Program Overview

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BA (Hons) Law

Overview

At the University of Stirling, our innovative Law courses give you an opportunity to study a range of subjects that reflect the importance of law in every area of society. We offer two BA (Hons) courses – in Law and Business Law – which can help you develop your career in the modern legal market, such as legal analyst roles or jobs in a host of business settings.

Throughout your course, you'll be taught by leading academics who helped write the textbooks you're studying. At Stirling, their expertise comes to you first-hand, and you'll be part of a close-knit legal department dedicated to providing a rich, enjoyable student experience. From the Scots Law of Contract and Criminal Law to International Human Rights and Private International Law, you'll gain a firm grounding in essential subjects and enjoy the freedom to specialise in areas that interest you most. You can also broaden your career possibilities by combining Law with other complementary courses that include Politics, Spanish, French, Business Studies, Criminology, History and Human Resource Management.

In addition, we make sure you graduate with the communication, organisational and personal skills prospective employers are looking for – qualities that you can refine further by spending a semester studying abroad or undertaking a work placement. Our graduates are working in many exciting roles from using legal skills and knowledge in management roles in companies to developing the rule of law in an international context, highlighting the diverse opportunities a BA in Law from the University of Stirling open up.

Top Reasons to Study with Us

• We're ranked top 5 in Scotland for Law (The Complete University Guide 2025)
• Specialise in the areas of Law that interest you most and combine your course with a range of other subjects
• 100% of our research impact in Law is classed as world leading or internationally excellent (Research Excellence Framework 2021)

Entry Requirements

Year 1 Entry – Four-Year Honours

• SQA Highers: ABBB
• GCE A-levels: BBB
• IB Diploma: 28
• BTEC (Level 3): DDM
• Widening access students: Widening access students may be eligible for an adjusted offer of entry. To find out if this applies to you go to our widening access pages.
• Care-experienced applicants: Care-experienced applicants will be guaranteed an offer of a place if they meet the minimum entry requirements.

Other Scottish Qualifications

• Scottish HNC/HND: Year one minimum entry - Bs in graded units.
• Access courses: University of Stirling access course - for mature students only. You must pass the course with 50% or above.
• SWAP Access course: for mature students only.
• Foundation Apprenticeships: Considered to be equivalent to 1 Higher at Grade B

Other Qualifications

• English, Welsh and Northern Irish HNC/HND: Merits and Distinctions
• English, Welsh and Northern Irish access courses: Access to Higher Education - 60 credits, minimum 45 at QCF Level 3, pass at 60% or above.

International Entry Requirements

View the entry requirements for your country

Advanced Entry

• Year 2 entry: Entry into Year 2 may be possible depending on your HNC/HND course. To find out more go to our articulation pages.
• Other qualifications: Advanced entry may be possible depending on your qualifications. For more information, contact our Admissions Team.

Other Routes of Entry

If you don't currently meet our academic requirements, University of Stirling International Study Centre offers a variety of preparation programmes that can earn you the qualifications and skills you need to progress onto some of our courses. Explore University of Stirling International Study Centre to see the routes available.

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:

• IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill.
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) 60 overall with a minimum of 59 in each sub-skill.
• IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing.

Course Details

BA (Hons) Law

This degree provides a broad university education in law in a wide range of areas, such as crime, the family, business, and government.

You may pursue a Bachelor's degree, General degree or Honours degree in Law.

Semesters 1–4

You are introduced to the fundamentals of law in Scotland.

Semesters 5–8

You will select advanced modules from a range of specialist legal topics. These are shared with the LLB.

Modules

The module information below provides an example of the types of course module you may study. The details listed are for the academic year that starts in September 2025. Modules and start dates are regularly reviewed and may be subject to change in future years.

Teaching

Teaching is delivered via in-person lectures and seminars. You’ll also undertake independent research supervised by a member of staff, presenting a dissertation on a legal topic of your own choice in your final year.

Assessment

Assessment is by examination and coursework.

Classroom Hours

In first and second year, the Law courses are typically taught with two hours of lectures per week and one hour of tutorial per fortnight. In third and fourth year, the typical teaching pattern in Law Honours courses is one two-hour seminar per week.

Work Placement Opportunities

Our BA Law degree programmes give you the opportunity to participate in an elective work placement module in Year 3 or 4 depending on how well you have done in your studies as places are limited. You’ll gain frontline experience within a busy law practice or law-related organisation – putting your studies into practice, and picking up valuable insights into the working world. It’s an opportunity that can boost your employability after graduation, with prospective recruiters looking for evidence you have the real-world skills they need.

Study Abroad

As a University of Stirling student, you’ll have the opportunity to broaden your horizons and study abroad through our well-established connections with several international universities.

Fees and Funding

Fees and Costs

• Scottish students: This fee is set by the Scottish Government and is subject to change.
• Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland: This tuition fee may be subject to change depending on guidance provided by the UK Government.
• International students (including EU): Eligible students will automatically receive a scholarship worth between £8,000-£30,000 over the duration of your course.

Additional Costs

There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips.

Funding

See what funding opportunities and loans are available to help you with tuition and living costs.

• Students from Scotland: Find funding opportunities for Scottish students.
• Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland: Eligible students will automatically receive our Undergraduate Welcome Scholarship, Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, and our Honours Year Scholarship, which are worth between £1,000 and £9,250.
• International students: Eligible international students will automatically receive a scholarship worth between £8,000-£30,000 over the duration of your course.

Cost of Living

If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.

Payment Options

We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments.

After You Graduate

A BA in Law from the University of Stirling paves the way for opportunities in the modern legal market.

As a non-qualifying law degree, the BA Law is aimed primarily at those not wishing to become practising lawyers; however, some students who undertake this degree do choose to go on and train to become lawyers.

To become a lawyer in Scotland you would need to take a 2-year accelerated LLB after you have finished your BA Law. In England, you would need to sit exams in English law that our degree does not prepare you for.

Preparing You for the World of Work

By focusing on law within a wider social and business context, we’ve helped to prepare graduates for jobs with major organisations like Aviva Insurance, Royal Bank of Scotland, FIFA, the NHS and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

We offer a comprehensive employability and skills programme to help you maximise your time at Stirling and develop the attributes required by employers. We also have a dedicated Faculty Employability and Skills Officer and a Careers Service that work in partnership with academic staff to ensure you get the best out of your University experience and are given the right opportunities to make you ready for the world of work.

Discover Uni

Discover Uni provides official data on each university's undergraduate courses, including satisfaction scores from the National Student Survey, details of graduate jobs and salaries, and other key information for prospective students.

• 80% of students were satisfied overall with their course.
• 84% of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well.

What Our Students Said

• "Moving to Stirling was a significant emotional and financial effort, which is why I wanted to take advantage of the opportunities presented during my time there. All of my experiences prepared me for my professional life, by learning to seize opportunities, communicate with senior stakeholders, navigate and prioritize responsibilities, and focus on structured problem solving." - Doina Emilian, Moldova, BA (Hons) Law and Marketing
• "I wouldn’t change a thing about my Stirling experience." - Amy McCormick, Scotland, BA (Hons) Law

Flexible Study

Are you interested in more than one of our courses? You might not have to choose between them. Here at Stirling, we believe in choice and offer more than 170 course combinations.

Law can be combined with any of the following courses:

• Business Studies (UCAS code: MN11)
• Criminology (UCAS code: MM91)
• French (UCAS code: RM11)
• History (UCAS code: MV11)
• Human Resource Management (UCAS code: MN16)
• Politics (UCAS code: ML12)
• Spanish and Latin American Studies (UCAS code: MR14)

For a combined honours degree where the two subjects have different entry requirements, you will usually be asked to meet the higher entry requirement.

Related Courses

• BA (Hons) Business Law (UCAS Code: M221)
• LLB (Hons) Law (UCAS Code: M114)
• LLB Law: Accelerated Graduate (UCAS Code: M115)