University of Manchester

LLB in Law

LLB Law offers a distinctive approach to legal education from a globally recognised institution that brings together research-informed study and practice-led approaches to law.

You will study the foundations of law in England and Wales, as well as your specific interests by choosing from a broad range of optional units offered by our diverse team of academics and practitioners. You will be challenged to analyse and critique the law, and understand the social, economic, ethical and political contexts in which it operates.

The course enables you to develop the skills, knowledge and experience to be highly employable, and gives you the confidence to forge your own professional development beyond undergraduate study, whether you have ambitions to practise law or enter a different field of work.

Our Justice Hub is a centre for excellence in clinical legal education and offers free legal advice to members of the public. Volunteering here gives you the opportunity to contribute to our partnerships with the public, charitable and private sectors and play your part in our commitment to social responsibility.

Learning through reflection and collaboration, and applying your studies in practice, you can help contribute towards access to justice for some of the most vulnerable, marginalised and disadvantaged in society.

Studying at one of the UK's most globally connected universities means you gain a global perspective on law, reflected in our teaching and your experience as a member of our academic community.

Special features

Launch yourself into law
Study our Introduction to Law and Legal Skills course to explore law's role in the world, using contemporary issues to inspire your learning and skills.

Volunteer at our Justice Hub

Get involved with our Justice Hub , comprising of the Legal Advice Centre, Manchester Free Legal Help, the Manchester Innocence Project and the Dementia Law Clinic.

It is a centre for excellence in clinical legal education and offers free legal advice to the public. You raise awareness of issues of access to justice, while empowering individuals to take control of their legal problems.

Shape the future through LegalTech

Engage with LegalTech throughout your studies, exploring cutting-edge digital futures to gain a greater understanding of this new area of legal practice.

Gain a global perspective

Experience and understand different legal cultures and perspectives, broaden your studies, and discover different disciplines and styles of education through Study Abroad.

We have excellent relationships with numerous partner universities across the world.

Community beyond the classroom

Make the most of your time at Manchester with our student-led societies. They are a great way to meet students, connect with prospective employers and enhance your CV through organised events.

Teaching and learning

Our teaching is driven by active and innovative approaches to learning, aimed at inspiring and supporting you as you develop throughout your degree.

You will be challenged to reflect on what you are taught to develop intellectual independence and graduate skills.

Contact time of lectures, seminars, and workshops amount to a minimum of 10 hours per week.

In total, you will spend about 40 hours per week studying, comprised of taught sessions and guided independent learning.

Lectures are delivered to a large cohort of students, covering an overview of a particular subject.

Workshops and seminars are integral to our active learning and research-oriented approach.

In small groups, you discuss, present, and apply the law based on what you have learnt.

Our teaching is enhanced by our virtual learning environment which enables you to engage with peers, academics and interactive content to further your studies.

You will develop independent and teamwork skills, furthering your knowledge through research and learning to communicate complex concepts to a range of audiences.

You will be encouraged to respond to feedback from peers and staff to apply your understanding of the law in your academic work.

Your experience and well-being are an integral aspect of our teaching and learning.

To ensure that you feel supported, we provide you with an Academic Advisor, a Peer Mentor, and a student representative to present student views and experiences in regular staff and student committee meetings.

Coursework and assessment

Through your assessments, you will demonstrate graduate skills that prepare you for a range of careers. Methods of assessment include:

• exams;
• coursework;
• short exercises or written pieces such as case reports and reflective diaries;
• problem-based multiple choice questions;
• oral presentations;
• portfolios and project work.

We will support you through detailed feedback to help you improve and progress in your studies.

Course content for year 1

Year 1 provides you with the foundation of your legal studies.

You will study four full-year subjects:

• Introduction to Law and Legal Skills;
• Contract Law;
• Criminal Law;
• Public Law.

Course content for year 2

In Year 2, you will study two more full-year foundational subjects that build upon concepts and skills from Year 1:

• Land Law (30 credits);
• Law of Torts (30 credits).

You will also select three 20-credit subjects from a range of specially designed units which develop your foundational studies. The current units offered are:

• Human Rights
• Law in a Global Context
• Principles and Practice of Commercial Law
• Law in Practice (simulated)

You will continue to develop legal and academic skills that will enable you to reach your full potential in your final year.

Course content for year 3

In your final year, you will select six 20-credit subjects which consider specialised and in-depth areas of law and legal practice. Our optional subjects give you the opportunity to engage with our world-leading research specialisms.

You also have a choice to write a dissertation in place of one of these courses and to take options from elsewhere in the Faculty of Humanities and the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning.

Please note that course units available are subject to change annually.

Students wishing to satisfy the professional requirements for the academic stage of training for the Bar Standards Board must take certain course units.

We are a top 10 UK University for law (QS University World Rankings by subject 2020).

The University of Manchester has an excellent reputation for employability. For the past 5 years, we have been in the UK's Top Two most targeted universities by the UK's top 100 employers (High Fliers Graduate Market Report, 2020 - 2024).

The Law School embeds employability across its courses and has excellent links with legal professions, business and the public sector. Our graduates have an impressive record of securing employment.

The award-winning Justice Hub provides opportunities for you to volunteer, putting your legal knowledge into practice by undertaking legal advice work.

Our students have achieved success in national and international mooting and client interviewing competitions and are encouraged and supported by staff and peers.

We run employability sessions giving you the opportunity to meet employers and offer workshops delivered by in-house specialists. You will benefit from unique training, networking and skills development opportunities.

Careers Service

The University has its own dedicated and award-winning Careers Service that works closely with Law to provide specialist advice tailored to you, offering insights into careers in the legal sector as well as other top employers.

You will have full access to the Careers Service as a student and for two years after you graduate, providing opportunities to help boost your employability

Solicitors Qualifying Exam preparation

The Law School has collaborated with global legal education provider BARBRI to offer our students and alumni a comprehensive preparation programme for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE). This collaboration creates a pathway to qualify as a solicitor, learning from BARBRI's industry-leading legal education to prepare for the SQE.

BARBRI offer the prep courses at The University of Manchester at least twice per year on a full-time and part-time basis to support those working alongside their studies.

Recognition by the Bar Standards Board

You will have the opportunity to study courses that cover the foundations of legal knowledge, which are necessary to satisfy the academic component of training to become a barrister in England and Wales.