Birmingham City University : Law - LLB (Hons)

Summary

• Faculty of Education, Law & Social Sciences

• School
• School of Law

• Campus
• City North

• Tariff
• 280

• Duration
• Full Time: 3 years
  Part Time: 4 years

• Fees
• 2012/13 Full Time: £8,200 per year
  2012/13 Part Time: £1,025 per 15-credit module
  2012/13 (International): £9,900 per year
   

Key Facts

• Respected, recognised and offering a practical, real-world application of the law.
• All LLB (Hons) Programmes are accredited by the Joint Academic Stage Board, which represents the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board of England and Wales.
• All LLB (Hons) programmes have a common first year where you study four of the compulsory modules for a qualifying law degree, before choosing a specific area of the law in your second year. 
• Specialist routes include:
  • Law with American Legal Studies
  • Law with Business Law
  • Law with Criminology
• Strong professional links with Birmingham Law Society (the UK’s largest Law Society outside London), and the four Inns of Court, especially Lincoln’s Inn and Inner Temple.
• Strategic partnerships with respected firms such as Challinors and Squire Sanders & Dempsey, ensure our courses are professionally relevant for today’s legal practice. 
• Learn alongside an outstanding team of professional staff with extensive practice experience – an open door policy gives you the expert support you need.
• Unistats (2011) figures show that 88% of course graduates are employed or undertaking further study.

Why Choose Us?

• Close individual attention and ample opportunity for your input.
• In addition to face-to-face teaching, a range of e-learning resources are available to support your learning including a Virtual Solicitors’ Office putting the professional legal world at your fingertips.
• Employability is embedded into all our LLB programmes with compulsory skills modules in the first and second year – Skills, Process and Scholarship in the first year; and a choice of studying either Professional Skills and Practice or Professional Skills and Ethics in the second year.
• Two mock law courts let you taste the atmosphere of legal cut and thrust.
• Thriving Mooting Society who:
  • Organise a range of internal mooting and social activities throughout the academic year.
  • Enter mooting teams in a variety of prestigious national mooting competitions including the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting,Oxford University Press, English Speaking Union and the Inner Temple Inter-Varsity Competition.
  • Have reached 5 finals of national mooting competitions in the past 8 years.
  • Have beaten 8 of the elite Russell Group of universities in the past 8 years.
  • Are sponsored by LexisNexis Butterworths for the School of Law Internal Mooting Competition.
• The School’s Centre for American Legal Studies operates the UK’s largest student internship programme to the USA – and has placed over 500 students in Federal and State Public Defender offices, private attorney offices, American University Law Schools, and law projects.
• School regularly welcomes visiting speakers from the profession; eminent guests have included Michael Edwards, a US attorney well known for his pioneering work in legal reform.
• An opportunity to study for a year at our partner college in Singapore – it is the first LLB in Singapore to be accredited by the Joint Academic Stage Board, which represents the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board of England and Wales.

Course Outline

Our LLB is renowned both nationally and internationally for its originality and innovative quality. In addition to the traditional face-to-face lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshops, our LLB incorporates a range of exciting eLearning activities to enhance your overall learning experience. Academically rigorous, our LLB will expose you to a practical real-world application of the law. We will develop your problem solving, research and personal skills, equipping you with the academic knowledge and key transferrable skills which are in demand by employers.

Our innovative approach to legal education is demonstrated by our very successful American/UK legal placement schemes and our active Student Mooting Society. 

Combining the academic with the practical, you will have the opportunity to work on ‘real’ cases with ‘real’ clients. The Legal Advice and Representation Unit option module is one example of practice-based learning, where you will have the opportunity to work in a local Citizens Advice Bureau or other provider of legal services. You will also have the opportunity to participate in an internship in the USA as part of our unique American Legal Practice option module.

We have active student-led Legal and Mooting Societies. Our Student Mooting Society is one of the most successful in England. Our students successfully enter mooting teams in a variety of prestigious national mooting competitions including the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting, Oxford University Press, English Speaking Union and the Inner Temple Inter-Varsity Competition.  In the past 8 years, they have reached 5 finals of national mooting competitions in the past 8 year and have beaten 8 of the elite Russell Group of universities. They organise a range of internal mooting and social activities throughout the academic year including the School of Law Internal Mooting Competition which is sponsored by LexisNexis Butterworths.

Our LLB is taught by an outstanding team of professional staff with extensive practice experience and a friendly, open door policy giving you all the support you need. We place our students at the centre of everything we do.

Professional Body Recognition 

Our LLB is accredited by the Joint Academic Stage Board, which represents the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board of England and Wales. It is a Qualifying Law Degree, satisfying the academic stage of training if you are seeking to qualify as a solicitor or barrister of England and Wales.

It is also recognised by the Bar Council of India. However, Bar Council of India recognition stipulates that the three-year LLB can only be taken by graduates e.g. BA, BSc, BCom, BBA (any subject). Non-graduate entrants, who seek Bar Council of India recognition, will need to take our unique four-year LLB.

Many overseas legal professional bodies recognise our LLB, particularly in Commonwealth countries. If you intend to practise overseas, you should contact the local Law Society or Bar Council. The majority will require you to undertake additional training after graduating from our LLB before being authorised to practise law. 

Study in Singapore with AEC College

Our LLB has been accredited by the Joint Academic Stage Board to be delivered at AEC College in Singapore.  This is a fully franchised programme rather than an external programme.  Students undertaking our LLB with AEC College will complete the same modules and assessments as students studying on-campus at the University.  AEC College has a September and January start.

Your Career

Career Prospects

A degree in law not only prepares you for a career in law, but equips you with a range of transferable skills that will enable you to enter a number of professions. Many of our graduates go on to become solicitors or barristers, while others pursue other law related careers both in private or public sector organisations. Others use the skills they have developed to go into areas such as journalism, insurance and accountancy.

Qualifying as a Solicitor or Barrister of England and Wales

Solicitors provide clients with legal advice often during times of extreme stress such as arrest, divorce, moving house or bereavement. They also represent clients in corporate or commercial transactions. As a solicitor, you may work in a firm with other solicitors or set up your own practice, or you might work in central or local government, an in-house legal department, the Crown Prosecution Service or the magistrates’ courts.

Barristers are specialists in advocacy - the act of presenting cases in court under instruction from a solicitor or another designated professional. Typically, the duties of a barrister may include preparing briefs (cases) for court, presenting arguments in court, examining and cross examining witnesses and preparing legal documents. Most barristers work on a self-employed basis, from chambers, although an increasing number work in private and public organisations.

To qualify as either a solicitor or barrister of England and Wales, you must first of all complete either an LLB or GDL from a university in England and Wales. 

If you wish to qualify as a solicitor, after completing the LLB or GDL you will need to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC). Once you have completed the LPC, you must complete a two-year training contract with a firm of solicitors. You will be qualified as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales upon completion of the two-year training contract.

If you wish to qualify as a barrister, after completing the LLB or GDL you will need to complete the Bar Professional Training Course (prior to September 2010 this was known as the Bar Vocational Course). You are “called to the Bar” once you complete the Bar Professional Training Course and are then entitled, without further training, to use the title Barrister of England and Wales. However, if you wish to practise in England and Wales you must also complete a one-year pupillage with a barristers’ chamber.

		LLB (Hons) or GDL (CPE)
Legal Practice Course				Bar Professional Training Course  (previously the Bar Vocational Course)
Two year training contract within a solicitors’ legal practice				Qualified as a Barrister of England  and Wales
Qualified as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales				One year pupillage within a Barristers’ Chambers
				Qualified as a practicing Barrister of England and Wales

Figure: Routes to qualification as a solicitor or barrister within England and Wales

Qualification as an Overseas Lawyer

Many of our international students join the School of Law with the intention of practising law, normally in their home country.

Our LLB is recognised by many overseas legal professional bodies, particularly in Commonwealth countries, and we are very proud to be one of a select number of UK universities whose LLB is recognised by the Bar Council of India.

If you intend to practise in your home country, you should contact your local Law Society or Bar Council to ensure the LLB is recognised. The majority will require you to undertake additional training after graduation before being authorised to practise law.

Some overseas Law Societies and Bar Councils will offer exemptions from all or part of their own training requirements if you qualify as a solicitor or barrister of England and Wales. For example, the Malaysian Bar recognises both solicitors and barristers of England and Wales – to be authorised as a solicitor and advocate of Malaysia you would have to complete a pupillage in Malaysia.

Further Study Options

Options for further study at our University include:

• Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (LPC)
• LLM International Business Law
• LLM International Human Rights
• MPhil/PhD research degrees

Entry Requirements & Applications

Entry Requirements

280 UCAS tariff points made up of:

• A minimum of two A-levels or equivalent.
• Remaining points can be made up with a maximum of two AS-levels in different subjects.
• A minimum of four GCSEs or equivalent at Grade C or above, at the point of application. These must include English Language.
• Citizenship, Critical Thinking, General Studies and Key Skills are not accepted as part of the points.

We recognise a range of qualifications which are detailed below. If you have a query about a qualification which is not listed here – our dedicated Course Information and Guidance staff will happily advise you.

Many offers will be expressed using the UCAS tariff point score, but some will be expressed as grades.

Qualification	Requirements
A-level	BBC (example grades)
BTEC Extended Diploma/ BTEC National Diploma	DMM/ D*D* (in related subjects only)
BTEC Diploma/ BTEC National Certificate	DD (in related subjects only) together with 1 full A-level.
BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/ BTEC National Award	D (in related subjects only) together with 2 full A-levels.
International Baccalaureate	26 points
Access Courses	60 credits including 45 at Level 3 and 18 at Merit or Distinction in Access to Law or a related subject. Must include English and Maths at Level 2.
Foundation	Pass (average of 60 per cent) in a related subject.
AVCE	Minimum of 280 UCAS points.
Advanced Diplomas and Progression Diplomas	Accepted.
IELTS	6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each level.
TOEFL	550 (paper) 213 (computer)
ESOL	Grade C at Level 2 (Certificate in English)

India - Following changes to the English Language requirements introduced by the UKBA during 2011, we can now accept the Standard 12th CBSE with an average score of 65% as being equivalent to IELTS 6.0. We may be able to accept Standard 12th Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and the CISCE - details will appear here.

Overseas Qualifications

We welcome applications from international students with qualifications which are deemed equivalent to one of the above. For example:

Bangladesh - completion of one year of bachelor degree (any subject) average 50% from a Bangladesh public university or average 60% from a Bangladesh private university rated good by UGC

India - Bar Council of India recognition stipulates that exemptions cannot be granted and the three-year LLB can only be taken by graduates e.g. BA, BSc, BCom, BBA (any subject) average 55% (or average 50% from a five-star university)

Pakistan – completion of Bachelor of Arts / Commerce (Pass)

Sri Lanka - completion of one year of a bachelor degree (any subject) average 55%

AND

IELTS 6.0, or equivalent.

India - Following changes to the English Language requirements introduced by the UKBA during 2011, we can now accept the Standard 12th CBSE with an average score of 65% as being equivalent to IELTS 6.0. We may be able to accept Standard 12th Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and the CISCE - details will appear here.

Exemptions

Our LLB has a very flexible structure which enables us to admit you onto the LLB with maximum possible exemptions. Graduates of any discipline are exempted from one year of the LLB, enabling you to complete the course in two years (full-time).

Full exemptions for modules completed on an English LLB (including London International (External) LLB and Northumbria LLB)

One year exemption for completion of a degree (any subject) provided the degree is equivalent to a UK bachelor degree, for example:

Bangladesh - one year exemption for completion of a four-year bachelor degree (any subject) average 50% from a Bangladesh public university or average 55% from a Bangladesh private university rated good by UGC

Pakistan – one year exemption for completion of a four-year bachelor degree (professional subjects) average 55%

Sri Lanka - one year exemption for completion of a four-year degree (any subject) average 55%

Up to one year exemption for partial completion of an overseas LLB, for example:

Bangladesh - one year exemption for completion of a minimum of two years of an LLB average 50% from a Bangladesh public university or average 60% from a Bangladesh private university rated good by UGC

Sri Lanka – one year exemption for completion of a minimum of two years of a professional degree in law average 50%

See the International Section of the School of Law’s website for more information

Further information for international entry requirements can be found at Information for International Enquirers.

Application Details

Full-time UCAS Course Code: M100 - Search for this course on UCAS.

To study this course part-time please apply direct to the faculty. You can Apply online or call us for an application form.

For general information about applying to study at Birmingham City University, please refer to the Making Your Application section.

International enquirers may contact the International Office  or visit the International Office Website.

Enquiries

Prospective students from the UK or EU may enquire online by using the Course Enquiry Form or call +44 (0)121 331 5595.

Prospective students from non-EU countries may enquire via the International Enquiry Form or call +44 (0)121 331 6714.