Law and Sociology BA
Undergraduate
UCAS course code
Start date
27 September 2027
Study location
University of Warwick
Qualification
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
Law School
Duration
3 Years full-time
Course overview
Our Law and Sociology (BA) joint degree aims to develop your understanding of technical and doctrinal aspects of the law, sociological theory and research, and social problems, institutions and practices.
This joint degree aims to develop your understanding of technical and doctrinal aspects of the law, sociological theory and research, social problems, institutions and practices.
You will also gain a critical awareness of the role that law can play in modern societies and develop both contextual and professional perspectives on the law. This will help you position legal institutions, ideas and processes as an important part of society. Within the subject of sociology, you will explore key phenomena and problems in contemporary society, which may include crime and justice, gender and sexualities, media, race and ethnicities, and global economies.
Important information
We will introduce changes to our Law and Sociology degree for 2027 entry. The degree will change from a 4 year degree to a 3 year degree. We will continue to offer the 4 year degree for entry in 2026. From 2027, students interested in a career in the legal profession will continue to be able to study the essential law modules required by the Bar. Guidance on which optional modules to choose will be provided at the relevant time.
Entry requirements
Please note: Although we do consider the WJEC Applied Diploma in Criminology, if studied alongside only the following A Level subjects; Law, Sociology and Psychology, we consider this a significant overlap of subjects and weaker academic profile than those studying three distinctly different subjects. This would therefore put you at a significant disadvantage.
A level typical offer
AAB
A level additional information
You will also need grade 4/C in GCSE Mathematics and grade 6/B in GCSE English Language. Applicants with grade 6/B in GCSE English Literature and minimum grade 4/C in GCSE English Language may also be considered.
A level contextual offer
We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is ABB. See if you're eligible.
General GCSE requirements
Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
International Baccalaureate (IB) typical offer
34
IB additional information
You will also need grade 6/B in GCSE English Language or International Baccalaureate grade 5 in English A (Higher or Standard Level), grade 5 in Higher Level English B or grade 6 in Standard Level English B. Applicants with grade 6/B in GCSE English Literature and minimum grade 4/C in GCSE English Language may also be considered.
International Baccalaureate (IB) contextual offer
We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is 32. See if you're eligible.
General GCSE requirements
Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
BTEC
We welcome applications from students taking BTECs.
Scotland Advanced Highers
AA in two Advanced Highers and ABB/BBB in three additional Highers subjects OR AB in two Advanced Highers and AAB in three additional Highers subjects.
Welsh Baccalaureate
ABB in three A Levels plus grade C in the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales.
Access to Higher Education Diplomas
We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis.
Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in 12 Level 3 Credits. We may also require subject specific credits or an A level to be studied alongside the Access to Higher Education Diploma to fulfil essential subject requirements.
Additional information
You will also need grade 4/C in GCSE Mathematics or Science and B/6 in GCSE English Language or equivalent. Applicants with grade 6/B in GCSE English Literature and minimum grade 4/C in GCSE English Language may also be considered.
General GCSE requirements
Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
Please adjust your country as required:
This course requires:
Band C
All applicants have to meet our English Language requirements. If you cannot demonstrate that you meet these, you may be invited to take part in our Pre-sessional English course at Warwick.
Does Warwick make contextual offers?
Warwick may make differential offers to students in certain circumstances, such as those who have participated in a Widening Participation programme or who meet the University’s contextual data criteria. These offers are usually one or two grades below Warwick’s standard offer.
Do you offer foundation programmes?
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, for selected courses only. Further details are available in the standard offer and conditions for the IFP.
Can I take a gap year before starting my course?
Yes, Warwick welcomes applications for deferred (gap year) entry.
Will I need to interview for this course?
Warwick does not typically interview applicants. Offers are made based on the UCAS application, including predicted and achieved grades, the personal statement, and the school reference.
Modules
In addition to covering subject-specific content, this three-year joint degree takes an interdisciplinary approach that enables lawyers to understand law in a broad sociological context and helps sociologists to understand legal techniques and institutions.
Having spent the first and second year of your degree developing core sociological and legal skills, in your third year you can choose from a wide range of modules tailored to your academic interests.
We will introduce changes to our Law and Sociology degree for 2027 entry. The degree will change from a 4 year degree to a 3 year degree. We will continue to offer the 4 year degree for entry in 2026.
From 2027, students interested in a career in the legal profession will continue to be able to study the essential law modules required by the Bar. Guidance on which optional modules to choose will be provided at the relevant time.
Note that the module catalogue is subject to change for future years of study, as we evolve our courses in response to the latest developments in academia and industry.
Year 1
Year 2
Students are required to complete two core modules and then select one module from each of the sets of optional core modules. So two optional core modules in total.
Year 3
In your final year you will be required to complete the Supervised Project either as a half or full module, or the Sociology Dissertation module. The remainder of your modules will be selected from the range of optional modules available in the Law School and Sociology Department.
If you are thinking of seeking qualification as a lawyer, our degree courses provide an excellent start to that career goal. If you plan to practice in the UK as a solicitor or barrister, our programmes offer the seven subjects called the ‘Foundations of Legal Knowledge’, which are required for the academic stage of qualification as a barrister and which can all be tested as part of the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).
The SQE does not require you to complete a minimum number of core law subjects. However, it is expected you will study the subjects known as the “Foundations of Legal Knowledge” as a precursor to sitting the SQE. Some of these are part of the core modules for this programme. However, most are optional modules for this programme. We will guide you on the additional modules you would have to choose (Tort Law, EU Law, Property Law or Contract Law, and Law of Trusts) if you wish to practise Law in the UK or in other Common Law jurisdictions.
Please note: Students are required to study a minimum total of 90 credits at level 6 (LA3XX and/or SO3XX modules) and pass 90 credits, including a minimum of 30 credits in Law and 30 credits in Sociology, at Level 6 during the final year to ensure they are eligible for the BA award.
Optional Modules
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:
Fees and funding
Tuition fee
£9,790
On 26 November 2025, the UK government announced that the tuition fee cap for UK undergraduate students for the 2026-27 academic year would increase to £9,790 from the 2025-26 rate of at £9,535.
Students who qualify for government-regulated fees are classed as ‘Home’ students for fees purposes. In future years, fees for continuing students may be subject to an increase in fees in line with any inflationary uplift as determined by the UK Government (if permitted by law or government policy).
The UK Government sets tuition fee rates.
To learn more about how the UK student fees and maintenance loans are set, please visit the UK Government websiteLink opens in a new window and UCASLink opens in a new window.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
Find out more about how universities assess fee statusLink opens in a new window
Funding your studies
Eligibility for student finance (including the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE)Link opens in a new window) will depend on certain criteria, such as your nationality, residency status, course, and previous level of study.
The information below is based on the package of financial support available to students starting their course in 2026.
Check if you're eligible for student financeLink opens in a new window
- Eligible Home students residing in England can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, which is not based on household income, to cover your tuition fees
- The Loan is paid directly to the University so, if you choose to take the full Tuition Fee Loan, you will not need to set up any payments
- You can apply for a Maintenance Loan to help with your living costs, such as accommodation, food, books and bills
- This loan is means-tested, so the amount you receive is partially based on your household income and if you choose to live at home or away from home
- For the latest information about student loans, including how you repay them, visit Student finance for undergraduatesLink opens in a new window
You will repay your loan or loans gradually once you are working and earning above a certain amount. For students starting their course after 1 August 2023 (on Student Finance England’s Plan 5), you will repay when your income is over £25,000 a year.
Repayments will be taken directly from your salary if you are an employee. If your income falls below the earnings threshold or you stop working, your repayments will stop until your income goes back up above this figure.
Find out more about repaying your student loanLink opens in a new window
Learn more about student funding for students ordinarily residing outside of England, including UK Countries and Other British Islands.
- Access thousands of part-time opportunities through our agency Unitemps (such as office work, retail jobs or helping at events)
- Choose to apply for a job as one of our Student Ambassadors to share your own experience at events like Open Days
There are many different funding routes available, including a number of bursaries and scholarships for full-time undergraduates. If you struggle to meet your essential living costs, our Student Funding team will be on hand to offer advice and support.
- Provides additional financial support for qualifying Home students from lower income families of up to £2,500 for eligible students
- This bursary is paid directly into your bank account in three equal termly instalments to help with the costs of studying
- There is no application for this bursary as your details will be provided directly from the student support awarding bodies (Student Finance England, Student Finance Northern Ireland, and Student Awards Agency Scotland)
- A number of scholarship opportunities are open to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.
If you experience financial difficulties during your studies, you may be eligible for Hardship Funding from the University, in the form of an Emergency Loan and/or a non-repayable award
There are no School scholarships available for our Undergraduate courses, however there are other scholarships which you may be eligible for. Please see our scholarships web pages for more information.
Tuition fee
If you are an overseas student enrolling in 2026-27, your annual tuition fees will be as follows:
Band 1 – £27,870 per year (classroom-based courses, including Humanities and most Social Science courses)
Band 2 – £35,530 per year (laboratory-based courses, plus Mathematics, Statistics, Theatre and Performance Studies, Economics, and courses provided by Warwick Business School, with exceptions)
Overseas Tuition fees for 2027-28 academic year have not been set. In future years, fees for continuing students may be subject to an increase in fees in line with an inflationary uplift. Please check our website for updates about 2027-28 fee rates before you apply.
If you are an EU student and eligible for student finance, you may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your fees, please visit our Student Funding webpage for guidance for students ordinarily resident outside of England.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
Find out more about how universities assess fee statusLink opens in a new window
Funding your studies
Eligibility for student finance will depend on certain criteria, such as your nationality, residency status, course, and previous level of study. The information below is based on the package of financial support available to students starting their course in 2026.
Check if you're eligible for student financeLink opens in a new window
Eligible European Union (EU) Undergraduates can apply for a loan to help with the cost of Tuition Fees. Eligible EU students who meet additional residency criteria may also be eligible for a loan to assist with living costs. For more information please see Student Finance for Undergraduates - EU StudentsLink opens in a new window.
- Access thousands of part-time opportunities through our agency Unitemps (such as office work, retail jobs or helping at events)
- Choose to apply for a job as one of our Student Ambassadors to share your own experience at events like Open Days
If you are an international student, you may be eligible for financial help from your own government, from the British Council or from other funding agencies. You can usually request information on scholarships from the Ministry of Education in your home country, or from the local British Council office.
A number of scholarship opportunities are open to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.
If you experience financial difficulties during your studies, you may be eligible for Hardship Funding from the University, in the form of an Emergency Loan and/or a non-repayable award.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.
For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue.
Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2025/26 year of study) Information about module specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:
- Core text books
- Printer credits
- Dissertation binding
- Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Are there any course specific costs?
Please check with the department.
Teaching and learning
Many of our modules are delivered by a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops supported by online materials. The lectures will introduce you to a particular topic and then you will spend time investigating a topic in preparation for seminar discussion or practical exercises.
We employ a range of innovative teaching methods, such as experiential based learning, reflective journals and dramatised dissertations. Research training and personal and professional development are embedded throughout your degree.
Our contextual approach to law means that we also provide opportunities to engage in law-related work outside the curriculum. Across your years with us, we will give you all the support and advice needed to help you realise your full potential.
Typically, in lectures, depending on the options chosen, class sizes are between 10-400 students. Core module lectures consist of approximately 400 students. There are approximately 16 students per seminar. Some modules teach through workshops involving 20-30 students.
First year modules are taught either by two hours of lectures per week and regular seminars, or by two hours of workshops per week with occasional lectures. These teaching methods offer opportunities for legal problem solving and discussion of ethical or policy issues relating to the law. Staff have regular advice and feedback hours in which you can discuss issues outside of your seminars and workshops.
Methods of assessment vary for each module. As well as essays and timed examinations (usually two or three hours), we adopt a variety of other assessment methods such as group and individual 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 assessments for which you will receive detailed feedback in preparation for your final module assessments (formative assessments do not contribute towards your final mark).
Your second and final years count 50% each towards your final degree mark.
All students can apply for an intercalated year abroad at one of our partner universities. Please note that this will extend the duration of your study by one year.
The Study Abroad Team offers support for these activities, and the Department's dedicated Study Abroad Co-ordinator can provide more specific information and assistance.
Careers
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 such as:
- Freshfields
- A&O Shearman
- Hogan Lovells
- Clifford Chance
- Linklaters
They also go on to work for other major employers such as:
- Goldman Sachs
- PwC
- UK Civil Service
- Financial Conduct Authority
- Microsoft
And Third Sector organisations like:
- British Red Cross
- Unlocked Graduates
- Think Tanks and Social Enterprises
Helping you find the right career
Warwick Law School 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:
- Warwick careers fairs including the Law Fair
- Law firm presentations and employer panels such as Working in Civil Liberties and Human Rights Law; Working within In-House Law
- Insight programme at the Crown Prosecution Service
- Law workshops have included e.g. Becoming a Solicitor, The journey to the Bar, Working for the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, and LPC or SQE
Workshops on the legal recruitment process including CVs, covering letters, applications and preparing for interviews and assessment centres with law firms.
Our Student Opportunity (Careers) department offer a wide range of workshops, from developing confidence and interview techniques to learning how to articulate what you have to offer in order to impress potential employers. Online resources are also available, including training in drafting CVs and covering letters, practice aptitude and psychometric tests, practice online interviews, and other resources to help you research job opportunities. The myAdvantage databaseLink opens in a new window also advertises job, placement and internship vacancies that are from employers who are targeting Warwick students for their recruitment.
Engaging in activities outside your degree enables you to develop important employability and personal skills and position yourself for graduate opportunities. Vacation Schemes and other work experience are available at Law Firms. Many Barristers' Chambers offer short periods of work experience (mini-pupillages). There are opportunities to gain experience working In-house and there are a wide range of virtual work experience programmes for law. Law firms value a wide range of experience including involvement in extra-curricular activities and volunteering.
Extracurricular activities
Warwick provides a wealth of extracurricular opportunities including over 250 societies (cultural, sporting, academic, campaigning and performance), volunteering, part-time work and work experience. Warwick Volunteers provides opportunities to take part in both one off and ongoing volunteering projects and many students also secure part-time jobs both on and off campus.
Live legal projects
The Law School has a strong tradition of working with students on live legal projects.
Warwick Law in the Community (LinC)
This programme cultivates opportunities for you to gain practical experience in law while also making a meaningful contribution to our community locally, nationally and internationally.
We work collaboratively with various organisations to create opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students to gain practical experience in law and actively contribute to advancing social justice. We offer opportunities in more traditional forms of legal advice and practice, but we also look beyond these to expose students to alternative ways of doing and thinking about law, including writing, research and journalism, advocacy, education and digital technology.
LinC offers volunteering opportunities through our Strategic Social Justice Clinic projects and the Immigration and Asylum Clinic which run throughout the year in conjunction with Central England Law Centre. We also run projects with a number of other external partner organisations. Students who have volunteered for either of our Clinics or on any other LinC projects are eligible to apply for our paid summer internships, which offer interns the opportunity to work with partner organisations on a range of exciting and in-depth projects.
US Student Death Penalty Project
We have operated a US Death Penalty Project in association with attorneys in the USA for over 20 years.
Lacuna Magazine
Our in-house Lacuna Magazine provides the chance to be involved in journalistic writing, editing and publication.
Student Societies
Student-led law societies also run competitions (mooting, negotiation, client interviewing) and their own Pro Bono projects.
University support for internships
Warwick provides financial assistance to some students who secure short periods of unpaid experience, such as work shadowing through its work experience bursaries and provides information on work experience and internships through its myAdvantage careers platform and Law School online Student Hub.
Meeting recruiters
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 law firms providing students with an opportunity to network with graduate recruiters and alumni. 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.
Life at Warwick
This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It’s more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.
Our campus
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.
Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus
Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.
Teaching facilities
Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.
- Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
- The University Library
- Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more
Supporting you
Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.
Whether you live in a campus residence or in partnership accommodation off campus, you’ll be part of a community to get the most from your experience at Warwick.
Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at Warwick. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Explore Warwick Students' Union societies and sports clubsLink opens in a new window
Why Warwick
Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At Warwick, it’s where you discover who you could become.
74th
Warwick is ranked 74th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables
(QS World University Rankings 2026Link opens in a new window, see our Reputation page for details)
4th
in the UK by the UK's top 100 graduate employers
(The Graduate Market in 2026, High Fliers Research Ltd.Link opens in a new window)
92%
Of our research has been assessed to be 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent' in the Research Excellence Framework
Gold
Awarded Gold in all categories
(Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023Link opens in a new window)
Our alumni community still call Warwick home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.
As Warwick graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.
About the department
8th
for Research Excellence in Law
(Research Excellence Framework UK 2021Link opens in a new window)
11th
In the UK
(The Guardian University Subject Guide 2025Link opens in a new window)
Established in 1968, now with over 1,000 students and 70 full-time staff, we have evolved into one of the leading Law Schools in the UK. Our teaching standards and research quality consistently receive high ratings, and we maintain a strong research culture with all staff actively researching in their preferred areas.
Warwick Law School is based within the Social Sciences Building. Visit our website to learn more about our School.
U-ML33/FullTime
About the page
We have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history.
This information is applicable for 2027 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 web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to Warwick.
Next steps
Experience campus at an Open Day. Can't visit? Receive regular email updates or ask current students and staff questions about life at Warwick.