Law in Practice with a Foundation Year

The LLB Law in Practice at Swansea University is a four-year degree that has been carefully designed to be an intellectually rigorous and innovative programme, that also provides you with valuable workplace exposure.

Grounded in a commitment to academic excellence, and informed by research, the programme combines both theory and practice, enabling you to gain a detailed understanding of how the law works within its broader social, political and economic context. You will be required to critically engage with legal principles and their impact on society, developing analytical thinking, ethical reasoning, and a global perspective.

You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the foundations of legal knowledge, including Contract Law, Tort Law, Criminal Law, Public Law, Land Law, Equity and Trusts, and EU Law. These core subjects satisfy the academic stage of training required by the Bar Standards Board, and provide a strong basis for those wishing to take the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).

In the third year of your LLB, you will undertake a paid internship with an employer in a legal setting. This will allow you to experience legal practice firsthand, where you can pick up key skills that will be infinitely useful in your future career.

As your studies progress, you can tailor your degree through a wide range of optional modules in areas such as Human Rights, Medical Law, Cybercrime, Environmental Law, Family Law and World Trade. This flexibility allows you to pursue your interests whilst developing specialist expertise.

Our Law in Practice programme places a strong emphasis on equipping you with the skills necessary for professional life. The curriculum is carefully designed to reflect the evolving landscape of legal education, including the changes introduced by the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), while maintaining the value of a traditional law degree.

You will be supported throughout the programme in developing a broad range of skills, such as legal writing, oral presentation and problem-solving. The inclusion of multiple-choice question (MCQ) assessments, which are a key feature of the SQE, ensures that you are prepared for contemporary professional requirements.

As well as in your Year in Practice, opportunities to gain real-world experience are embedded throughout the degree, including participation in the Law Clinic, where you can provide advice to clients under supervision, and there are opportunities to take part in mooting, negotiation, and client interviewing competitions.

Your first year of study will be your Foundation Year at The College. This covers a mix of key themes in law, combined with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in your degree. Themes of study include:

Legal Skills, Criminal Law, Critical Thinking, Composition and Style

On successful completion of your Foundation Year, you will move to Singleton Campus to complete your LLB degree.

Years 2 and 3 consist of the core areas of a law degree, with the option to select some of your own modules in both years. Across Years 1 and 2, you will typically study areas including:

Criminal Law, Equity and Trusts, Law of Contract, Law of Tort, Legal System, Property Law, Public Law and Skills for the Study of Law

Year 4 (Level S) will be spent at a paid internship in a legal setting. You will take the internship module (LA-S000) and be assessed throughout the year and receive an overall module mark with feeback for each element. If the mark attained for your placement year (Level S) is not to your advantage (i.e. does not improve your overall weighted average) then it will not be counted towards your overall degree classification.

Your final year consists entirely of optional modules allowing you to shape your own learning. We have a wide range of optional modules, you will typically study areas including:

Cybercrime, Family Law, Intellectual Property Law, Science and Technology, Media Law, Medical Law, Company Law, Trade, Advocacy and Human Rights

We offer a variety of assessment methods within our programmes. In addition to traditional examinations and essays, examples of alternative assessment can include:

• Writing a letter of advice to a client
• Blog and poster writing
• Group-based tasks
• Reflective Exercises
• Presentations