Law
Is Law right for me?
If you are interested in the application of rules, the control of the country and how
people’s rights are exercised then law is well suited to you. A law degree will focus on
many different areas of law and their application in everyday life. You will need strong Alevels and good time management for this degree. The skills you can gain from a degree
in law are wide-ranging, transferable and provide a good basis for employment in almost
any sector as well as specific jobs in relation to law.
Are all Law degrees the same?
All universities will offer a slightly different degree course with varied modules. Typically,
the first two years will be more prescriptive with a large number of compulsory modules
which will give you a good foundation upon which to choose modules later on. Each
university will provide information about how their degrees work in their prospectus and
on their website.
Will I have to do extra training after my law degree in
order to qualify as a solicitor or barrister?
There are three stages to qualifying as a solicitor or a barrister:
•
Academic stage: this requires a degree in law, providing the relevant programme
has been designated as a ‘Qualifying Law Degree’ by the professional bodies which
regulate the legal profession.
•
Vocational Stage: the nature of this stage depends on whether you wish to
become a solicitor or barrister. For solicitors you will need to complete a Legal
Practice Course (LPC), for barristers, a Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC).
Both courses are one year in length and predominately focus on the development
of practical skills.
•
Training stage: following the successful completion of the LPC or BPTC, aspiring
lawyers must undertake a period of training with a firm of solicitors or as a pupil
barrister within chambers. For solicitors the training period is two years
and for barristers it is one year.
How will I spend my time?
Most universities schedule between 15-20 hours of actual teaching per week for law
degrees. This teaching time is usually split between lectures and seminars. Lectures will
often be with the whole year group of between 150-200 people. Lecturers will give their
view on a subject and no participation is usually required other than note-taking.
Seminars are different in that they require you to do some sort of preparation
beforehand. Seminars will generally have between 15-20 students. Seminars are heavily
discussion-based, allowing you to share and develop your ideas. With these, the more
time you put into preparation of material for seminars, the more value you will get out of
them.
Skills you gain from a Law degree?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Specialist legal knowledge
Analysis (of rules, principles, reasoning)
Developing persuasive arguments
Communication
Listening
Team-working
Autonomy
Planning and managing workload
Motivation
Initiative and independence
Identifying and reflecting on individual strengths
Good IT skills.
These skills are essential for any aspiring lawyer but will also assist you in obtaining any
sort of professional or managerial level employment. Common destinations for law
graduates include the civil service, police, accountancy, armed forces and probation
service.
Law at Swansea
At Swansea the first two years of study are dedicated to the study of seven core modules,
which leaves our students with a wide range of choices during their final year.
The benefit of this approach is that it gives our students the option to choose
from an impressive array of optional modules, thereby enabling them to tailor
their degree to their interests, career plans and strengths.
The two main methods of teaching at Swansea are the large group lecture and small
group seminar:.
You will receive a series of lectures for each module except for the dissertation module.
The purpose of lectures is to enable students to see the broad framework of the subject,
to communicate the content of the law as it stands at that point in time and to provide an
insight into the values which underpin the subjects covered.
Seminars are common to all modules and are held on a fortnightly basis. The format of
seminars differs widely between modules. They may involve a general discussion directed
by the lecturer, group work or even individual presentations. All seminars involve
detailed consideration of previously distributed questions.
In addition to attending lectures and seminars, a typical day in the life of a Swansea law
student will involve 3-4 hours of independent study, either preparing for seminars or
completing coursework. For times when our students are not studying, Swansea law
offers a range of extracurricular activities:
Work Experience: Opportunities for work placements include a one-year long paid
placement with a local law firm, open on a competitive basis, to students who have
successfully completed Level 2 of the undergraduate programme. In addition, the School
of Law also offers a number of exciting opportunities, in conjunction with local criminal
justice agencies, for students who have completed the criminal law module during level 2
of their degree. These opportunities include short-term work placements in institutions
like the Swansea Office of the Crown Prosecution Service and at the Swansea Crown
Court.
Finally, law students can undertake a four-week overseas internship in Counter-terrorism
and Criminal Justice in Oklahoma, USA. This internship takes place during the summer
period and it enables students to gain experience observing courtroom trials, visiting
correctional facilities and gaining first-hand experience of the work of the Oklahoma
State Bureau of Investigations and Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism.
Voluntary Legal Work: Opportunities also exist for students to obtain invaluable
experience within the voluntary sector. Students may volunteer their services to the
School’s Pro Bono Law Clinic. The Law Clinic which was established in 2002 is the first of
its kind in Wales. Since then the Clinic has gone from strength to strength, including
receiving a commendation at the Law Society’s prestigious National Pro Bono
Awards in 2005. The Clinic is run by student volunteers under the supervision
of experienced solicitors from local firms.
The Student Law Society: Swansea University Student Law Society is a student-run body
which aims to provide students with information relevant to their study and career plans.
The Society arranges visits to the courts and dining opportunities at the Inns of Court in
London. Networking dinners are held on an annual basis and are well attended by
solicitors, barristers and other prospective employers. Mooting is an important part of
student life and the students run a Mooting Society which offers students the
opportunity to actively engage in developing their advocacy skills. The society provides
advocacy and legal research training sessions, as well as organising mooting competitions
for undergraduate students.