Sarah King - LLB Law and Criminology

Sarah won the Sweet and Maxwell Law Prize for her efforts on our LLB Law and Criminology course.

'I chose to study law and criminology to fulfil my long term ambition to become a solicitor specialising in crime. I felt that Portsmouth Business School would be the most appropriate place to pursue this degree due to the wide range of subjects covered by the course and the opportunities to pursue extracurricular activities.

This was furthered by their reputation as one of the most successful business schools in the south of England. I was provided with the support I needed to achieve the best of my ability and have been given the opportunity to build qualities and skills that will help me throughout my life.

During the past three years I have become very close to my coursemates and I am confident we will remain lifelong friends. We have shared similar experiences and challenges while offering each other encouragement, allowing us to embrace this course as an opportunity to fulfil our ambitions.

My university experience on the whole has been enhanced by the people I have met and the encouragement and guidance I received. I am now going on to study the LPC at the Guildford College of Law and will be starting my training contract next year where I hope to fulfil my career ambitions.

Portsmouth Business School has provided a brilliant foundation to achieve my long-term aspirations and I would recommend it to anyone who wants the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects whilst being part of a close working course group.'

Ria Mahady – LLB Law and Criminology

'I have studied law, in some form, at Portsmouth for the past five years. I started out at Portsmouth studying for an LLB in Law and Criminology, and once I had completed this I chose to stay on to study for the LLM in Corporate Governance and Law with the Grad ICSA component.

I chose the LLB joint honours route, as it allowed me to gain a qualifying law degree and study criminology at the same time. I felt this course would best suit my needs as I believed it would not only help me to understand the UK legal system, but studying it with criminology would mean that I would grasp the reasons behind why some of the laws were passed. I found this course most rewarding; I was able to pick the criminology units I studied in years two and three, which meant I could tailor the course to my interests (which made it not only more enjoyable, but I could ensure I got the most out of my degree). I finished my undergraduate degree in 2009 and knew that I wanted to stay on to continue my studies to postgraduate level. Prior to attending Portsmouth I had neither studied law or criminology, but I was soon welcomed in by the staff, and I really felt like the lecturers were prepared to go that extra mile to help students; this was a major driving factor in my wanting to continue at Portsmouth.

For my postgraduate studies I chose the LLM in Corporate Governance and Law as I had always aspired to be an in-house lawyer for a FTSE 100 company, and I knew this course would give me the commercial edge. As well as diversifying my knowledge in all corporate governance issues and building on my legal knowledge, this course gave me a detailed understanding of finance and financial reporting – two subjects which I had never considered before, but excelled in under the guidance of the lecturers. It was down to the inclusion of these two subjects, and the enthusiasm of the staff, that I got a real feel for the finance industry. I pushed myself to combine all the skills I learnt at university – law, finance and corporate governance – and as a result I now work in HSBC as an Assistant Compliance Manager for Global Markets – my dream job.

I have a lot to thank the University of Portsmouth for. I was always provided with assistance and patience and I genuinely feel my time at the University has shaped me to be a better individual.'

Mahbuba Hussain – LLB Law and Criminology

'I chose to study this degree because I wanted to gain knowledge about how the community works and apply it at a practical level. To this effect, I am currently working with the Citizens Advice Bureau. It is a rewarding experience, which I feel allows me to do my part to help the community. The work experience has significantly progressed my academic skills. Also meeting and working with new people has developed me greatly as a person.

My course is fantastic and I enjoy it a lot, especially the structure and the lecturers as they are very friendly, extremely helpful and supportive.

The University of Portsmouth is a great environment to study in; it offers many facilities and the members of staff are approachable and very cooperative.

Portsmouth is not only a great place for studying but it is also a great place for socialising. Currently I’m part of the Islamic Society of  the University. This involves organising events, meeting new people and learning knowledge about Islam so during term time not only I study for my course but I also get involved with activities that are provided by the University.

Overall, the course goes well with all my needs and it’s a city full of friendly people so I feel I have made the right choice.'

Kym Freedman – LLB Law

'I’m currently waiting to go into my second year of LLB Law at the University of Portsmouth’s Business School. I chose this course because it offered me not only the foundation needed so I can pursue my career as a barrister but also because the law degree at Portsmouth offers new and exciting units currently being tested by the Law Society that no other university offers.

Unlike other law degrees in other universities, Portsmouth’s law degree has practical learning units where the students learn by doing. For example, in the first year we conducted an employment tribunal which went towards part of our coursework mark. In the second and third years there are opportunities to work with local law charities offering legal advice to the public, providing us with valuable experience.

I find the practical element particularly helpful as I am dyslexic and benefit from this style of learning. The staff at the Portsmouth Business School have been very supportive of my learning needs.

Most of the staff teaching on the law degree have worked in the law profession and use their experiences to help us to make the most of our time at university.

I would recommend this degree to anyone who likes a challenge and enjoys hard work.'

Pete Galvin - LLB Law and International Relations

'Choosing to study at Portsmouth proved to be an easy decision for me. Having visited the University a number of times when completing my UCAS application, Portsmouth stood out amongst the crowd. The University's fresh and friendly approach to potential students really impressed me. The general atmosphere around the Business School and the University as a whole was also markedly different from other city-based universities.

I’m pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed by my choice. Studying law and international relations has been challenging at times, but extremely interesting. I believe I have gained more from taking a combined honours degree than, say, studying straight law. Studying international relations has widened my whole academic perspective.

As for my choice of university, Portsmouth has more than lived up to expectations. My first impressions upon applying haven’t changed. All the staff at the Business School will go out of their way whenever you have an academic or personal problem.

I hope the varied skills I have developed throughout my university career will help me to fulfil my ambition of working for a law firm abroad.'

Ayisha Hajamaideen - LLB Law with Business

'The LLB Law with Business degree consists of core law and business units required for a good understanding of the fundamentals of each subject. The course enables the student to pursue a career in either law or business. This also allows progression to study the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar Vocational Course (BVC) for a professional qualification as a solicitor or barrister. I chose this combined honours degree because I enjoyed studying the subjects at A Level and had ideas of entering a profession which utilised both areas.

The course has provided me with a valuable insight into law and business at an in-depth level and equipped me with useful research and analysis skills which are of practical importance to the world of work. It also enables me to study the LPC after I graduate and pursue my aspiration of being a solicitor.

I've always liked studying at the Business School, particularly because the lecture halls and seminar rooms are equipped with the latest technology to aid efficient learning. The design and decor of the building present a professional and lively atmosphere. Furthermore, the computer suites and sections allocated for studying are calm, relaxed and convenient areas for group work or just to meet a friend.'

Matthew Champ- LLM Law

Matthew completed his LLB Law and Criminology undergraduate degree and his LLM Law Master's at the University of Portsmouth School of Law. He now has a place at Bristol to study the Bar professional training course, the next step to becoming a barrister.

'I’ve just won an Inns of Court Scholarship beating over 400 applicants from universities across the UK, including Oxford and Cambridge, which will help me financially when studying for the Bar professional training course next year.

The Harmsworth Scholarship is provided by the Middle Temple, one of the four Inns of Court which have the exclusive right to call men and women to the Bar. I’m really proud to be the first ever Portsmouth student to win.

The barristers who interviewed me were impressed by the amount of work experience I had arranged while at university. I was heavily involved in the University’s employment law clinic, a free service offering employment advice to members of the public.

The amount of support I’ve had at Portsmouth has been superb; my tutors have been fantastic and have helped me to build confidence. They also endorsed a practical approach to learning and if it wasn’t for their endless encouragement I can safely say that I wouldn’t have won the £7,000 scholarship, which will be a huge help to me next year.'