Are you thinking about a career in a law-related profession, but need some extra skills support before starting a university law course? Our LLB (Hons) Law with Foundation Year has been designed for people just like you. During the foundation year, you’ll gain the additional academic skills support and subject knowledge you need to succeed as a university law student. Choosing a foundation year is the ideal pathway if you don’t currently meet our standard entry requirements, or if it’s been a while since you were in formal education and need to brush up your study skills.
This course is a great choice if you want to become a solicitor or barrister, and is also the first step to an exciting choice of career possibilities in the wider legal sector and professions such as journalism, politics, policing, teaching, and much more. However, we don’t expect all our students to make concrete decisions about their future careers when they first join us. The course will equip you with workplace attributes that are valued across a wide range of careers, helping you graduate with a highly regarded qualification that provides value for a lifetime. Our team of academics, practitioners, and research-active staff will provide a thriving learning environment that supports you in taking the next steps in your career.
You can study our LLB Foundation Year entry at our UK study centres or as a fully online degree. The course covers the foundations of legal knowledge and has been updated to take into account recent changes to professional practice qualifications. You now have the opportunity to select from distinct degree pathways to help you prepare either for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE 1) or the Bar, including an International Bar pathway for those students looking to study modules that are more international in scope.
Our foundation year modules are tailored to give you the extra support and skills needed to get started in higher education, helping you complete your full law degree with confidence. Following this, you will move on to the first level of the full degree course.
At the start of level 6, you will have the opportunity to select a degree pathway that aligns with your career goals, whether that’s the SQE, Bar, or International Bar. You will have workshops detailing the pathways and our team's guidance and support to help you make the right choice.
SQE (Solicitor) pathway
If you want to qualify as a solicitor in the UK, this pathway imparts the knowledge and skills needed to attempt SQE1 successfully. You will also have the opportunity to broaden your knowledge through a range of elective modules.
Bar (Barrister) pathway
Designed for students who wish to qualify as a barrister, this pathway includes EU Law, one of the Foundations of Legal Knowledge subjects required by the Bar Standards Board. You will also have the opportunity to broaden your knowledge through a range of elective modules.
International Bar pathway
With its more international curriculum, this pathway is most suited to students interested in practising law outside of the UK. The pathway has a set syllabus without the need to choose any additional optional modules and concludes with the Legal Dissertation module.
Law degrees are respected in all sectors due to their graduates' broader skills, such as critical thinking, effective communication, presentation.
Arden is for winners. Nobody will beg you to sit down and start working on your career, if you don’t do it yourself! At Arden, if you have an honest interest for what you learn and you want to reach out for more, you will be welcomed, helped, and advised. But to do that, you must be determined.
If you decide not to opt for one of the designated pathways, you will automatically be placed on the SQE path with the EU Law (Block A) and Legal Dissertation (Block B and C) modules; as this will provide you with a degree that's relevant across diverse global professions.
Please note that not all modules may be available at every Arden study center. However, timetables will be coordinated to accommodate students who need to travel to other study centers or participate in live online classes.
To assess your progress through the course, a variety of assessment methods are used that support the development of your knowledge, application, and skills. At level 4 and level 5, the majority of our module assessments contain two parts:
At level 6, your selected pathway will inform the assessments you undertake, which will consist of a combination of different assessment types. You will be given full support and guidance through each item of assessment you undertake.
Our virtual Law Clinic is an exciting new volunteer opportunity for all students studying within the School of Law. Students will be trained to interview clients and provide initial advice with the support of qualified staff. This is an excellent opportunity for students wishing to understand legal working practices and pursue careers as solicitors or barristers.
A unique aspect of this course is Arden’s Virtual Law Firm. The Virtual Law Firm replicates many of the elements of professional law practice that you will encounter in the workplace, such as receiving client instructions, interacting with colleagues, and working to deadlines. Through the Virtual Law Firm, you’ll be able to apply your learning to real-world scenarios in a safe environment with supportive feedback and guidance from our law faculty members.
You will have access to a legal career consultant specialising in helping you make the most of our LLB degree. You’ll also have the valuable opportunity to join career workshops and events that exclusively focus on your future with an LLB degree.
Lexis+ is an advanced legal research platform that provides users with instant access to a vast collection of legal resources, across an extensive library of legal documents that includes case law, statutes, regulations, and secondary sources.
This course is available to study through Arden’s blended learning study mode at our study centres in London Stratford, London Holborn, Manchester, and Birmingham.
I wanted to study with Arden because it was the only option I found that truly suited my needs and what I was looking for in a university. The affordable cost of the course, and the fact that I could transfer my credits from previous studies really made Arden stand out.
When you choose our blended learning study mode, you’ll have eight hours of timetabled classes spread over two days at the Arden study centre of your choice. This is combined with around 25 hours of independent study, which takes place through ilearn, our university campus in the cloud. ilearn contains all the resources you need to study successfully. As a blended learning student you’ll also have access to our Library Portal, an extensive digital library with thousands of journal titles, eBooks, and a range of academic and industry databases that you can use to research and gain in-depth information on your area of study. At Arden, all of your course materials are provided free of charge, removing the need for you to buy expensive textbooks to study your degree successfully.
Blended learning is the best option for students who prefer the structure of regular face to face classes with their tutor and fellow classmates, and is particularly suited to students who live within commuting or driving distance of one of our UK study centres.
If you're a student from England who is enrolling on a blended learning course with Arden (based in one of our UK study centres) then you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan to help pay for your living expenses. You can find more information on our fees and funding page. If you're a student from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you can find information about obtaining a student loan to cover your costs from your student finance body.
Please note: study centre classes are temporarily being conducted online in our virtual classroom due to Covid-19 restrictions. Face-to-face classes will resume once the current restrictions are lifted.
At Arden University we consider applications on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn't a clear pathway to this degree - we are more than happy to discuss your application.
Our aim is to make learning as accessible as possible by ensuring that you can study in a flexible and convenient way. That's why we keep our requirements simple. All you need is a laptop or desktop PC (we recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good internet connection. Through ilearn, our online university campus in the cloud, you'll be able to access your course calendar, support services, learning materials, and our online library containing thousands of ebooks, as well as tools for creating assignments, keeping notes, and collaborating with other students on your course.
Standard entry requirements
Non standard entry requirements
We are happy to consider an application from you if you can show us you have the motivation to study this LLB degree, even if you do not currently meet our standard entry requirements. We’ll ask you for a personal statement that demonstrates your ability to study the course, as well as references and evidence of relevant experiences and/or previous qualifications.
Harriet is the head of the Department of Law at Arden University and former associate head with a focus on access to justice, mediation, and practical legal training. She is an RICS accredited mediator who is hoping to start a PhD on international mediation and access to justice. Harriet graduated from the University of Hull with a LLB Law (Hons) degree and later went on to achieve a Bar Professional Training Course. Harriet was called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn in 2012 and continues to be very actively involved with the legal profession. Now, Harriet is responsible for the management and academic delivery of the LLB Law programmes at Arden University. She is currently working to improve key metrics within the Law programmes to ensure our programme portfolio reflects changes to professional legal education.
A law degree provides you with a wide range of transferable skills that can be used in a variety of professions both in the UK and abroad. You’ll learn how to research and critically analyse information, communicate information in different formats to different audiences, work through problems, and reach reasoned conclusions. As such, a law degree give you the skills and attributes sought after in wealth careers, including non-legal professions.
Whether you’re using the LLB qualification as a stepping stone to your dream career, or you’re looking to hit the ground running with a graduate role straight out of university, this degree will help you build the foundations for a career in a variety of exciting and challenging industries. Studying your LLB (Hons) Law with Foundation Year will help you:
During your Foundation Year, you'll get comprehensive support and preparation for your university journey, including:
Introduction and preparation: our Foundation Year courses introduce you to university-level teaching, learning, and assessment methods. You'll develop essential study skills, research techniques, and critical thinking abilities, laying a strong foundation for your degree studies.
Personalised support: our academic staff will guide you throughout your Foundation Year. They'll ensure a smooth transition into your degree programme, providing the support you need every step of the way.
Direct relevance to your future degree: your programme content is carefully designed to align with Arden's degree courses. Studying a Foundation Year will equip you with subject-specific knowledge and interdisciplinary exploration, establishing a solid base for your chosen degree.
Improved degree outcomes: we prioritise not only your academic preparation but also your success. By boosting your confidence, academic skills, and understanding of the subjects, we empower you to achieve the best possible degree outcomes and expand your career opportunities.
We don’t expect undergraduate students to have a set career in mind before starting their degree. So, don’t worry if you’re still weighing up your future options. Instead, we prepare you with a range of skills that employers from a variety of industries value. After graduating from the course, you’ll feel confident to make a decision about your future career path.
Future legal roles include:
Non legal career options are almost endless, but popular choices include:
Arden University is a member of the Campaign for Social Science.
The Campaign demonstrates how social science improves public policy, society, and all our lives. It highlights the value of applied social science research and advocates for its greater use in decision-making and in government. It is supported by a coalition of universities, social science societies, and publishers.
As a member, Arden receives access to case studies, research into the value provided by social sciences, and insights into the employability of social science graduates. Through this, you will gain a better understanding of the skills you are learning and their value to employers.
