BA (Hons) Law with Foundation Year

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

BNU is a student focused and employer led university which means that you are at the forefront of all that we do. We are proud of our high lecturer to student ratio, which means that we see you as a person and for who you are. You are our priority and our lecturers operate an open-door policy meaning that you can get the staff time, support and contact you need to best suit your learning.

We have knowledgeable lecturers who draw upon their vast industry experience to ensure the course is relevant and will help you build up your legal knowledge and commercial awareness. You will be able to develop a wide range of skills, such as abstract thinking and practical problem-solving, which are relevant to a wide range of related careers.

Although this degree does not offer exemptions from the academic stage of training to become a solicitor or barrister, the first year content is common with our LLB (Hons) Law, and those who are successful in all first year modules may choose to transfer on to year two of the LLB programme.

We understand that some people’s passions lie outside of law in adjacent roles in business, finance, politics or non-profit and a BA (Hons) degree is the perfect way of gaining the various skills, from communication to comprehension, needed to succeed in the workplace post-graduation.

Here at BNU we are all about putting your learning into practise. You will have plenty of chances to visit magistrates’ courts to participate in bail applications, visit Parliament and law courts to experience first-hand how they operate on a day to day basis, meet guest speakers from across the legal industry, including judges, magistrates and law firms, to learn more about how you can apply your knowledge in the workplace.

You are actively encouraged and supported to take the opportunity to network with professionals at events and guest lectures, and to take part in work experience and internships with an assortment of organisations and legal practices during term break.

Our Bucks Students’ Union has been rated in the top 2 in the whole of the UK (NSS, 2022) and it has a range of societies students can join free of charge. One of these societies is the Mooting Society where you can pursue your passion for law outside of your timetable. It allows you to meet with like-minded students and practise court proceedings and arguing your case. You can even have the opportunity to participate in varsity and national mooting competitions.

How will I be taught and assessed?

This course is offered as a four-year programme, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate degree.

At Buckinghamshire New University we like to foster an interactive and student-focused teaching style where we blend lectures, seminars, one-to-one workshops, tutorial sessions, independent study and guest speakers to enhance the learning experience.

In addition to the core curriculum, you will also benefit from additional activities, all designed to bolster your career prospects. These include talks from guest speakers, alumni sharing their experiences, sessions organised by the Careers Service, and personalised support by Careers Service and Learning Development Unit. Tutors will also help you try to find work-experience suited to your needs.

We will help give you the confidence to analyse and manage large quantities of complex information from both printed and electronic sources. You will also learn to construct clear and well-reasoned legal arguments.

Our lecturers work hard to ensure that you learn the latest industry standard practices and knowledge. To support in the delivery of this we also welcome industry experts and professionals to deliver guest lectures who share their experience of the latest legal rulings and cases.

You will develop your knowledge of all aspects of law through lectures and seminars, and supplement this with your own independent study. Lectures are often interactive, involving exercises and informal assessment. Seminars are small group discussions which you will need to prepare for in advance. Here you will learn to analyse legal principles and apply them to practical situations, assess competing arguments and choose between alternative approaches. Group work and moots (pretend courts) will hone your verbal arguing and presentation skills.

You will be assessed through exams, moots (pretend courts), presentations and coursework. The variety of assessment methods will help test your knowledge and analysis of legal principles and different areas of law.

You will also be assessed on your ability to carry out effective research, understanding, analysis and use of source materials, ability to assess competing legal arguments, and capacity to recognise potential conclusions for situations and give reasons for them. You will also need to show you can work successfully in a team for moots and presentations. These are all valuable skills to help prepare you for your future career.

Throughout your three years on this course you will carry out the following assessment activities:

• written coursework
• oral group and individual presentations
• client advice written reports
• role play advice (applying for jobs, presenting a bail a case, preparing for a legal advice exhibition, mediation and negotiations)
• moots
• written examinations.