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Introduction
Introduction
Why choose this course?
Course structure
In year 1, you’ll study the fundamentals of law. You’ll sharpen your critical thinking skills and improve your advocacy techniques in modules such as Communication Skills for Lawyers. You’ll develop the confidence to express your opinion on issues of law, and will learn how to use evidence to support your arguments.
You’ll progress onto more advanced modules in year 2, and have the chance to turn your LLB into a specialist commercial law or criminal justice degree. All of our LLB degrees will help to make you a sought-after legal professional. You will also be able to explore a variety of optional modules.
During year 3, you’ll have the opportunity to work on a dissertation. You’ll have the freedom to carry out in-depth research into an aspect of the law that fascinates you, with support from our academic staff.
You’ll also have the opportunity to take part in additional extracurricular activities such as mooting and pro bono to help further your experience.
Overview
Our LLB at Oxford Brookes is a law degree that gives you the critical thinking, communication, and advocacy skills to prepare you for a successful legal career. You’ll study the foundations of the English legal system including Public Law, Contract Law, and Criminal Law, and explore exciting optional modules such as Environmental Law and Computer Law and AI.
You’ll have regular opportunities to build the practical legal skills you’ll need in practice. Our award-winning and active research staff provide a wide range of activities and events for you to gain practical legal experience. You’ll meet practising lawyers and benefit from our links with the legal profession.
We also offer two specialist pathways: LLB Commercial Law and LLB Criminal Law. Your tutors can support you in deciding whether to follow a specialist pathway and guide you through your learning journey.
Many of our graduates have gone on to careers as barristers and solicitors, but many take their sought-after skills into other industries. With the connections you’ll make at Oxford Brookes, you’ll have plenty of options.
Modules
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Communication Skills for Lawyers
In this module, you’ll gain key communication skills for a successful legal career. You’ll gain excellent oral skills in advocacy. You’ll also develop valuable presentation techniques for a plea in mitigation, giving you the knowledge to succeed in your degree and work.
Criminal Law
You’ve committed a crime. But what makes you responsible for it? In this module, you’ll get to grips with the key principles of criminal responsibility, and build key skills for your degree. You’ll look at individual defences and offences, as well as fatal and non-fatal offences against people and property. You’ll study crimes including:
 murder and manslaughter
 theft and burglary
 ‘offences against the person’ such as assault and battery
You’ll also learn about defences such as:
 insanity and automatism
 duress and self-defence
 duress
Legal Method
In this module, you’ll gain invaluable legal skills for your degree. You’ll learn to think like a lawyer, and understand:
 the sources of English law
 the structures and functions of the UK Courts
You’ll also learn:
 how to critically read and assess statute and case-law
 how to evaluate legal arguments
 how to find and use online legal information.
You’ll dive into the world of UK law. You’ll learn to find and understand legal information. And you’ll gain key skills in legal thought and argumentation.
Contract Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with contract law. You’ll gain a detailed understanding of the formation, operation, and termination of contracts. You’ll understand the key ideas behind contract law. You’ll develop the critical skills in legal reasoning and analysis you gained from your Legal Method modules.
You’ll enhance your legal skills, as you tackle case studies in contract law. You’ll explore:
 the purpose of contract law
 formation of contract
 agreement problems (such as mistake or misrepresentation)
 terms of contract
 exclusion causes
 statutory control
 breach of contract and damages
Public Law
In this module, you’ll dig into Public Law, and gain key legal knowledge for your degree. You’ll explore its key elements, including:
 civil liberties and human rights
 judicial review processes
 the separation of the different elements of the government
 constitutional and administrative law.
You’ll explore the relationship between Public Law and three key elements of the state - the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. And you’ll consider the relationship between the State and its citizens.
Year 2
Compulsory modules
European Union Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with the European Union (EU) and its foundations. You’ll dig into key areas of law, central to the EU system. And you’ll explore the political and social implications of EU Law.
You’ll examine the history of EU Law, and its key institutions:
 the European Parliament
 the Council of the European Union
 the European Commission.
You’ll then focus on Union Law, and how it relates to national law. You’ll also consider the role of the Court of Justice of the EU. You’ll explore substantive law, as you understand the internal market of the EU, including:
 free movement of people
 citizenship
Land Law
Land law is a fascinating attempt to solve people’s conflicting interests in land. You’ll get to grips with the English Land Law and its key concerns. You’ll explore:
 the nature of law, property and land
 the division of estates and interests (into legal and equitable)
 land registration.
You’ll gain a detailed knowledge of freehold and leasehold estates. And you’ll explore co-ownership and trusts of:
 land leases
 licences
 mortgages
You’ll also consider the rising importance of the Human Rights Act 1998 to Land Law.
Tort Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with tort law (law which deals with civil loss or harm). You’ll explore:
 the tort of negligence
 employers’ liability
 trespass to land
 public nuisance
 the Rylands-v-Fletcher case
 trespass to the person
 defamation
 privacy
 vicarious liability (when you’re liable for acts you didn’t commit)
You’ll also investigate the rising importance of human rights law.
Optional modules
Advanced Legal Skills
In this module, you’ll revisit and build upon the legal techniques and issues developed in Year 1. As this is an envelope module, you’ll be able to focus on one of the following:
 Legal academic research and writing a Brief presenting the research
 Legal practitioner research and writing a Dissertation presenting the research.
Company Law/ Business Associations
In this module, you’ll trace a company from its birth to its death. You’ll get to grips with company law, and explore a company’s:
 creation
 agents
 growth
 maintenance
 dissolution.
You’ll learn how company law works in our current economy. And how it influences other business models, such as:
 partnerships
 firms
 Community Interest Organisations.
You’ll enhance your critical skills as you analyse company law, and find solutions for issues faced by companies and business partners. And you’ll test how UK, EU and US laws work on corporate behaviour.
Evidence
In this module, you’ll explore the key rules of evidence. You’ll examine:
 corroboration
 identification evidence
 hearsay
 confessions
 the right to silence
 improperly obtained evidence
 similar fact evidence
 evidence of character
 expert opinion evidence
 the examination and cross-examination of witnesses.
You’ll gain critical skills for your career, as you analyse the ideas behind these rules. You’ll consider how to resolve any conflicts in them. You’ll also explore rules of evidence in criminal trials, and how they work to prevent miscarriages of justice.
Employment Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with employment law. You’ll look at the difference between a self-employed person and an employee. You’ll analyse:
 the contract of employment
 terms of employment
 the flexibility of the relationship between employer and employee
You’ll then explore a wide range of employment rights, including:
 protection against unfair dismissal
 redundancy rights
 discrimination protections.
Environmental Law
How do societies react to environmental crises? How do we address environmental problems in the law? In this module, you’ll look at the relevant regulations and laws around the environment. You’ll look beyond legal cases, and consider the historical, political, ethical and technological issues of law and the environment. You’ll examine:
 anthropocentrism vs ecocentrism
 environmental rights and environmental justice
 ecology and conservation
 climate change and risk
 the ethics of environmental law.
You’ll develop key critical skills as you consider the fascinating interaction between the law, society and one of the biggest issues facing humanity - the environment.
International Law
In this module, you’ll explore the key laws of the international community. You’ll examine the origins and basis of international law. You’ll also look at the sources of international law, including treaties and customary norms. You’ll enhance your critical skills as you analyse the relationship between:
 international and municipal law
 subjects of international law
 the concept of territory or jurisdiction.
You’ll consider the core principles in the use of force, and the way armies behave. And you’ll look at the law of state responsibility, individual accountability and violations of international rules.
Marriage, Cohabitation and the Law
How does the law regulate relationships between adults? What legal rights flow from married and unmarried relationships? In this module, you’ll get to grips with the law regulating all types of adult family relationships, particularly:
 the law of marriage
 civil partnerships
 cohabitating couples
 divorce
 division of property on family breakdown
 domestic violence
 parental responsibility for children
You’ll gain vital skills in legal reasoning as you learn legal analysis techniques, and how to answer problem questions.
Stowe Family Law are offering work experience at their Oxford office, as part of the ‘Stowe Family Law Prize’, to the highest scoring second year student who completes this optional module.
Understanding Criminal Justice
In this module, you’ll dive into the criminal justice system, and the main issues of criminal justice. You’ll understand wider aspects of the criminal justice system and engage critically with the system’s flaws and shortcomings. You’ll gain key critical skills as you explore how well the system achieves its aims. You’ll explore specific areas such as:
 punishment
 sentencing
 crime prevention
 community safety
 policing
 youth crime
 prisons
 the criminal court system
You’ll observe the criminal justice system, first hand. You’ll then devise a social-science experiment to test your understanding of the system you’ve studied. This means you’ll devise a hypothesis on how the criminal justice system operates, and test to see if your hypothesis was right. You’ll conduct work in prisons, police stations and the streets of Oxford, allowing you to access the real world of the criminal justice system.
Year 3
Compulsory modules
Equity and Trusts
In this module, you’ll explore Equity (fairness in the law). You’ll also investigate trusts, which exist to regulate situations where someone cares for another person’s affairs.
You’ll engage with Equity, and equitable remedies. You’ll also dive into trusts in all their forms. You’ll gain key critical skills as you analyse private trusts, and how they generate equitable interests. You’ll then consider the key features of charitable trusts. You’ll explore:
 the administration of trusts
 the powers and duties of trustees
 breach of trust
 the law of tracing
Optional modules
Children, Parents and the State
How does the law deal with child abduction, and disputes over children? How can the state protect children who may be victims of abuse within their own families? In this module, you’ll get to grips with law relating to parents, children and the state. You’ll dive into law reports, as you look critically at the legal concepts around:
 relationships between parents and children
 the relevance of the state to parents and children.
You’ll consider:
 parental responsibility
 resolution of disputes over children
 child protection
 child abduction
 adoption
You’ll gain vital skills in legal reasoning as you learn legal analysis techniques, and how to answer problem questions.
Commercial Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with commercial law (law relating to trade and sales). You’ll dive into key topics, including:
 the nature and sources of commercial law
 how we classify transactions
 obligations of the buyer and seller
 the passing of ownership
 the passing of property (risk)
 the condition of goods
 agency and remedies
Computer Law and Artificial Intelligence
The internet rules society. In a vastly digital age, lawyers really need to understand technology and the legal challenges it presents. In this module, you’ll examine the legal issues of current internet technologies and hardware. You’ll gain key technical knowledge, as you evaluate the regulatory systems of these technologies, and how they affect society. You’ll explore how digital technologies challenge copyright law. And you’ll be introduced to some of the legal issues relating to the use of artificial intelligence.
Crime and Society
In this module, you’ll explore the ways we define and measure crime. You’ll develop core critical skills as you explore theories about the causes of crime. And you’ll consider some major crimes in detail. You’ll dive into the following topics:
 crime and the media
 criminal behaviour
 crimes in action - from violent crime to white-collar crime
 critical criminology: race and gender
You’ll think about crimes and criminality in a wider sense than simply ‘innocence’ or ‘guilt’. You’ll look at the social contexts of crimes, and what causes people to commit them.
Dissertation
In this module, you’ll have the chance to do independent research on a topic that fascinates you. You’ll have the support of our expert academics and legal practitioners, helping you carry out leading legal research on your chosen topic. You’ll gain key skills for a legal career, as you collect data and express the knowledge you’ve gained throughout your degree. Whether you’re researching hate crimes, the effect of Brexit on the economy or laws around sexual consent, you’ll prove that you can propose solutions for relevant problems, and effectively communicate the results.
Equality Law
How do we prevent discrimination against race and sexual orientation in the law? In this module, you’ll focus on the Equality Act 2010, and other legislation on:
 sex
 race
 sexual orientation
 religion
 disability discrimination
 equal pay.
You’ll explore how courts interpret the Equality Act, and how it impacts the workplace. You’ll look at how it interacts with the law of the European Commission (EC), and how we might extend equality law. You’ll gain valuable critical skills for your career, as you ask:
 what difference the Equality Act has made
 who benefits (and does not benefit) from the act
 what we can do in the future to improve protection
Independent Study Module
In this module, you'll work with a research-active tutor who will guide you through an in-depth analysis of their research area. You'll undertake your own independent study in this area, researching complex legal subjects. You'll get to grips with conducting your own high-level legal research, and you’ll pursue specialised topics which interest you.
International Human Rights Law
How can we effectively protect human rights? In this module, you’ll get to grips with international human rights law. You’ll gain key critical skills as you analyse arguments and ideas about human rights, and the ideas behind them. You’ll also consider their current legal and political meaning through examining:
 relevant laws
 current debates
 case studies
International Trade Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with international trade law, and its key elements. You’ll understand international sales transactions. You’ll gain valuable key critical skills as you analyse the key treaties of international law, such as:
 the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
 the World Trade Organisation
 international commercial terms
 specific trade laws
 case histories
 dispute settlement procedures.
You’ll also explore:
 international rights in international trade
 the relationship between domestic law and international rules
 international trade agreements
You’ll discover how these rules can (or can’t) resolve certain problems in international trade. And you’ll develop the ability to advise on international trade practices, and other rights and obligations.
Law in Action
In this module, you’ll gain core practical experience in law, as you apply your knowledge and skills to a practical legal activity. You’ll gain fantastic skills for work and boost your legal career, as you do a placement in an environment related to legal work. You’ll understand how to transfer your law studies from an academic discipline, to practicing it in the real world.
Medical Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with the structure of the NHS. You’ll explore topics such as:
 access to health care
 autonomy and consent
 responsibility
 accountability and negligence
 birth and its regulation
 death, dying and the incurably ill patient.
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum
In this module, you’ll get to grips with nationality and immigration law, and what it reveals about British society. You’ll examine the key issues and policies around nationality, national identity and migration. You’ll gain a firm understanding of migration in the UK and abroad, as you debate critical issues of today. You’ll also consider current UK law, and the historical, social and political factors that have shaped it.
Work Placements/ Work Experience
Optional modules
Work placements
You may have the opportunity to undertake a work placement through our Law in Action module. This involves participating in a placement equivalent of approximately 28 days’ work experience. This may operate as a block of six consecutive weeks, or as one day per week depending upon the requirements of the placement organisation. This placement module is designed to enhance your practical legal knowledge and wider transferable skills. The work placements are facilitated by the university; however students are responsible for their own travel and associated costs. Most travel costs are minimal as placements are organised to be within easy reach of the campus or in local Oxford. Placements in the surrounding area, such as Witney or Abingdon, will require bus travel which can amount to between £3-8 for a return ticket. Acceptance onto the Law in Action module is competitive and only a limited number of places are available, all subject to the availability of external placements.
Work Experience
As an LLB Law student in Year 2 and 3 you’ll have the opportunity to participate in the CLOCK scheme (Community Legal Outreach Collaboration Keele). Where you'll gain firsthand experience of the legal world. You’ll be interviewing and advising clients, in legal cases and courtroom settings. You'll join a commitment to provide wider access to justice in the local area and gain useful legal expertise for your CV.
International Study Exchange
If you take this module you will study Law in a university outside the UK for an academic year, experiencing different educational and legal cultures. This will help you develop your knowledge, skills and understanding. After the *International Study Exchange year you will complete your final year with Oxford Brookes and then graduate. The International Study Exchange year is not credit-bearing.
*To go on this exchange you must have completed all your Level 5 studies, and your exchange is dependent on the appropriate partner university's availability.
Entry Criteria
ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.
IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.
Entry requirements
Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.
Standard offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 120 (Law)
A Level: BBB
IB Points: 31
BTEC: DDM
Contextual offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 88 - 96
A Level: CCD - CCC
IB Points: 27
BTEC: MMM
Further offer details
We review each application individually and will be flexible in the offer we make. Where we can see an applicant is studying subjects that support the development of skills beneficial to the study of Law we will make a lower offer. These skills include critical thinking, problem solving and high-quality written communication.
Applications are also welcomed for consideration from applicants with European qualifications, international qualifications or recognised foundation courses.
Specific entry requirements
Our standard entry requirement is three A-levels or equivalent qualifications. In some cases, courses have specific required subjects and additional GCSE requirements. In addition to A-levels, we accept a wide range of other qualifications including:
 the Welsh Baccalaureate
 the Access to Higher Education Diploma
 a BTEC National Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma at a good standard and in a relevant subject
 the International Baccalaureate Diploma
 the European Baccalaureate Diploma
 Scottish qualifications – five subjects in SCE with two at Higher level or one at Advanced Higher level, or three subjects in Scottish Highers or two at Advanced Higher level
 a recognised foundation course
 T-levels*.
 * T-levels are a relatively new qualification but are already included in the UCAS tariff. We welcome prospective students who are taking this qualification to apply. For some programmes with specific required subjects, particular subject areas or occupational specialisms may be required.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, we will need proof of your English language ability: IELTS (6.5 or above).
The entry requirement for your course will be expressed as an IELTS level and refers to the IELTS Academic version of this test. We are now also accepting the IELTS Indicator test, you can find out more about the test on the IELTS Indication site. The University however does accept a wide range of additional English language qualifications, which can be found below.
The university’s English language requirements in IELTS levels are as follows:
Course IELTS level
All other undergraduate courses 6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Law, Architecture, Interior Architecture, English Literature (including combined honours), English Literature and Creative Writing 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Health and Social Care courses 6.5 or 7.0 overall with 6.5 or 7.0 in all components (see individual entries for course details)
Nutrition BSc (Hons) 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
Built Environment Foundation,
Computing Foundation,
Engineering Foundation 6.0 with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
International Foundation Business and Technology,
International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law 5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills
International Foundation Diploma 5.0 overall with 5.0 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway) 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
Assessment
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview
Learning and teaching
You’ll be taught by an intimate, friendly academic team, who will offer you one-to-one support and boost your confidence in Law. You’ll be taught in lectures, small group seminars and tutorials.
You’ll learn through a variety of methods, including:
 module notes
 reading lists
 interactive exercises
 online quizzes.
You’ll also have the opportunity to join our nationally acclaimed mooting team. And Oxford Brookes is the only Law School to have won the prestigious ESU-Essex Court Chambers National Mooting Competition four times in the past decade.
Mooting will build your advocacy skills - crucial to professional practice as a solicitor or barrister. You’ll experience the courtroom firsthand - via competitions and in our own moot court. And you’ll be connected with leading solicitors and law firms.
Assessment
LLB modules use a range of assessment techniques. In some modules, you’ll be assessed through formal exams. In other modules, you may be assessed through coursework, in-class exercises or other means.
Professional accreditation
After you complete your LLB, you can go straight to the vocational stage of training. If you want to be a barrister, you’ll be ready to progress to the Bar course. You’ll also have a strong foundation of legal knowledge from which you can move on to prepare for the Solicitors’ Qualifying Exam (SQE).
Career Opportunities
Careers
After completing the course, you’ll be ready to take the next steps towards a legal career. A law degree can lead to a variety of careers.Take a look at our Routes to Legal Qualification page, that show you the paths into a legal career. You could take the Bar Course and become a barrister, or start your preparation for the Solicitors’ Qualifying Exam. Not all of our Law graduates go into the legal profession, however; all sorts of other options will be open to you.
For example, our graduates have also joined the Police and the Civil Service, and one is now a Senior Policy Adviser in the Home Office. Whatever your plans, you’ll have developed a range of skills which will make you a valuable employee.
To gain further specialist legal knowledge and carve your own career path, you could undertake one of our specialist postgraduate LLM programmes. See our LLM Master of Laws for more information.
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