A complete guide to law degrees

Prosecuting or defending criminals, solving family disputes, handling divorce…these are just some of the fascinating (and challenging) cases that you may get to work on if you score a career in the legal sector.

However, a law degree is certainly more than just a stepping stone to a legal career. Instead, it’s a way to understand the structures that shape society and influence everyday life, and if you choose, you can decide to work in and around these essential structures. 

In this complete guide to law degrees, we’ll take you through the essentials of studying law, from the types of degrees available to what you’ll learn during your studies and the career paths you might consider. 

Whether you’re drawn to legal puzzles, want to advocate for change, or simply curious about how the law works, this guide will help you navigate your options and make informed decisions about your future.

What is a law degree?

A law degree is a higher education program that provides a comprehensive understanding of legal principles, systems, and processes. It covers essential areas like criminal law, contract law, and constitutional law, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to analyse legal issues, think critically, and apply the law in real-world situations. 

Law degrees can lead to a career in legal practice or open up opportunities in various fields such as business, politics, and public policy, just to name a few options.

Example modules on a law degree

The modules you study on your degree will depend on the type of law degree you choose — however, if you go down the traditional route and go for an LLB, you will study all of the following topics.

• Criminal Law
• Law of Torts
• The Law of Contract
• Land Law (Property Law)
• Equity and Trusts
• Constitutional and Administrative Law
• EU Law.

Types of law degree

There are quite a few options available for those eyeing up a law degree. Below we’ll give a breakdown of some of the most popular types of law degrees available at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

BA in Law

A Bachelor of Arts in Law is an undergraduate degree that blends legal studies with a broader range of humanities or social science subjects, making it the perfect choice if you’re uncertain about going into the legal field after your studies. It covers foundational law modules while also allowing students to explore areas like politics, sociology, or history, providing a more interdisciplinary approach to legal education.

LLB (Bachelor of Laws) 

The LLB is a three-year undergraduate degree that equips students with a solid foundation in law, covering core subjects like criminal law, contract law, and constitutional law. It serves as the qualifying law degree for England and Wales, although some international students with a law degree from their home country might be eligible for exemptions. You can also opt for a combined LLB with subjects like politics or human rights.

Graduate LLB 

Designed for those who already hold a non-law undergraduate degree, the graduate LLB is a two-year course that provides a comprehensive legal education on an accelerated timeline. This pathway is ideal for graduates looking to transition into the field of law.

LLM (Master of Laws) 

The LLM is a postgraduate qualification that typically lasts one year, available to students with a prior degree in law or relevant professional experience. It enables you to specialise in a specific area of law, with the flexibility to choose between taught courses, research-based study, or a combination of both through essays and exams.

Skills you’ll learn on a law degree

Considering the huge scope of work that lawyers take on, it’s no surprise that you’ll pick up plenty of important skills while you study for a law degree. Below we’ll break down the top hard skills you’ll learn, and the soft, or transferable, skills you’ll develop.

Hard skills:

• Legal research 
• Legal writing
• Negotiation
• Commercial awareness
• Case analysis
• Contract drafting
• Legal citation.

Soft skills:

• Problem solving 
• Excellent written and oral communication 
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Interpersonal skills
• Time management and prioritisation
• Flexibility
• Resilience.

How long does it take to get a law degree?

Undergraduate law degrees like a BA, LLB, or combined BSc usually take three years if you study full-time, or four to six years if you choose to study part-time, perhaps because you want to work alongside your studies.

Postgraduate degrees vary in length, but the graduate LLB is a two year course, and the LLM is just one year, so it all depends on your prior educational experiences. It’s worth noting as well, that to become a qualified lawyer, you’ll have to commit to further years of study.

On average, it takes five years of study to become a barrister and six years to become a solicitor, but it can take even longer. So, it’s definitely worth being sure about it before embarking on your training, but a law degree is an excellent option that has great benefits even if you decide not to pursue a legal career.

Entry requirements for a law degree

The entry requirements for a law degree vary quite widely depending on the specific university and type of degree that you’re going after. While some law degrees will accept BTEC students, others will not, so definitely make sure to check. 

All types of law degree will accept A-levels, and they particularly like subjects like English, economics, history and politics. You’ll need at least five GCSEs at grade C/4 or higher, including English, maths and science. Below, we’ve detailed the average entry grades you’ll need to obtain.

• A-levels: ABB
• BTEC: DDM
• Scottish highers: BBB

To get onto most postgraduate degrees in law, you’ll need at least a 2:2 in an undergraduate program. In some cases, you’ll need an undergraduate law degree, but for others, the subject of your degree doesn’t matter.

Must-haves 

• Relevant academic qualifications
• Knowledge about the legal field
• Passion for your subject
• Strong writing skills

Good-to-haves 

• Work experience or shadowing at a law firm, court or legal charity
• Observing court cases in person or watching case videos on the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary website to understand legal proceedings
• Following news stories that have legal implications and having knowledge of legal news sources
• Reading in and around your subject, including recommended books on your chosen university’s website
• Staying informed about the legal profession by visiting the websites of regulators, law societies, and legal news sources
• Developing your writing and debating skills through clubs and societies.

How much does a law degree cost?

At undergraduate level, tuition fees are £9,250 per year for most UK students, though degrees are free for Scottish students studying in Scotland, and the tuition is less in Northern Ireland. International students can expect to pay quite a bit more.

The cost is more variable for master’s degrees and other postgraduate qualifications. On average, master’s degrees cost between £12,000 and £25,000, but where exactly it falls on the spectrum will depend on how in-depth the program is and the prestige of the institution. 

Funding options for law degrees

Fortunately, undergraduate degrees (and normally one year of a master’s degree) are covered by Student Finance in the UK. This means that you get a loan to fund your degree, and sometimes also a grant for living costs. 

There are, however, additional routes you can go down when it comes to funding your degree. For example, there might be options for obtaining a scholarship or grant, and your university might even offer financial aid packages. 

Where to look

• Check out the HRLA, or the Human Rights Lawyers Association Bursary
• Look at The Law Society’s Diversity Access Scheme
• View Prospect’s postgraduate funding page
• Use the Turn2Us grants search tool
• Take a look at The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding
• If you’re Scottish, check out Student Awards Agency Scotland
• If you’re an international student hoping to come to the UK, check out GREAT Scholarships by the British Council.

How to get into a law degree

In the UK, you usually apply for undergraduate degrees via UCAS, choosing five degree options and ranking them in order of which one you’d most like to join. You also normally have to meet the entry requirements stated by your chosen university and write a personal statement detailing your suitability for the degree  — more details on this below.

For master’s programs, you apply directly on the institution’s website, and you’ll need an undergraduate degree in a related field. 

Personal statement tips

• Explain why you want to study law. What made you interested in studying law, what skills do you hope to gain, and how do you hope to contribute to society through your expertise?
• Highlight your vested interest in the legal field. Talk about any industry publications, books, blogs or newsletters that you read or keep up with.
• Call attention to relevant experience. Whether it’s court visits, experience on the debating team, or shadowing at a law firm, make sure you back up your statements of interest with examples of relevant experience.
• Demonstrate your awareness of different types of law. Make sure you mention which areas of law you’re particularly interested in, and perhaps your ambitions for the type of law you’d like to practise.
• Highlight your knowledge of the course. It’s good to be as specific as you can about your reasons for choosing this degree in particular. What about it stood out? Which degree modules are you most excited to study and why?

How will you be assessed on a law degree?

The way you’re assessed will depend on your particular degree program, but law degrees typically make use of a range of assessment formats. You could have exams, essays, group projects, reports, portfolios and oral presentations. 

This assessment variety will likely prove useful after graduation, since those working in the legal field tend to take on a wide range of duties, including written reports and presenting in court.

How difficult is a law degree?

Law is not known for being a particularly easy subject — you’ll spend hours learning about complex legal concepts, intricate cases, and theoretical principles that you need to apply to real-life scenarios. The workload can be intense, with extensive reading, precise legal writing, and tight deadlines. 

However, you don’t need to go into a law degree with any very specific subject knowledge or experience — the most important thing is to be passionate, dedicated and hardworking. You will also find it easier if you already have strong written and oral communication, as well as analytical skills. 

Job satisfaction and prospects for law graduates

There will always be a need for legal professionals — after all, we live in a society governed by law. But, what exactly do the current job prospects look like for a soon-to-be law graduate? 

For some context, there were reportedly 160,176 practising solicitors across England and Wales in 2022, 17,263 practising barristers, and 7,500 chartered legal professionals. 

And demand for legal services has been steadily increasing over the past few years, with a +3% increase in 2022, a +6% increase in 2023, and a predicted +2% growth this year. Some particular areas of growth are property law and immigration law. So, your prospects are looking good.

It’s also worth considering job satisfaction. Is being a lawyer as exciting or as stressful as it looks? A 2023 report by Axiom found that the UK lawyers they surveyed generally felt a strong measure of satisfaction in their jobs, clients and companies, but were also experiencing burnout from high workloads. So it’s worth being aware that you could be embarking on a high intensity career path.

What can you do with a law degree?

Employers across many industries and specialisms seek to employ law graduates for their excellent research skills, attention to detail, communication and commercial awareness, and this applies to non-legal employers too.

For example, law graduates are highly sought after by big corporations, government bodies, the police and tech firms. Below are just some of the careers you could go into with a law degree, including options in the legal field and beyond.

• Solicitor
• Barrister
• Chartered legal executive
• Litigator
• Paralegal
• Costs lawyer
• Judicial assistant
• Judge
• Arbitrator
• Conveyancer
• Civil servant
• Detective
• Politician.

Salary prospects: How much do law graduates earn?

Wondering about your salary prospects? Legal Cheek did their own research into this, and found a wide range of median salaries for law graduates in the UK, five years after graduating. At the very top end, graduates were earning between 50-70k per year, but the average for most universities was between £30-35k, which is certainly not a bad salary for the early stages of your career.

You can expect to boost your salary significantly as you gain more years of experience, regardless of the career path you’ve chosen. Below, we’ve listed a few average salaries of popular careers for law graduates, to give you a better idea of what’s in store.

• Solicitor: £62,000 per year
• Chartered legal executive: £38,624 per year
• Arbitrator: £65,000 per year
• Civil servant: £33,980 per year
• Detective: £39,000 per year

Why choose a law degree?

We’ve covered the fact that many careers for law graduates are well paid, in demand, and offer plenty of exciting opportunities. But what are the unique reasons out there for choosing law over everything else?

• Understand society. Studying law allows you to grasp how legal systems shape societal structures and influence everyday life, providing insight into the workings of power and justice.
• Advocate for people. A law degree equips you with the tools to become a strong advocate for social change, enabling you to address issues that matter to you and contribute to meaningful reforms.
• Challenge yourself intellectually. If you enjoy engaging with complex texts, dissecting arguments, and debating ideas, a law degree offers a stimulating academic environment that nurtures intellectual curiosity.
• Gain a global perspective. Many law programs include opportunities to study international law or participate in exchange programs, giving you a global perspective on legal issues and practices.
• Develop your sense of ethics. A law degree emphasises the importance of ethics and social responsibility, preparing you to navigate moral dilemmas in your professional and personal life.

Get an online law degree with FutureLearn

Now you’ve been convinced, did you know that you can actually study a law degree online? We’ve got some excellent online law degrees by top UK institutions, designed to help you get to the next step in your career. 

You can study from home, or wherever suits you, so that you don’t have to sacrifice your work, family or other life commitments for your studies. Take a look at your online degree options below, including the classic LLB, and several great postgraduate options.

• LLB Law by the University of Law
• LLM in Energy and Environmental Law by the University of Birmingham
• Master of Laws by the University of Law
• MA Law (Conversion) by the University of Law
• MA Law (SQE1) by the University of Law
• MSc Human Resources with Employment Law by the University of Law.