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Law with French Law (LLB) (Full-Time, 2021 Entry)

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UCAS Code
M10A

Qualification
Bachelor of Law (LLB)

Duration
4 years full-time

Start Date
27 September 2021

Department of Study
Department of Law

Location of Study
University of Warwick


Law with French Law (LLB) prepares you for the demands of a global legal market. It includes a year studying at a university in France and is aimed at those with a strong grasp of the French language.


Course overview

This degree includes a year abroad studying French law at a university in France and is aimed at those with a strong grasp of the French language. You will develop an excellent understanding of core legal principles of both the English and the French legal systems. Examining the law from a modern, international and critical perspective will equip you for the demands of a global legal market.

You will gain insight into the impact on the law of cultural, economic and political developments, and learn how law affects everyday life in the UK, France and beyond. You will develop advanced legal, research, independent learning and writing skills, and will become a confident communicator, able to participate fully in debates and to present your ideas clearly, both in English and in French.


Course structure

You will spend the first two years at Warwick University. In those two years you will gain a thorough grounding in English Law and at the same time study French Law modules in French. French Law modules are taught by lecturers qualified in the French jurisdiction, and tuition is held in small groups.

Your third year is spent at one of our partner universities in France. Thorough preparation and careful supervision while you are away ensure that you gain the maximum benefit from your year abroad. For the fourth and final year of your studies you will return to Warwick and complete the LLB degree.

Professional qualifications

Currently, a ‘qualifying’ Law degree means that you will have passed the first (academic) stage of training to enter the legal profession as a barrister or solicitor. The process by which a student qualifies as a solicitor in England and Wales is due to change in 2021. We have planned a new curriculum to coincide with these changes, building on our international reputation for teaching law ‘in context’ and providing what we believe to be the best possible preparation for our students to succeed if they choose to pursue a legal career. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has interrupted these plans. Although the changes to professional qualification are going ahead as scheduled, the Solicitors Regulation Authority have announced that all current qualifying law degree arrangements may continue for 2021 entry provided students accept offers on or before 31 August 2021 (this includes those deferring entry from 2020). We have therefore decided to maintain the existing framework of our qualifying degrees for a further year. We will continue to offer the Foundations of Legal Knowledge subjects necessary for both the old and new qualification routes, making our law degree an excellent first step towards a legal career. We are also proceeding with the introduction of new modules and opportunities for practical experience in law which will benefit all those joining us in 2021. It is therefore still very important that you check these course webpages for the latest information before you apply and prior to accepting an offer.


How will I learn?

Many of our modules are delivered by a combination of lectures and seminars. The lectures will introduce you to a particular topic and then you will spend time reading around the topic in preparation for seminar discussion.

We employ a range of innovative teaching methods, such as performance based learning, reflective journals and dramatised dissertations. Research training, personal development and professional development are embedded in your degree. Our contextual approach to law means that we ask for consistent work and for your full commitment throughout the course. In return, we will give you all the support and advice needed to help you realise your full potential.


Contact hours

Typically each module has two hours of lectures per week, plus regular seminars which offer opportunities for legal problem solving and discussion of ethical or policy issues relating to the law. Staff have regular office hours in which you can discuss issues outside of your seminars.


Class size

Typically in lectures, depending on the options chosen, class sizes are between 10-300 students. Core module lectures consist of approximately 300 students. There are approximately 16 students per seminar. Some modules teach through workshops involving 20-30 students.


How will I be assessed?

Although methods of assessment vary for each module, you will generally be expected to write essays and/or sit a two to three hour examination in your modules. As well as essays and exams, we offer a variety of other assessment methods such as group presentations and reflective diaries, with emphasis placed on continuing assessment through class tests, essays and other formative and summative written work. You will also write formative essays for which you will receive detailed feedback in preparation for your final module assessments.

Your second year counts towards 40%, your third year counts towards 20% and your final year counts towards 40% of your final degree mark.


Study abroad

This course features an integral year abroad, in which you will study approved law modules at one of our partner universities in France which currently include Paris, Bordeaux or Lille.


Work experience

Developing your employability skills by engaging in activities outside your degree enables you to relax and to develop important employability skills and position yourself for graduate opportunities. Warwick provides a wealth of extracurricular opportunities including over 250 societies (cultural, sporting, academic, campaigning and performance), volunteering, part-time work and work experience.

The law societies and Law School provide law related projects (Death Penalty Project), competitions (mooting, negotiation, client interviewing) and Pro Bono projects like working with the Central England Law Centre and delivering legal education. The University has its own summer internship programme where successful applicants undertake 6 weeks of paid work experience locally. It provides financial assistance to students who secure short periods of unpaid experience like work shadowing through its work experience bursaries.

Leading graduate recruiters and law firms are keen to meet our students to provide information on their opportunities including open/insight days, internships, vacation and graduate schemes. They deliver presentations, workshops and take part in careers fairs and other events. Each year the Law Fair brings together over 70 major law firms providing students with an opportunity to network with graduate recruiters.

Information is made available to students via the myAdvantage opportunities database, Law School website and social media platforms. The Law School has its own dedicated careers consultant who helps students identify and apply for work experience and other opportunities.

General entry requirements

A level:

  • AAA to include A in French

IB:

  • 38 to include 6 in Higher Level French

BTEC:

  • We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside A level French

Additional requirements:

You will also need to meet our English Language requirements.


International Students

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

Find out more about international entry requirements.


Contextual data and differential offers

Warwick may make differential offers to students in a number of circumstances. These include students participating in the Realising Opportunities programme, or who meet two of the contextual data criteria. Differential offers will be one or two grades below Warwick’s standard offer (to a minimum of BBB).


Warwick International Foundation Programme (IFP)

All students who successfully complete the Warwick IFP and apply to Warwick through UCAS will receive a guaranteed conditional offer for a related undergraduate programme (selected courses only).

Find out more about standard offers and conditions for the IFP.


Taking a gap year

Applications for deferred entry welcomed.


Interviews

We do not typically interview applicants. Offers are made based on your UCAS form which includes predicted and actual grades, your personal statement and school reference.

Professional qualifications

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has interrupted our plans to introduce a new curriculum in 2021. Although the changes to professional qualification are going ahead as scheduled, the Solicitors Regulation Authority have announced that all current qualifying law degree arrangements may continue for 2021 entry provided students accept offers on or before 31 August 2021 (this includes those deferring entry from 2020). We have therefore decided to maintain the existing framework of our qualifying degrees for a further year. We will continue to offer the Foundations of Legal Knowledge subjects necessary for both the old and new qualification routes, making our law degree an excellent first step towards a legal career. We are also proceeding with the introduction of new modules and opportunities for practical experience in law which will benefit all those joining us in 2021. It is therefore still very important that you check these course webpages for the latest information before you apply and prior to accepting an offer.

Year One
description
Criminal Law

You will develop an understanding of the general principles of criminal law and its operation within society, coupled with an awareness of the social and political forces that influence the scope of the law and its enforcement. You will encounter basic concepts of the structure of English Criminal Law, and some knowledge of procedures, theories, and historical and political contexts, so as to understand and debate legal arguments and policy. In your studies, you will be expected to assess and present arguments for and against in open debate and also work collaboratively with your peers on specific tasks.

The Modern English Legal System

This module exposes you to a critical overview of the machinery of justice at the heart of the English legal system and provides you with fluency in fundamental legal techniques. Through the study of law in context, as practised in the Warwick Law School, you will pay particular attention to sources of law, techniques for interpreting cases and statutes, legal rhetoric, making an argument and writing. You will be introduced to key sources of law and be trained in their retrieval and analysis. You will develop these skills through collaborative work and independent study, including online research.

Introduction to Legal Theory

You will engage with fundamental questions about the nature of law, order, and justice. You will consider the impact of political, moral and social theories on ways of thinking about law. You will think, in depth, about the underlying principles of the legal system by studying questions such as the nature of rights, the permissibility of punishment, and the nature of legal obligations. You will have opportunities to develop your research, argumentation, and advocacy skills through class discussion and written engagement with central issues in legal philosophy.

Tort Law

You will examine the law of civil liability for wrongfully inflicted damage or injury: the law of tort. We emphasise the processes and techniques involved in judicial (as opposed to legislative or administrative) law-making; the relevance and responsiveness of doctrines thus developed to society’s actual problems; and the policies and philosophies underlying the rules. As well as acquiring knowledge of the application of these technical areas of law, you will develop skills of legal reasoning and critical judgement, with particular reference to insurance, loss spreading, developing medical knowledge, professional standards and consumer protection. Work is undertaken independently and in debate and collaboration with your peers.

Introduction to French Law and Methodology

This Introduction to French Law and Methodology class is taught in French and runs throughout the year. It will introduce you to the fundamentals of French constitutional law and French legal institutions. During those 2 hours, we encourage participation and class discussion on the basis of newspaper articles and films on current social, political, ethical or legal issues in France and aim to equip you with advanced linguistic competency in French. As the course is taught and assessed in French, you can expect to develop your ability to speak and write good French and become familiar with French legal methodology. You will demonstrate this in an assessed essay and oral presentation raising a political, social and/or legal issue based on a French film or book, and a final exam.

Year Two
General Principles of Constitutional and Administrative Law

All of us are involved in one way or another with government and administration in this country, seeking to exercise certain rights. You will learn about the principles of British public law, both constitutional and administrative, the role of Parliament and courts and many aspects of power at different levels. The emphasis will be on your ability to describe and assess the main elements of public law, drawing on a variety of evidence, and to explain and discuss the ways in which the system of government in the UK is changing and fragmenting, with particular reference to the Human Rights Act 1998, and the status, effect and primacy of European law and arrangements for Brexit.

French Law

On this module, taught in French, you will prepare for studying French Law during your third year at a French University. You will focus on the contemporary French legal system and terminology as a basis for further study of French contract and tort law. You will learn to read, understand and comment on French court cases using the appropriate analytical methodology. You will be encouraged to work independently to plan and manage tasks, including identifying your own primary and secondary legal sources and journals and using French legal terminology both in written and oral work. You will also demonstrate your teamwork skills as part of a small group.

Foundations of European Law

This module introduces you to the institutional structure and substantive laws of the European Union. You will study direct effect, supremacy and fundamental human rights, and engage with topical issues such as the democratic accountability of the European Commission, Council of Ministers, European Council and European Parliament. You will familiarise yourself with the role and function of significant European institutions such as the Court of Justice and Court of First Instance. Working independently, you will use ICT to research databases, in particular the Europa websites. There are opportunities to communicate your understanding orally and in writing, and to identify principles of EU law that apply to specific legal problems.

Contract Law

On this module, you will learn to understand and explain the fundamental principles of contract law, one of the building blocks of the common law and which underlies commercial and consumer law. Using primarily a case-law approach, you will have opportunities to study the relationship between case law and statute and to tackle specific problem-solving tasks that will help you develop both your theoretical knowledge, including your understanding of the social context and function of the courts, and your legal writing skills.

Year Three
Study abroad
Year Four
Law of Trusts

You will study the law of trusts in a variety of areas, from traditional contexts to their modern operation in commercial contexts. In addition to the private law of trusts you will study the law governing the recognition and regulation of charitable (public) trusts. You will also employ critical, contextual and comparative methods to appreciate the nature and operation of trusts law across the full range of contexts in which they operate. Working as an independent researcher, you will apply your knowledge to legal problems and present your evaluation both orally and in writing. You will work also collaboratively on class-based tasks in order to demonstrate your time-management and teamwork skills.

Examples of optional modules/options for current students

Shakespeare and the Law; Social Theory of Law; Human Rights in Practice; Gender and the Law; Climate Change and Law; Corporate Tax Law; Family Law; Crime and Punishment; Medicine and the Law.

Tuition fees

Find out more about fees and funding.


Additional course costs

There may be costs associated with other items or services such as academic texts, course notes, and trips associated with your course. Students who choose to complete a work placement or study abroad will pay reduced tuition fees for their third year.


Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship 2021

We believe there should be no barrier to talent. That's why we are committed to offering a scholarship that makes it easier for gifted, ambitious international learners to pursue their academic interests at one of the UK's most prestigious universities. This new scheme will offer international fee-paying students 250 tuition fee discounts ranging from full fees to awards of £13,000 to £2,000 for the full duration of your Undergraduate degree course.

Find out more about the Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship 2021

Your career

Studying law provides a platform to a wide range of career opportunities within the legal profession and beyond.

Our law graduates train for the Bar and work for leading law firms like:

  • Freshfields
  • Allen and Overy
  • Slaughter and May
  • Clifford Chance
  • Linklaters

They also go on to work for other major employers such as:

  • Goldman Sachs
  • PwC
  • UK Civil Service
  • Financial Conduct Authority
  • British Red Cross
  • Microsoft
  • Accenture

Helping you find the right career

Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant to support you. They offer impartial advice and guidance, together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:

  • Becoming a Solicitor: the office of tomorrow and how to get there
  • Warwick careers fairs including the Law Fair
  • The journey to the Bar including the BPTC and pupillage applications
  • Mooting Master Class
  • How to research Law Firms and Barristers Sets
  • What else can I do with a Law degree other than be a Lawyer (alumni presentations and networking)
  • Workshops on all aspects of the recruitment process including CVs, covering letters, applications and how to prepare for interviews and assessment centres

Find out more about careers support at Warwick.

“Studying French Law has given my Law degree a valuable international perspective and a unique chance to compare two very different legal systems. The year abroad in Bordeaux has been one of the highlights of my time at Warwick.”

Jure

LLB Law with French Law

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2021 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.