Undergraduate Course

LLB Law

(Including Foundation Year)

Now In Clearing

Apply now

Overview

The details

Course: Law (Including Foundation Year)

UCAS code: M101

Start date: October 2024

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 4 years

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Essex Pathways

Our LLB Law (including Foundation Year) could be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entry requirements for a three-year version of our law courses and you want a programme that improves your skills to support your academic performance.

Open to UK and EU applicants, this four-year course includes a Foundation Year (known as Year Zero) which is delivered by our Essex Pathways Department, followed by a further three years of study in our? Essex Law School.

During Year Zero you will study on our Law Pathway which will cover topics such as introduction to legal theory, and introduction to law. At the end of Year Zero all students who pass the Law Pathway will progress onto LLB Law.

At Essex, You develop a critical awareness of the nature of law within its social, political and economic contexts. Not only will you learn legal rules, but you will also consider the function of law in society, the philosophy of law, policy issues and law reform. You learn to consider, evaluate and respond to alternative and, possibly, conflicting points of view.

You cover all the key areas of law, as well as optional topics including:

Copyright and trademark law
International environmental law
Law and literature
Human rights
The use of evidence

We’re ranked 22nd (12th in UK) for promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for reduced inequalities (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024)

Why we're great.

We equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed at Essex and beyond.
You will be able to enjoy life at Essex and get started on your law student journey.
Small class sizes allow you to work closely with your teachers and classmates.

Our expert staff

Our Essex Pathways Department is a gateway to the University of Essex, helping students without standard entry requirements to grow in confidence, unlock their potential, and nurture their ambitions so they can progress in academic study.

Our staff all have strong subject backgrounds, and are highly skilled in their areas both as academics and practitioners.

Within Essex Law School, our internationally diverse community of staff and students gives us a breadth of cross-cultural perspectives and insights into law and justice around the world.

This community, combined with opportunities to study abroad during your time with us, ensures you graduate with a genuine worldview and a network of international contacts.

Specialist facilities

During Year Zero, you will have access to all of the facilities that the University of Essex has to offer, as well as those provided by our Essex Pathways Department to support you, such as:

We provide computer labs for internet research; classrooms with access to PowerPoint facilities for student presentations; AV facilities for teaching and access to web-based learning materials
Our new Student Services Hub will support you and provide information for all your needs as a student
Our social space is stocked with magazines and newspaper, and provides an informal setting to meet your lecturers, tutors and friends

By studying within our Essex Pathways Department for your foundation year, you will have access to all of the facilities that the University of Essex has to offer, as well as those provided by our Academy to support you:

We provide computer labs for internet research; classrooms with access to PowerPoint facilities for student presentations; AV facilities for teaching and access to web-based learning materials
Our new Student Services Hub will support you and provide information for all your needs as a student
Our social space is stocked with magazines and newspapers, and provides an informal setting to meet with your lecturers, tutors and friends

Our Essex Law School also offers excellent on-campus facilities:

Volunteer at the Essex Law Clinic where you can use your knowledge and skills to serve the community and help those most in need of legal services
Work on key human rights projects at our Human Rights Clinic
Participate in mooting competitions
Test your mediation and negotiation skills in our Client Interviewing Competition
Join our Model United Nations society, which can improve your skills of argumentation, oral presentation and research
Network at our student-run Law Society, Human Rights Society, and Bar Society
Peer mentors guide you through your first year
Take advantage of networking opportunities throughout the year with visiting law firms

Your future

At Essex we don't just prepare you for the legal profession. We stimulate your desire to pursue justice and equip you with the skills and knowledge to become an agent for change, whatever career path you choose.

From the start of your course, we challenge you to think deeply, broadly and strategically about career paths. Over the first two years, alongside law subjects, you will take a career management module designed to help you identify personal strengths and goals, understand what employers (both within and outside law) are looking for and enhance your employability profile.

We also hold an annual law fair, attended by law firms and vocational qualification providers. Our graduates pursue careers in the law and in a wide range of other sectors including business and commerce, accountancy, insurance, banking, central and local government, academia, teaching, social work and the police force.

Our mantra is: be realistically ambitious. This involves understanding yourself and the rapidly changing and increasingly competitive graduate jobs market. Throughout your time at Essex, advisors in our Student Development Team, working closely with colleagues in our School, are available to help you formulate your career plan.

Entry requirements

Clearing entry requirements

We currently have places available in Clearing across a range of our courses with most offers at BBC-CCD (112 – 88 UCAS tariff points) or equivalent. We consider each application individually and requirements may be lower for our courses with a foundation year, so please get in touch if your grades are below those outlined here.

English language requirements

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component, or specified score in another equivalent test that we accept.

Details of English language requirements, including component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here

If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.

English language shelf-life

Most English language qualifications have a validity period of 5 years. The validity period of Pearson Test of English, TOEFL and CBSE or CISCE English is 2 years.

If you require a Student visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

Pre-sessional English courses

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Pending English language qualifications

You don’t need to achieve the required level before making your application, but it will be one of the conditions of your offer.

If you cannot find the qualification that you have achieved or are pending, then please email ugquery@essex.ac.uk.

Additional Notes

If you’re an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College

Structure

Course structure

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The following modules are based on the current course structure and may change in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Introduction to Law

(30 CREDITS)

Do you have no previous knowledge of UK law? Want to understand the general principles of the legal system? And know how the law works in practice? Gain understanding of law and the basic legal concepts. Discuss legal issues in practical scenarios, learning to construct and defend legal arguments.

View Introduction to Law on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Introduction to Legal Theory

(30 CREDITS)

How do you apply legal theory to a case? Which legal theory is most appropriate? And why? Build your knowledge of key legal theories, applying them to real-life examples. Analyse and criticise different legal options and discuss issues around these theories. Develop understanding of how and why the law evolves.

View Introduction to Legal Theory on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Research and Academic Development Skills

(30 CREDITS)

This blended-learning module is designed to support students in their academic subject disciplines and to strengthen their confidence in key skills areas such as: academic writing, research, academic integrity, collaborative and reflective practices. The students are supported through the use of subject-specific materials tailored to their chosen degrees with alignment of assessments between academic subject modules and the skills module.

View Research and Academic Development Skills on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Understanding People and Society

(30 CREDITS)

View Understanding People and Society on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY

Land Law

(30 CREDITS)

Land law is a topic that affects all of us, playing a fundamental role in regulating people's rights over one of the most valuable and useful legal assets. This module is designed to provide you with a sound understanding of the key features of land law, including its underlying principles and its importance in regulating property relations in response to social policy needs. Students will learn about the distinction between personal property and land, the framework for establishing and enforcing various different interests in land.

View Land Law on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: COMPULSORY

Public Law

(30 CREDITS)

This module introduces the fundamentals of the UK constitution and the foundations of judicial review. The module explores: the nature of the constitution; the structure of governmental power; the sources of constitutional rules; and the fundamental principles underpinning the UK constitution. The module considers the functions of the three branches of government (executive, legislative and judicial) and how they are accountable. The module examines the framework for protection of human rights in the UK and introduces the grounds of judicial review.

View Public Law on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY

Criminal Law

(30 CREDITS)

How effective is criminal law? How do you break down a criminal law statute to its component parts? And how do you then interpret it? Understand criminal law in England and Wales. Read and critically analyse judicial decisions. Assess and answer factual problems, raising issues of criminal liability.

View Criminal Law on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY

Contract Law

(30 CREDITS)

What are the legal consequences of contract failure? How do you calculate damages? Examine key aspects of contract law. Identify legal issues in simulated case studies and learn to construct legal arguments. Apply legal principles and precedent cases to resolve simulated legal problems. Build the numerical skills to calculate damages.

View Contract Law on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY

Career Development Learning Part 1

(0 CREDITS)

What are the main skills expected of a law graduate? And what key personal factors will inform your career choice? Get ready for the opportunities and challenges of the graduate labour market. Undertake activities, workshops and session that help you develop, building your key skills and competencies.

View Career Development Learning Part 1 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY

Essex Law Key Skills

(0 CREDITS)

View Essex Law Key Skills on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY

Tort Law

(30 CREDITS)

Who is liable for causing psychiatric harm? Or for causing economic loss? Study the foundations of negligence liability, examining further aspects of tort law. Gain experience of applying the principles of negligence liability to duty-based scenarios. Read and critically analyse judicial decisions.

View Tort Law on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: COMPULSORY

Equity and Trusts

(15 CREDITS)

What is meant by breach of trust? What are the constitutional elements of a fully constituted trust? How can that trust be terminated? Study the principles governing the law of trusts. Examine the development of equity, equitable principles and equitable remedies. Analyse social and legal contexts in which trusts arise.

View Equity and Trusts on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY

Legal Research Skills

(15 CREDITS)

This compulsory second year module, taught in the Spring term, aims to build upon the legal skills which students encounter in the first year module LW105 Legal Skills. Students will develop a range of skills relating to legal research and project planning, which will both support their learning in the final year of their degree, and constitute valuable transferable skills in their own right. In particular, LW254 Legal Research Skills will act as a foundation for LW304 Final Year Research Project and students will develop a research proposal for LW304 as part of their assessment for LW254.

View Legal Research Skills on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY

Law of the European Union

(15 CREDITS)

What are the constitutional issues around the institutional structure of the EU? How has this changed with enlargement? Understand EU law to obtain a qualifying law degree. Examine the concepts of EU law and how different areas are connected. Analyse EU law within its political and socio-economic context.

View Law of the European Union on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY

Justice

(15 CREDITS)

This module provides you with an understanding of the nature of law, its relationship with society and the question of justice itself. The module introduces you to aspects of legal theory, contextualised and explains how the authority of law may be justified, as well as providing critical perspectives on law's relationships with power, money, and socially marginalised groups. You will apply their existing understanding of legal concepts and institutions to wider debates around the effectiveness of law in delivering social justice, connecting doctrine with broader topical debates.

View Justice on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 07: COMPULSORY

Career Development Skills Part 2

(0 CREDITS)

This module incorporates a range of teaching activities, workshops and panel sessions that encourage you to take ownership of your personal and professional development in order to compete in the graduate labour market. You will be able to identify, articulate and evidence your employability skills, and will develop a critical understanding of your place in the world of work.

View Career Development Skills Part 2 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: OPTIONAL

(45 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 02: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 03: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY

Final Year Research Project

(15 CREDITS)

This module provides you with an opportunity to undertake a substantial piece of legal research on a topic of your choice. You can work alone or with others in groups, under the supervision of a member of staff. Your project may take the form of a written report, but may equally be a blog, website, film or other outcome.

View Final Year Research Project on our Module Directory

Teaching

Undergraduate students in Essex Law School typically attend a mix of large lectures and small group tutorials, with most modules having a lecture each week, and one hour tutorial once a fortnight.

Basic IT skills training is available and training in the use of LEXIS and WESTLAW (legal research tools) is also given
Your teaching consists of interactive classes, workshops and tutorials
There will be an emphasis on learner independence, peer- and self-assessment

Assessment

Your assessed coursework will generally consist of essays, in-class tests and individual oral presentations
You may be required to sit exams during the third term of your academic year

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£9,250 per year

International fee

£19,500 per year

International students: The standard undergraduate degree fee for international students will apply in subsequent years

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

Home/UK fees and funding information

International fees and funding information

What's next

Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex. We run a number of Open Days throughout the year which enable you to discover what our campus has to offer. You have the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff

Check out our Visit Us pages to find out more information about booking onto one of our events. And if the dates aren’t suitable for you, feel free to book a campus tour here.

2024 Open Days (Colchester Campus)

Saturday 17 August 2024 - Colchester Clearing Open Day

Saturday 21 September 2024 - September Open Day

Saturday 26 October 2024 - October Open Day

Find out more

How to apply during Clearing

Once you’ve checked that we have the right course for you, applying couldn’t be simpler. Fill in our quick and easy Clearing application form with as much detail as you can. We’ll then take a look and get back to you with a decision.

Find out more about Clearing
Get to know us better at our Clearing events

Interviews

We don’t interview all applicants during Clearing, however, we will only make offers for the following courses after a successful interview:

BA Multimedia Journalism
BSc Nursing (Adult)
BSc Nursing (Mental Health)
BA Social Work

The interview allows our academics to find out more about you, and in turn you’ll be able to ask us any questions you might have. Further details will be emailed to you if you are shortlisted for interview.

Apply now

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Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

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View from Square 2 outside the Rab Butler Building looking towards Square 3

If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tours allows you to explore our University from the comfort of your home. Check out our Colchester virtual tour and Southend virtual tour to see accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

Find out more

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.