| UCAS code | M107 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2022 |
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Discipline | Law |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: AAB |
Overview
- Spend up to a year carrying out a professional placement with a law firm, in-house legal team or industry
- Exemptions from academic stages of professional training in the UK*
- Delivers a rigorous understanding of legal principles as well as an examination of law in different theoretical and social contexts with a constant eye on regional and global developments
- Our wide range of optional modules in your second and final years enable you to tailor your degree to your own interests and career ambitions
- Our Exeter Law Projects programme gives you the opportunity to observe or participate in activities involving the application of the law via many streams of pro bono opportunities
* Canadian students who take an LLB programme at the University of Exeter can return to practice in Canada by applying for admission to a law society in a Canadian jurisdiction through taking exams through the National Committee for Accreditation (NCA)
Top 150 for Law in The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021
Excellent national and international reputation for mooting
Employer-led presentations from law firms to develop skills and improve opportunities
Wide range of opportunities for extra-curricular pro-bono activities
During my placement with EDF NNB Legal, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to gain first-hand experience alongside not only world-class legal professionals but commercial and technical professionals too… To be even a small part of this enormous project is fantastic, and will set you apart from other candidates when applying for vacation schemes and training contracts.
Tom
LLB with Professional Legal Placement (2020). Placement: EDF NNB Legal.
Accreditations
Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) and Bar Standards Board (BSB)
A Qualifying Law Degree (known as QLD, or QD) is an undergraduate law degree that is currently recognised in England and Wales by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) and Bar Standards Board (BSB) as the first stage of professional qualification which enable graduates to proceed to the vocational stage of training.
Common Law Countries
English law degrees are recognised as satisfying part of the academic requirements for professional practice in many countries throughout the world. This is because the English legal system of Common Law is the basis of many countries' legal systems. It should be noted, however, that some of these countries require qualifications or training in addition to the LLB in order to practise law. The table on this page includes a complete list of Common Law countries and details their professional practice requirements.
Entry requirements (typical offer)
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| A-Level | A*AA | n/a |
| IB | 38/766 | n/a |
| BTEC | D*DD | n/a |
| GCSE | C or 4 | English Language |
| Contextual Offer | A-Level: AAB |
Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers. |
| Other UK, EU and International equivalences | ||
NB General Studies is not included in any offer.
Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply
Course content
Summary
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
You will take modules adding up to 120 credits each year. In your final year, you may also choose to take 30 credits in a subject outside law, subject to prior approval.
Full module descriptions
For full module descriptions please visit the Law website.
You will take four compulsory modules of 30 credits each.
You will also take a non-credit bearing module: LAW1701 Law Placement. This aims to help students on this programme to prepare for the placement year that will take place in the third year of their degree. The module aims to assist students in their job/placement search and to provide a general preparation for successful participation in the workforce.
You will take three compulsory modules of 30 credits each.
You will take 30 credits of stage 2 optional modules.
You will also take a non-credit bearing module: LAW2701 Law Placement. This aims to help students on this programme to prepare for the placement year that will take place in the third year of their degree. The module aims to assist students in their job/placement search and to provide a general preparation for successful participation in the workforce.
You will spend up to a year carrying out a professional placement with a law firm, in-house legal team or industry.
Placements
Why choose a year on a Professional Placement?
Spending up to a year carrying out a professional placement with a law firm, in-house legal team or industry as part of your degree programme is an invaluable opportunity. You will develop and deepen your understanding of business and legal or industry practices. The programme is designed to provide a first-hand understanding of a professional working environment through the enhancement of key transferable skills such as working with others, problem solving and communication. This unlocks a world of experience that allows you to develop essential employability and interpersonal skills that relate to your degree and future career. If, as a graduate, you intend to undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), your placement year can also count towards your qualifying work experience.
You will take full responsibility for finding and organising your placement in a legal or business setting of your choosing (either in the UK or abroad), with preparation, support and approval from the University. This is a great way to demonstrate to employers your adaptability, commercial awareness, independence and resourcefulness.
Previous placement students have secured placement years with a wide range of high-quality employers, including Hugh James, EDF, Nissan, BT, Williams Advanced Engineering, Devon & Cornwall Police and Hawksmoor Investment Management.
Global law firm Reed Smith LLP also offers up to 5 places at Reed Smith annually. Placement students will develop skills relevant to a future career in law, especially in the field of legal innovation. These placements are awarded, after a competitive application process, to high achieving students following completion of their first year of study.
Does it count towards my degree?
The placement year is credit-bearing and contributes towards the final degree classification. Information about assessments can be found on the module descriptor.
Is the placement paid?
Students taking a placement year can normally expect to receive the equivalent of an annual wage of £16,000 to £18,000 for the time they are working.
How does it affect my tuition fees?
Whilst undertaking a placement year as part of your degree, you are still classed as a student and are therefore required to pay a reduced student fee. Fees are currently (as of September 2019) 20 per cent of the full fee for UK and International placements and 15 per cent of the full fee for Erasmus Placements.
How do I apply?
You will take full responsibility for finding and organising your placement (either in the UK or abroad), with preparation, support and approval from the University. This is a great way to demonstrate to employers your adaptability, commercial awareness, independence and resourcefulness.
Learning and teaching
How will I learn?
We believe that you shouldn’t just learn the law, you also need the skills to put it into practice once you graduate. We place considerable emphasis on the development of lawyering skills using a range of methods:
- Legal research
- Problem analysis
- Teamwork
- Legal writing and reasoning
- Negotiation and advocacy
In Year 1 Law students work in ‘syndicates’ – allocated study groups of about 15 students. You will have the opportunity to work on a varied case load throughout the academic year; working on your own and with all or some of the members of your syndicate.
How will I be assessed?
In the first year most assessments will be exam based. Exams are not simply tests of memory: they are designed to test your ability to argue persuasively and to apply the law correctly. Therefore, in some modules you may be permitted to bring unannotated statute books into the exam while in others, your full notes are permitted.
Other methods of assessment include:
- Oral presentations
- Group work
- Legal written work such as ‘skeleton arguments’
Your first year will not count towards your final degree classification, but you do have to pass it in order to progress to the second year.
Where will I study?
The Lasok Law Library, located in the Fourm holds in excess of 40,000 volumes and is open 24 hours a day. You can choose from diverse study spaces to suit your specific learning needs, whether dedicated quiet study, group work, or social learning over a coffee.
Our custom-built Moot Court offers students invaluable opportunities to take part in mooting activities and is equipped with the latest technology, including high-spec video conferencing.
Legal Assistance Programme
Our Legal Assistance Programme offers a range of pro bono opportunities to provide valuable career experience. These include the Community Law Clinic, where you can help members of the public gain legal advice and information; the Stop Abuse for Everyone charity, providing support and mediation for victims of abuse; the Student Appeals Project which investigates cases subject to appeal; and the Judicial Shadowing Programme, where you can ‘play judge.’
Mooting
Exeter enjoys an international reputation for mooting and our students have been successful in competitions all over the world. Mooting provides you with the opportunity to practise your advocacy skills in a simulated court environment. You’ll receive coaching from staff and present your arguments before volunteer judges in a purpose-built moot court. Our Student Negotiation Society also sends teams to the National Negotiation Competition.
Your future
We have an excellent relationship with members of the legal profession who are in regular contact with students through activities such as workshops, skills sessions, mooting, networking, internships, shadowing and mentoring.
Students also benefit from our strong links with alumni all over the world. Many of our alumni are in senior positions and include:
- His Hon Judge Phillip Waller CBE
- Steve Edge, Partner – Slaughter and May
- Fiona Shackleton, Partner – Payne Hicks Beach
- Dato Ambiga Sreenevasan – President of the Malaysian Bar Council
- Sarah Turvill – Chairman of Willis International Ltd
Career paths
Many graduates go on to further study in the law and then enter a training contract with a firm of solicitors or a pupillage in a barrister’s chambers. A law degree also provides a range of skills which are sought by other sectors such as business, finance and administration.
Example destinations* of some of our recent graduates:
| Occupations | Law firms | Other employees |
|---|---|---|
|
Trainee Solicitor Paralegal Legal Team Trainee Juriste (lawyer) Management Consultant Investment Consultant Business Start-up Coordinator Compliance Analyst Probation Officer Trainee Accountant HR Assistant Marketing Assistant Global Compliance Business Management Assistant |
Allen & Overy Freshfields Bruckhaus Michelmores Thomas Eggar LLP Macfarlanes Peer and Co Bond Pearce Collection Attorneys Europe Maurant Ozannes Nabarro Dundas and Wilson Reynolds Porter Chamberlain |
Michael Page International British Red Cross Axiom Legal Microsoft Babcock International Group Barclays Bank PLC Alliance Insurance PLC Royal Bank of Canada German Banking Federation EDF Energy UNICEF |
*This information has been taken from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) Surveys 14/15, 15/16, and 16/17. Please note that, due to data protection, the job titles and organisations are listed independently and do not necessarily correspond.
Further study
Examples of further study followed by our graduates:
- Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law
- Legal Practice Course, College of Law
- LLM, University of Cambridge
- BCL, University of Oxford
- LLM International Commercial Law, University of Exeter
- LLM International Relations and Diplomacy, Leiden University, The Netherlands
- LLM, University of Southern California
- MA European Community Law, College of Europe, Bruges
Extracurricular programme
Our Legal Assistance Programme offers a range of pro bono opportunities to provide valuable career experience. These include the Community Law Clinic, the Stop Abuse for Everyone charity, the Student Appeals Project and Judicial Shadowing.
Exeter enjoys an international reputation for mooting and our students have been successful in competitions all over the world. Mooting provides you with the opportunity to practise your advocacy skills in a simulated court environment. You’ll receive coaching from staff and present your arguments before volunteer judges in a purpose-built moot court. Our Student Negotiation Society also sends teams to the National Negotiation Competition.
