Legal Foundations
LLM
Postgraduate degree
Key facts
- Award
- LLM Legal Foundations or PGDip Legal Foundations
- School/s
- Bath Business School
- Campus or location
- Newton Park
- Course length
- One year full-time or two years part-time.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for our postgraduate courses vary. We're generally looking for a good honours degree or equivalent.
Some courses also require an interview or the submission of a portfolio of work.
Please contact our admissions team for more information: admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.
A postgraduate law course designed to support your progress towards legal qualification in England and Wales.
- Study the seven foundations of legal knowledge and prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination.
- Work with external partners and gain real-world legal clinic experience.
- Enhance your future employability in law-related fields.
This Master of Laws is a career-enhancing legal qualification that will position you to become a lawyer of the future. The course is designed to support you to make progress towards legal qualification in England and Wales, covering the seven foundations of legal knowledge and offering preparatory learning for Part 1 of the external Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). Depending on your project module choices, you'll also have the opportunity to obtain preparatory learning and practical experience relevant to the SQE Part 2 Assessment.
Bath Spa University is designated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority as an authorised SQE training provider.
What you'll learn
Overview
You'll undertake eight core modules and select one project module option, covering the seven foundations of legal knowledge and offering preparatory learning for elements of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination.
The learning structure will enhance your academic and organisational skills and develop new legal skills and knowledge. You'll have the opportunity to work with external partners to support clients with a range of legal problems, or to undertake a supervised research project on a legal area of your choice.
Course modules
The course involves learning across three trimesters. Please check the programme document (below the main image on this page) for more information.
Trimester One
You'll study modules:
- Legal Systems Research and Skills
- Constitutional and EU Law
- Obligations and Dispute Resolution
- Public Law
Trimester Two
You'll study modules:
- Property Law and Practice
- Criminal Law and Practice
- Business Law and Practice
- Trusts, Wills and Estates
Trimester Three
You'll have the opportunity to choose a Legal Clinic or Legal Research Project module option. The Legal Clinic module option offers the opportunity to gain legal experience in real world client scenarios.
Students that do not wish to complete the project modules can choose to exit the course with a PgDip qualification upon successful completion of the core modules.
How will I be assessed?
You'll be assessed through a range of methods including examinations, tests, reports, essays, practical skill exercises, and portfolio and dissertation writing. The core modules include formative assessments similar to that used on the SQE.
How will I be taught?
You'll be taught using a range of methods including in-person seminars and practical skill workshops, supervision, client-based interaction and digital learning.
Opportunities
Work experience and industry links
You'll get the chance to engage with a range of guest speakers and legal practice stakeholders, and you'll have the opportunity to visit the Bath Law Clinic at the beginning of the programme.
The Legal Clinic module option offers experience, learning and support that will enhance your legal practice knowledge and future employability.
Careers
The course has been designed to support you to make progress towards legal qualification in England and Wales. The course will also equip you to follow other law-related career paths.
Competitions and awards
You'll have the opportunity to compete in open competitions across a range of extracurricular activities including debating and mooting.
2022/23 Academic Year
We’ve made some changes to how we deliver our courses in response to the ongoing COVID situation. This is to enable students to get the most out of their studies and university experience and to facilitate an engaging, participative and interactive learning environment, all while keeping our community safe.
We keep our programmes under constant review, and we’ll make sure to let applicants know if there are significant changes to your programme. You can find out more about how the University has adapted its approach on our COVID advice pages, where you’ll also find support and signposting to useful services.
Facilities and resources
Where the subject is taught
The course is taught at our Newton Park campus, with an option to visit Bath Law Clinic.
Resources
Our library offers a wide range of relevant materials including electronic sources. This online material can be accessed on and off campus enabling you to work at times that suit you.
Fees
Please note: Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland are not generally eligible for the UK (Home) fee status. Please refer to the international student rate. Irish citizens and those granted Settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme are eligible for UK (Home) fee status. There are also other circumstances where this may apply: See UKCISA for more information.
UK students full time
Course fees
2022/23 entry | £7,855 |
2023/24 entry | Published Jan 2023 |
2024/25 entry | Published Jan 2024 |
UK students part time
Fees shown below are for part time study over two years, although some courses may be available over longer periods.
2022/23 Entry
Course fees
Year 1 | £3,928 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2023 |
2023/24 Entry
Course fees
Year 1 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2024 |
2024/25 Entry
Course fees
Year 1 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2025 |
International students full time
Course fees
2022/23 entry | £14,540 |
2023/24 entry | Published Jan 2023 |
2024/25 entry | Published Jan 2024 |
Interested in applying?
What we look for in potential students
We're looking for applicants with an inquiring mind, an interest in the study and practice of law and a determination to pursue a career in a law-related field.
Typical offers
You'll have, at minimum, a lower second-class honours UK or ROI degree (or equivalent overseas NARIC qualification), or equivalent professional experience through APL or APEL (including at least two years work experience).
For international students: IELTS min 6.5 (min. 5.5 in each category). There may be visa and other regulatory limitations related to the optional Legal Clinic module.
All applicants should be advised of the external character and suitability requirements in respect of future legal professional qualification.
How do I apply?
Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page.
Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply pages.
Get ahead
Applicants are recommended to undertake preliminary reading around the study and practice of law in England and Wales. A good starting point is Steve Wilson, Helen Rutherford, Tony Storey, Natalie Wortley, Birju Kotecha, English Legal System (4th edition, Oxford University Press (OUP) 2020).