LLB (Hons) Law with Politics (with Foundation Year option)

Core units

• Academic & Professional Practice: You will build your confidence in both academic and professional skills. This unit will cover the academic skills which will be required at degree level study and you’ll practice them throughout the unit with support from key university services including the library and study skills team. There will also be the opportunity for you to reflect on and develop your own professional skills through interactions with employers, careers services and online resources. 
• Collaborative Communication Project: The unit focuses on the centrality of communicaiton, both as a process and as a project. Through the collaborative development of a communication solution to a specific communication problem, the unit aims to promote the principles and practices of team-based iterative project work. 
• Understanding Contemporary Britain: During this unit you will be introduced to key aspects of culture and society in Britain today. You will develop an understanding of the relationship between developments in culture, politics and society in the making of modern Britain and be able to identify a number of different critical perspectives on those developments. 
• Law & Government: You will trace a case study through the United Kingdom's political and legal system, following the case study from its inception in a political party's election manifesto, through the legislative process, to how the judiciary interprets its provisions within a court of law. Building out from this case study you will develop an understanding of practical and theoretical underpinnings of politics and law. 

Core units

• Legal Skills and Systems: You will be introduced to English Legal Skills and Systems examining the background and structures within the English Legal System.
• Law of Obligations 1: This unit focuses on the law of obligations and specifically the law of contract. Upon completion you will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the constituent elements of contract law and the relevant principles to be able to evaluate and apply them.
• Constitutional and EU Law: You will be introduced to the fundamental principles of UK constitutional and to the past and future relationship with the European Union as a source of domestic law. You will learn how to understand and demonstrate knowledge of constitutional law and aspects of EU law, and to apply that knowledge to a range of legal scenarios. 
• Criminal Law: You will study the core legal principles of criminal liability relating to a range of criminal offences and the substantive law of the major offences against the person and property and the partial and general defences.
• Property Law: You wil gain an overview of the legal classifications and concepts of property, and specifically examine the private law relating to rights, estates and interests in land in England and Wales.
• Global Governance and International Relations: You will develop an understanding of the historical and political context in which different countries are operating and the ideologies which shape a nation’s political culture and institutions. You will be introduced to a variety of political cultures and regimes and will learn about the functioning of politics, and diplomatic processes, at regional and global levels. You will also explore the impact of globalisation on nation states and examine how non-state actors are shaping political developments around the world. 

Core units

• Law of Trusts and Estates: Equitable interests and trusts provide a dynamic source of private law rights, obligations and remedies. Recognised as the most important of equity’s creations, the trust concept is used prolifically in spheres such as pensions, tax, commerce and asset protection, both inter vivos and testamentary. This unit aims to provide you with the knowledge and understanding necessary in the recognition, creation and administration of various statutory, express and implied trusts.
• Law of Obligations 2: This unit aims to provide an academically challenging examination of the issues in the Law of Torts and an introduction to the Law of Restitution; and to develop your ability to apply the fundamental principles of these areas of Law to a wide range of situations.
• The History of Political Thought (Law): You will be introduced to key and contested concepts in political theory, this includes debates on notions of the state, power, civil rights & disobedience, justice, freedom, gender, equality, fairness, toleration and democracy. The historical development and contested meaning of these political concepts will be explored.  You will also be introduced to classical texts and ideas in political theory – from Plato to Hobbes, Rousseau, Marx and Rawls.  
• Practical Commercial Law: This unit aims to provide you with a good knowledge and understanding of domestic commercial law of England and Wales within the business context. You will engage with such substantive areas of law relating to commercial transactions including the sale of goods and the principles of agency law. Furthermore, you will be able to gain an insight into business forms as well as various aspects of the rules of civil practice and procedures and how these apply within the business context.
• Human Rights Law (Politics): This unit will contribute to your understanding of the relationship of politics and law. It also provides you with knowledge of an area of UK law which is pervasive and will sharpen your understanding of the continuing importance of the common law. Expanding your awareness of the international influences on the development of UK law and dealing with important areas of overlap between law and politics and morality. 
• Civil Society and Social Movements: You will examine the processes of creating and developing our society and how people can engage in these processes. The unit provides a more political understanding of civil society by examining social movements in relation to civil society and its development. You will explore and critically evaluate key theoretical debates in the field, the evolution of collective action and the relationship between social movement dynamics and political change in the context of modernisation, globalisation and changes in state structures, civil society and socio-economic dynamics.

You can complete an optional (minimum) 30-week work placement in the UK or overseas which gives you the opportunity to experience legal practice and make contacts for the future. If your placement meets the necessary criteria it can count towards 20 weeks of your training contract after graduation. 

You may take a study abroad placement for up to the equivalent  of one semester (6 months) which will count towards the 30 weeks required for the placement and then complete the remainder of the 30 weeks placement working in industry.

Core units

• Legal Research Project: This unit aims to provide you with the opportunity to conduct research on a topic relevant to law and to reflect upon and undertake subject matter related to any relevant work-based learning experience. You will develop critical thinking, your conceptual undertanding of law and will evaluate new and existing research. 

Option units (choose two):

• Criminal Justice: You will gain a critical understanding of the subject of criminal law and the criminal justice system which goes beyond the foundation subject and purely domestic law. You will be encouraged to review the law in light of broader influences, eg social, corporate and political, and from various comparative and socio-legal perspectives. 
• Jurisprudence: Jurisprudence is an important subject that considers the broader role and functioning of law and the legal system. This unit will give you the broadest understanding of the law as a discipline in its own right. You should then have an understanding and critical approach to the meaning of law in the context of traditions of thought, both historical and normative.
• Environmental Law: In this unit you will critically consider the dynamics of the legal and policy applications of environmental law and its role in environmental protection. Functioning legal rules and other governance tools are mainstays of the movement towards environmental protection, security and sustainable development. Laws on permitting, standards, compliance and enforcement mechanisms, voluntary instruments, liability regimes and citizens’ environmental rights all play a part in translating policies, goal and social objectives into reality. 
• Public International & International Criminal Law: You will be encouraged to understand theory of public international law, structures of international legal obligations and the subjects of this international legal order. (2) The unit will also develop your critical understanding of the subject of international criminal justice. You will be asked to review theories, law, policies and practices in light of developments at international criminal justice institutions, most notably the International Criminal Court, but also within the wider framework of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
• Informational Interests & the Law: The unit will provide you with knowledge and understanding of the wider legal context associated with the creation, collation, processing, communication and storage of information.  It specifically addresses the disruptive impact of modern technologies on existing legal and regulatory categories and frameworks. You will identify current and future areas of disruption, and critically evaluate the use, success and appropriateness of law and regulation as a response mechanism to the management of ‘Informational Interests’. 
• Media & Entertainment Law: You will study the various issues surrounding the mass media and popular culture. Due to advances in technology and the media, Media and Entertainment Law is of increasing significance in legal professional practice, industry and business, it crosses over various legal fields including but not limited to intellectual property law, tort law and contract law.  

And

Option units (choose two):

• The Philosophy of Politics: In this unit you will explore fundamental questions about the study and practice of politics and develop an analysis of where power lies within different contexts, who have access to power and resources, which groups in society are marginalised and how can marginalisation be overcome. You will be introduced to contemporary and historical case studies that encourage a development of a thorough understanding of how power is seized, apportioned and also denied.
• International Relations, State Power & Public Diplomacy: You will have the opportunity to consider the differing interpretations of international relations. By focusing on primary texts (From Thucydides to the Westphalia Treaty, contemporary thinkers, and policy reports) this unit will encourage you to think about, and comment critically on the relevance of thinkers and different approaches to practices in international relations. Key concepts such as power, soft power, conflict, sovereignty, and diplomacy will be scrutinised through both key thinkers and assessed by applying them to current affairs.
• Promotion, Power & Democracy: The unit aims to make sense of the function that the promotional industries play within late capitalist democracy and in the context of global and national crises. It introduces you to key theoretical ideas from social and critical theory, political economy and political philosophy, and encourages you both to reflect on your personal and professional experience, and to apply ideas discussed in the unit to real world problems and examples.
• Persuasion & Influence: Professional persuaders in the corporate, NGO, and political spheres need an understanding of how to create persuasive communication that works, to understand the psychology of audience members, but also to reflect on the ethics of persuasion and critique contemporary persuasive communication in the context of broader social and cultural issues. Upon completion of this unit you will be able to demonstrate in-depth, critical comprehension of traditional and contemporary perspectives and scholarship in persuasion and influence in a variety of communication contexts.
• Employment Law: This unit aims to provide a technically and academically stimulating examination of the issues within employment and labour law faced by employers, employees and workers. You will develop the abaility to apply the fundamental principles of employment and labour law to a wide range of workplace situations and draw appropriate conclusions.

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

Placements provide a great opportunity to make your first career steps and enhance your employability while you’re completing your studies. You’ll get the opportunity to:

• Put the theory learnt throughout the course into professional practice
• Enhance your study and help you decide on subject options (where appropriate)
• Learn a wide range of skills such as time management, problem solving and team work (all of these are important to succeed in any career)
• Make contacts, as it is not uncommon for our students to be offered permanent positions to return to after graduating
• Gain a real insight into how the industry operates in roles that would be almost impossible to achieve for an outsider.

Many of our students, during their placement, are given responsibilities normally associated with graduate trainees.

You will begin your placement after completion of your second year of study and you must complete a minimum of 30 weeks, although most students choose to work for a full year. The placement is optional for international (non-EU/ non-UK) students. 

The faculty running your course will offer the support of a Placement Co-ordinator. 

They’ll help you plan your placement to make sure you get the right experience for you. That includes offering help and support if you need to move to another part of the UK – and even another country – to get the most out of your time.

We’ve also built close industry links over the years – so our network of employers that are keen to work with placement students is always growing. Or if you’d prefer to arrange your placement independently, we can offer advice on how to do that too.

Law Firms

• Mishcon de Reya
• Fladgate
• Steele Raymond
• Trethowans
• Ellis Jones
• Footner & Ewing

Non Law Firms

• Law Debenture
• ASM
• Acumen Business Law
• Toyota
• SAP
• Citizens Advice Bureaux

AccessBU: AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships: We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferred entry: We are happy to consider eligible applicants for deferred entry. If you have already submitted your application, please submit your deferral request through our website. 

Direct entry: We welcome applications from students who have previously studied at degree level at other institutions and wish to transfer onto a BU course. Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure enables credit awarded from one institution to contribute to a BU award, subject to an application process. Please visit our RPL webpage for more information.

Mature applicants: We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

We select candidates for this course by looking at your application; there are usually no interviews or selection activities needed. For that reason, make sure your application really stands out from the crowd, and leave us in no doubt as to why you should be joining BU. You can find some handy hints about filling in your UCAS form on our how to apply web pages.

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

AccessBU gives you the chance to tell us more about you and your life experiences if you haven’t had the same educational opportunities as other applicants. If you are eligible for AccessBU, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS Tariff Points below the published tariff.

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

As well as working for legal firms, our graduates have found success with the many UK-based and international businesses that need legal expertise. Organisations that our students have gone on to work for include JP Morgan Chase Bank, LV, Phoenix Legal Group, the Home Office, Citizens Advice Bureau, Lester Aldridge, Coles Miller Solicitors, British Gas, Moriarty Law and the Financial Ombudsman Service to name just a few.

Here are some of the roles our graduates have gone on to work in:

• Solicitor
• Barrister
• Paralegal
• Legal Executive
• Legal Assistant.

• Law
• Commerce
• Finance
• Business.

Once you have completed an undergraduate Honours degree, you can further develop your education by studying for a postgraduate degree. Please visit our postgraduate section for further details about our range of Master’s degrees.

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course, including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
• Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses
• Accommodation and living costs. Please visit our website for more information.
• Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately
• Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Information about funding your placement year can be found on our website.
• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study
• SportBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

If you need to repeat one or more units during your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full-time fee.

Once you are have enrolled as a student at BU, there is a wide range of help and support available, depending on your particular needs.

• Library & Learning support
• Additional Learning support
• Peer Assisted Learning (PAL)
• Transport and travel.

Samuel Walker was appointed Lecturer in Law at Bournemouth University in 2017, after completing his PhD at the University of Manchester, and became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2018. Sam’s research interests focus on the legal regulation of the body and embodiment within the wider social context. This covers a wide range of circumstances from body modification, technology and the body, transgender identity, sexual autonomy and information about the body.