LLB

Law and International Relations

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If you like to be challenged and stimulated, the LLB Law with International Relations degree at Aberystwyth University could be the course for you. This degree will give you the opportunity to explore two complementary disciplines through an exciting mix of topics covering traditional and contemporary legal and international relations practice. In the 21st Century, the practice of law and international relations is wide-ranging and exists in a global context. While examining the legal and criminal justice systems, you will also delve into the cultural and social aspects of these disciplines - looking at the ways in which these influence practice and the impact of law and international relations on society across the globe.  

LLB Law with International Relations at Aberystwyth University will give you the opportunity to explore the big questions relating to ideology and ethics as well as legal debates and policies. You will explore and discuss the global challenges that face the world today, come to understand what those challenges are and examine the opportunities and obstacles that shape how we manage them. This degree will provide you with "real world" capabilities, enabling you to shape your own future and develop a rewarding career. 

Course Overview

The LLB Law and International Relations degree at Aberystwyth University is a well-balanced course combining theory and practice and is designed to meet employer needs and expectations. Elements of the degree are recognised by the Bar Standards Board and the Solicitors Regulation Authority - a direct route into the legal profession. 

For the Law elements of the degree, you will be taught in our Department of Law & Criminology which has been teaching Law degrees since 1901. You will examine the law, how it functions, and the 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 optional modules covering contemporary and specialist areas of law. 

In addition, you will be able 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. 

For the International Relations elements of the degree you will be taught in our Department of International Politics - the world’s first university department of International Politics - founded in 1919 after the end of the First World War. You will study the concepts, practices, policies, histories and regions that make up international politics as a discipline and explore the ways in which all these factors are undergoing radical transformation in the twenty-first century. 

You will also have exciting opportunities to participate in the renowned three-day role-playing exercise called 'Crisis Games', the prestigious Parliamentary Placement Scheme, and to contribute to the oldest student-run international politics journal, 'Interstate'.  

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).

Lecturers in the Department of International Politics are all research active and qualified to PhD level, and most also have a PGCHE.

Modules September start - 2025

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
Behind the Headlines * IP12620 20
Exploring the International 1: Central Concepts and Core Skills * IP12420 20
Legal and Criminal Justice Systems * LC10120 20

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Globalization and Global Development IP12520 20
Politics in the 21st Century * IP12920 20
The Making of the Modern World: War Peace and Revolution since 1789 IP12820 20
War, Strategy and Intelligence IP10320 20
Contract Law LC13820 20
Criminal Law * LC10520 20
Tort LC11120 20

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
International Relations: Perspectives and Debates IP20120 20

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
A War on the Mind: Propaganda and Secret Intelligence from the Great War to the 21st Century IP28320 20
Capitalism and International Politics IQ22820 20
Climate Change Politics IP21420 20
Climate Change and International Politics in the Anthropocene IP20720 20
Contemporary Latin America IP28720 20
Devolution and Wales IP25020 20
International Politics and Global Development IP29220 20
Intervention and Humanitarianism IQ20220 20
Militaries and Crisis: Where Strategy Meets Society IP20820 20
People and Power: Understanding Comparative Politics Today IQ23920 20
Political Theory IP22220 20
Politics in Diverse Societies IQ23720 20
Questions of International Politics IP26820 20
Russian intelligence from Lenin to Putin IQ24920 20
Science, Technology, and International Relations IP23020 20
Strategy, Intelligence and Security in International Politics IQ25120 20
Terrorism & Counter Terrorism in the Modern World: Policing, Intelligence & War IP24520 20
The BRICS in World Politics IQ20320 20
The European Union: Politics, Policies, Problems IP23820 20
The Governance of Climate Change: Simulation Module IP22320 20
The Second World War in Europe IP26420 20
Total War, Total Peace IQ23420 20
Trade Wars and the Liberal Order IQ21620 20
War Crimes IQ25720 20
Warfare after Waterloo: Military History 1815-1918 IP25320 20
Climate Change and Environmental Law LC27720 20
Commercial Law LC26220 20
Company Law LC27220 20
Contract Law * LC23820 20
Criminal Law * LC20520 20
Drugs and Crime LC28220 20
Employment Law LC26820 20
Equity and Trusts LC24920 20
European Law LC20720 20
Family and Child Law LC26420 20
Human Rights LC25220 20
Intellectual Property Law LC28620 20
International Law LC26920 20
Land Law LC24820 20
Legal Skills and Research * LC20420 20
Medicine Ethics and the Law LC26720 20
Public Law LC20620 20
Technology, Artificial Intelligence and the Law LC22420 20
Tort * LC21120 20

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
A War on the Mind: Propaganda and Secret Intelligence from the Great War to the 21st Century IP38320 20
Business Law and Practice and Solicitors Accounts LC31420 20
Capitalism and International Politics IQ32820 20
Climate Change Politics IP31420 20
Climate Change and Environmental Law LC37720 20
Commercial Law LC36220 20
Company Law LC37220 20
Contemporary Latin America IP38720 20
Criminal Law LC30520 20
Criminal Law and Practice LC31620 20
Devolution and Wales IP35020 20
Dispute Resolution in Contract and Tort LC31520 20
Dissertation IP30040 40
Drugs and Crime LC38220 20
Employability Skills for Professionals LC36620 20
Employment Law LC36820 20
Equity and Trusts * LC34920 20
European Law * LC30720 20
Family and Child Law LC36420 20
Human Rights LC35220 20
Intellectual Property Law LC38620 20
International Law LC36920 20
Intervention and Humanitarianism IQ30220 20
Land Law * LC34820 20
Law and Criminology Dissertation LC39020 20
Legal Practice and Public Law LC31320 20
Medicine Ethics and the Law LC36720 20
Militaries and Crisis: Where Strategy Meets Society IP30820 20
Political Theory IP32220 20
Politics in Diverse Societies IQ33720 20
Property Law and Practice LC31820 20
Public Law * LC30620 20
Questions of International Politics IP36820 20
Russian intelligence from Lenin to Putin IQ34920 20
Science, Technology, and International Relations IP33020 20
Technology, Artificial Intelligence and the Law LC32420 20
Terrorism & Counter Terrorism in the Modern World: Policing, Intelligence & War IP34520 20
The BRICS in World Politics IQ30320 20
The European Union: Politics, Policies, Problems IP33820 20
The Second World War in Europe IP36420 20
Total War, Total Peace IQ33420 20
Trade Wars and the Liberal Order IQ31620 20
War Crimes IQ35720 20
Wills, Trusts and Estates Law and Practice LC31720 20

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

What can I do with a degree in Law and International Relations?

Employability is embedded within all our courses. Our degrees provide a solid foundation for a vast array of careers across a range of sectors. In a rapidly shifting global economy, our graduates are adaptable and are able to draw on a range of transferable skills to ensure that they are always in demand.

A degree in Law and International Relations will open up a range of exciting opportunities for you. The Law part of your degree will make you a strong candidate for further training to become a barrister or a solicitor. International relations is a diverse field that allows you to investigate the complexities of relationships between different countries. You will be able to apply this understanding to the world of work.

You will be well placed to work in a range of sectors including law, international relations, the civil service, government research, NGOs, legal work, criminology, business, human resources, journalism and education.

Transferable skills

During this degree you will gain the following skills and abilities:

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

What opportunities for work experience will be available to me while I study?

Taking part in the Parliamentary Placement Scheme will be an opportunity for you to develop practical skills such as writing reports and speeches, undertaking research projects, and responding to constituency issues.

You may have the option to follow the Employability Skills for Professionals module which provides practical and specific workplace experience to enhance your future employability prospects in chosen fields. Places on the module are not guaranteed for any student and may be allocated through an interview process.

Other Opportunities

Discover more about the various opportunities that our Careers Service offers, including the opportunity to enhance your employability prospects with GO Wales and the Year in Employment Scheme (YES).

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn? 

During your first year, you will be introduced to Legal and Criminal Justice Systems, central concepts and core skills in International Relations with the choice of other modules such as Criminal Law or Politics in the 21st Century. 

In your second year, you will be able to tailor teaching and learning to your academic interests by selecting modules from a range of topics including commercial law, international law, international relations and global inequality & world politics. 

In your third year, there is a sole focus on Law-related modules. You can build on modules chosen in your second year or choose something completely new. These include criminal law through to the treatment and rehabilitation of offenders. 

How will I be taught? 

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials and seminars. 

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

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

How will I be assessed? 

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

You will be assigned a personal tutor throughout your time at Aberystwyth. This personal tutor will be your key contact with any issues or queries, whether academic or personal. 

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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