About this course

This 2-year programme is designed for graduates with a degree in a non-law subject who are keen to join the legal profession in Canada. You'll gain a qualifying law degree that is recognised in England and Wales. The dedicated Constitutional Law of Canada module provides excellent preparation for the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) exam.

Our intensive accelerated LLB programme offers the possibility of a qualifying law degree in just 2 years. If you wish to follow the Juris Doctor (JD) pathway, you can opt to study the Constitutional Law of Canada module. You'll also become proficient in all the subjects required for a qualifying law degree.

Our course tutors are active researchers who bring the latest legal developments, and their passion for their area of expertise, to the curriculum.

As part of your degree you can:

gain work experience alongside legal professionals by advising students at the Law Clinic
engage with our academic research groups including the Stefan Cross Centre for Women, Equality and Law, and the Institute of Maritime Law
prepare for the Canadian National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) exam which you can arrange to take after you graduate

After taking the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) exam, you may be ready to train to practise law outside of England and Wales. You should check with the relevant governing bodies in your chosen area to make sure that a 2-year LLB programme meets their requirements.

We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes.

Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).

Course location

This course is based at Highfield.

Awarding body

This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.

Download the Course Description Document

The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.

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ODT

Download 2024-25 Course Description Document

Entry requirements

Eligibility Criteria

You must have taken recent academic study, completed within the last 3 to 4 years.

Degree

Applicants must hold a 2:1 (or GPA 3.0 out of 4.0) from an undergraduate degree in a non law subject. Applications will be assessed on an institution by institution basis.

Applicants with diploma qualifications will be assessed on an individual basis.

Other requirements

Non-academic entry requirements

LNAT is not required for our programmes.

Got a question?

Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

Course structure

This intensive course focuses on the core modules required by the Bar Council, and the Law Society of England and Wales, for a qualifying law degree.

Year 1 overview

You'll study the following core modules:

Criminal Law
Foundations of Contract Law
Legal Skills
Legal System and Reasoning
Public Law: Foundations

You'll also choose 1 of these optional modules:

Historical Development of the Common Law
Philosophical Perspectives on the Common Law

These modules are designed to give you a deeper understanding of the contested nature of law and legal principle, develop your critical thinking skills, and help you to construct and communicate a persuasive argument.

Year 2 overview

You'll study a core module on the constitutional law of Canada. This will give you an understanding of the political culture in Canada, and its evolution. You'll critically consider how constitutional law is used to mediate deep historical social divisions and tensions, and to foster a social and political culture of tolerance and equality.

Your other core modules will include:

Equity and Trusts
Land Law
Public Law: Administrative Justice

You can also explore a further area of interest by taking 1 module from a list of options, including:

Introduction to Commercial and Maritime Law
Health Care Law
Family Law: Children, Parents and the State
Criminal Justice
Advanced Public Law
Renting Homes: Law and Policy
Youth Justice
International Criminal Law
Law and the Human Body
International Human Rights Law
Globalisation and Law

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

Modules

The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.

For entry in academic year 2025 to 2026

You must study the following modules in year 1:

Criminal Law [AJP]

This version of Criminal Law is delivered for you if you are studying the LLB JD Pathway, the LLB Accelerated programme or the LLB Law with Psychology programme. This module provides an introduction to the substantive criminal law, and to fundamental aspe...

Foundations of Contract Law [AJ]

Foundations of Contract Law is important in a number of different ways. Firstly, it is a building-block module on which other subjects will depend in later years of the degree. Contract law also exemplifies principles of law and techniques of analysis whi...

Legal Skills [AJ]

This module is designed to develop the intellectual, practical and transferable skills needed to study law generally, and to allow you to see how these skills can be employed in legal practice. It builds on the legal knowledge acquired in the first semest...

Legal System and Reasoning [AJ]

This version of Legal System and Reasoning is provided for you if you are studying the LLB JD Pathway or the LLB Accelerated programme. It is a predominantly skills-based module focusing on the legal system of England and Wales, its institutions and prac...

Public Law 1: Foundations [AJ]

This Module, the first of two Public Law Modules, considers fundamental questions of constitutionalism common to both UK and EU legal orders. You will examine the UK Governmental and European Union (EU) institutions, the separation of power between them, ...

You must also choose from the following modules in year 1:

Historical Development of the Common Law [AJ]

The ‘Historical Development of the Common Law' module tells the story of the Common Law and its major developments through a study of some of its most prominent personalities, historical moments and decisive cases. The module charts the development and gr...

Philosophical Perspectives on the Common Law [AJ]

This module provides you with a critical introduction to the philosophical development of the common law through an examination of key concepts and principles within private and public law that are essential for full and critical engagement with the subst...

Learning and assessment

The learning activities for this course include the following:

lectures
classes and tutorials
coursework
individual and group projects
independent learning (studying on your own)

Academic support

You’ll be supported by a personal academic tutor and have access to a senior tutor.

Course leader

Alun Gibbs is the course leader.

Careers

This programme is accredited by the Law Society of England and Wales and the Bar Council of England and Wales as a qualifying law degree, so you'll be ready to train to become a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales.

This 2-year LLB programme may also meet the requirements needed to train in another country, including Canada. You should check with the relevant governing bodies in your chosen area, to make sure.

Our graduates work in:

law (including as solicitors and barristers)
the civil service
the police
probation service and social services
national and international organisations
entertainment
politics
business
accountancy
banking
media

In addition to our strong links to the legal profession, we have a dedicated careers and employability coordinator focused on your graduate opportunities. We organise:

an annual careers fair attended by over 50 law firms, including the top 5 law firms known as the 'Magic Circle' firms
a one-week Employability Skills Programme
prizes awarded to our top-performing students by leading law firms, barristers’ chambers, legal publishers, companies and individuals
presentations and workshops from leading law firms and alumni
writing skills support
visits to law firms, courts, and tribunals
talks on postgraduate study opportunities

Careers services at Southampton

We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you. This support includes:

work experience schemes
CV and interview skills and workshops
networking events
careers fairs attended by top employers
a wealth of volunteering opportunities
study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a vibrant entrepreneurship culture and our dedicated start-up supporter, Futureworlds, is open to every student.

Work in industry

Outside of your studies, you'll find many opportunities to gain skills and give back to your fellow students and wider community. You can shadow and volunteer alongside legal experts, inform college students about their rights and responsibilities, or network at one of our many industry events.

Our students recently worked with national campaign JENGbA (Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association), leading to a landmark Supreme Court ruling. The Supreme Court acknowledged that the law on joint enterprise (relating to crimes where more than one person takes part) had been misinterpreted by the courts for over 30 years.

Fees, costs and funding

Tuition fees

Fees for a year's study:

UK students pay £9,250.
EU and international students pay £24,200.

The Government has recently announced changes to UK tuition fees from September 2025 onwards. We will update our website to reflect this shortly.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and standard exams.

Find out how to:

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.

Explore:

Bursaries, scholarships and other funding

If you're a UK or EU student and your household income is under £25,000 a year, you may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs. Find out about bursaries and other funding we offer at Southampton.

If you're a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.

Get in touch for advice about student money matters.

Scholarships and grants

You may be able to get a scholarship or grant to help fund your studies.

We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from under-represented backgrounds.

Support during your course

The Student Hub offers support and advice on money to students. You may be able to access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

How to apply

When you apply use:

UCAS course code: M102
UCAS institution code: S27

Apply for this course

What happens after you apply?

We will assess your application on the strength of your:

predicted grades
academic achievements
personal statement
academic reference

We'll aim to process your application within 2 to 6 weeks, but this will depend on when it is submitted. Applications submitted in January, particularly near to the UCAS equal consideration deadline, might take substantially longer to be processed due to the high volume received at that time.

Equality and diversity

We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.

Got a question?

Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

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