Law (Graduate Programme) LLB

Course overview

This two-year course is designed for those who already have an undergraduate degree in a non-law subject who wish to convert to a career in law. It provides you with the opportunity to learn about the law, both in the traditional sense of ‘thinking like a lawyer’ and in the broader sense of law as a social institution.

You will gain expertise in analysis, research, logical argument and more as you develop an understanding of key topics within law and the legal sector.

The degree gives you an in-depth grounding that will enable you to progress to the vocational stage of legal education, should you wish to qualify as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales. It’s also recognised in several other jurisdictions.

You’ll cover the seven foundations of legal knowledge and develop your legal research skills. A wide range of optional modules will also enable you to follow your interests in specialist legal areas. You’ll gain diverse skills that will be invaluable to you as a global citizen, as well as in your professional career – whether you choose to enter the legal profession or not.

Facilities

The School of Law is based in the purpose-built Liberty Building on our city centre campus. It has excellent facilities for law students including individual and group study areas, communal and social spaces and a dedicated Moot Court theatre – where students can practice mooting in a court-like environment.

As a law student you will learn in a range of spaces across the campus including large lecture theatres, seminar classes and new state of the art digital learning rooms. These allow students to actively work in small groups with the involvement and guidance of lecturers.

Course details

Year 1

In your first year you’ll take a set of compulsory modules that provide a firm foundation of knowledge in key areas of English law, such as contract, criminal law and constitutional law.

You will also study Foundations of Law, a two-part module designed to prepare you for the demands of studying law at undergraduate level. It covers both the technical details of legal skills and the key legal theories that underpin our understanding of what law is, whilst helping you to evaluate what it ought to be.

By the end of your first year, you will have had the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills that enable you to progress into your second year and are central to your future employability.

Year 2

You’ll continue to study compulsory modules in your second year, expanding your knowledge and focusing on subjects such as EU law, land law, torts and equity and trusts. At the same time you will choose a selection of optional modules, giving you the chance to gain specialist knowledge in topics that suit your own interests and career plans. You could choose to study modules on topics such as family law, human rights or company law.

To demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve gained throughout the course, you will have the option to complete a short dissertation – an independent piece of research on a legal topic of your choice. You will further develop and hone your skills so that by the end of your second year you can be confident that you are ready to enter the career of your choice.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Law (Graduate Programme) LLB in the course catalogue

Year 1 compulsory modules

Year 2 compulsory modules

Year 2 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)

Details of typical modules/components for this course will be published after May 1st. These details may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Learning and teaching

One of the key aims of this course is to teach you to ‘think like a lawyer’. This means that you won't merely be able to practice law. Instead, it brings together technical legal skills with key transferable skills; these allow you to apply and evaluate the law in a range of situations and employment contexts.

You’ll learn through a varied and exciting range of pedagogical approaches, which include lectures, workshops and seminars. These will be supplemented and supported by materials and exercises provided through our secure online platform Minerva, as well as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

This is a demanding course geared towards self-motivated and independent learners. You’ll spend most of your time in independent study doing research and preparatory reading. We have excellent library resources for you to use with over 40,000 volumes in the Law collection, in addition to extensive electronic access to legal materials and journals.

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

To help you develop the variety of skills you will need in your future career, we assess modules using a range of different methods. These include (but aren’t limited to) online open book assessments, coursework, group work and presentations. Topics will reflect our dynamic curriculum, which reflects contemporary developments and debates.

You will learn how to write succinctly, how to carry out research and how to communicate effectively with a range of audiences. You will also learn how to bring together evidence from different sources, as well as how to understand and evaluate contemporary debates.

Entry requirements

A-level: A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in a non-law subject.

Read more about UK and Republic of Ireland accepted qualifications or contact the School’s Undergraduate Admissions Team.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

Fees

UK: £9,250 (per year)

International: £24,750 (per year)

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2025/26
In November 2024 the UK Government announced that the tuition fee cap may rise to £9,535 from £9,250.

The tuition fee cap for some foundation years may also reduce to £5,760 from £9,250.

This would start from the academic year 2025/26. However, this is subject to final confirmation from the Government. Once available, we’ll publish the fees for the 2025/26 academic year and individual offer letters shall be updated via email and post.

The foundation year courses affected are:
·         Business Studies with Foundation Year BSc
·         Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year BA
·         Interdisciplinary Studies with Preparation for Higher Education BA
·         Social Science (foundation year) BA

Tuition fees for international undergraduate students starting in 2024/25 and 2025/26
Tuition fees for international students for 2024/25 and 2025/26 are available on individual course pages.

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2024/25
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students are set by the UK Government and will be £9,250 for students starting in 2024/25.

The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation only, as a consequence of future changes in Government legislation and as permitted by law.
 

Tuition fees for a study abroad or work placement year
If you take a study abroad or work placement year, you’ll pay a reduced tuition fee during this period. For more information, see Study abroad and work placement tuition fees and loans.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.

Applying

Apply to this course through UCAS. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.

We typically receive a high number of applications to our courses in the School of Law. The number of applicants exceeds the number of places available so, to ensure that we treat all applications fairly and equitably, we wait until after the UCAS equal consideration application deadline has passed before making a final decision on applications.

If we put your application on hold for review after the UCAS application deadline, we will send you an email to let you know. Although you may have to wait longer than usual to receive a decision, you will hear from us by mid-May at the latest, in line with the deadline that UCAS sets universities for making decisions on applications submitted by the January UCAS deadline.

Offer decisions are made based on an overall review of applications including predicted grades, breadth of knowledge demonstrated through qualifications, personal statement, extra-curricular and work experience, and contextual information. We look for enthusiastic and talented students who have the potential to succeed in their studies with us and contribute to our community.

International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2025

This course is taught by

School of Law

Contact us

School of Law Admissions Team

Email: uglaw@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Career opportunities

As a graduate of this degree there are several professional and academic pathways available to you, whether you envisage becoming a lawyer or you intend to specialise in a specific area of law at postgraduate level.

Our graduates have secured successful law careers in countries across the globe including Canada, China and the United States. Our law degrees have also equipped students for work in firms such as Pinsent Masons, Eversheds, Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Irwin Mitchell and Addleshaw Goddard.

For students wishing to pursue a legal practice career in the UK, all of our law courses satisfy the degree requirements set by the Bar Standards Board should you wish to qualify as a barrister. For more information visit the Bar Standards Board website.

Alternatively, if you plan to be a solicitor you will need to complete the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) and have two years’ full time equivalent work experience. For more information visit the Solicitors Regulation Authority website.

The School of Law also maintains close communications with various national and international regulators. This means that in addition to the Bar Standards Board, this programme is recognised in several international jurisdictions. For further information please contact the relevant regulator in your chosen jurisdiction.

Beyond legal practice, law is a highly transferable degree. Many graduates choose to pursue careers in other fields including business, education and the civil service.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

Leeds for Life is our unique approach to helping you make the most of University by supporting your academic and personal development. Find out more at the Leeds for Life website.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more about Careers support.