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| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-09-26 | 2023-06-01 |
| 2024-01-23 | 2023-10-16 |
Program Overview
Course overview
This programme provides you with the opportunity to study for your LLB Law degree in the condensed time frame of 2 years, placing you on a fast-track pathway towards a career in legal practice. Suitable for highly motivated individuals, this programme is delivered over three semesters in each of your two years of study.
Your degree programme will be anchored by in depth coverage of core, ‘foundational’ Law subjects, including Criminal Law, Trusts, European Union Law in Context, Contract, Tort, Property/Land Law and Public Law (Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and Human Rights). You will benefit from new modules designed specifically to enhance your legal, digital, communication and presentation skills. An array of option module choices are available, allowing you to explore contemporary issues in family law, disability law, commercial, employment law (and more), or you may choose from a selection of professional legal practice modules, geared to preparing you for your journey to employment.
Modules running in the summer periods (Semester 3) have been designed to enable you to work efficiently and flexibly. Benefitting from significant tutor support, you will balance independent study and research with projects, placements and experiential learning. During the summer of Year 1, you will take up (and train for) a CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) Placement, delivering advice to clients on a wide range of issues. In Year 2, our Community Legal Outreach module offers you access to our CLOCK programme (Community Legal Outreach Collaboration Keele). Here, you may choose to train as a Community Legal Companion, supporting litigants in person and working with third sector organisations. In each case, your invaluable experience will be captured through reflective writing.
Preparation for your career
During your studies, you will learn how to research, read and analyse case and statute law. Answering the legal problem questions, used in many of our law modules, will help develop your problem solving skills and give you experience applying the law to factual situations.
We offer a variety of additional opportunities for you to prepare for your career including Legal Advice Clinics and legal skills competitions such as client interviewing and mooting. These are valuable, practical experiences that will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge and apply your learning to real-life scenarios.
We also have links with partner organisations including the Citizens Advice Bureau, the Crown Prosecution Service and law firms in Birmingham, Manchester and London.
Legal Advice Clinics
Within Keele's School of Law, we have dedicated
Legal Advice Clinics
where upon successful application, you will be trained and supervised by experienced Solicitors to deliver legal services, from the start of the client enquiry through to the resolution of their query. You will learn how to interview and advise clients, research the law using practitioner databases, and give practical legal advice. You may be involved in drafting legal documents and court forms as well as advising clients in writing and in meetings.This valuable legal work experience will be advantageous to your professional development. You can record your experience on HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report) to showcase your volunteer work at university and use as your portfolio when you graduate.
Divorce Clinic
You will meet clients and advise on eligibility to divorce, and continue to help them navigate the various court forms required. You will research the law, draft divorce proceedings, court documents, and gain real life experience of helping clients at a difficult time in their lives. You will be responsible for keeping the client updated throughout the proceedings, learning in a safe, supervised environment.
We offer our services online and in person resulting in a diverse client pool nationwide.
Commercial Clinic
Based online and at the Smart Innovation Hub (SIH) on campus, you will work with small businesses, entrepreneurs and employers to provide advice on a variety of areas of commercial law. You will advise on how to trade, for example as a partnership or company.
You will advise on the duties of directors in a company as well as drafting and amending terms and conditions of business for a variety of businesses. This commercial legal work experience provides an introduction to the work commonly done by general commercial lawyers at many law firms and provides a valuable legal service to start ups and SMEs. You will have the opportunity to have direct links with businesses in a working environment.
Community Legal Outreach Collaboration Keele (CLOCK)
Community Legal Outreach Collaboration Keele (CLOCK)
, co-created a multi-agency collaboration with the Stoke Family Court, law firms, mediators the Citizens Advice Bureau, Domestic and Sexual Abuse survivor support services, to design the unique and innovative role of the Community Legal Companion to assist litigants in person through the court process.To take advantage of this opportunity, you can select the Community Legal Outreach module in Year 2 of your degree programme. You will be trained by court staff, solicitors, barristers, mediators and domestic abuse and sexual abuse support services to understand the complex needs of litigants in person, in a variety of civil legal issues, including:
You will be trained by the partnership as a Community Legal Companion to signpost for legal aid and where not available, assist within the remit of the McKenzie Friend principles to assist:
Mooting (A mock appeal hearing on a point of Law)
Challenge your peers through
mooting competitions
and showcase your knowledge through practice. You will apply your research, writing and presentation skills in the staged legal environment we have here at Keele - our dedicated moot court room based within the School of Law. This experience will help you to build confidence when working independently as well as a team. You will learn how to work effectively under pressure and how to meet deadlines but you will also develop and refine your public speaking skills and ability to convey robust arguments which is critical within the legal profession.You may have the opportunity to get involved with national and international mooting competitions which you can document and use to support future job applications. Such events sometimes attract members of the bar and legal academics, providing a great networking opportunity.
Stand out from the crowd
Placement Year
Taking a placement year between 2nd and 3rd year is a valuable opportunity to make connections and build a network of professionals within your chosen field. Your experience will help you with deciding upon your career path and allow you to showcase your abilities in the workplace. We will support you as you seek to find an appropriate placement and help you prepare for it.
International Year
Enhance your career prospects with an International Year at one of our partner institutions. This opportunity can help in your employment search to stand out from the crowd and broaden your horizons, potentially working across the globe. The international year can be taken at the end of year two, increasing your study period to a 3 year programme.
You will evidence your experience with a project submission and on successful completion of all modules across the year, you will graduate with an enhanced degree title. Given the international demand and necessity for legal professionals, this opportunity can be highly beneficial in demonstrating your awareness of the international legal context but also your ability to immerse yourself into a different culture. You can find more information
here.
Student Support
Student Learning Development Fellow
The School of Law, Student Learning Development Fellow is available to support you with your learning and skill development through 1-2-1 sessions, bespoke workshops or drop-in visits. This provides an opportunity to gain advice and guidance that is tailored to your needs and requirements. The full range of Learning Development support extends to Semester 3 on your accelerated degree programme.
Programme Director
To help you manage the demands of an accelerated programme, you will benefit from one-to-one support, meeting with the Programme Director at key points in each Semester, helping you to navigate your learning journey.
Academic Mentor
You will be assigned an academic mentor who will support you with your academic development and queries. They will be your initial contact and are able to refer you to a range of student services offered by the university including welfare and financial support.
Student Experience and Support Team
Our Student Experience and Support team will be on hand to deliver an array of services to help guide you through your studies. Each school has an allocated Student Experience and Support Officer who will be available to help with pastoral queries and one-to-one support.
Learn a language
Discover languages at Keele. Whether you are a complete beginner or already have a foundation of knowledge, we offer a flexible and guided route to developing your skills. We currently offer British Sign Language, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. Upon successful completion of a series of elective language modules, you may have the opportunity to gain an
enhanced degree title
.Being multilingual can assist with your career prospects and encourage you to stand out against competition, as well as increasing your employment prospects overseas. This is also a fantastic opportunity for your personal development where you can practice your reading, writing and oral skills and build key characteristics such as time management, adaptability, and motivation.
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