BA

Law

You are viewing this course for September start 2023

Key Facts

M103

  • UCAS Tariff

    128 - 104

  • Course duration

    3 years

Further details on entry requirements

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The rule of law is fundamental to a fair and civil society, and the study of Law can give you the power to make a difference. Our flagship BA Law degree at Aberystwyth University is delivered by our Department of Law & Criminology which has a long history of offering Law degrees. Some of the most distinguished lawyers, politicians and academics in Wales, the UK and further afield have studied here. On our BA Law degree you will examine the law, how it functions, and explore the fascinating relationship between law, justice and society. As well as studying the foundational legal subjects, you will also have the opportunity to tailor your degree according to your own interests, choosing from a wide range of modules covering contemporary and specialist areas of law. Whether you want a career as a legal professional or want to explore other options, this degree is your first step on your journey to a rewarding career.ey.

Course Overview

This twenty-first century BA Law degree encompasses a range of traditional and contemporary legal subjects and will deliver the skills and competences that will make you ‘career ready’ and enhance your employability in a legal context. 

BA Law is a practical law degree designed to meet employer needs and is taught by experienced legal professionals and academics who are active for large organisations such as GRETA, the Youth Justice Board, and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 

Upon completion, you will be eligible to continue vocational training on the Legal Practice Course (LPC), or the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC). Successful completion of particular modules will grant you exemption from certain professional examinations. 

BA Law offers a number of options, including the opportunity to do a work placement module in different areas of law, or to study abroad in the second year at one of our many partner universities in Europe, USA, Canada and Australia. 

During your degree, you will be able to take advantage of excellent social and professional opportunities such as visits to Law Fairs and Inns of Court in London. You will have the opportunity to enhance your studies by participating in our national and international competing Mooting Society to develop your key advocacy and litigation skills. We also offer a Welsh medium Mooting competition for students who wish to moot through the medium of Welsh. 

Our Staff

Department of Law and Criminology lecturers are mostly either qualified to PHD level or have professional experience and qualifications as practicing lawyers. Many staff also have a PGCE (Higher Education).

Modules September start - 2023

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Contract Law LC13820 20
Criminal Law LC10520 20
Legal Skills and Research LC10420 20
Legal and Criminal Justice Systems LC10120 20
Tort LC11120 20

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Introduction to Criminology LC12220 20
Law in Action LC13220 20

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
European Law LC20720 20
Public Law LC20620 20

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Commercial Law LC26220 20
Company Law LC27220 20
Contemporary Issues in Criminology LC24220 20
Crime and the Media LC24320 20
Drugs and Crime LC28220 20
Environmental Law LC27720 20
Equity and Trusts LC24920 20
Family and Child Law LC26420 20
Human Rights LC25220 20
Humanitarian Law LC27620 20
Intellectual Property Law LC28620 20
International Law LC26920 20
Introduction to Criminology LC22220 20
Labour Law LC26820 20
Land Law LC24820 20
Medicine Ethics and the Law LC26720 20
Police, Policing and Society LC21020 20
Principles of Evidence LC26520 20
Psychological Explanations of Criminal Behaviour LC28120 20
Psychopathology LC29220 20
Sports Law and Society LC27920 20
Treatment and Rehabilitation of Offenders LC29120 20
Victimology LC20820 20
Youth Crime and Justice LC26120 20

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

BA Law from Aberystwyth will make you a strong candidate for training to become a barrister or a solicitor, if that is the path you choose. It will also give you an excellent springboard into a wide range of other career areas. You will graduate with a plethora of important skills that you can present to future employers, which will open up a range of exciting opportunities in areas such as criminology, financial management, business, human resources, international relations, journalism and education.  

Your future is important to us and our degrees will equip you with the following: 

  • the confidence to select and deploy the most appropriate range of legal methodologies 
  • the ability to write and communicate with a range of audiences, evaluating and organising information 
  • the ability to gather, assimilate and interpret a wealth of legal information quickly and accurately 
  • the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form 
  • effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills 
  • the ability to work independently 
  • time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines 
  • self-motivation and self-reliance 
  • team-working skills, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement 
  • research skills. 

Career development opportunities while you study 

Discover more about the various opportunities that our Aberystwyth University Careers Service offers. 

Enhance your employability prospects with GO Wales and our Year in Employment Scheme (YES) which are both managed by our Careers Service.  

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn? 

During your first year you will receive core training in a number of subjects, for example: Contract law, Criminal Law and Tort Law, which must be studied and passed for exemption from the first stage of professional law examinations. You will also examine the structure and development of the English and Welsh Legal system, explore the relationship of the judicial precedent and the court system, and analyse the process of creating legislation and how it is interpreted by judges. 

In your second year and final years you will study a variety of legal topics. 

You will be introduced to the materials and methodologies of European legal orders and learn about the principal features of the legal regimes based on the European Union. 

You will study Public law, conventionally divided into constitutional and administrative law. The United Kingdom is unusual in that it does not have a codified constitution. Whether this has an impact in practice and the way in which the Constitution has adapted and accommodated to changing circumstances will be important themes. 

You will explore Equity and the Law of Trusts and examine the many reasons for Trusts being set up as well as the role of trusts in promoting public policy, the increasing importance of trusts in commercial law, and the role and availability of equitable remedies. 

You will be introduced to the essential principles of Land ownership in England and Wales, and the rights, and the enforceability of the rights of others over land, including the equitable co-owner, the lessee, the mortgagee, the covenantee and the owner of the dominant tenement for the purposes of granting an easement. 

You will also be able to tailor your studies through careful selection from a range of elective modules. 

How will I be taught? 

You will be taught through a combination of innovative and high-quality lectures, tutorials and seminars. 

Our lectures will introduce you to key concepts and relevant up-to-date information. You will also have access to recorded versions of lectures. 

Our tutorials and seminars are an opportunity for you to discuss specific legal themes or topics, and to evaluate and obtain feedback on your individual learning while at the same time improving your construction of legal arguments. 

How will I be assessed? 

You will be assessed through essays, exams, study logs or portfolios and oral presentations including mooting exercises. 

A personal tutor will be assigned to you for the duration of your degree course. Your personal tutor will be your key contact if you have any issues or queries. 

Student Testimonials

Law is a challenging subject which stretches me each and every day and that is exactly why I enjoy it! Thanks to both the brilliant staff and the extensive resources available to students, the challenge remains one which I’ve never felt was out of my grasp. Aberystwyth itself is a great town, ideal for a variety of students. It has something to offer for everyone, and I know of no better place to make close friends. The town is very relaxed and welcoming, and when it is sunny there is no place in the UK I’d rather be. Andrew James Hall

The combination of a brilliant course with a beautiful town is perfect. I have loved studying Law at Aberystwyth over the past 3 years. Although it has been hard work and exhausting, it has been thrilling and challenging as well. All the lecturers, tutors and staff are fantastically friendly and helpful and care about the department and the way modules are taught. The Law library houses everything you need for your degree, so you don’t need to go far. Law attracts so many different personalities and students from different backgrounds and spending 3 years with them is great. The modules offer great choice. William Pryce

Typical Entry Requirements

UCAS Tariff 128 - 104

A Levels ABB-BCC

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4):
English or Welsh

BTEC National Diploma:
DDM-MMM

International Baccalaureate:
30-28

European Baccalaureate:
75%-65% overall

English Language Requirements:
See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Country Specific Entry Requirements:
International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level qualifications, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas or T-levels as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.
Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.

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