area.
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
The dissertation module is designed to enable students to develop and apply the demonstrable research skills in the form of independent research leading to 12,000 words dissertation on a topic of choice in commercial-law related fields. Students would be advised to choose their research topics in areas for which there are supervision expertise within the school of law.
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
This Applied Consulting Project module enhances the student's ability to apply theory to practice by requiring them to undertake a 'live' consultancy project for a selected organisation. The module requires students to draw on relevant theories and concepts gained throughout their postgraduate study, and to apply these in a practical business context, in order to analyse and produce successful project outcomes
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
This module is designed to further enhance the employability and professional development of postgraduate students who undertake the LLM/MSC in Corporate Law and Computing, by giving them internship experience (normally 12 weeks) through completion of an organisational project and the development of key personal and professional skills, evidenced through a critical reflection of their internship experience
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
In this section
Applicants must:
1. have gained:
a. a second class honours degree or better in law, accounting, finance, computer science, software engineering, computing, or a related discipline from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, from the Council for National Academic Awards, the National Council for Educational Awards, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or
b. an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma in law or an approved alternative qualification; or
c. a degree in any discipline with appropriate work/professional experience in the field of law or computing; or
d. a comparable professional qualification; or
e. In exceptional circumstances, where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subject-specific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route. Evidence used to demonstrate graduate qualities may not be used for exemption against modules within the programme;
And
2. Provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
English language requirements for international applicants:
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.
Ulster University recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
In this section
Graduates from this Programme can work in:
The Course provides you with an interdisciplinary skillset that distinguishes you from other graduates through teaching in computing and areas of law essential to modern practice in finance, banking, corporate law, and technology law.
For those interested in pursuing a career as a solicitor or barrister, the Programme gives you hands-on experience, meaningful exposure to key industry employers and a competitive advantage in securing a training contract.
The LLM/MSc is also the ideal platform for advanced research, including Doctoral study in Law or Computing.
Students in the Progamme can compete for post-graduate Placement Opportunities within industry or industry-driven applied projects.
In addition, students can enrol in an optional Advanced Practice module, which extends the course beyond 1 year of full-time study. Through this module, students will undertake an internship with a company or complete an applied consulting project for a company under the supervision of University staff.
Our postgraduate fees are subject to annual increase and are currently under review.
See our tuition fees page for the current fees for 2023/24 entry.
A number of industry partners have agreed to provide competitive scholarships awards, Industry Prizes and/or Placement Opportunities including:
It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
"The delivery of legal services is evolving quickly, and depends increasingly on the overlapping disciplines of data science. Ulster University’s new 'Corporate Law and Computing' course is an exciting opportunity to acquire the practical knowledge and skills that are much in demand, as legal practices of all types equip themselves with the resources they need to support markets, commerce and society in the new data-centric era."
Stephen Bartlett, EMEA Regional General Counsel & Global Co-Head Markets and Securities Services Legal, Citi
"Allen & Overy is a significant employer of law graduates in Northern Ireland and is supportive of the proposed new LLM/MSc law & technology masters programme. We are increasingly interested in employing graduates with multi-disciplinary skill-sets, particularly those with legal technology and computing backgrounds."
Angela Clist, Partner, Head of Legal Services Centre, Belfast, Allen & Overy LLP
"We would very much be interested in employing candidates that graduated from your programs that had legal / law training paired with computer science. It’s very much a skillset that will be increasingly in demand as we look for individuals who can bridge the data science through to practical legal application."
Nick Thomson, GM, iManage RAVN
"The lawyers of tomorrow will need to be tech-savvy. Pinsent Masons are increasingly committed to employing graduates with multi-disciplinary skillsets. We hope to be in a position to offer competitive prize and ad hoc specialist teaching input to attendees on the new LLM/MSs Corporate Law & Computing from Ulster University. We are excited by this ground-breaking initiative from our partners in the Legal Innovation Centre."
Joanna Robinson, Partner, Pinsent Masons
