Law (two-year intensive)

Two years full-time

The three-year LLB has been offered at the University for over 15 years. The two-year intensive LLB offers an alternative to this, allowing highly motivated students to benefit from an intensive programme of study which will allow them to graduate and move onto the next stage of their career via an intensive pathway. There are both financial and career progression benefits to this, which will be particularly attractive to applicants who are returning to study or changing career.

The two-year LLB is based on the seven foundation subjects identified by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board. Alongside these, students will be able to study other modules of particular benefit to a professional career, such as work-based learning and research modules. The two-year intensive LLB will provide a sound preparation for professional training and also other opportunities in a wide variety of careers and postgraduate study.

The degree has Qualifying Law Degree status giving exemption from the academic stage of qualification for both branches of the legal profession, so that it is ideal for those intending to qualify as a solicitor or barrister.

The intensive degree enables students to complete their degree in two years by extending the academic year into the normal vacation periods. In stage one of their degree, a two-year student will follow the same programme as a three-year degree student, taking 120 credits (six modules). In addition, the two-year student will take a module from level 5 worth 20 credits, making seven modules in total. At the end of term three of stage one, subject to satisfactory progress, a two-year student will continue on the accelerated pathway, taking 40 credits worth of modules over the summer period.

In stage two of the intensive degree, a student will study modules alongside students from stages two and three of the three-year degree (taking 120 credits/six modules), but will take 60 credits of additional modules in the summer vacation in order to complete their degree at the end of two years.

Stage one

In terms one, two and three (October-June) there are four compulsory modules, Law of Contract, Criminal Law, Legal System and Introduction to Public Law, plus two options including Sport and the Law, Professional Legal Skills and Immigration, Nationality and Asylum. This amounts to 120 credits. There will be an additional substantive Law module from level 5, such as the Law of Tort, worth 20 credits. In the summer (July-September) 40 credits worth of modules are studied, to include a research module and a skills module which can include work-based learning.

Stage two

In terms one, two and three (October-June) the compulsory modules are Public Law, Law of Tort, Law of European Institutions (one of these will have already been studied in year one), Equity and Trusts and Land Law. Additionally, there are a wide range of options available, covering areas such as Human Rights, Company Law and Criminal Justice. In the summer (July-September) there is a compulsory dissertation worth 60 credits.

• Intensive pathway
• Studied in a supportive environment
• Experienced staff
• Practical skills are developed
• Enables students to complete their degree in two years by extending the academic year into the normal vacation periods
  

• Contract Law
• European Law
• Land Law
• Legal Systems
• Public Law
• Work-based learning

Course outline

Thank you for your interest in studying Law at The University of Northampton. Our Law courses have been developed over the last 30 years that we have been offering undergraduate studies in Law. The introduction of the two-year intensive LLB (Honours) is seen as another innovative development in Law at The University of Northampton. We look forward to you joining us to study Law at the University and hope 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 the development of your intellect and the development of skills, which you will experience, studying Law at The University of Northampton, will stand you in good stead.

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 and many 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 normally a three year course operating on a modular system where six 20 credit modules are studied each year, giving a total of 360 credits over the full three year programme. Students on the intensive LLB will be on an intensive programme where they will accumulate the 360 credits over a two year programme. They will also have the option of transferring to the three year LLB at the end of the first year if they wish to do so.

The attractions of a two-year intensive LLB include:

• Accelerating your career by entering the job market earlier than your peers

• Reduce your debt by reducing the length of your degree studies

• The ability to complete the LLB degree in two years, with the associated intensity of study and time management skills, will be attractive to employers

• Change your career where you have the experience but cannot take the time out of work to obtain an LLB by the normal route

Both the two-year and three-year LLB courses have qualifying law degree status. 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 Professional Training 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:

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. 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.      

Teaching and assessment

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 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 trial and prison visits . 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.

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.

How the two-year intensive LLB will work

The intensive degree enables students to complete their degree in two years by extending the academic year into the normal vacation periods. In year one of their degree, a two-year LLB student will follow a similar programme as a three-year degree student, taking 120 credits (six modules) plus one module from level 5 amounting to 20 credits.

At the end of term three of year one, subject to satisfactory progress, a two-year student will continue on the accelerated pathway, taking 40 credits worth of modules over the summer period. In year two of the intensive degree, a student will study modules alongside students from years two and three of the three-year degree (taking 120 credits/six modules), but, again, will take 60 credits of additional modules in the summer vacation in order to complete their degree at the end of two years.

Satisfactory progress is specifically defined in the Supplementary Regulations but in brief a student is required to achieve a mean grade of C (55%) across all modules, a minimum grade of D- (Pass) in the Level 5 module and no module failures when presented to the June Examination Board. Students who do not meet these criteria will be transferred to the traditional LLB route. Further information can be obtained from the Admissions Tutor.

Moot room.