Close
Within a dynamic and changing European context, knowledge of another European national legal system and its law is a valuable asset, both academically and professionally
Overview
UCAS course code: M144
You should review the information provided below in conjunction with the UCL Prospectus page for this degree programme before applying for this programme.
This four-year programme teaches students from across the globe the skills to reflect critically on your understanding of the law, how the law works and how and if it can be changed. This programme includes a year in Spain at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid* and leads to the award of a Bachelor of Laws degree from UCL.
As a UCL Laws student, your modules will be taught through weekly lectures combined with a bi-weekly tutorial or in seminars. During lectures, seminars and tutorials, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the principles of law, and to understand its role in governing the relations between the individual, the state, and society.
Through discussion and debate with your classmates and tutors, written assignments and presentations, you will develop your ability to communicate in a clear and effective way, sharpen your powers of reasoning, and gain the technical expertise to solve legal problems.
NOTE: Students enrolled on this programme will only be permitted to transfer to the three-year LLB degree in exceptional circumstances.
*Please note this is subject to change and specific placements cannot be guaranteed.
Programme structure
The structure of the programme during Years 1, 2 and 4 (when you will be based at UCL), is similar to Years 1, 2 and 3 of the LLB Law programme, with the exception of an additional module which is taught in Spanish and is focused on Spanish law.
The Spanish Law module in Years 1 and 2 will provide you with the skills needed to study at our partner institution during your year abroad in Spain.
For all courses with one year study abroad the overseas university will also send you information regarding term dates, student registration, and enrolment.
Throughout Year 2, you will have opportunities to meet returning fourth-year students who have completed their year abroad and current visiting students from overseas universities.
Please note that students on the programme do not receive Spanish language tuition and are expected to work on their language skills alongside their studies.
Modules
- Year 1
Prior to the start of teaching, you will be required to complete some pre-course reading for the Laws’ Connections induction course (approximately 15 hours). This will be sent to you prior to the start of the academic year. You may also be asked to complete some pre-course reading for some of the year 1 modules. When you join UCL laws, you will start with a two-week induction programme: Laws' Connections: Legal Doctrine and Contemporary Challenges.
Laws' Connections is designed to be an inspiring introduction to the study of law here at UCL Laws, and to the role of law in addressing social challenges. It has two elements:
- Introduction to the Study of Law
- Case Studies
The case studies cover topics such as climate change, homelessness, the global financial crisis, fake news and falsehoods, and the family home. You will be encouraged to think hard about the role of lawyers and the law in addressing significant social problems and introduce some important legal ideas and concepts, and also some important legal skills. You shall also get to know the people you will be studying with for the coming years.
You will take the following compulsory modules during Year 1 of the programme:
- Contract Law
- European Legal Studies (Spanish) I
- Criminal Law
- Property Law I
- Public Law
- Year 2
During Year 2 of the programme, you will take four compulsory modules:
- European Legal Studies (Spanish) II (replacing Jurisprudence)
- European Union Law
- Property Law II
- Tort Law
- Year 3
You will spend the third year of the programme studying Hispanic Law at UCL’s partner university in Spain. Our current partner is the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid*.
Prior to your departure in year two, you will be provided with information to help you prepare for your year abroad, including information and resources concerning financial considerations, passports and visas, the availability of private accommodation, local education authority documentation, travel arrangements, and insurance.
The overseas university will also send you information regarding term dates, student registration, and enrolment. Throughout year two, you will have opportunities to meet returning fourth-year students who have completed their year abroad and with current visiting students from overseas universities.
You will be required to complete and pass 60 ECTS credits during your year abroad.
Assessment is based on written or oral examinations.
Some university accommodation is available.
Visit the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid website for more details.
*Please note this is subject to change and specific placements cannot be guaranteed.
- Year 4
In the final year of the programme, you will be able to choose optional modules totalling 120 credits. Students choose from a wide range of optional modules based on the research interests of UCL Laws academics. Visit our Modules section to see a list of modules that may be available in Year 4.
Final year students can also choose to study 30 of their 120 credits in another UCL Department or at another University of London institution (subject to space).
Assessment
At UCL, students will be assessed by a variety of summative assessments (e.g. written examinations, take-home papers, coursework essays, presentations or through a combination of methods of assessment).
You will also submit and receive feedback on formative assessments throughout each academic year.
Assessment at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
You will be assessed according to the regulations of the overseas university where you are studying in the third year. Assessment is based on written or oral examinations.
You must study and pass the required number of credits for your ‘Laws With’ Study Abroad Programme, in order to pass the Study Abroad element of your degree programme. If you fail a module, and do not therefore secure the required credits, you must make the necessary arrangements via the host university to re-sit the module wherever this is possible. Please contact the Undergraduate Office to discuss. We are always there to assist and support students. As soon as your results/re-sit results are available, your marks must be forwarded to the Undergraduate Office, and provided you have satisfied UCL Laws’ requirements, you will pass the Study Abroad element of your degree programme.
Students who do not pass the year abroad will automatically transfer to the final year of the three-year LLB programme in the next academic year, following the year abroad, BUT students who transfer from a Laws with programme to the straight LLB programme must study and pass Jurisprudence in their final year and will therefore only choose three additional 30 credit modules (or equivalent) in their final year.
Accreditation
All of our programmes are compliant with the QAA subject benchmark statement for law and contain the "Foundations of Legal Knowledge" subjects as well as the skills associated with graduate legal work such as legal research.
Students will not receive a degree from the partner university, but the UCL degree will reflect the study abroad experience. You must successfully complete all four years of the programme to be awarded a Bachelors Degree with honours, but the classification of your degree will be determined by results in the second and fourth years (credits are weighted at 3 and 5 respectively).