LLB Law (Clinical) (Graduate Entry)
ApplyKey facts
- UCAS Code: M112
- Accreditation: Law Society of Scotland as a Foundation programme
Facilities: Strathclyde Law Clinic
Study with us
- by taking this world-leading degree, you’ll gain the unique opportunity to enhance your theoretical understanding of law, by applying it in real-life contexts
- you’ll observe how law actually operates in practice and gain valuable professional skills and an appreciation of professional values before graduating
- you’ll reflect on the skills, ethics and justice and on your cases in designated classes (core clinical classes)
- in addition, you’ll be assessed on the basis of reflection on Law Clinic cases, alongside existing forms of assessment on the standard syllabus of selected standard LLB classes (clinically available classes)
Why this course?
This two-year course is ideal for those who have already obtained an undergraduate degree, and are keen to further their knowledge in the field of law and gain real-life case experience in Strathclyde’s Law Clinic. Depending on performance, there may be an opportunity for you to proceed to an Honours year.
The Law School at Strathclyde is one of Scotland’s leading providers of legal education.
Studying law concerns the obligations, duties and rights of every member of society in relation to their neighbours and to society.
This course offers you the opportunity to undertake a law degree recognised in Scotland. You'll gain in-depth knowledge of Scots law in a department that puts special emphasis on experiential learning.
We're home to Scotland’s biggest student-run law clinic, which offers a unique, real-world, learning environment. Membership of the Clinic is a requirement of the CLLB; membership is highly competitive and requires applicants to pass both written and face-to-face interview stages. The written application form is available from the Law Clinic. If a CLLB applicant does not gain entry to membership of the Law Clinic but otherwise fulfils the entrance requirements for this degree, they would be offered a place on the regular Graduate Entrant LLB programme instead.
What you’ll study
This is an accelerated programme for graduates from other disciplines. You'll study a three-year LLB condensed into two years. The programme covers all of the compulsory professional subjects required by the Law Society of Scotland to practice as a solicitor in Scotland.
Depending on performance, there may be an opportunity for you to proceed to an Honours year.
First year of study
- Legal Processes and Systems (Clinical)
- Law of Persons (Clinical option)
- Criminal Law & Evidence
- Law of Property (Clinical option)
- Constitutional Law
- Obligations 1 (Clinical)
- Law and Society (Clinical)
Second year of study
- Obligations 2 (Clinical option)
- Administrative Law and Fundamental Rights (Clinical option)
- Ethics and Justice (Clinical)
- Optional Module
- Commercial (Clinical option)
- EU Law
- Clinical Legal Practice (Clinical)
- Reflective Project
Course awards
Since its inception the Law Clinic has won numerous awards for its work, most notably in the annual LawWorks & Attorney General Student Awards, which it has won twice in the last six years. The Clinic has also won three awards over the same period for Best Individual Contribution and one for Best Team (its executive committee). No other UK law clinic has gained more awards or nominations. Another notable success was receiving the Herald Society Team of the Year award in 2012 and again in 2018.
Student competitions
Each year, the Law Clinic awards various prizes for student achievement in the Law Clinic, namely Best Newcomer, Best Project Work, Best Cases, Best Advisor, The Amanda Benstock Award for Compassion, The Effie Shaw Award for Dedication and finally the Best Overall Contribution. Nominations are made by the students themselves and prizes are awarded at the Annual General Meeting in October.
Guest lectures
The Clinic provides a comprehensive programme of training by experienced practitioners in areas like employment law, immigration law, tribunal and small claims procedures. Specialist classes are also provided for CLLB students (in addition to those received by students on the LLB), on topics including legal and other skills such as negotiation and mediation.
Major projects
From the second semester of your first year, you'll write a fortnightly diary reflecting on your clinical experience and what you're learning in terms of skills, legal knowledge and ethical values. These will be commented on by academic staff, to whom you'll then respond. In this way, you'll engage in an ongoing dialogue designed to deepen your understanding about law, legal practice, legal ethics and justice.
Facilities
Law Clinic
Strathclyde’s Law Clinic is run by students for members of the public who cannot afford a lawyer and are not eligible for legal aid. Access to justice for vulnerable members of our community is the central ethos of the Law Clinic.
More than 200 of our students are now involved and regularly represent clients in the Employment Tribunal and Simple Procedure cases in the Sheriff Courts.
Students admitted to membership of the University of Strathclyde Law Clinic are able to follow the LLB (Clinical) programme (highlighted above).
As a member of the Law Clinic, you'll undertake cases involving a wide variety of legal areas and provide clients with a wide variety of services ranging from advice (both via email and face to face), to letter writing and negotiation, and even advocacy in the courts or tribunals. You can also choose to become involved in investigating miscarriages of justice and fresh claims of asylum, supporting survivors of gender-based violence, and providing public legal education in schools, prisons and other areas.
Course content
The Clinical LLB involves the same curriculum as the standard LLB, but with the requirement that students take a minimum of five clinical classes.
The compulsory clinical classes are:
- Legal Processes and Systems (Clinical)
- Obligations 1 (Clinical)
- Law and Society (Clinical)
- Ethics and Justice (Clinical)
- Clinical Legal Practice (Clinical)
Students may also take a clinical version of the following classes:
- First year of study: Law of Persons, Law of Property
- Second year of study: Obligations 2, Administrative Law & Fundamental Rights, Commercial Law
Criminal Law & Evidence
This module is intended to familiarise students with, and elicit an understanding of, the basic elements of Scots criminal law and evidence, including the development of the system, fundamental concepts and their operation in relation to certain specific crimes. The module will teach the application of fact handling, rhetoric and proof by lawyers and the contexts in which the rules of evidence operate, all integrated practically with the criminal law.
Constitutional Law
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the institutions, actors, processes and concepts that make up the UK constitution including its particular application to Scotland. It is designed to introduce students to methods of critical engagement with constitutional law in both theory and practice.
Legal Processes & Systems
The aim of this module is to provide students with an introduction to the concepts, structures and processes that make up a legal system. It is designed to equip all students studying law with the knowledge and understanding that they will utilise in all other law modules: the “tools of the trade”.
Clinical LLB students receive additional training in legal ethics in this module and complete a legal ethics report as part of the assessment of this module.
Law of Obligations 1
The aim is to introduce students to the concept of obligations that can be enforced by legal process. Students will also have the opportunity to develop their problem-solving skills and ability to construct appropriate legal questions and answers.
Clinical LLB students receive additional training in advocacy, negotiation and mediation in this module, and are assessed on this as part of the module.
Law & Society
This module engages with some challenging problems faced by law within contemporary society. It introduces students to some aspects of the social, political, and ethical conditions in which law operates. It deals with the interaction of law with justice, politics, morals and equality. The course will examine the role and challenges of law in times of social change. The course is structured around three key themes:
- legal reasoning
- law & politics
- law & social change
Clinical LLB:
Clinical LLB students receive additional training in legal research in this module and complete a legal research exercise as part of the assessment of this module.
Please note
The following classes are also compulsory, but they can be taken as a regular law class or taken in clinical form. The assessment in the clinical version explores the issues dealt with in the standard class syllabus in the context of an actual clinical case undertaken by the student.
Law of Persons
The aim is to teach students the rules governing, and the definition of, legal and natural persons, their status and capacity. The module is also designed to introduce students at the very start of their legal studies to the idea that legal concepts can be both natural (the child) and non-natural (the limited liability company) – both are “persons” in law.
Clinical LLB students may opt to replace the regular essay in this module with an essay topic based on a clinic-related case relevant to this module.
Law of Property
The aim is to teach students the classification of property in the Scottish legal system, how ownership is distinguished from possession, how property is acquired, the rights it carries, and how property can be transferred. The module is also designed to introduce students to some of the conceptual issues of property, including how “property” itself is defined either as an item or as a relationship; and how property can be corporeal (a thing) or incorporeal (an idea or right, such as copyright).
Clinical LLB students may opt to replace the regular essay in this module with an essay topic based on a clinic-related case relevant to this module.
EU Law
The EU law class focuses on the constitutional and institutional order of the EU as well as one the internal market. To this end, the class looks at the European integration process, the EU institutions, EU competences, the decision-making process within the EU, the principles underpinning the EU legal order and the principles governing the internal market.
Reflective Project
The aim is to enhance your ability to undertake independent learning, and to ensure that they take a reflective approach to their work while at the same time developing a consciousness of the ethical dimensions of professional legal practice.
Ethics & Justice
Ethics & Justice will introduce you to the world of work by bridging the gap between theory and practice, and by providing you with the intellectual and practical tools to deal with the personal and practical dimensions of law in a competent, ethical and socially responsible manner.
The module will help to develop your legal, intellectual and practical skills, and provide you with an opportunity to reflect on the effectiveness and ethics of what you do and how this fits in with problems of access to justice. It will also enhance your understanding of the social and economic context in which legal rules operate.
This module is only open to Law Clinic students with case experience.
Clinical Legal Practice
Clinical Legal Practice is the module in which Clinical LLB students showcase a portfolio of their work from throughout the degree.
The collection of casework, reflective diaries, evidence of Continuing Professional Development, attendance at Case Surgeries, and participation at Initial Advice Clinics provides students with the opportunity to reflect upon their development as a lawyer and their contribution to justice in the community.
There are no contact hours for this module, aside from a final oral examination, as the contact hours have been accrued through the activities set out above and completed throughout the duration of the CLLB degree.
The following classes are also compulsory, but they can be taken as a regular law class or taken in clinical form. Students taking the clinical version of the class will explore the issues dealt with in the standard class syllabus in the context of an actual clinical case they have undertaken or are undertaking.
Law of Obligations 2
The aim is to teach students the rules governing claims for personal injury, economic loss and hurts to personality rights. The design of the class will help to develop problem solving and advice-giving skills in relation to the law of delictual liability generally.
Clinical LLB students may opt to replace the regular essay in this module with an essay topic based on a clinic-related case relevant to this module.
Administrative Law & Fundamental Rights
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the institutions, actors, processes and concepts that make up administrative and human rights law including their particular application to Scotland. It is designed to introduce students to critical engagement with administrative law, both in theory and in practice.
Clinical LLB students may opt to replace the regular essay in this module with an essay topic based on a clinic-related case relevant to this module.
Commercial Law
Commercial law is a second year compulsory subject on the LLB (and LML) degree. The class provides you with an understanding of commercial law in a Scottish context. It partially meets the commercial law subject requirements and related skills outcomes of the Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates (albeit that some of the commercial professional topics, for example sale of goods and insurance law, are dealt with by other courses).
Building on the knowledge you acquire in first year, the general academic objective of the course is to examine the basic principles and rules concerning core aspects of commercial law, including the main principles of agency, partnership and company law, the law relating to various methods of payment (including consumer credit and bills of exchange) the rules governing the ways in which creditors can ‘secure’ repayment of a debt (for example, through taking personal guarantees from third parties for repayment of the debt, or by establishing rights in security over debtor property); the basic principles of diligence; the consequences of both corporate and individual debtor inability to repay debts (corporate insolvency and personal bankruptcy respectively).
While the focus of the class is on ‘a black letter’ analysis of relevant statutory and common law in the broad commercial area, in order to aid understanding of relevant principles, the class also examines the policy rationales underlying the current law and recent and projected reforms in this area.
Clinical LLB students may opt to replace the regular essay in this module with an essay topic based on a clinic-related case relevant to this module.
Optional modules
Optional modules change year on year, so please check with the Law Course Support Team at the start of the semester to confirm which classes are available.
Optional classes
At the end of Year 2 you'll have the option to transfer on to the Honours programme. As an Honours student you'll complete four optional classes as well as writing an 11,000 word dissertation.
Students in their Honours year must undertake take 120 credits of study. Of these 120 credits, at least 40 must be taken clinically. These clinical credits may come from the following: Dissertation (Clinical) which counts for 40 credits; and/or Ethics & Justice; Mediation (Clinical); Labour Law (Clinical); Law, Justice & Discretion (Clinical), each of which count 20 credit points.
A student who does not undertake a clinical dissertation must undertake a standard dissertation worth 40 credits. Students must also select a further 40 credits from the list below.
Please note that options are not guaranteed to run in any academic year.
- Issues in Intellectual Property
- European Union Law
- Law, Persons & Property
- Criminology
- Public International Law
- Labour Law
- Law of Business Associations
- Consumer Law
- Legal Aspects of International Trade
- Law of Competition
- Criminal Law
- Legal Profession
- Social & Welfare Law
- Computer Law
- Legislation
- Media Law
- Constitutional Law
- Protection of Human Rights in the UK
- Environmental Law
- Family Law
- Obligations
- Law, Discretion & Justice
- Financial Services Regulation
The Scots Clinical LLB Honours degree is a challenging and rewarding combination of practical skills based on theoretical fundamentals, right from the first semester of the course. It is wonderful to see our Clinical LLB students develop from inexperienced first-year case advisors, into confident, eloquent, highly-experienced representatives for Law Clinic clients. At the same time, our Clinical LLB students also make extraordinary progress in their class-based work, being able to put the theory they learn into context, and to reflect upon the role of lawyers in bringing access to justice to the community.
Dr Rhonda Wheate, Director of the Clinical LLB
Find out all about the Law School here at Strathclyde.
Accreditation
Recognised by the Law Society of Scotland as a Foundation programme, being one part of the route to qualification as a solicitor in Scotland.
International students
We've a thriving international community with students coming here to study from over 140 countries across the world. Find out all you need to know about studying in Glasgow at Strathclyde and hear from students about their experiences.
Entry requirements
| Academic requirements | A second-class Honours degree in any discipline. A meritorious Ordinary degree may be acceptable if you passed all your undergraduate classes at first attempt. |
|---|---|
| Additional Requirements | When you submit your UCAS application, you'll be invited to a face-to-face interview for a position in the Law Clinic. For applicants based overseas, this may be done online. Applicants who are unsuccessful at interview may be made an alternative offer on the non-Clinical Graduate Entry Law programme at Strathclyde. For this reason, we recommend that UCAS applicants apply only for the Clinical version, rather than unnecessarily using two UCAS options by applying for both the clinical and non-clinical versions of the Graduate Entry law programme at Strathclyde. |
| International students | View the entry requirements for your country. |
University preparation programme for international students
We offer international students (non-UK/Ireland) who do not meet the academic entry requirements for an undergraduate degree at Strathclyde the option of completing an Undergraduate Foundation Programme in Business and Social Sciences at the University of Strathclyde International Study Centre.
Upon successful completion, you can progress to your chosen degree at the University of Strathclyde.
Chat to a student ambassador
If you want to know more about what it’s like to be a Humanities & Social Sciences student at the University of Strathclyde, a selection of our current students are here to help!
Our Unibuddy ambassadors can answer all the questions you might have about courses and studying at Strathclyde, along with offering insight into their experiences of life in Glasgow and Scotland.
Fees & funding
All fees quoted are for full-time courses and per academic year unless stated otherwise.
Note: (If not otherwise indicated, non graduating/modular fees will normally be charged at a pro-rata % of the equivalent full-time fee, based on the number of credits enrolled in each year.)
Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.
All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.
Annual revision of fees
Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that tuition fees are revised annually and may increase in subsequent years of study. Annual increases will generally reflect UK inflation rates and increases to programme delivery costs.
| Scotland | £10,150 |
|---|---|
| England, Wales & Northern Ireland | £10,150 |
| International | £21,700 |
| University preparation programme fees | International students can find out more about the costs and payments of studying a university preparation programme at the University of Strathclyde International Study Centre. |
| Additional costs | Course materialsNo additional costs for law modules and all compulsory material is in the library. Study abroadIf a student is studying abroad, they are responsible for all costs. International studentsInternational students may have associated visa and immigration costs. Please see student visa guidance for more information. |
Please note: All fees shown are annual and may be subject to an increase each year. Find out more about fees.
Glasgow is Scotland's biggest & most cosmopolitan city
Our campus is based right in the very heart of Glasgow. We're in the city centre, next to the Merchant City, both of which are great locations for sightseeing, shopping and socialising alongside your studies.
How can I fund my studies?
Students from Scotland
Fees for students who meet the relevant residence requirements in Scotland, you may be able to apply to the Student Award Agency Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish government. Scottish students may also be eligible for a bursary and loan to help cover living costs while at University.
For more information on funding your studies have a look at our University Funding page.
Students from England, Wales & Northern Ireland
We have a generous package of bursaries on offer for students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales:
You don’t need to make a separate application for these. When your place is confirmed at Strathclyde, we’ll assess your eligibility. Take a look at our scholarships search for funding opportunities.
International Students
We have a number of scholarships available to international students. Take a look at our scholarship search to find out more.
Dean's International Excellence Award
This scholarship is for new international students who will begin a full-time undergraduate course in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in September 2024. The award is a £5,000 scholarship per year for the duration of their degree (total of £20,000 for a four year course). All offer-holders are eligible for this scholarship.
Careers
Undertaking a degree in law at the University of Strathclyde will help you to gain confidence and develop persuasive oral communication skills. You'll also develop excellent written communication skills, being able to write concisely and pay attention to detail.
You'll be able to show excellent research and analytical skills alongside being able to interpret and explain complex information clearly to a wide range of audiences.
As a Law student, you'll also be able to formulate sound arguments, think laterally and develop strong problem-solving skills.
Practising law
Strathclyde LLB graduates are eligible to undertake further professional legal training to become a qualified lawyer.
For intending solicitors, at present, this requires you to take the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland or the Legal Practice Course in England. Entry onto both the Diploma in Scotland and the Legal Practice Course in England is competitive with places awarded on the basis of academic merit. Graduates of these courses then need to complete a two-year traineeship/training contract with a law firm to complete their legal training. Applications are made directly to law firms and there's increasing competition for traineeship/training contract places each year.
Students interested in becoming a Barrister in England at present must undertake the Bar Professional Training Course followed by a pupillage at a barristers chambers. Entry to the Bar Professional Training Course is extremely competitive with students required to sit and pass the Bar Course Aptitude Test. Any students interested in the Bar in England should note that the Bar Standards Board requires you to hold a minimum of a 2:2 Honours classification in your law degree.
Graduates wishing to join the Scottish Bar, as an advocate, have to do a one year Bar traineeship in a solicitors firm. This is followed by nine months ‘devilling’ (training) with an existing advocate.
Information on qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales can be found on the Solicitors Regulation Authority website. Information on qualifying as a barrister in England and Wales can be found on the Bar Standards Board website.
Further information on qualifying as a solicitor or a Barrister in Northern Ireland is available from Queens University Belfast. Students who wish to meet the Northern Ireland Evidence requirement can take an elective Honours module on the Law of Evidence in their fourth year of study.
Careers outwith the legal sector
While the skills you'll gain are highly sought after in the legal sector, they're also highly transferable to other career areas. Law graduates who don’t want to work in the legal sector often move into areas such as:
- Accountancy & Finance
- Tax
- Human Resource Management
- Business Development
- Civil Service
- Police & Prison Services
Graduates may also work in advocacy and advisory roles such as:
- Citizens Advice
- Victim Support
- Roles working with refugees and asylum seekers
- Regulatory roles within Health and Safety and Trading Standards
Apply
Part-time applicants who wish to apply to the University of Strathclyde should use the 'Direct Applications' link below.
We have limited places available via clearing. Please email your degree certificate and transcript to studywithus-hass@strath.ac.uk who will let you know if you're eligible to apply via clearing.
Start date:
Law (Clinical) (Graduate Entry) (2 year entry)
Start date:
Law (Clinical) (Graduate Entry) (2 year entry)
Start date: Sep 2024
Law (Clinical) (Graduate Entry) (2 year entry)