Undergraduate

Bachelor of Laws (LLB) - QLD

Important information for students seeking an LLB with Qualifying Law Degree status

Qualifying Law Degree status of the University of London LLB by External study has recently been revalidated by the Joint Academic Stage Board. Students with an effective registration date of 1 September 2007 or later seeking a Qualifying Law Degree will need to demonstrate explicitly their attainment of legal research and other skills. This will involve a number of features, including answering special examination questions and completing, by the end of their studies, a Laws Skills Portfolio. Students seeking a QLD must also undertake the online legal research exercises provided by the Programme.

Please note that from 2008 a full Research Project/Dissertation will be available as a final year option. Undertaking this will provide the most effective method of demonstrating research and other skills. The University will keep you fully informed of the requirements and provide extensive guidance notes.

Holding a Qualifying Law Degree enables students to proceed to the vocational stage of training for legal practice in England & Wales; a number of other jurisdictions internationally also recognise it as at least partial fulfilment of the academic stage of legal training. The new requirements relating to Qualifying Law Degree status apply to all (and only) students who register for the LLB with an effective date of initial registration of 1 September 2007 or later.

Diploma in Law students intending to transfer to the LLB programme and seeking an LLB with Qualifying Law Degree status and whose effective date of initial registration for the Diploma in Law is 1 September 2007 or later will also need to answer special examination questions and undertake online legal research exercises.

The LLB as a Qualifying Law Degree in England & Wales: the basic picture

Training for legal practice involves ‘academic’ and ‘vocational’ stages. While there are various ways to fulfil the academic stage requirements, taking an LLB with Qualifying Law Degree status remains the dominant route. Holding an LLB with QLD status enables you to go on to the vocational stage of legal training in England & Wales, i.e. training as a solicitor or barrister.

In addition, the University of London LLB by External study is recognised in many jurisdictions worldwide as wholly or partially fulfilling local requirements for the academic stage of legal training. The University strongly advise you to contact the legal professional bodies in the jurisdiction where you intend to practise to find out the specific requirements, and the extent to which the University of London LLB by External study satisfies them, before you register.

In particular, please note that the LLB degree obtained through the Graduate Entry Routes is not accepted as a Qualifying Law Degree in some jurisdictions (although it is in England & Wales).

Decision diagram for students wishing to pursue a Qualifying Law Degree through the University of London’s External Undergraduate Laws Programme

The diagram below illustrates the decisions which a student must make in order to meet the necessary requirements of the academic stage of legal training for either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board. You are advised that it is important to register for the programme as early as possible so that your study materials can be despatched to you as quickly as possible. In planning whether you wish to pursue a Qualifying Law Degree, you should also take into consideration that the degree must be completed in no more than six years and with no more than three attempts at a subject.

Year One:
(Intermediate, Scheme A; First Year, Scheme B; Level 1, Graduate Entry Route A; First Year, Graduate Entry Route B)

* Register with the Online Library and Laws Virtual Learning Environment
* Complete online legal research exercises
* You will be tested on these in the compulsory examination question in Common law reasoning and institutions [2650030]

Year Two:
(Part I, Scheme A; Final Examination, Graduate Entry Route A only)

* Decide whether to register for the optional subject, EU Law (Final Examination, Graduate Entry Route A only)
* Decide whether to register for the optional Dissertation module within the LLB with its associated Skills Portfolio (Skills Option One) or complete a Research Project, separate to the LLB and complete Skills Portfolio (Skills Option Two).

Year Three/Four:
(Part II, Scheme A; Third or Fourth Year, Scheme B; Third Year, Graduate Entry Route B)

* Decide whether to register for the optional subject, EU Law
and
* Decide whether to register for the optional Dissertation module within the LLB with its associated Skills portfolio (Skills Option One) or complete a Research Project, separate to the LLB and complete Skills Portfolio (Skills Option Two).