Law LLB (Hons)

Course Content

• Course Details

  The Law Team are passionate about social justice and making a difference within our communities. In 2019 we won the award for ‘University of Northampton Changemaker Team of the Year’. We received this award for our work in giving students as many opportunities as possible to make a difference in a range of communities such as volunteering, our Street Law Project, the Pro Bono Clinic, setting up charities and much more. We were commended for our ‘…commitment and passion to all their activities which provide law students with valuable exposure to real life experiences and situations and in no small way ensures that people without access to legal aid can gain justice’.

  You will find strong support for your studies from a dedicated team of well qualified staff. A number of our Law team have published books and journal articles and some regularly deliver papers at conferences both at home and abroad.

  Our teaching team includes members of the legal profession who are qualified solicitors and barristers. Other members hold Doctorate, Masters or professional qualifications and most are actively involved in legal research including environmental law and medical law underpinned by social justice.  Many also take part in voluntary activities outside of work and will support you in your voluntary roles.

  We offer a wide range of additional activities such as court visits, mooting and client interviewing.  There is also the opportunity for you to engage in local community projects or join the Student Law Society, which organises social and professional activities that help to prepare you for a legal career. Our Law team has links with organisations such as Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Council and Citizens Advice, allowing you to make valuable contacts and learn from their experiences.

  Modules

  Please note the modules shown here relate to the academic year 22/23. The modules relating to the academic year 23/24 will be available from June 2023.

  • Stage 1
    • Learning the Law (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW1020

      Status: Compulsory
      The module provides a basic introduction to the legal system and key skills to encourage criticality and reflection. Specifically the module will introduce students? to the nature of law, how it is made and applied (both statute and case law) and the courts and legal professionals involved in those processes.
    • UK and EU Constitutional Law (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW1021

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the United Kingdom (Uk)'s constitution, key institutions, theories and rules; an understanding of the European Union (EU)'s key institutions and law, and the relationship between UK and EU law, and the relationship between UK and EU law. This module will benefit students working towards the SQE.
    • Law of Contract (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW1022

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to develop an understanding of the practical and commercial nature and application of the law of contract which prepares them for the world of practice and further legal studies. The module will benefit students who are working towards the Solicitors Qualifying Exam.
    • Criminal Law (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW1023

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to develop an understanding of the general principles which underpin criminal liability before progressing to consider specific crimal offences and defences. The module will benefit students working towards the Solicitors Qualifying Exam.
    • Ethics, Discrimination and Human Rights (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW1024

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to give students an understanding of basic principles relating to human rights, discrimination and ethical behaviour. This will be of benefit to all students as these principles are pervasive throughout their legal studies.
    • Current Legal Issues and Jurisprudence (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW1025

      Status: Compulsory
      This module provides students with an accessible introduction to jurisprudence and legal theory. It aims to develop a theoretically informed introduction to some of the key theories that inform the development and application of law from classical theories such as Natural Law Theory to more mdern, critical approaches such as critical legal theory and feminism.
  • Stage 2
    • Practical Placement Preparation (WBL) (20 Credits)
      Module code: HRM2054

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to equip learners with the knowledge and understanding of the placement year labour market, and the knowledge and skills of recruitment and selection processes, so that learners can become effective in the placement year search and recruitment process.
    • Law of Tort (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW2009

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to develop an understanding of the main principles of tort and to develop an ability to analyse some of those principles.
    • Law in Action (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW2031

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to provide an opportunity for students to volunteer in a community based legal project where they can have a positve social impact. Students will develop their knowledge and skills in a structured way and will be able to reflect on their performance and development.
    • Judicial Protection Under UK and EU Law (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW2032

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the United Kingdom (UK)'s and European Union (EU)'s administrative law and practice to assess their effectiveness as a means of controlling public authorities and protecting individual rights. The module helps with preparation for SQE.
    • Criminal Litigation (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW2033

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to develop an understanding of the rules and processes that govern the conduct of criminal litigation in England and Wales. The module will equip students with the necessary knowledge that can be applied to situations encoutered in criminal practice. The module will benefit students who are working towards the SQE.
    • Child and Family Law (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW2034

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to provide an understanding of the socio-cultural context for child and family law, and to analyse current legal issues impacting on child and family relationships. The module will consider the changing nature of children and families and proposals for law reform.
    • Biosphere Law (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW2035

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to allow students to develop an awareness and understanding of the philosophy, politics and ethics of environmental law enforced on land and at sea. Students will explore the ways in which environmental policy is implemented and enforced through legal measures.
    • Organised Transnational Crime (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW2036

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to develop an understanding of the nature and impact of organised transnational criminal behaviour and their interrelationship with law enforcement investigation and prosecution.
    • Intellectual Property Rights in Commerce (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW2037

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to examine and analyse the main intellectual property rights which protect and enforce rights regarding the use of creations of the mind within everyday commerce.
    • Medical Law and Ethics (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW2038

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to gain an understanding of the main principles of medical law and ethics and to develop an ability to analyse some of those principles.
  • Stage 3
    • Law of Equity, Wills, Probate and Trusts (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW3030

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to explain and analyse the principles of Equity and Trusts and of Wills and Probate, to apply them to factual practical situations and to demonstrate how they affect people's everyday lives. The module will benefit students who are working towards the SQE.
    • Land Law (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW3031

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of the this module is to give students an understanding of the legal principles involved in Land Law and of how they operate in the wider social and economic context. The module will benefit students who are working towards the SQE.
    • Business Law and Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW3032

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is for students to acquire a sound understanding of Business Law and Practice by providing practical legal advice on a range of issues from forming and managing a business through to termination; such as governance, social sustainibility, stakeholders to the distrubution and taxation of profits. The module will benefit students who are working towards the SQE.
    • Property Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW3033

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the rules relating to freehold and leasehold property practice to support them in working towards the Solicitors Qualifying Examination.
    • Civil Litigation and ADR (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW3034

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to gain an understanding of the main priciples of civil litigationa and ADR and to develop an ability to analyse some of those principles. The module will benefit students who are working towards the SQE.
    • Civil Law on the High Street (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW3035

      Status: Designate
      This module looks at the main principles of Employment Law and Family Law/two areas of law that are commonly encountered in everyday legal practice.It seeks to provide students with the opportunity to contextualise their subject knowledge,through expansion and application of substantive legal principles to real-worls problems
    • Legal Skills in Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW3036

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to help prepare students for a legal career by examining professional ethics and to give students the opportunity to learn and apply the practical legal skills they will need in a future legal career. The skills will be relevant to the work that solicitors and barristers undertake in practice and also persons who wish to work in other industries.
    • Sentencing and Penal Policy (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW3037

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to explore sentencing procedure and different aspects of imprisonment. Throughout the module students are encouraged to consider the realities of life inside our prisons and how sentencing and penal policy can be influenced by policitcal, financial and social factors.
    • Contemporary Issues in Human Rights (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW3038

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to develop a critical understanding of current issues in relation to human rights, and to evaluate the role and effectiveness of national, regional and international law in the recognition and protection of human rights.
    • Information Technology Law (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW3039

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to develop knowledge of the legal problems and policy considerations relating to the regulation of information technology and cyberspace. The module will consider how increased use of technology has created challenges for law in areas such as crime, human rights, consumer law and privacy.
    • Dissertation (40 Credits)
      Module code: LAW4006

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to develop their independent research and writing skills and present information in a reflective and critical manner.

  If you choose to study for the LLB Law degree with us you will benefit from a varied and imaginative modular scheme that is designed to offer you a wide range of options in addition to the foundation subjects that are required by legal professional bodies. Our approach to teaching and learning is centred around you, we ensure that we teach Law in its social, political, and economic context across all three stages of the course.

  Please note that elective modules are dependent on staff availability and student numbers. We cannot commit to running all elective modules every year. When you select your module choices, this will be reiterated to you.

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• Entry Requirements

  Standard entry requirements apply. A typical offer would be:

  • BBC at A Level or
  • DDM at BTEC or
  • M at T Level.

  An Access Course must include 45 level 3 credits at Merit or above.

  We welcome international applicants and applications from those with a range of non-traditional educational or professional qualifications.

  For more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.

  If you are an International student and would like information on making an application, please see our How to Apply page.

  Integrated Foundation Year Entry Requirements

  The standard entry requirements for the Integrated Foundation Year are:

  • DEE at A level or
  • MPP at BTEC or
  • Pass (D or E) at T Level.

  For more information on how to make an application please visit our How to Apply pages for Home and EU, and International students.

  English Language Requirements

  All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

  • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands for study at undergraduate level.

  For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

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• Fees and Funding

  23/24 Tuition Fees
  

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 23/24 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK Full Time: £9,250
  • UK Part Time: £1,540 per 20 credit module
  • UK Integrated Foundation Year: £9,250 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
  • International Full Time: £14,750
  • International Integrated Foundation Year: £14,750 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
  • Optional Work Placement Year: £1,100

  For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.

  Your reading materials are accessible from our library however, you may choose to purchase your own copy of the textbooks. New law textbooks cost in the region of £30-40 but you can often buy recent secondhand ones for much less.

  22/23 Tuition Fees
  

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 22/23 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK Full Time: £9,250
  • UK Part Time: £1,500 per 20 credit module
  • UK Integrated Foundation Year: £9,250 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
  • International Full Time: £14,000
  • International Integrated Foundation Year: £14,000 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
  • Optional Work Placement Year: £1,100

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• Qualifying as a Solicitor

  From September 2021 onwards the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have implemented changes to the qualification process by introducing the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). The SQE replaces the postgraduate qualification gained through completion of the Legal Practice Course (LPC). Please see below for more information.

  Information from the SRA

  What is the SQE?

  The SQE is the Solicitors Qualifying Examination which will be introduced on 1 September 2021, subject to final approval from the Legal Services Board.  In the future, all those wishing to qualify as a solicitor will need to pass the SQE, as well as holding a degree or equivalent qualification or experience, complete a two-year period of qualifying work experience and meet our suitability requirements. SQE1 primarily tests candidates’ functioning legal knowledge, while SQE2 tests practical legal skills.

  Do you need a law degree to sit SQE1 and/or SQE2?

  No. However, to be admitted as a solicitor, you will need a degree (in any subject) or equivalent in addition to passing the SQE. ‘Equivalent’ means a qualification equivalent to a bachelor’s or master’s degree, such as:

  • a level 6 or 7 apprenticeship
  • a level 6 or 7 professional qualification

  If you don’t have an equivalent qualification, we may be able to count experience in the workplace as equivalent.

  How much will the SQE exam cost?

  The estimated cost of the two stages of assessment is between £3,000 – £4,500.

  SQE1 will primarily test the application of legal knowledge. The fees range estimate is £1,100 – £1,650. SQE2 will test practical legal skills. The fee range estimate is £1,900 – £2,850.

  The costs are based on an estimated 35 hours of assessment, including written tests, computer-based assessments and simulations such as mock client interviews. These costs are indicative, as we continue our work with Kaplan to develop and test the assessments.

  For more information please visit the SRA website.

  Get more information on transitional arrangements and the solicitors qualifying examination.

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• Qualifying as a Barrister

  Our LLB Law course covers the seven foundations of legal knowledge which are required for the academic component of Bar training. On successful completion of the degree programme (with a 2:2 or above) students can progress to vocational component of Bar training.

  For more information please visit the BSB website.

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• Student Perks

  At the University of Northampton, everything we do, from funded trips to paid internships, is to give you everything you need to make a difference when you leave.

  If you join our full-time LLB Law degree at Northampton, you will receive a laptop when your course begins*. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home.

  Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employment Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.

  To check out the full list of perks, visit our Student Perks page or dedicated International Perks page.

  *Home fee payers only (see Terms and Conditions for further details).

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• Integrated Foundation Year (IFY)

  The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) offers a new and exciting route into studying for a degree, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.

  If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the admissions requirements for Law we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four year Law programme which includes a Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year will help you develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you need, in order to successfully progress to the full award.

  Our four-year courses will enable you to successfully follow the degree pathway of your choice while gaining essential study skills. The foundation year of your chosen degree will be studied on a full-time basis and is aimed at supporting the transition to higher education. Years two, three and four are then studied as a standard degree programme.

  Please see our Integrated Foundation Year page for more details.

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• FAQs

  How will I learn on the LLB Law Degree?

  Our teaching includes a variety of methods underpinned by active learning. This ranges from lectures, tutorials, workshops, online learning, self-directed or collaborative study, experiential and problem-based learning. You, as the student, are at the heart of what we do. Through your participation on the LLB Law Degree, you will engage with your peers and lecturers in an interactive setting whereby you can critically engage with the syllabus.

  How many hours will I study?

  You can expect to put in 200 hours of work on each module that you study throughout the LLB (Hons) Law Degree. You will normally have two hours of contact time, which could be online or face to face, per week with your tutor for each module.

  How will I be assessed?

  Our LLB Law Degree offers you a wide range of assessments to help you develop a diverse set of academic and professional skills.  Assessments have been carefully designed to help you build the skills you will need for the future. The skills you will acquire will not only help with preparation for entry to the legal profession but will also be highly desirable to graduate recruiters in a variety of sectors. Our mission is to produce high quality, adaptive and socially responsible graduates equipped to pursue successful careers in a variety of contexts. The assessment strategy is a combination of formative and summative assignments designed to enable you to learn and develop key academic and employability skills. These are the range of assessments that you can expect across your modules:

  • Client interviews
  • Essays
  • Advocacy
  • Commentaries on current legal issues both in a national and global context
  • A range of presentations individually and in groups
  • Multiple choice questions/exams/time constrained assignments

  What is the learning and teaching like on the LLB Law degree?

  At the University of Northampton we are committed to your learning and use this to shape our teaching of Law in the following ways:

  • We appreciate that many areas of Law need context for them to be fully understood and so have shaped our course to reflect this. Our programmes are underpinned by social justice issues and we actively encourage you to explore Law in its wider context whether this is historic, social, moral or commercial.
  • Our Law team prides itself on its commitment to students. Tutors are available to support you throughout your academic studies. You can get further academic support through the Learning Development Team. You will also meet with your personal tutor on a regular basis where you can discuss your academic progress and get advice on future career prospects.
  • We are firmly committed to listening to students through regular drop ins, the Course Advocate system and through our termly Staff – Student Liaison Committees

  Can I take a placement year?

  You are encouraged to undertake a year-long placement between Stages Two and Three of your Law degree. If you meet the entry criteria, and choose to take up a placement year you will find it invaluable experience that helps you to apply your meaning in your final year and prepares you for your career. We offer a lot of support in helping you to find a placement, which can be in the UK or overseas.

  The Faculty of Business and Law have a dedicated Placements team who will support you through the process of taking a placement year. You can follow the Faculty of Business and Law Placements Team to hear more about their services.

  Who are the Student Support Team?

  The Student Experience Support Team are a team of previous graduates of the University of Northampton, they are here to support all Faculty of Business and Law students by offering a friendly listening ear and ensuring students are aware of the numerous support systems that the University has to offer. The team provide confidential 1-1 meetings in person and online where they will signpost the students to the relevant support teams to ensure they are aware of the support available for them throughout their studies. You can follow the Student Experience Support Team to see the services they offer.

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Careers and Employability

Our Law degree offers the opportunity to follow a traditional Law career and become a solicitor or barrister. Our programme covers the seven foundations of legal knowledge required to meet the core academic requirements required by the Bar Standard Board for entry onto the Bar Training Course. For students who aspire to become solicitors, our LLB course has been designed to help you prepare for the legal Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE).

A law degree is not just for those who wish to pursue a legal career; it equips you with a great many skills which are desired by the graduate jobs market. We know that not all our students will wish to enter the legal profession and we have designed our course programme to offer flexibility so that you can choose options which match your interests and will help you to achieve your goals. Other careers options include Human Resources, Banking, Media, Education, the Police Force, Management, Administration, the Prison Service, Academia and Company Security.

We work closely with the University Centre for Employability and Engagement (UCEE), who will support you with your career planning. You will also have the opportunity to attend the annual Law Careers Fair and University Careers Fair where you can meet with potential future employers.