A Detailed Look at the Graduate LLB

Mar 04, 2019

Written By Billy Sexton

With strong emphasis often placed on the GDL, the graduate LLB is a postgraduate qualification option that you might not have considered. Here, we offer a detailed look at the graduate LLB.

The Graduate LLB is an option for those who wish to convert to law, but haven’t studied a law degree. Along with the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), successfully completing the Graduate LLB allows you to take the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC).

Graduate LLB course content & teaching

The Graduate LLB packs in everything from an undergraduate law degree in just two years, so as you can imagine, the course is pretty demanding and therefore only suitable for graduates who understand the workload involved with a degree.

The Graduate LLB is a two-year programme taught via lectures and seminars, with assessment being formed of coursework and exams. Compulsory modules will include:

Contract Law

Contract law covers all aspects of the creation, execution, termination and breach of contractual obligations. You will also learn how to draft and interpret contracts.

Criminal Law

This covers all kinds of offences and crimes ranging from small and minor offences to bigger, complicated offences such as murder, robbery, etc. While much of the subject is devoted to classification of various kinds of offences and punishments, judicial procedures and processes, there is also a significant segment that deals with legal criminal theory and jurisprudence.

Equity & Trusts

Trust principles cover a wide range of areas such as finance, charity, family and inheritance laws with the underlying foundation built on equity and fairness.

EU Law

This module covers all institutions, principles, sources and rationale of the EU framework and a collection of detailed law across the continent. The subject covers all related areas dealing with trans-border trade and competition, free movement of goods and people across Europe, human rights, adaptation of EU principles into national law systems of member states.

Land Law

Land law covers all matters related to land (yes, we were shocked too), property, construction, ownership, lease and tenancy, inheritance, buying and selling of land and much more. The subject matter can often be very technical and complex.

Public Law

This is that realm of law where constitutional and legislative laws and principles are covered, including judicial review, framework and the processes and procedures of the judicial system in the UK. It also covers the impact of EU law and important principles such as rule of law, parliamentary supremacy, authority and powers of various public bodies.

Tort Law

Torts are civil wrongs arising out of negligence or a failure to perform certain duties attributable to the person(s) causing the problem. Tort law covers negligence, defamation, vicarious and direct liabilities, product and work-related liabilities and other public-related harm or wrongdoings.

The element of choice

These core areas will be covered over the course of two years, with students typically studying four in their first year and three in their second year. On top of this, students have the opportunity to pick a handful of modules, usually two or three, in elective areas of law such as human rights law, family law and media law. Sometimes a dissertation may be completed in place of an elective module. Whether you think you could handle another dissertation is entirely your choice!

Applications, fees & funding

Applications for the graduate LLB must be made through UCAS (again!) so make sure to brush up on your personal statement writing skills.

The clue is in the name regarding who can apply for the graduate LLB… that’s right, just graduates. The fees for the graduate LLB stand at a hefty £9000 a year, and because you’ve already done a degree, you aren’t entitled to student loans either! Therefore you’ll have to find different ways to fund the graduate LLB, whether it be through scholarships, bursaries or career development loans.

A graduate LLB or GDL is necessary if you want to become a qualified lawyer but you haven’t studied law as an undergraduate, but which course you decide to do is entirely your choice (after reading our advice, of course!)

Graduate LLB