Program Overview

LAW

A-level

Overview

Our sixth form centre is brand-new for the city of Birmingham and the surrounding areas. According to Thomas Reuters, 88% of UK law firms want to see more diversity in their recruits.

Course Breakdown

To achieve your Law A-level, you must study the following topics, and also choose one of the optional modules:

• The Nature of Law
  • Law and morals
  • Law and justice
  • Law and society
• The English Legal System
  • How law is made and developed
  • The criminal process
  • The civil court process
• Criminal Law
  • Elements of criminal liability
  • Fatal offences against the person
  • Non-fatal offences against the person
  • Property offences
  • Defences to crime
• Law of Tort
  • Negligence (personal injury and damage to property)
  • Torts related to property
  • Defences
  • Remedies
  • Vicarious liability
• Human Rights (optional)
  • The rules of Human Rights law
  • Protection of individual’s rights and freedoms
  • Exploration of specific rights and freedoms (including the right to a private and family life, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association)
  • The right to freedom of expression
  • Restrictions on human rights
  • Enforcement of human rights
  • Reform of human rights law in the UK
• Contract Law (optional)
  • The formation of contracts
  • Contractual terms
  • Factors that can invalidate a contract
  • Ending a contract
  • Remedies

Entry Requirements

• Academic requirements
  • We ask for a minimum of five GCSE subjects at grade 5 or higher, including GCSE English Literature or Language and Maths.
• Supporting documents required
  • School applicants will be required to provide a school report, which must include attendance. This will be assessed in conjunction with your qualifications and application during the confirmation of your place at University College Birmingham.
• Guaranteed progression
  • Students who achieve 56 UCAS points or more from this qualification will automatically be guaranteed a place on a degree course at University College Birmingham. Some undergraduate courses require additional entry requirements, so applicants are advised to check entry requirements before applying.

Key Information

• Teaching and assessment
  • You will be assessed through three written exam papers in the Summer of your second year. These exams will assess:
    • your knowledge and understanding of the legal system and legal rules and principles
    • your ability to apply the law to different scenarios to present legal arguments and reach reasoned conclusions
    • the ability to analyse and evaluate legal rules, principles, concepts and issues
  • Your class work and directed learning are designed to prepare you well for your exams and to help you to develop a range of skills that will help you in your future studies and work.
  • Our teaching and assessment is underpinned by our Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy.

Career Options

If you aspire to a legal career as a solicitor or barrister, A-level Law will help you develop an understanding of the legal system and develop the skills you need to study law at a higher level. You may choose to progress to a degree in law or take a work-based route into the legal system through an apprenticeship.

You may also wish to explore other career options within the legal system such as the police force, probation, prisons or the courts service. Legal knowledge and skills are also beneficial if you wish to pursue a career in business.

The example roles and salaries below are intended as a guide only.

• Lawyer
  • Average Salary: £50,000
• Barrister
  • Average Salary: £89,200
• Legal executive
  • Average Salary: £35,000
• Police officer
  • Average Salary: £30,000
• Probation officer
  • Average Salary: £37,000

A-levels this goes well with:

• English Literature A-level
  • The study of English Literature will enable you to explore the world in different time periods and in different social and cultural contexts. You will need to have a passion for reading, as you will cover a minimum of eight texts, including poetry, prose and drama.
• Sociology A-level
  • The study of sociology provides a lens through which we can critically analyse the structures, institutions and interactions that shape our world. An understanding of sociology is beneficial for everything from policing, law and politics to teaching, social work, journalism and business.
• Criminology Level 3
  • The reduction of crime is a key focus of any government as the achievement of this key goal is fundamental to the health, happiness and success of our citizens. On this course, you will explore how our awareness of crime changes over time, investigating the methods used to reduce crime.
• Psychology A-level
  • Studying A-level Psychology, you will delve into topics such as memory, perception, social influence, abnormal behaviour and more. By embarking on this captivating journey of discovery, you will explore the complexities of human behaviour and the inner workings of our minds.
• Business A-level
  • An understanding of business is beneficial in a wide range of careers, from accountancy to financial advice through to sales management and consultancy, while it is also invaluable in setting up your own business and working in senior management and strategic roles across the sectors.
• History A-level
  • History is a vibrant subject that can teach us much about human social, political and technological development and can help us make change for the better. Through the study of A-level History at our sixth form centre, you will explore the achievements and struggles that have led us to the societies in which we now live.