Law (Senior Status) - LLB (Hons)

This is an archived course for 2021 entry
2023 courses

Law is a stimulating degree that sharpens your thinking and your powers of persuasion while giving you extensive legal knowledge. This prestigious qualification opens doors, not only into the legal profession but to many other areas, such as politics, business, the civil service and the NGO sector. If you already hold a first degree, this Senior Status programme offers you a quicker route to achieving a degree in Law.

Overview

Kent Law School is renowned for its world-leading research and an approach which enables you to think critically about law within the broader context of society, considering it's role and impact, and the potential it has to change the world we live in.

Our degree programme

As a graduate entrant, you have the opportunity to obtain a Law degree in just two years when studying full-time (or four years part-time). We welcome students from the UK and from around the world. Entrants to the programme are given 120 credits in recognition of their previous study, and study at Kent for two/four years to complete the remaining 240 credits required to obtain the degree.

In addition to the compulsory, foundational modules in Law (and unlike similar programmes elsewhere) you are given the scope to choose an optional module in Law in both years (with this choice limited in the first year of the programme). You study the detail of the law, as well as its history. You analyse judgments and legal developments while taking into account the political, ethical and social dimensions of the law. This ‘critical approach’ enhances what is already a fascinating subject. It helps you to fully understand the law and there are many chances to discuss and debate its role in society.

Teaching is via lectures, small group seminars and case studies. Our popular mooting programme, hosted in a dedicated space within the £5m Wigoder Law Building, gives you the chance to develop advocacy skills in a simulated courtroom setting before a bench comprised of local judges, practising barristers, solicitors and lecturers.

Kent Law School has a supportive environment and your lecturers have office hours where they provide guidance on a one-to-one basis. We also provide:

  • the Skills Hub offering tailored guidance, five days a week in term time
  • a law librarian to guide you in the use of online and printed resources.

Study resources

Kent Law Clinic is based within our new, purpose-built building. It is ideal for developing your practical skills and has a replica courtroom for mooting.

Our academic resources are extensive. You have access to a wide range of materials, including:

  • collections of legislation and case law in UK, European and international law
  • Lawlinks, our award-winning gateway to online legal resources
  • major legal databases that are used on a daily basis in the legal profession
  • audio recordings of your lectures.

Extra activities

There are plenty of activities related to your studies, including:

  • Kent Student Law Society for aspiring solicitors
  • Kent Temple Law Society for those intending to go to the Bar
  • Kent Critical Law Society
  • Kent Canadian Law Society
  • Nigerian Law Society
  • European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) Kent.

Kent Student Law Society and Kent Temple Law Society arrange events that are attended by members of the legal profession, many of them Kent alumni. They include QCs, judges, barristers, solicitors and members of the Bar Council and Law Society.

In previous years, events have included the:

  • Kent Law Fair
  • Kent Law Ball
  • Temple Dinner.

Kent Critical Law Society has also put on events where students, academics and practitioners can debate topical – and often controversial – legal issues.

Professional network

We have approximately 100 legal professionals registered on our Professional Mentoring Scheme, and leading law firms visit the campus to attend the annual Kent Law Fair, offer mock interviews, or run workshops.

We regularly hold careers talks given by practising lawyers (many of whom are Kent alumni) and host guest lectures given by some of the leading legal figures of our time.

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Entry requirements

Students who hold a qualification equivalent to a first Bachelor's degree obtained in the UK should contact the Admissions Office for advice. 

It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.

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    A level

    Not applicable as a first undergraduate degree is required for entry.

  • medal-empty GCSE

    Although there are no specific GCSE requirements for entry to this programme, all entrants are expected to meet the University of Kent's general entry requirements, including those which relate to English language-speaking abilities. 

  • medal-empty Access to HE Diploma

    Not applicable as a first undergraduate degree is required for entry.

  • medal-empty BTEC Nationals

    Not applicable as a first undergraduate degree is required for entry.

  • medal-empty International Baccalaureate

    Not applicable as a first undergraduate degree is required for entry.

  • medal-empty International Foundation Programme

    N/A

A first Bachelor's degree obtained in the UK or at equivalent level, completed with a 2.1 or B average. Please contact us for information about individual requirements from specific universities.

Please note that we do not ordinarily consider applicants who already hold a Qualifying Law Degree for entry to this programme.

International students should visit our International Student website for further specific information. International fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot study part-time due to visa restrictions.

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

If you need to improve your English language standard as a condition of your offer, you can attend one of our pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes before starting your degree programme. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.

Course structure

Duration: 2 years full-time

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. 

All modules listed below are compulsory, with the exception of Company Law and Capitalism and the Law of Evidence, which may be substituted for other optional modules offered by the Law School. Please also note that the choice available in the first year is limited and dependent on space available on optional modules at the time of entry, with the choice usually defaulted to Company Law and Capitalism (subject to confirmation by the student).

Stage 1

Compulsory modules currently include

Section 1 Introduction to Obligations

a) The nature of the common law and its development.

b) The idea of precedent and legal reasoning.

c) The distinction between public law and private law.

d) The main divisions of obligations.

e) Drafting case notes

Section 2 Introduction to the law of contract

a) The historical development of contract law and its functions in the modern world.

b) A special area of study in contract e.g. formation and modification of contracts.

Section 3 Introduction to tort

a) The historical development of tort. An overview of different types of tort. The centrality of the tort of negligence and its role in the modern world.

b) A special study in tort – e.g. trespass to the person.

Section 4 Conclusion

A summary; critical approaches to the study of contract and tort; guidance to legal problem solving.

Find out more about LAWS3150

Part A: English Legal System

This module provides an overview of the English Legal System, including the following indicative topics:

1. An introduction to Parliament and the legislative process

2. The court structure and the doctrine of precedent

3. An introduction to case law, including how to identify and the importance of ratio decidendi and obiter dicta

Part B: Introduction to Legal Skills

The module also gives students an introduction to the basic legal skills that they will develop further in their other modules throughout the degree. The focus here is on specific exercises to support exploration and use of the library resources that are available, both in paper copy and electronically through the legal databases, and on understanding practices of legal citation.

Find out more about LAWS3270

This module seeks not only to familiarise students with the basic concepts and structure of modern company law, but also to provide them with a critical understanding of the nature and dynamics of modern capitalism and of the historical development of industrial organisation and the emergence of company law within it. In addition to a selection on modern company law, therefore, the module also traces the rise of the joint stock company in the nineteenth century and the emergence of company law in its wake. It moves on to trace the twentieth century rise of the modern multidivisional, multinational company and its impact on company law. In this context, it also considers the nature of the share and of shareholding, and the role of the Stock Market, and explores contemporary debates about corporate governance. Key aspects will include exploring the contractual relations between, on the one hand, the company and its agents and on the other hand, third parties who deal with the company, tracing the evolutionary changes from the Common Law to the modern predominantly statutory framework. It will also deal with aspects of corporate management and control, including directors' duties, shareholders’ rights and the increasingly important issues pertaining to market abuse and how the law seeks to deal with such practices. Students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with current issues in the commercial world by reading the financial pages of the newspapers, as reference will frequently be made to current events to facilitate the learning process. The module will address a range of inter-related questions: How well suited is modern company law to the regulation of the large modern corporation? What do shareholders do? What does the Stock Market do? In whose interests are modern corporations run? In whose interest should they be run? How do companies contract and, what are the relationships between the organs of the company?

Find out more about LAWS5200

Following on from 'Introduction to Contract and Tort', 'Introduction to Property Law' continues the study of private law by introducing students to property law. 'Property' is something we tend to presume we know about, and rarely examine as an idea or practice closely. Most often we use it to connote an object or 'thing', and presume that it has something to do with ‘ownership’ of that object; we use expressions such as, 'This is mine,' and often do not examine the detail of what that really means.

This module begins to unpack and examine the ideas and practices of property more closely, looking in particular at land to ask questions such as: what do we mean by ‘ownership’? What happens when a number of competing ‘ownership claims’ in one object exist? What are the limits of 'ownership'? Does 'ownership' entail social obligation?

When preparing for the module it will be useful to think about (and collect material on) current debates over contested ownership (or use) of property and resources, especially in relation to land.

Find out more about LAWS5316

TERM 1

• Constitutionalism: history, theories, principles and contemporary significance

• Models of Government at national, local and supra-national levels

TERM 2

• Human Rights – history and contemporary significance and deployment

• The scope of governmental authority and its limits

• Judicial review and other forms of citizen redress

Find out more about LAWS5880

In contrast to LAWS5080 (LW508) Criminal Law (at Level 5), this Level 6 module will consider each of the following discrete, but identical, topics to a much greater depth making use of, and improving, skills developed in earlier years of their degree programme:

• Introduction to the concept of crime, the structure of criminal justice and the general principles of liability

• Harm and the boundaries of criminal law

• Considering cases – how to effectively summarise cases and write a case note

• Murder

• Defences to murder

• General defences

• Manslaughter

• Non-fatal offences against the person

• Sexual offences

• Inchoate offences

• Complicity

• Property-related offences

Find out more about LAWS6010

Stage 2

Compulsory modules currently include

The module aims to provide students with: an understanding of the adversarial trial structure and its impact on the content of the law of evidence, particularly in the context of the criminal trial; an understanding of forensic reasoning skills; a familiarisation with the content of some of the key evidential rules; encouragement to identify and debate current issues within the law of evidence with confidence, including the importance of due process and how it relates to notions of truth and fact finding; and the ability to apply the legal rules and principles within a critical framework.

Find out more about LAWS5180

Over the course of the late twentieth century the modern state was transformed in far-reaching ways. The deregulation and privatisation of national economies, the rise of risk governance, the proliferation of administrative agencies and the increasing the involvement of experts in public policy have all profoundly affected the practice of government. At the same time, states responded to global problems cutting across national boundaries (eg, in finance, security and the environment) by governing through transnational networks and global institutions far removed from conventional mechanisms of democratic and legal accountability. These changes have dramatically transformed the landscape of public law - broadly defined as 'the practices that sustain and regulate the activity of governing'.

This module helps students to navigate this shifting constitutional terrain and grapple with the key legal and political challenges it poses. In Public Law 1 students learned about the core principles of constitutional and administrative law, exploring issues like parliamentary sovereignty, the separation of powers, judicial review, human rights and devolution. In the Law of the European Union students were introduced to the principle of multi-level governance through which the modern state operates. Public Law 2 builds on these insights by analysing the complexity of contemporary governance in detail. The aim is to have students think critically about (i) the changing nature of the state, global governance and regulation; (ii) how globalisation is changing the ways public law problems are governed; (iii) the key challenges these shifts pose for the protection of rights and (iv) the different techniques and processes for holding states and powerful actors to account.

Find out more about LAWS5920

This module will build on the knowledge that students will have acquired during Stage 1 (such as in LAWS5880 Public Law 1). This module will develop student learning by focusing on foundational legal aspects of EU law as well as rules governing selected substantive areas of EU law, also taking into account the relevance of these rules to the UK. The module convenor will set out specific areas of study in the relevant module guide.

Find out more about LAWS5930

This module introduces the student to the jurisprudence of equity and trusts. Building on knowledge and understanding developed in LAWS3160/LAWS5316 Introduction to Property Law and LAWS5990 Land Law, but also LAWS6500 Law of Contract and private law more generally, the module examines equity's contributions to private law and jurisprudence. The module is designed to challenge the somewhat dull image of this area of law and to encourage a critical and imaginative understanding of the subject. Departing from conventional approaches, this module does not study equity merely in regards to its role as originator of the trust. Equity is instead acknowledged to be what it really is a vital component of the English legal system, a distinct legal tradition possessing its own principles and method of legal reasoning, and an original and continuing source of legal development in the sphere of remedies. The law of equity and trusts is contextualised within a historical and jurisprudential inquiry, providing a wider range of possible interpretations of its development and application. What then becomes central to the module's approach is the complex interrelation of law with ethical, political, economic and jurisprudential considerations, and of that between legal outcomes, pragmatic concerns and policy objectives.

Find out more about LAWS5980

The focus of the module is private property in English land: title by registration; squatting; owner-occupation; leases; covenants and land development. It builds on the Foundations of Property module to develop an in-depth understanding of English land law, its conception of property and its politics and effects. And it gives experience in how to advise clients on land law problems – and on how to avoid problems for clients.

Find out more about LAWS5990

This module will offer a one-week overview of Contract law doctrine by reviewing the essentials of contract law gained by students in Introduction to Contract and Tort and provide an overview of the lectures to follow.

Thereafter, students will spend the majority of the time on contract doctrine and problem-solving in contract law, comprised of doctrinal topics not covered in LAWS3150 Introduction to Contract and Tort e.g. breach of contract and remedies, contractual terms, misrepresentation, termination and frustration of contracts and policing bargaining behaviour.

The remainder of the module will focus on contract theory (e.g. freedom of contract, relational contract theory, contract and the vulnerable, contract and consumption). This section of the module will overlay the doctrine covered in the previous section with a basic theoretical framework, and ground students' understanding of critical essay writing in contract law. It will also build on discussion of the purposes of contract law in Introduction to Contract and Tort.

Find out more about LAWS6500

This module builds on students' learning from other private law modules such as Introduction to Contract and Tort, Introduction to Property Law and the Law of Contract. A specific aim of this module is to develop students' interest and proficiency in the use of case law based legal arguments as a way of solving legal problems and/or determining liability. The module therefore continues the practice of using case classes to discuss a limited number of modern cases in depth. This in-depth focus on modern decided cases will enable students to

• become increasingly familiar with the idea that cases can be read in different ways;

• observe and analyse the idiosyncrasies of legal language and argument within judgments;

• improve crafting legal arguments in this module and beyond;

• identify some of the contested boundaries of modern tort law.

Whilst case law continues to be central to tortious liability, the module will also consider the role played by statutes in tortious liability. Examples may include the liability of

• occupiers of land towards persons harmed on their land,

• manufacturers towards consumers; and

• publishers towards the potentially defamed.

The module considers these and other topics after having explored tort law's most important tort in detail. Tort law's most important tort is the tort of negligence. Much of the module is devoted to a detailed exploration of the elements of and legal concepts related to that tort. The assessed coursework will be an extended problem question relating to the tort of negligence where students will be required to use their learning to formulate a variety of legal arguments and to predict the likely outcome.

Towards the end of the module, the law of tort(s) is placed in its contemporary context of the so-called "Compensation Culture". It considers whether the relationship between tort law and its context can explain its shape or contemporary debates about it. By reflecting on the doctrine studied earlier in the module and observing where the lines of liability are currently drawn, students will be asked to think about what this reveals about private rights and obligations, the balance between responsibility for harm and freedom of action, access to justice and different conceptions thereof. These broader topics, with consequences for law reform, will be explored in seminars and in exam essay questions.

Find out more about LAWS6510

Fees

The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:

  • Home full-time TBC
  • International full-time TBC

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

Additional costs

General additional costs

Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Funding

We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.

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University funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details. 

Government funding

You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.

Scholarships

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. 

The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.

Teaching and assessment

Kent Law School emphasises research-led teaching which means that the modules taught are at the leading edge of new legal and policy developments. All of our research-active staff teach so you are taught by influential thinkers who are at the forefront of their field. We also have one of the best student-to-staff ratios in the country, which allows small, weekly seminar-group teaching in all of our core modules.

Most modules are assessed by end-of-year examinations and continuous assessment, the ratio varying from module to module, with Kent encouraging and supporting the development of research and written skills. Some modules include an optional research-based dissertation that counts for 45% or, in some cases, 100% of the final mark. 

Assessment can also incorporate assessment through oral presentation and argument, often in the style of legal practice (such as mooting), and client-based work and reflection through our Law Clinic.

Contact hours

For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours.  The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Programme aims

The programme aims to:

  • attract and meet the needs of both those contemplating a career in the legal professions and those motivated primarily by an intellectual interest in law and legal issues
  • provide a sound knowledge and systematic understanding of the principal institutions and procedures of the English legal system
  • provide a sound grounding in the major concepts and principles of English law, the law of the European Union, and the European Convention on Human Rights
  • develop a critical awareness of law in its historical, socio-economic and political contexts, and to introduce students to a range of different theoretical approaches to the study of law
  • offer a range of modules covering the foundations of legal knowledge, as defined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board, which will enable students who successfully complete them to obtain a qualifying law degree
  • offer a range of options to enable students to study some selected areas of areas of law in depth
  • provide teaching that is informed by current research and scholarship and that requires students to engage with aspects of work at the frontiers of knowledge
  • offer the opportunity to acquire direct experience of legal practice and to critically reflect on it through participation in the University Law Clinic
  • enable students to manage their own learning and to carry out independent research, including research into areas of law they have not previously studied
  • develop general critical, analytical and problem-solving skills which can be applied in a wide range of different legal and non-legal settings
  • provide opportunities for the development of personal, communication, research and other key skills appropriate for graduate employment both in the legal professions and other fields.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

  • the principal features of the English legal system, including its institutions, procedures and sources of law
  • the principal features of the European Union
  • the concepts, principles and rules of a substantial range of English legal subjects, including an in-depth knowledge of some areas of law and, depending on options, an in-depth knowledge of the law of the European Union, International law and Comparative law
  • the relationship between law and the historical, linguistic, socio-economic and political contexts in which it operates
  • a range of theoretical, comparative and critical perspectives, which can be applied to the study of law.

Intellectual skills

You develop the intellectual skills to:

  • effectively apply knowledge to analyse complex issues
  • recognise and rank items and issues in terms of their relevance and importance
  • collect and synthesise information from a variety of sources
  • formulate and sustain a complex argument, supporting it with appropriate evidence.
  • recognise potential alternative solutions to particular problems and make a reasoned choice between them
  • independently acquire knowledge and understanding in areas, both legal and non-legal, not previously studied
  • demonstrate an independence of mind and an ability to critically challenge received understandings and conclusions
  • reflect constructively on your own learning processes.

Subject-specific skills

Application & problem solving

On successful completion of the programme, students should be able to:

  • recognise the legal issues arising in a complex factual situation
  • identify and apply the case and statute law relevant to it
  • provide an informed and reasoned opinion on the possible legal actions arising from it, and their likelihood of success.

Sources, research and evaluation

On successful completion of the programme, students should be able to:

  • identify the legal and related issues that require to be researched
  • effectively locate and use primary and secondary legal and other relevant sources
  • conduct independent legal research using paper and electronic resources
  • critically evaluate an area of law both doctrinally and in terms of its socio-economic and other consequences.

Transferable skills

Communication and literacy

On successful completion of the programme, students should be able to:

  • use, orally and in writing, the English language in relation to legal matters and generally, with care, accuracy and effectiveness
  • engage constructively and effectively in arguments and discussions of complex matters
  • give a clear and coherent presentation on a topic using appropriate supporting materials
  • read complex legal and non-legal materials and summarise them accurately
  • employ correct legal terminology and correct methods of citation and referencing for legal and other academic materials
  • produce work in appropriate formats.

Teamwork, numeracy and IT

On successful completion of the programme, students should be able to:

  • work collaboratively in groups to achieve defined tasks, to respond to different points of view and to negotiate outcomes
  • present and evaluate information in a numerical or statistical form
  • word process work and use a range of electronic databases and other information sources.

Independent rankings

Law at Kent scored 93% overall and was ranked 9th for research intensity in The Complete University Guide 2021.

Over 89% of final-year Law students were satisfied with the quality of their course in The Guardian University Guide 2021.

Law at Kent was ranked 13th overall and 8th for research quality in The Times Good University Guide 2021.

Careers

Graduate destinations

The University has an excellent employment record, with Kent Law School graduates commanding some of the highest starting salaries in the UK. Law graduates can go into a variety of careers, including:

  • solicitor or barrister in a private practice
  • company lawyer
  • legal work within government
  • legal work within the charity and NGO sector
  • non-legal careers, such as banking, finance and management.

A large number of Senior Status students are from outside England and Wales, and pursue qualification in their home jurisdiction upon graduation - for example, Canadian students will commonly return to Canada to meet NCA requirements and pursue qualification as lawyers.

Help finding a job

Kent Law School has an active careers programme – leading law firms and prominent members of the legal profession visit the University to meet our students. We also work with employers to create work placement opportunities for our students.

The Law School's dedicated Employability and Careers Development Officer can give you advice on how to:

  • apply for jobs
  • write a good CV
  • perform well in interviews.

You also have access to the University's friendly Careers and Employability Service.

Work experience

Our award-winning Kent Law Clinic gives local people access to free legal advice and representation. As a student, this gives you the chance to work on real cases under the guidance of qualified lawyers. You take on clients and sometimes have the chance to act as the client’s advocate in court or at a legal tribunal.

Career-enhancing skills

Our approach to law helps you to develop:

  • a detailed knowledge of the law
  • sophisticated legal research and writing skills
  • practical skills in mediation, negotiation and interviewing clients.

You gain intellectual, analytical and practical skills that are vital to lawyers but also useful in many other professions. These include the ability to:

  • think critically
  • communicate your ideas and opinions
  • manage your time effectively
  • work independently or as part of a team.

You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.

Professional recognition

Our degree programmes contain the foundations of legal knowledge required by the Bar Standards Board to satisfy the academic component of professional training for intending barristers. For entrants in 2021 who wish to qualify as a solicitor, our programmes can lead to the award of a Qualifying Law Degree, validated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. They also provide a strong foundation for students who wish to take the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE).

Our critical approach to law and legal practice enables students to develop creative intellectual and transferable skills which prepare them for contemporary legal practice – in the UK and worldwide, and for successful careers in many fields.

Apply for Law (Senior Status) - LLB (Hons)

This course page is for the 2021/22 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of undergraduate courses we offer.

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United Kingdom/EU enquiries

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T: +44 (0)1227 768896

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T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk

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