Introduction to the LLB and ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Law
The LLB programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science is a leading undergraduate law degree, delivered at one of the world's top law schools. In the 2023 QS World University rankings for Law and Legal Studies, ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Law was ranked 7th (out of 300 worldwide), and 1st in London. The ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ law student body is one of the most cosmopolitan and diverse in the world with half of the class being international students.
At ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, students learn that law is not a body of knowledge stored in libraries, but a presence all around us, constantly evident in our social, civil and business interactions. To study law with us is not to amass large quantities of stored information, but to explore key issues of fundamental importance to society.
ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Law School is one the UK's leading legal research institutions. This means that students benefit from being immersed in an environment where academics not only have extraordinary levels of knowledge to impart, but also actively contribute to the development of law, exploring how the law can provide solutions to issues of contemporary significance. However, you shouldn’t assume that because our staff are leading researchers you will be taught by part-time teachers; the vast majority of your teaching on the LLB will be done by permanent members of staff.
The identity of ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Law School is inextricably linked to its geographical location in the heart of UK legal life. Our campus is adjacent to both the Royal Court of Justice and Lincoln's Inn, one of the four Inns of Court of which all barristers must be members. All four Inns are within a ten-minute walk of our campus. Also within close proximity are the offices of some of London’s most prominent solicitors. Students are immersed in the legal community from the very start of their degree, with a events hosted at the Law Society and Inns of Court, and legal practitioners regularly being involved in events on campus.
Programme structure
The objectives of the LLB degree are:
- to equip students with a sound understanding of the foundations of legal knowledge, enabling them to obtain exemption from the common professional examination
- to offer students the opportunity to study law from an extensive catalogue of optional subjects, covering the broad range of legal knowledge
- to develop students' analytical and research skills, equipping them with the generic skills they will need in their future careers, whether legal or not
- to expose students to a wide range of disciplinary approaches to legal study, encouraging them to reflect on the complexity of legal practice and of the variety of ways of understanding law's role in contemporary society#
Year one (compulsory courses)
The first year of the LLB is known as the Intermediate year and consists of five compulsory courses:
LL141 Introduction to Legal Systems
LL142 Contract Law
LL143 Tort Law
Years two and three (course options)
In the second year students choose four courses from our . In the third year students choose three more options and take one compulsory course in Jurisprudence.
Teaching delivery
The delivery of teaching and learning on the LLB complements the degree’s aims and content. Large courses are taught through a combination of lectures and small classes. Classes are more interactive and involve groups of around 15 students in discussion with either a member of academic staff or a research student about particular aspects of the material covered in the lecture.
Seminars are two-hour classes of up to 25 students. Sometimes these will involve small group discussions, or collective class discussions with a member of academic staff, while at other times seminars may consist of academic or student-led presentations. You can expect a challenging, thought-provoking and ultimately rewarding experience.
Assessment
Written work and other types of formative assessment are set for courses each term and marked by academics. Feedback is provided on those assessments.
Most summative assessment (i.e. assessment which contributes to your final degree result) takes the form of an exam in the Spring term. The exams will normally require the writing of essays or answers to legal problems.