LLB
Law with International Relations
Understanding the legal connotations of global politics
Course Overview
Why take this course?
Curious about what influences global law making and how countries are governed? On this course you’ll cover varied subjects such as why conflicts occur, the balance of international power and Third World poverty, all of which involve complex legal issues.
Take a close look at legal and political developments in a transnational context with our combined course.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Undertake a one-year placement working in a paid full-time role
- Put your legal knowledge into practice in ‘real world’ situations by working in our Employment Law Clinic or new Debt Clinic
- Take the stand in our Mock Courtroom to argue your case for the jury
What opportunities might it lead to?
Our LLB courses are accredited by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board which allows you to progress to the training required to be a barrister or solicitor. Unusually, our law courses also offer the option to sit the Chartered Institute of Legal Executive (CILEx) practice papers, gaining full exemption from the academic stage required by the Institute. Successfully completing your degree and the CILEx papers will enable you to go straight on to seek work as a paid trainee legal executive.
Combining law with International Relations is the ideal choice if you would like a greater understanding of global affairs and how law functions within a political context. Designed to enable you to pursue legal and other careers in international organisations, NGOs or the European Union, this course is great preparation for work at home or abroad.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- the police, prison or probation services
- governmental roles
- management
- marketing
- further academic study to enter the law profession
Mooting competitions, the Employment Law Clinic and other practical activities for students to participate in are invaluable.
Mark Onafeko-Badmus, LLB Law with International Relations student 2012
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- M1L2
- Duration
- 3 years full time, 4 years sandwich with work placement
- Entry
280 points from 3 A levels or equivalent.
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a*
International full-time students: £10,500 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- bus.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 8200 - Department
- School of Law
Subject:
Law and Criminology
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- Putting their knowledge into practice in real and mock situations
- Practical hands-on opportunities to extend experience and practical skills
- Lecturers with practical experience in the subjects
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
This common first year provides you with an understanding current developments in the legal profession and the legal services market. You’ll also be studying some topics relating to international relations.
Core units in this year include:
- English Legal System
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law
- Public Law
- Introduction to International Relations
- Introduction to Political Thought
Year two
In this year you will study global politics and institutions, and their related legal connotations. You’ll also have many opportunities to learn from experiencing law in practice as a volunteer in one of our pro bono projects.
Core units in this year include:
- Land Law
- Law of Tort
- Research and Professional Development
- International Politics
- International Relations Theory
Year three*
By this stage, you may have just completed a year of employment. You’ll return to your studies with relevant business experience and apply this to either a legal dissertation or project, or alternatively take The Reflective Practitioner Course, where students can gain credit for gaining practical experience of the legal system.
Core units in this year include:
- Equity and Trusts
- Discrimination and Human Rights
- EU Law
- Public International Law
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Company Law
- Intellectual Property
- Family and Child Law
- CILEx Level 6 Practice
- Evidence and Advocacy
- Private International Law
*This course is also available as a 4-year sandwich (work placement)
Teaching and Assessment
We place a lot of emphasis on student support and we aim to provide a stimulating and academically challenging learning environment. You will encounter a range of teaching methods, from lectures, seminars and tutorials to more practical learning experiences. This can include negotiation in our replica mock-court room and real-life clinical legal training.
How are you assessed?
Assessment is varied, with examinations forming an important, but not exclusive, part of the units you choose. Here’s how we assess your work:
- examinations
- coursework essays
- presentations
- participation in mock trials
- written moot arguments
Tutor's view
Claire Sparrow
Law
This qualifying law degree will help you to see the big picture within which the law operates. International relations will give you an insight into the issues that face nations across the world, such as poverty, conflict and growing globalisation.
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
Mock Courtroom
Be part of mock trials and moots in our mock courtroom
Volunteering at the Citizens Advice Bureau
Students giving advice
Mentoring
Our mentoring programme links you with legal professionals
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books
Mock Courtroom
You can be part of our full blown mock trials and moots in our mock courtroom. The £1 million development is an exact replica of a crown court, complete with dock, witness box, public gallery, jury room and interview rooms. Gain firsthand experience of a realistic court setting.
Volunteering at the Citizens Advice Bureau
We are proud to be able to offer some students the opportunity to train as advisers or mediators, and use their new skills to help others. Each year a small number of students train as Citizens Advice Bureau advisors in order to specialise in offering debt and legal advice to the population of Portsmouth.
Mentoring
We pride ourselves on the good reputation we have in the area. Maintaining good links with the Court Service in Portsmouth allows us to facilitate court visits, marshalling and even work experience. Our mentoring programme also brings in members of the legal profession who work in local solicitors’ firms, for the government and in a variety of other contexts and links them with you.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
Studying this course, means you may wish to become a lawyer. But, due to its combined nature an even wider variety of careers will be open to you.
A specialisation in international relations will serve as excellent preparation for a range of careers in government, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, pressure groups, voluntary organisations, policy research, the media and multinational corporations.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- designated detention officer
- legal clerk
- paralegal assistant
- business development executive
- environmental crime officer
- trainee probation officer
- firearms licensing operator administrator
Work experience
Boost your degree with the opportunity to undertake a one-year placement working in a paid full-time role which offers progression and a suitable level of responsibility. You will benefit from the contemporary business experience that employers demand, making you highly employable upon graduation.
We offer the option to become fully trained volunteer advice workers for the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) as part of the course. You may also participate in other schemes run under the umbrella of our innovative Pro Bono Initiative. These include:
- our in-house Employment Advice Clinic
- volunteering with Portsmouth Mediation Services
- Portsmouth Trading Standards
- Hampshire Police Constables
- new schemes include working with BID South and the British Red Cross
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
I was given the opportunity to volunteer at the local Citizens Advice Bureau as part of my course. The volunteering has given me vital experience in some key legal skills such as interviewing, drafting and negotiation, all of which will be invaluable to me in the future as I train to be a solicitor.
Shane Galvin, LLB Law with International Relations student
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more