LLB Licence English and French Law
(Double Degree)
Applications through UCAS for 2025 entry are now closed.
Applications are open via Parcoursup (for the University of Toulouse Capitole, University of Nice Côte d'Azur & University Paris-Nanterre) and directly on the website of the University of Jean Moulin Lyon 3.
Applications via UCAS will open for October 2026 .
Our challenging and competitive course gives you the rewarding intellectual experience of discovering the richness of both the French and English legal cultures. We are one of only a few universities in the UK which put students on the right path to qualify for legal practice in both the UK and France.
Your first two years on our prestigious LLB Licence English and French Law (Double Degree) course are spent at Essex, where you take the required modules in English Law, meeting the requirements for the academic stages of training to become a solicitor or barrister in the UK. During this time in the UK you also learn French law, which is taught in French. Read about Anna Massy's experience of studying in our Double Degree.
After two years at Essex, your third year is spent at one of the following partner institutions in France, where you follow modules in French law to obtain the Licence en Droit:
- Université Paris-Nanterre
- Université Lyon III Jean Moulin
- Université Toulouse Capitole
- Université Côte d'Azur
Students will pay University of Essex tuition fees for the first and second year of study and will pay tuition fees to their French university for their third year.
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. For instance, you address the rights of consumers, family members, prisoners, householders, workers and children. You'll also cover topics including, but not limited to:
- The functions of the three branches of government (executive, legislative and judicial)
- UK and French constitutional law
- Law of trusts
- Principles of negligence
- Criminal liability
Why Essex?
Essex Law School has an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research.
- We are in the top 20 for international outlook in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024.
- We are also ranked 49th for Law in THE World University Rankings by subject 2024, which is 9th in the UK.
- We’re ranked 22nd (12th in UK) for promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for reduced inequalities (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024)
Our Human Rights Centre is recognised internationally. We are proud of our network of international contacts and are actively engaged in debates about the meaning of justice in the UK and beyond. We work with the United Nations and governments, human rights organisations, and corporations all over the world.
Our specialist facilities- Volunteer at the Essex Law Clinic where you can work alongside practising solicitors to offer legal advice to clients
- Join our l'Association du Double-diplôme, which organises various professional and social events
- Take part in a variety of events including conferences, careers fairs and debates
- Participate in the Oras! Mooting Competition, where judges are drawn from the Cour de cassation, UK courts, the European Court of Justice in addition to top law firms. This Mooting Competition has been created by one of our students in 2020 and keeps growing, attracting prestigious sponsors (such as the law firm ‘Reed Smith' and the Dalloz editions).
- Peer mentors guide you through your first year
- Take advantage of networking opportunities throughout the year with visiting law firms and our alumni association
Why choose a three-year Double Degree?
This three-year degree gives you more flexibility. Following France's Ministry of Education Reform in 2016, our new 3-year programme (LLB and Licence) gives you the flexibility, once completed at end of Licence 3, to select a 2-year integrated Masters course at a University in France or an LL.M. course in the UK (or abroad). The selection at master level takes place at Master 1 (at end the of Licence 3) and no longer at Master 2 (at the end of Master 1).
Under this new system the Master 1 and Master 2 must both be completed at the same University, so if you change from one degree to another at the end of Masters year 1, you will need to start a new Master's degree from the beginning. The LLB English and French Law (Licence) gives you the flexibility in choosing your masters route. We offer the largest Double Degree in the UK.
Please note that you are required to be bilingual in French and English in order to be accepted onto this course.
| Licence 1 | Licence 2 | Licence 3 | Master 1 | Master 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Essex | University of Essex | One of our partner institutions: | Any University in France | The same institution as Master Year 1 |
How to apply
If you would like to study in Toulouse, you must apply via Parcoursup to go to the University of Toulouse in your third year. This is the only way for students to join our double degree programme with Toulouse.
If you would like to study in Nanterre or Nice, you can apply to our Double Degree programme via either UCAS or Parcoursup. If you would like to study in Lyon, you can apply to our Double Degree programme via either UCAS or Lyon's internal platform (ecandidat).
We offer 10 spots via UCAS. Interviews will take place in January and February. If you get an offer to study with us on UCAS, you will be guaranteed a spot with one of our French partners (Lyon, Nanterre, or Nice), and we will do our best to accommodate your preferred choice of French university.
Students who have been accepted in the Double Degree programme via Parcoursup/ecandidat will need to fill in a UCAS or Direct Admission application (depending on the circumstances) over the summer to register at the University of Essex. Students will be contacted in due time with an explanation of the steps to follow to proceed with their registration with UCAS/Direct Admission.
- Our lecturers work with the UN, the UK government, and with EU and foreign governments.
- You gain work experience advising real clients through opportunities such as the Essex Law Clinic.
- Our English and French Law Double-Degree was the winner of the Franco-British Lawyers Society Academic Prize (2018).
Our expert staff
All of our staff for our LLB English and French Law have experience of the French and English academic systems, so they understand the benefits of a dual education and appreciate the need for a supportive environment for international students.
Dr Laure Sauve teaches French Private Law I, an introduction to law and family law, reflecting on how legal cultures shape the minds of legal practitioners.and French Private Law II (law of obligations) and has a particular research interest in French family law, building on her PhD and current research projects with Paris II, projects involving comparing family law across EU member states.
Prof Yseult Marique teaches French Private Law. Her areas of research include Regulation and administrative law, especially public-private relationships, Public contracts (procurement, enforcement, corruption), Integrity and ethics in government and business, European administrative law and comparative administrative law.
Dr Emmanuelle Lemaire also teaches French Private Law. Her areas of research include Comparative Law, Tort Law, French Law and English Law.
Dr Eugénie Duval teaches French Administrative Law and French Constitutional Law. Her areas of research include Animal Law (farm animal welfare regulations) and Constitutional Law (participatory and representative democracy).
Dr Sophie Duroy teaches French constitutional law. Her areas of research include public international law, human rights law, and intelligence and national security.
Dr. Etienne Durand teaches French Administrative Law. His areas of research include EU Market and Competition Law, Energy and Climate Law.
Professors from our partner universities in France also regularly visit to teach topical issues in French law. They are additionally available to discuss your progression in France.
"Settling into social life was easy with all the facilities and support offered by the Students’ Union. I met great people and my experience at Essex definitely had an important impact on me. I am now finishing my degree in Lyon, but I look back on my time at Essex fondly.”
Coline Castelnau, LLB English and French Law, 2018
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.
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.
Want to quiz us about your course? Got a question that just needs answering? Get in touch with us on live chat!
