Law

Three years full-time or flexible part-time.

This course, which has been developed over the last 20 years, aims to meet these needs by providing a sound preparation for professional training and also other opportunities in a wide variety of careers and postgraduate study. As a Qualifying Law Degree, the course gives exemption from the academic stage of qualification for both branches of the legal profession therefore it is ideal for those intending to qualify as a solicitor or barrister. There are a wide range of options available so that you can select those that you feel reflect your chosen career path. In addition, students benefit from activities such as court visits, prison visits, mooting and development of interview and negotiation skills. Students who wish to follow a legal career can join the Student Law Society which organises social and professional activities.

Students are able to take, as part of their first and second stage studies, elective modules from fields other than law. If you wish to improve your knowledge of Psychology, Criminology, Business or a Language, you would be able to take two foundation modules in your first stage and build upon those by taking a further module in your second stage. Students study a total of six modules in the first stage, four of which must be Law modules and are compulsory. At the second stage, five of the six modules must be legal modules, four of which are compulsory. In the final stage, all six modules must be Law modules and students must submit a dissertation, which, depending on its length, may count as one or two modules.

Stage one

There are four compulsory modules, Law of Contract, Criminal Law, Legal System and Introduction to UK and EU Constitutional Law. There are also a number of optional modules including Sport and the Law, Legal History, Professional Legal Skills and Immigration, Nationality and Asylum.

Stage two

The compulsory modules at stage two are Law of European Institutions, Public Law, Law of Tort and Equity and Trusts. Optional modules include Professional Legal Skills, Environmental Law, Human Rights, Criminal Justice, Law in the Community and Organised Crime.

Stage three

Stage three includes a compulsory dissertation. There is one other compulsory module, Land Law. In addition there are a number of optional modules offered including Intellectual Property Law, European Law, Company Law, the Law of Relationships, Sentencing and Penal Policy, Sale of Goods and Agency, Evidence, Terrorism Law and Succession.

• Studied in a supportive environment
• Experienced staff
• Practical skills are developed

Stage one modules:

• Law of Contract*
• Criminal Law*
• Legal System*
• Introduction to Public Law*
• Legal History
• Professional Legal Skills 1
• Immigration
• Nationality and Asylum,
• Sport and the Law

There is also the possibility of taking a subject outside the Law field such as a Language, Business, Psychology or Criminology module.

Stage two modules:

• Law of European Institutions*
• Public Law*
• Law of Tort*
• Equity and Trusts*
• Consumer Law
• The Criminal Process
• Financial Services Law
• Child Law
• Human Rights
• Environmental Law
• Professional Legal Skills 2
• Discrimination Law
• Law in the Community

Stage three

• Land Law*
• Dissertation* (20 or 40 credits)
• Employment Law
• Terrorism
• European Law
• Legal Theory
• Company Law
• Relationships
• Sentencing and Penal Policy
• Law and Government
• Sale of Goods and Agency
• Evidence
• European and International Human Rights
• Professional Legal Skills 3
• Intellectual Property Law
• Legal Advice in the Community
• Succession

Note: the above modules have been validated but they may not all run in any particular year.

* Modules compulsory for LLB students, which provide full exemption from the academic stage of training for solicitors and barristers.

Course outline

Thank you for your interest in studying Law at The University of Northampton. Our Law courses have been developed since the late 1970s when we began to offer undergraduate modules in Law. We hope that you will join us to study Law at the University and that you will progress, as many of our graduates have done, to find a rewarding career. Whether you choose to become a barrister or solicitor or whether you decide to make your career in an entirely different field, we are sure that you will find the study of Law an intellectually rewarding and challenging experience. The development of skills associated with our LLB at The University of Northampton will stand you in good stead for your future. The social side of undergraduate life is not neglected as there is a Student Law Society which organises various events during the year for all Law students.

The Law department

Students coming to the University will find strong support for their studies from a dedicated team of well-qualified staff, thoroughly respected throughout the law sector of higher education. A number have published books and/or journal articles and a number regularly deliver conference papers at conferences both at home and abroad.

Two of our staff are at the forefront of development in e-learning; two have recently given papers at international conferences in the USA and Hong Kong; several are external examiners at other educational institutions; some are on committees examining national or international issues relating to Law; three of our staff are solicitors and one is a barrister who are actively involved with the legal profession or national tribunals. All of our staff already possess a Master's qualification or a professional qualification or both and are actively involved in legal research.

Law degrees at The University of Northampton

The University's main undergraduate Law course is the LLB (Bachelor of Laws) degree. It is a three year course operating on a modular system where six 20 credit modules are studied each year. Part-time students can take fewer modules and spread their degree over five years.

Students obtain a Qualifying Law Degree which provides full exemption from the academic stage of legal training for both the Law Society and the Bar Council. About 50% of our LLB students progress to a Legal Practice Course (to become solicitors) or a Bar Vocational Course (to become barristers). We have links with the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice which guarantees our graduates a place with them to study for the Legal Practice Course. In the last few years one of our students was awarded a Training Contract with one of the top firms in the City of London - normally the preserve of students from Oxbridge or one of the older universities. Another of our students was awarded a bursary by the Middle Temple to support his training to become a barrister.

Law teaching and learning at The University of Northampton

The experience of studying Law may vary from one institution to another. Particular characteristics and features of the philosophy of, and approach to, Law teaching at this University are:

Commitment to students

The Law team prides itself on its commitment to students. We make every effort to operate a personal tutor system conscientiously and effectively, so that support will always be available for any student experiencing difficulties or simply wishing to discuss his/her progress. We are also firmly committed to the student representative system, as we take the view that student opinions and comments are vitally important. We have in the past been commended by students for "taking student representatives seriously," and believe we have a good track record of responding to issues raised by student representatives. The results of the National Student Survey reinforce this view.

Law in context

Many areas of Law cannot be properly understood in isolation. Where appropriate, we actively promote and encourage the study of law in its wider context, whether, for example, historical, social, moral or commercial. As an illustration this means that a student who has chosen our Public Law module alongside modules from the politics field will be given every opportunity to relate and apply concepts from the latter to the former. A further example is the final year dissertation which all Law students are required to submit and to which we encourage students to adopt a contextual approach, drawing on their other areas of study, where possible. Problems in the 'real world' do not come in easily labelled boxes and the ability to analyse them and develop coherent strategies to deal with them is a skill valued by employers and intellectually rewarding.

Law students at The University of Northampton have the opportunity to experience a wide range of teaching and assessment methods. Whilst some traditional lectures do still play a part, most modules now revolve around student-centred activities such as seminar debates and discussions, group and/or individual presentations and project work. In all of these activities students are expected to use the full range of electronic and internet resources available on campus or accessed from any broadband point. The LEXIS and Westlaw legal databases are used from the first week of the course and mirror what is found in legal practice.

Assessment methods vary from module to module. Some are assessed by a combination of examination and coursework, some by coursework only. External examiners have highly praised the varied and interesting methods by which we assess our students. There are also practical placement modules available for second and third year students to provide opportunities to utilise and develop practical skills acquired on the course.

In addition to formally assessed exercises, students also have the opportunity to take part in activities such as mooting (the formal argument of points of law as in a court), mock trials, prison visits and client interviewing. Mooting, negotiating and client interviewing take place both internally and externally. The University has enjoyed some success in previous years in national mooting, negotiating and client interviewing competitions against other universities. In recent years we have reached the final of the National Negotiating Competition and the final of the Client Interviewing Competition. In the ESU National Mooting Competition we have scored successful wins over other universities and have been complimented by the judges on our high standard of mooting. The skills required for these activities are taught to all students.

Moot room

Our aim is that, by the time you graduate, you will have developed a number of skills which will make you more attractive to a potential employer, whether in a legal capacity or in a different area. In particular we aim to develop your writing, speaking and general presentational skills, your ability to use information technology, and your ability to produce work of a high standard whether independently or as part of a group. We think that the fact that six months after graduating only 3% of LLB graduates are unemployed and seeking work is evidence of our success in achieving these aims.