European Legal Studies LLB Honours

Wednesday 7th June 2023 - On campus - 5:30-7PM (BST)

This course provides you with the foundation subjects required to obtain a Qualifying Law Degree along with the opportunity to spend a year of study in one of our partner universities in Europe, gaining knowledge of other legal systems, experiencing another legal culture, enhancing your European language skills and developing international links.

A law degree is seen as a valuable asset by a variety of employers, as is knowledge of another European legal system and another European legal language. When you apply, you'll need to demonstrate an aptitude for European language study, but this does not necessarily mean that you'll need to have a formal qualification. While abroad, depending on your language skills, you may study in English or in another European language.

You'll spend the third year of your degree studying at one of our partner universities in the EU, which offers a wide range of law courses, including some taught in English. We have partner institutions in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. On successful completion of your year abroad, you'll return to Westminster in Year 4 to complete your studies.

Top reasons to study with us

• International experience – our European Legal Studies course gives you the opportunity to live and study abroad with one of our European partner universities. You will gain invaluable international experience and can learn a foreign language as a part of your studies
• Practise in a real-world environment – as part of the course, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your legal skills at the Westminster Law School Legal Advice Clinic
• Develop mastery of an area of the law – with our subject streams, developed by our research-led experts, alongside the core professional modules, you can specialise in entertainment and media law, commercial law, international law, theory and human rights law, criminal law and justice, or welfare law
• Boost your employability – skills and work-based learning modules are available in every year of the course
• Personalise your learning – with a vast range of optional modules to choose from

Why study this course?

A supportive environment
Feel supported by our experienced personal tutoring team and curriculum designed to support your well-being and smooth the transition into university life.

An international experience
Combining your law degree with significant international experience and language skills will help you to stand out in the graduate market.

Personalise your learning
With a vast range of optional modules, you can specialise in an area of interest to you, such as Entertainment and Media Law, Commercial Law, Human Rights Law or Criminal Law and Justice.

Professional recognition

This course meets the requirements of a number of professional bodies such as the Bar Standards Board and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives regarding the academic stage of legal training.

This course will prepare you for a range of legal careers, including practice as a barrister or advocate, solicitor, clerk, an officer of the court or legal executive. Our graduates also pursue careers in legal interpreting, the Civil Service, international organisations, NGOs and local government.

• An introduction to the legal profession
• By taking part in our Legal Skills Academy and attending employer-led workshops, our students will graduate with practical knowledge of the industry.
• Be inspired by our graduate stories
  Many of our alumni are now student mentors and regular contributors to the Legal Skills Academy, helping current students achieve their goals.
• Specialist workshops and events
  We run specialist careers and subject events designed to support the curriculum benefit students, and provide networking opportunities.

Industry links

We have strong links with the legal profession, which include partnerships with alumni, leading figures in the industry and professional bodies.

Westminster Law School and its student law societies provide a series of careers and subject-specialist workshops and events throughout the academic year that are designed to support the curriculum and alumni panels to give students the opportunity to network with industry professionals.

Recent guests and organisations include:

• Goldsmiths Chambers
• The Government Legal Profession
• Jo Sidhu QC
• Kingsley Napley LLP
• Sir Richard Arnold
• SEO London
• Sheridans
• Tuckers Solicitors

Work experience and international opportunities

As a law student, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Study abroad with one of our University partners in your third year
• Volunteer at the Westminster Law School Legal Advice Clinic
• Take part in other work-based learning opportunities, such as employer-led workshops and legal advice training
• Find a mentor through the University’s mentoring service

Job roles

This course prepares students for job roles, including:

• Solicitor
• Barrister
• Paralegal
• Advice worker
• Civil service administrator
• Compliance officer
• Legal Executive

Graduate employers

Graduates from this course have found employment at organisations including:

• Barclays Bank
• Financial Ombudsman Service
• Kingsley Napley LLP
• Latham and Watkins LLP
• Mackrell Solicitors
• Serious Fraud Office
• Sheridans
• Westkin Associates
• Winckworth Sherwood LLP

Alongside the foundation Law modules necessary for a Qualifying Law Degree, you'll study a European language in Years 1 and 2 (Credit Levels 4 and 5) to prepare for study in another European country. In Year 2, you'll also study a specialist module on Civil Law and Legal Systems to gain an understanding of civil laws in view of the year abroad.

Teaching methods include lectures, seminar-based discussion, class presentations, invited guest speakers and practical group exercises.

Assessment methods include open- and closed-book exams, in-class tests, oral presentations, and written coursework.

The following subjects are indicative of what you'll study in this course.

Year 1

Subjects of study include:

• Contracts: Law and Practice
• Criminal Law
• European Language
• Law: Policy and Practice
• Public Law
• Tort Law

Credit Level 4

Year 2

Subjects of study include:

• Civil Law and Legal Systems
• Equity and Trusts
• EU Law
• European Language
• 21st Century Law
• Land Law

Credit Level 5

Year 3

Year abroad

Students enrolled on the LLB in European Legal Studies are required as part of their degree programmes to spend the whole of their third year studying law at one of our partner universities in Europe and return to the University of Westminster for their fourth year.

Year 4

Core module:

• Dissertation in European Legal Studies

Choice of two option modules from the following:

• Advanced Criminal Law
• Commercial Law
• Company Law
• Competition Law
• Criminal Procedure and Evidence
• Disability Law
• Employment Law
• Entertainment Law
• Environmental Law
• Family Law and Family Justice
• Gender, Sexuality and Critical Legal Perspectives
• Human Rights: Idea, Law and Practice
• International Law and Global Justice
• Law of Intellectual Property
• Law of International Trade
• Media Law
• New Legal Thinking, Theory, Philosophy and Justice
• Race, Gender, Sexuality and the Law
• Religion, Law and Society
• Sustainability Law and Policy

Credit Level 6