Learn about the challenges and opportunities within international relations while you gain the initial qualifications to pursue qualified solicitor or barrister status in England and Wales.
We’ve got an international reputation for our law expertise – and our law with international relations course gives you the skills and support to thrive.
Our course equips you with the intellectual knowledge and experience that make up the first stage of professional legal training. You’ll learn the core principles of law in England and Wales while you develop your knowledge of international relations. You’ll also put theory into practice with work-based modules that will help you develop the hands-on skills and expertise to succeed in the legal profession – both in the UK and internationally.
Work placements play a vital role on our course. We have an excellent network of relationships with high-profile international organisations and you'll get the opportunity to gain work experience with them as part of the course.
Our clinical legal education initiative places law students with professional legal bodies and practitioners to combine theoretical study with hands-on experience from the very start. Students from our course graduate with skills and practical knowledge of professional practice, which is highly desired in legal and non-legal workplaces.
Additionally, you may be able to practise your legal skills by offering support to Barnet's residents through the Legal Advice Centre, part of the School of Law's Clinical Legal Education programme.
We know sometimes you’ll need assistance and support when it comes to your studies. During your time with us you'll get assistance from a Personal Tutor. If you require a little extra help we have Student Learning Assistants and Graduate Academic Assistants on hand.
Law with international relations courses not only give you an ideal route into the legal profession, they also open up career opportunities with a variety of multilateral organisations.
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In Year 1, you will study the English Legal System, Legal Method, Public Law, Contract Law, and in Year 2 you will explore Criminal Law, Tort, EU Law, Theories of International Relations. Year 3 will focus on Land Law, Equity and Trusts, plus two optional modules (if part-time, these modules will be studied over 4 or 6 years).
You will develop your knowledge and understanding, and cognitive and practical skills, through lectures, seminars, workshops and self-directed study using a variety of resources, including the library and e-learning.
In a competitive but expanding field internationally, given the growth globally of administrative law, graduates who combine sophisticated understanding of international relations with solid grounding in legal analysis and knowledge have a significant advantage.
You will develop your knowledge and understanding of primary sources of law such as case law, legislation and other relevant material including examination of how the laws are made and developed, of the institutions within which the law is administered and the personnel who practise law. You will explore a wide range of legal concepts, values, principles and rules, as well as the complexities of law and international relations.
Your cognitive and practical skills will also be expanded and you'll gain the ability to identify accurately and analyse legal issues by applying knowledge of legal principles and concepts to complex practical situations and make reasoned judgements based on informed understanding of arguments. You will be able to research and interpret the primary and secondary source material of law and apply the findings to the solution of legal problems, and then evaluate and judge the value of relevant doctrinal and policy issues in relation to law and a range of legal topics as well as international relations. You will gain confidence in undertaking independent research and identifying, retrieving, investigating and managing information from a range of academic sources, both paper and electronic to produce up-to-date and relevant information. Finally, you will be able to use and apply correct and accurate legal and international relations terminology orally in moots and presentations and in writing.
This module aims to enable you to develop an understanding of the English legal system and how it works in order to provide a foundation for the further study of law. You will examine the nature and function of legal institutions and the role of the legal profession within the English legal system and explore the provision of legal services and methods of alternative dispute resolution. You will become familiar with, and be able to use, legal skills and knowledge in respect of issues and problems involving the English legal system.
This module aims to examine general principles relating to the UK Constitution and the organisation and powers of the State. You will gain an awareness of the law and practice relating to the control of the Administration of the UK State and will consider the law relating to Human Rights and aspects of Civil Liberties in the UK. This is a core module and is a requirement of the professional bodies.
This module aims to provide you with a sound knowledge and understanding of the law of contract, focusing on the main principles, cases and statutory provisions relevant to contract law. This will act as a firm foundation for subsequent law modules as well as for postgraduate and professional study after the programme. The module also aims to develop your competence in the analysis and solution of legal problems, develop your legal research skills and recognise the relationship between the law of contract and other areas of English and European law. This is a core module and is a requirement of the professional bodies.
This module aims to broaden and expand your understanding of the common law system, legal reasoning, case analysis, the judicial hierarchy, handling precedents and statutory interpretation. After studying this module, you will comprehend the basic principles and debates underpinning the position of the courts in the UK constitution, appreciate how to read a case, and be able to pick out its material facts and ratio, as well as distinguish this from obiter dicta and develop an understanding of the different rules and approaches that courts use to interpret statutes. The module will also provide you with a grounding in legal ethics so as to instil a basic understanding of a lawyer's duties toward their clients and the court.
This module aims to enable you to acquire a sound knowledge and understanding of criminal law, including a detailed knowledge of the key principles, cases and statutory provisions relevant to criminal law. You will develop skills in the analysis and solution of legal problems and in researching case law and statute law in relation to criminal law, while recognising the relations between criminal law and other areas of law. This is a core module and is a requirement of the professional bodies.
This module aims to introduce the main theories, concepts and themes of international relations. The rival paradigms of the discipline are initially explored and then applied to the understanding of key topics of relations between states and also non-state global actors.
The module aims to provide a general knowledge and understanding of tort law and lay a sound foundation upon which to develop knowledge, skills and competencies needed for the Vocational Stage of legal education and training, and subsequent careers in legal practice or higher qualifications in law. The study of case law will develop skills in extracting and communicating the meaning of written reports. Students will be challenged to achieve a higher level of understanding and application of the law in practice and attention will be given to the ethical issues that can arise. This is a core module and is a requirement of the professional bodies.
This module aims to provide a thorough understanding of the legal system of the European Union (EU) and of the rules and principles governing the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital within the EU’s internal market. You will apply knowledge of EU law to the analysis of legal issues and develop your skills of information retrieval from a range of sources. The module includes the study of the history and development of the EU, the EU’s institutional framework, sources of EU law and law-making procedures, the main substantive principles underlying EU Law and the relationship between EU law and national law. An exhaustive overview of the jurisdiction of the EU courts will also be offered. This is a core module and is a requirement of professional bodies.
Please note that you must select EU Law as an optional module if you want to study the Barristers Training Course after graduating because EU Law is currently a requirement of the academic component of Bar training to become a barrister.
This module will provide the knowledge and understanding of employment law and aims to deepens your appreciation of how legal principles encountered in other law modules can be applied to these areas. A critical appreciation of employment law will be encouraged and you will be enabled to place the subject in the context of both your working and non-working lives. Upon successful completion of this module, you will have an understanding of the role of law in regulating the employment relationship and stopping discrimination.
This module aims to explore human rights in an international, historical and comparative perspective. You will be introduced to the rationale for this body of law and to major themes in international human rights jurisprudence. Special attention will be paid to the European Convention of Human Rights and its impact in the United Kingdom, in particular issues arising from the incorporation of the European regime through the Human Rights Act. In addition, the seminars and lectures will address specific human rights to provide you with in depth analysis of the application of human rights to factual scenarios. The course is designed to maximise your career potential, providing an insight into the extent to which universally protected values, articulated as legal claims impact domestic jurisdictions. The course also seeks to critically evaluate those values, their universal validity, and their implementation at regional level with the view of broadening your knowledge of law and to become sensitive to other values and normative regimes.
This module aims to provide a critical understanding of the law in the context of dealings in land. The module will build upon your knowledge of legal principles by bringing these together with rules of land law. Your ability to evaluate issues, including ethical issues, and to solve land law problems at a high level of understanding is enhanced, together with your personal and professional development and employability skills. This is a core module and is a requirement of the professional bodies.
The module is designed to give you a deep understanding of the traditions, concepts, and perspectives in the study of geopolitics. A more advanced, critical appreciation of international politics will be gained along with a more detailed understanding of key geopolitical issues and cases of the day. This module particularly encourages reflective, critical and analytical use of geopolitical theories and methods in appreciation of the key global and regional issues, world cultures, foreign policy and diplomatic state craft practices.
Throughout the module, you’ll make use of written and original texts, films and documentaries as well as visual material and maps. In doing so, you’ll be equipped with the skills to critically analyse the discourses and their role in the production and construction of the geopolitical spaces, drawn from the lecturers’ own research interests. This module should be of special interest if you’re looking to proceed into further specialised study of global politics, law, society and economics and/or employment in fields related to governance, business, politics, diplomacy, law, risk and foreign policy analysis or media.
This module aims to build upon your knowledge of legal principles by bringing these together with rules of trust law and principles of equity, including the ethical principles which govern the role of a trustee as fiduciary and principles relevant to the quantification of damages and availability of assets for their recovery. You will develop your critical understanding of the law of trusts and equitable principles, and your ability to present and argue positions in relation to issues of equity and trust law. You will analyse practical problems accurately and debate issues at a high level of understanding. This is a core module and is a requirement of the professional bodies.
This module aims to give you the knowledge and understanding on the principles of public international law. You will be extend your ability to evaluate and analyse legal issues in the international context, often dealing with topical concerns. This might include debates over the legality of the use of armed force, the protection of the environment, or the extent of individual responsibility for war crimes.
This module will examine the international legal framework for international trade provided by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its predecessor the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The importance of the WTO/GATT has dramatically increased since the 1940s, shaping the global trade regimes and regulatory governance.
This module aims to provide undergraduate law students with the skills necessary to undertake research into a specialised area of legal study selected by you, building on the skills of legal research introduced in the first two years of the programme.
*Your project must be relevant to your selected pathway title.
This module aims to provide an overview of the international human rights law framework and assess its efficacy in dealing with violations. You will examine the regional and international systems, including the Inter-American, European, African and Asian human rights systems, and the United Nations treaty-based and Charter-based mechanisms. You will be encouraged to situate human rights law globally, to reflect on what themes ought to be prioritised by the United Nations, and to consider the best means of effectively implementing the range of international human rights law standards.
This module aims to provide an opportunity to develop practical skills in legal drafting, advocacy and litigation. It includes a taught element with a concentration on the drafting of documents and written submissions. The majority of the course is devoted to guided student participation in moot court exercises and internal/external competition(s) which will involve as appropriate domestic, European, Human Rights or international law. You will be assessed on the basis of written and/or oral submissions and such other assessments. It is limited to 16 students selected by the programme team.
Placement learning aims to link academic work with the 'real world' situation in order to conceptualise the meaning of theory in the wider world context. You'll be encouraged to reflect upon your areas of knowledge and how they apply to the placement learning experience as well as developing personal knowledge through a review of your learning. The placement learning experience provides for two types of placement; standard placements and project-based placements. The placement experience gives you the opportunity to enhance your skills of self-expression, communication, self-reliance and co-operation, and embeds your transferable and graduate skills required for future career paths and employment.
*Subject to Programme Leader’s consent and subject to the placement taking place in an appropriate professional environment.
More information about this course
See the course specification for more information about the course content:
We review our courses regularly to improve your experience and graduate prospects so modules may be subject to change.
The LLB Law with International Relations is especially suitable for students interested in pursuing a career within one of the many kinds of multilateral organisation to be found in increasingly globalised societies (e.g. political, diplomatic, regulatory, campaigning, service-providing, health, trade and other agencies, NGOs and charities).
There are many sectors where a law degree is highly desired, including business (Human Resources, Tax and Insurance), charity, management, administration, the Civil Service, education and government. You might choose to pursue a career as a Solicitor, Barrister, Legal Executive, Paralegal, or in a community advisory role.
Many students pursue studies for the professional qualifications which for solicitors will be the Solicitors Qualifying Exam from the autumn of 2021 and for barristers is the Bar Practice Course/Barrister Training Course. The LLB complies with the Bar Standard’s Board requirements for the academic component of Bar training comprising the seven Foundations of Legal Knowledge.
The LLB also provides a very good basis for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) which is being introduced in September 2021, although an LLB degree is not a requirement for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam.
Graduates also study for Master’s degrees, sometimes before pursuing the professional exams.
Our Employability Service will help you to develop skills desired by top employers and gain valuable work experience. We provide workshops, events and one-to-one support with job hunting, writing your CV and cover letters, interview coaching and advice on how to network effectively. We also support you in securing part-time work, placements, internships, and volunteering opportunities, and offer an enterprise support service for those looking to start their own business.
We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.
Start: September 2023
Duration: 3 years full-time, Usually 4 years or 6 years part-time
Code: M100
Start: September 2023
Duration: 3 years full-time, 4 or 5 years part-time
Code: M29B
Start: October 2023
Duration: 3 years full-time, 4 years full-time with placement, 4 years part-time, 5 years part-time with placement
Code: L240