Law (with Placement Year)

Influence real change with our immersive and expert-led LLB Law degree

Get ready to think on your feet, build strong arguments, and make life-changing decisions with a practical Law degree at Mary’s University, London. You’ll dive into fascinating topics like criminal law, human rights, business, and family law while getting real-world legal experience. It’s your chance to learn how the law shapes every part of our lives – and start making a real impact.

Our course is a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD), so you can become a barrister through the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) or a solicitor through the Solicitor’s Qualification Exam route (SQE).

The UK’s home of practical legal education
On our LLB law degree, you’ll get real-world, practical experience, and exclusive volunteering opportunities that let you work on actual cases.

• Only at St Mary's London can you take clinical modules that see you working at the Royal Courts of Justice and the Central Family Court.

• Amicus: Our students have the opportunity to help real people facing the death penalty in the US. You’ll also gain training in US capital defence law and procedure, legal research, evidence, and professional conduct.

• At St Mary’s Law Clinic, you’ll collaborate with the leading law firm Hodge, Jones & Allen to analyse real legal problems and advise the local community.

Working with legal professionals from day one
As our Law degree is based in London, we’ll take regular field trips to prominent legal institutions in the capital, like The Supreme Court and The Houses of Parliament. You’ll also attend exciting talks and workshops to build your network, understanding, and practical skills.

Supportive and expert lecturers giving high-quality teaching
During your Law course, you’ll get clinical ‘real-world’ expertise, individual guidance, and consistent feedback to ensure you reach your full potential. Many of our lecturers are still practising in the UK and abroad, so they’ll teach and support you on current issues around non-governmental organisations (NGOs), mental health, domestic violence, and UN law.

We’re a small university, and St Mary’s students feel valued here: lecturers will get to know you and be committed to your development.

Get stuck in at our moot court
We have a permanent moot court on campus. This space provides our students plenty of opportunity to try their hand at mooting, negotiation, debating, client interviewing and presenting. Mooting is when you'll take part in a mock court proceeding. You'll be arguing a hypothetical legal case in front of a judge. This will help you develop your critical thinking and public speaking skills.

Hear from our students
Sophie, law student – “The support that students are offered is nothing short of excellent and I've really enjoyed working as a part of a smaller cohort.”
Muksaan, law student – “My lecturers have played a significant part in guiding me as they go out of their way to help and provide guidance.”

About the Placement Year
A placement year enables you to undertake a year of experience in an organisation between your second and final year. It will enable you to:

• apply the knowledge and skills you gain from your course in a work setting

• build your commercial awareness and insights into organisations and industries you might want to work in

• develop your professional skills through company training, networking skills and confidence in the workplace

• get some great experience for future job applications or even land a graduate job.

Support from St Mary’s every step of the way
Securing a placement can really help you develop your job search skills and the Employability Service placement and Careers Teams can support you to find and apply for available opportunities.

Please note: in the event that you cannot secure a placement you will be able to transfer onto the three year version of your degree programme.

During the first year of the programme, you will be introduced to the nature of law and its interaction with society and to some of the 'Foundations of Legal Knowledge.' In the second year you will build on the knowledge and skills in the first year and continue to study the 'foundations of legal knowledge' develop the key skills of analysis and fact management. During the second year you will be able to choose from a range of specialist option modules, according to your own academic interests and potential career aspirations. In the final year you study subjects in greater depth and will study the final 'Foundations of Legal Knowledge', Equity and Trusts. As a single honours student you will also carry out supervised research project on a topic of your choice. You will be able to enhance your specialist knowledge through studying a range of dedicated modules.