Law LLB Honours

Program Overview

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Course overview

Build strong transferable skills and prepare for a career as a solicitor, barrister, or another profession with the Newcastle Law School LLB.

You'll study in a Law School that is globally engaged, yet rooted in its local community. This helps build knowledge and understanding, as well as empathy and cross-cultural awareness.

You can convert our standard three-year Law LLB Honours degree to a four-year LLB Honours degree with either a placement or international exchange year. The degree focuses on building the foundations of legal knowledge, as well as analysis and skills essential for a successful future career.

Studying the Newcastle LLB you'll learn about the law and develop practical legal skills such as:

case analysis

legal drafting and writing

legal research

client negotiation

client interviewing

mediation

You'll also:

gain direct experience in the community or in the industry through our pro bono schemes and work placement opportunities

have the opportunity to broaden your cultural and legal frame of reference by applying to study at one of our prestigious international law faculties across Asia, Europe, Oceania and North America

You'll study compulsory modules in first and second year. These modules cover the seven foundations of legal knowledge. You can choose from a broad range of exciting law electives in second and third year. You can also explore non-law module options in the final year.

You'll benefit from the expertise of Newcastle Law School’s outstanding researchers and scholars. They'll put law into context and help you appreciate its societal, economic, cultural and disparate impacts.

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Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2022-23.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Program Outline

Modules and learning

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Modules

The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you'll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage.

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Optional module availability

Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

All modules in Stage 1 are compulsory. They cover some of the foundations of legal knowledge modules essential for a legal professional qualification.

You'll learn about key legal areas such as constitutional law, contract, law and ethics, the UK legal institutions. You'll gain an introduction to the principles of administrative law and the protection of human rights in the UK, and the relationship between UK and EU law post-Brexit. You'll also begin to develop core professional legal skills, such as using legal databases, developing legal research skills, and opportunities to develop client interviewing skills and mooting.

Before Stage 2, you'll have the opportunity to consider switching to a four-year programme. You can apply to either study on an international exchange for a year at one of our international law faculty partners, or to go on a year-long work placement.

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Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Legal Institutions and Method	20
Constitutional Law	20
Contract Law	20
Law and Ethics	20
Administrative Law and Human Rights	20
The UK and EU Law	20

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How you'll learn

Teaching Time

Independent Study

21 79 Learning methods used over the year (estimated % of time)

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How you'll be assessed

Written Exams

Coursework

45 55 Assessment methods used over the year (estimated % of time)

In Stage 2, a mix of compulsory and optional modules will help you to further develop critical legal, analytical and problem-solving skills.

In semester one, you'll build on your foundations of legal knowledge and gain an understanding of criminal, land and tort law.

In semester two, you will study a compulsory equity module and choose two optional modules from a range of specialised law electives representing a broad range of legal and socio-legal fields. This is where you start to tailor your degree to your interests.

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Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Land Law	20
Criminal Law	20
General Principles of Tort	20
Equity and Trusts	20

Optional Modules	Credits
Criminology and Criminal Justice	20
Public International Law	20
Medicine and the Law	20
Legal Theory	20
Terrorism and Counter-terrorism Law	20
Family Law	20
Law and History	20
Intellectual Property Law	20
Commercial Law	20
Mediation and Commercial Dispute Resolution	20

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How you'll learn

Teaching Time

Independent Study

17 84 Learning methods used over the year (estimated % of time)

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How you'll be assessed

Written Exams

Coursework

70 30 Assessment methods used over the year (estimated % of time)

All modules are optional in Stage 3. You must choose three modules per semester. You'll also have the opportunity to pursue a significant piece of independent research, supervised by experts in the field, through the 40 credit Dissertation module.

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Modules

Optional Modules	Credits
Competition Law	20
Company Law	20
Criminology and Criminal Justice	20
Evidence	20
Public International Law	20
Employment Law	20
Medicine and the Law	20
Research Topic in Law	20
Law and Literature	20
Succession	20
Legal Theory	20
Fundamentals of Human Rights Law	20
Terrorism and Counter-terrorism Law	20
Family Law	20
Law and History	20
Law and Gender	20
Intellectual Property Law	20
Commercial Law	20
Mediation and Commercial Dispute Resolution	20
Dissertation in Law	40
Private Law Remedies	20
Animal Rights Law	20
Career Development for final year students	20

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How you'll learn

Teaching Time

Independent Study

18 82 Learning methods used over the year (estimated % of time)

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How you'll be assessed

Written Exams

Coursework

52 48 Assessment methods used over the year (estimated % of time)

Information about these graphs

We base these figures and graphs on the most up-to-date information available to us. They combine data on the planned delivery and assessments of our courses in 2021-22 with data on the modules chosen by our students in 2020-21.

Teaching time is made up of:

scheduled learning and teaching activities. These are timetabled activities with a member of staff present

structured guided learning. These are activities developed by staff to support engagement with module learning. Students or groups of students undertake these activities without direct staff participation or supervision

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Teaching and assessment

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Teaching methods

You'll learn through a combination of:

lectures

seminars

interactive workshops

In lectures, you should engage with the delivered content. You'll do this through note-taking and active participation in the large group format. The subject specialists provide a guided path through the module to support student learning and understanding.

In seminars and workshops, you'll discuss legal issues. You'll work through problem questions or debates regarding the effectiveness, desirability or clarity of law in a particular area in small groups. Discussions will be wide-ranging, such as:

the likely outcome of a scenario concerning the breach of contractual terms in a construction contract

the ways in which the legal profession are adapting to changing cultural and ethical standards

what the study of literary works can tell us about the way that law is perceived by society

To get the most out of these sessions you'll prepare individually. Independent study and research are central to the skills required of a law degree and in many of the professional careers desired by law graduates. The emphasis on the following skills are essential for excellent degree outcomes:

self-guided study

engagement with a wider body of legal and academic materials

a genuine curiosity

Law is about reflection, debate and argumentation. Student engagement with seminars and other interactive sessions are fundamental to this.

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Assessment methods

You'll be assessed through a combination of:

Assessments

Case studies

Coursework

Dissertation or research project

Essays

Examinations – practical or online

Group work

Presentations

Reflective report/journal

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Skills and experience

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Practical skills

You will be given the opportunity to develop a portfolio of professional skills and boost your employability through:

mooting

client interviewing

using legal databases

negotiating deals

You'll put them to the test in prestigious internal and external competitions. You will also visit the Newcastle Combined Court Centre to see the workings of the criminal and civil justice systems at first hand.

The European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) is an international, independent, non-political, non-profit-making organisation run by and for students. ELSA offers you the perfect platform to develop existing and acquire new skills, and meet fellow students and legal professionals throughout Europe.

Find out more about practical activities

Find out more about ELSA

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Real-world experience

We pride ourselves on our links with the legal profession and regulatory agencies based in the region. You'll benefit from these partnerships throughout your studies. You'll also have the chance to take part in award-winning pro bono initiatives and highly prized internships.

You'll also have the opportunity to apply to spend a year on a work placement or studying abroad. This will help you gain the kind of real-world experience that is valued by employers.

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Research skills

We offer study skills programmes in all three stages of your degree, and you will be trained in the use of our dedicated Law Library and legal databases. In Stage 3, you have the option to choose a dissertation module, learning and applying specific methodologies to conduct and document your own research.