LLB (Hons) Law

Why study this subject?

Studying law opens up a world of possibilities, whether you want to be legal practitioner, a legal executive advising businesses while working in compliance, regulation and contracts, helping transform governance by designing policies and advocating or making impact through politics as a champion of social change.

Law is universal, with all countries across the world having their own legal system that reflects the society around it. Studying law can give you the versatile and transferrable skills needed to work across the globe.

Studying a law programme is an exciting opportunity that provides you with a knowledge of the law, develops high-level transferable and applied skillsets in legal practice, advocacy, research, and enhances your employability whether for careers in law or other graduate careers.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

BNU is a student focused and employer led university which means that you are at the forefront of all that we do. We are proud of our high lecturer to student ratio, which means that we see you as a person and for who you are. You are our priority and our lecturers operate an open-door policy meaning that you can get the staff time, support and contact you need to best suit your learning.

This law programme has been specifically designed with an innovative, international and contemporary perspective. It is designed to focus on contemporary issues in law with an innovative teaching approach that underscores employability and professional skills and practice.

Not all learning is done inside of a lecture theatre and there are plenty of chances to visit magistrates’ courts to participate in bail applications, visit Parliament and law courts to experience first-hand how they operate on a day to day basis, meet guest speakers from across the legal industry, including judges, magistrates and law firms, to learn more about how you can apply your knowledge in the workplace.

Our Bucks Students’ Union has been rated in the top 2 in the whole of the UK (NSS, 2022) and it has a range of societies students can join free of charge. One of these societies is the Mooting Society and this gives the perfect opportunity to pursue your passion for law outside of your timetable. It allows you to meet with likeminded students and practise court proceedings and arguing your case. You can even have the opportunity to participate in varsity and national mooting competitions.

Opportunity modules are a key part of the BNU curriculum. You’ll choose modules from a broad selection in areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity, digital skills, personal growth, civic engagement, health & wellbeing and employment. Opportunity modules are designed to enable you to develop outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline and help you to further stand out from the crowd to future employers.

What will I study?

During your time studying law you will cover diverse subject areas involving civil and criminal human relationships and rights, including, professional skills, digital business and new technologies. Studying such varied topics will help you understand how law interacts with society and government, alongside developing key skills, such as understanding complex information, attention to detail and analytical thinking which will ensure you are well placed to enter the employment market.

In your first year we are focused on providing you with all of the building blocks you need to create a solid foundation and understanding of the concepts, theories and models of law. You will study topics, such as Legal Systems, Law of Contract, Criminal Law, EU Constitutional and Procedural Law, Public Law and Legal and Skills.

During your second year, you will study the Law of Tort and Property Law, and begin to develop you independent research skills Research Methods module. Through these you will learn to apply, analyse and evaluate the principles and theories and be able to reference and apply them to contemporary situations. You will be able to choose optional modules from Family and Child Law, Employment Law, Human Rights and Social Justice.

In your final year, you will focus on preparing yourself for your future and career after graduation. In addition to Equity and Trusts Law, you will undertake an independent Dissertation Project on an area of law of your choice, to illustrate how you have developed a depth of understanding through a combination of critical analysis and evaluation.

You will also be able to choose from a range of additional option modules, which include Advocacy and Alternative Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property Law, Contemporary Legal Issues, International Law, Medical Law and Ethics.

How will I be taught and assessed?

At Buckinghamshire New University we like to foster an interactive and student-focused teaching style where we blend lectures, seminars, one-to-one workshops, tutorial sessions, independent study and guest speakers to enhance the learning experience.

Our lecturers work hard to ensure that you learn the latest industry standard practices and knowledge. To support in the delivery of this we also welcome industry experts and professionals to deliver guest lectures who share their experience of the latest legal rulings and cases.

Seminars and workshops have been created to provide you with the chance interact and collaborate with other students and the tutor and begin to engage with the subject matter, identify legal issues and engage in discussion/formulate legal arguments.

Throughout your studies you will carry out the following assessment activities:

• written coursework, in the form of essays, reports or client advice
• oral group and individual presentations
• role play advice (presenting a criminal bail case in court, legal debating (mooting), legal advice exhibition, mediation and negotiation)
• written examinations.