Course information

Entry requirements

UCAS code

M210

Entry requirements

A-level: ABB
BTEC: DDD
IB: 33 points overall with Three HL subjects at 655

Length

3 years full-time

Department

Law
Politics and International Relations

Course overview

Law is ‘part of a larger system of public decision-making. The rest is politics: the politics of ministers and legislators, of political parties, of media and pressure groups, and of the wider electorate’ (Jonathan Sumption, Trials of the State: Law and the Decline of Politics, 2019). In this innovative LLB, you learn the Law as part of domestic and international politics.

The LLB Law is a qualifying law degree recognised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board.

The LLB Law is a qualifying law degree recognised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board.

Why study LLB Law with Politics & Human Rights

  • We’re one of the highest-rated courses in the country. We're number 1 in the UK for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide Law League Table 2024). In the NSS (National Student Survey) 2022, our Law Department was ranked number 1 in the UK for its intellectually stimulating curriculum and programme, and we were rated the best Law department in London for quality of teaching.
  • This Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) will allow you to obtain your LLB while also immersing yourself in the study of Politics.
  • You'll focus on modern threats to democracy and human rights, and the interactions between Law and Politics required to effectively counter these threats at the local, national, and global levels.
  • This programme is recognised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and Bar Standards Board (BSB). It has been specifically designed to give you a solid foundation to tackle the new Solicitors’ Qualifying Examinations (SQE), and the equivalent training and qualification process for becoming a barrister.
  • Goldsmiths is based in New Cross, which means you'll have access to everything that legal and political London has to offer. Examples of trips include the House of Commons, the House of Lords, Parliamentary Select Committees, the UK Supreme Court, the Law Society, and the Inns of Court.

Pioneering teaching

  • Our outstanding team of visiting professors includes eminent legal practitioners, such as the former Attorney General, Dominic Grieve KC, Sir Geoffrey Nice KC, a distinguished barrister who has led on war crime prosecutions, and HH Judge Alison Levitt KC, who was Principal Legal Adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions and is now a Circuit Judge sitting at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
  • You'll also be given access to the Department of Politics’ lively events programme, which will allow you to encounter (and challenge) the latest political arguments, theories, and ideas.
  • You'll learn from renowned international scholars, attend high-impact research events, and have the opportunity to connect with world-leading Law Schools (our annual lectures in 2019 and 2020 were delivered by Stanford Law and Berkeley Law academics respectively). You'll be taught by Judges, barristers, solicitors, Parliamentary legal counsels, MPs, MEPs, and human rights experts.

Study across disciplines

  • You'll gain an interdisciplinary understanding of how the UK political system shapes Law.
  • You'll explore the fascinating and complex interactions between law and politics. You'll also gain an insight into how Law determines the parameters of the political system, defines the distribution of power between branches of government, and allows us to hold our elected representatives accountable, particularly through constitutional and human rights law.
  • You'll choose modules from the Department of Law and the Department of Politics and International Relations to give you a holistic understanding of legal and political systems by exposing you to fundamental political concepts on the one hand, and the legislative structures they operate within on the other.
  • Instead of studying Law in isolation, you'll study it in its cultural, economic, and socio-political contexts.
  • You'll complement your knowledge of core Law subjects with key concepts in political theory and ideologies, UK and comparative governance, and world politics.

Clinics, placements and summer internships

In Goldsmiths’ Law and Policy Clinics, students confront challenging societal issues through supervised legal research and public engagement activity. Areas of research and public engagement activity covered by the Clinics include immigration, the law of financial wrongdoing, police interrogation, and counter-terrorism law.

We also offer our students access to the University of London’s Refugee Law Clinic (awarded Best Contribution by a Law School in the LawWorks and Attorney General Student Pro Bono Awards 2023).

Students can choose a Placement module as an option and are given access to summer internships with internationally leading faculty as well as social welfare placements in law centres and legal advice clinics across London.

Harvard Law School course

We’re the first Law department in the UK to offer free access to Harvard Law School’s pioneering Zero-L course.

Taught by 18 leading Harvard Law faculty members, it has hours of video lectures, vocabulary, and periodic comprehension checks that you can take at your own pace. The course provides you with an introduction to the legal profession, stages of litigation and citizenship rights as well as offering instruction and practise in basic skills, including how to read a case.

Materials developed by Goldsmiths Law academics to support the delivery of Zero-L direct you to key areas of interest in the programme and give you support to understand how Zero-L strengthens your understanding of English law and helps you to develop legal skills.

Orwell Foundation partnership 

The Orwell Foundation is a close partner to our LLB Law with Politics and Human Rights programme, so you will be able to regularly attend events organised by the Foundation and meet people involved in its work. 
 
From the corruption of the media to pervasive new technologies, and from poverty and inequality to the rise of political extremism, George Orwell's concerns are as germane to the twenty-first century as they were to the circumstances in which his novels were conceived; in working closely with the Foundation, the LLB Law with Politics and Human Rights programme exposes our students to key questions that shape the social, political and economic landscapes of our times. 

Goldsmiths Law - Orwell Foundation Award

With the Orwell Foundation we award every year the Goldsmiths Law - Orwell Foundation Award for Best Overall Performance in the LLB Law with Politics and Human Rights to one student of the graduating cohort, which marks high academic achievement in Law, Politics and Human Rights.

Student life and student support

You'll belong to a close-knit community, and will be supported by a network which includes academic personal tutors, career advisers, disability officers and other student support staff. We work in small groups in lectures and research seminars, and immerse in legal London as a group on a regular basis. The legal, institutional and cultural experiences you will gain in the LLB will stay with you forever.

Find out more about student life and studying in London, explore 'a day in the life' in the Law department, and visit the Department of Law Instagram page for a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to study Law at Goldsmiths.

Study abroad, international court visit and our Athens Summer School 

We take our students on an annual international court visit. Read our blog to learn more about our visit to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg on February 2023, where students attended a Grand Chamber hearing and participated in a workshop with the UK Judge at the Court, Tim Eicke KC.

We organise an annual summer school in Athens, in collaboration with leading Universities there. The week-long intensive programme provides a range of courses (in e.g. refugee law and migration studies, EU law, criminal law, law and technology), connects our students with high-profile institutions and authorities there, such as the British Ambassador and British Council in Greece, as well as giving them unprecedented access to cultural visits and experiences. Read more about our summer schools in Athens in June 2022 and June 2023

In recent years, our students have also attended summer schools at the University of Geneva and Amsterdam Law school.

Students are supported through substantial Department of Law scholarships to participate in our summer school and international court visit.  Funding is reviewed on a yearly basis. To find out more about funding and other global opportunities at Goldsmiths, visit our Study Abroad pages

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact the Department of Law.

Watch videos about your course

What you'll study

Note about optional modules (if available): The below is indicative of the typical modules offered, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. The module content and availability is subject to change.

Year 1

In your first year, you will take the following compulsory modules:

Module title Credits
Public Law and the Human Rights Act 30 credits
Criminal Law: Theory and Practice 30 credits
Contract Law 30 credits
21st Century Legal Skills 15 credits
English Legal System in a Global Context 15 credits

Year 2

In your second year, you will take the following compulsory modules:

Module title Credits
Modern Political Theory 30 credits
EU Law and the UK 15 credits
Law of Tort 30 credits
Land Law 15 credits
Trusts 15 credits
International Law and Politics 15 credits

Year 3

In your third year, you will study the following compulsory modules:

Module title Credits
Dissertation 30 credits
Human Rights Law and Clinic 15 credits

You'll also take 45 credits of Politics and International Relations modules from a list provided annually by the Department. These may include:

Module title Credits
Fascisms, Old and New 15 credits
Finance and the Global Political Economy 15 credits
Migration, Technology, and Humanitarianism 15 credits
The Politics of Popular Music 15 credits
Britain and Europe 15 credits
Colonialism and Non-Western Political Thought 15 credits
Feminist Politics 15 credits
Liberal Government and Power 15 credits

You'll take the remaining 30 credits of Law modules from a list provided annually by the Department. These may include:

Module title Credits
AI, Disruptive Technologies and the Law 15 credits
Work Placement 15 credits
Commercial Law and International Trade Agreements 30 credits
Art Law 15 credits
Company Law 15 credits
Criminal Evidence (with Advanced Mooting and Advocacy) 15 credits
SQE2: Practical Legal Skills in Context 15 credits

Teaching style

You'll be taught through lectures, seminars and self-directed learning, but you'll also benefit from more modern and diverse teaching styles, such as blended, experiential and clinical learning, learning through the production of reflective journals, videos and reports, and learning through online or even virtual reality environments.

You’ll take your learning outside of university with field trips and professional development initiatives such as annual mooting competitions, mock trials and debates, leading to finals at the UK Supreme Court, the Inns of Courts and other prestigious venues.

Dispute resolution workshops and integrated teaching on advocacy and client interviewing, alongside simulated contract negotiations and the option to participate in a human rights clinic, will all help you to develop a deep understanding of how the law works in practice in addition to your theoretical knowledge. These styles of teaching and learning will enhance your understanding of theory and hone transferable skills and will give you a competitive edge irrespective of whether you're pursuing a career as a solicitor or barrister or a different career path.

The following information gives an indication of the typical proportions of learning and teaching for each year of this programme*:

  • Year 1 - 17% scheduled learning, 83% independent learning
  • Year 2 - 26% scheduled learning, 84% independent learning
  • Year 3 - 14% scheduled learning, 80% independent learning, 6% placement learning

How you'll be assessed

You’ll be assessed by a variety of methods, depending on your module choices. These include coursework, examinations, reports, case notes, statutory interpretation, critiques of articles, and research projects such as the dissertation.

As well as these traditional assessment methods, you'll also have the option in your second and third years to take modules that are wholly assessed in more innovative ways, such as:

  • a portfolio of mooting contributions
  • client interviewing, persuasive argumentation, written advice and legal drafting
  • voluntary and prepared contributions in the classroom
  • taking part in a human rights clinic and other experiential learning activities

*Please note that these are averages are based on enrolments for 2020/21. Each student’s time in teaching, learning and assessment activities will differ based on individual module choices. Find out more about .

Credits and levels of learning

An undergraduate honours degree is made up of 360 credits – 120 at Level 4, 120 at Level 5 and 120 at Level 6. If you are a full-time student, you will usually take Level 4 modules in the first year, Level 5 in the second, and Level 6 modules in your final year. A standard module is worth 30 credits. Some programmes also contain 15-credit half modules or can be made up of higher-value parts, such as a dissertation or a Major Project.

Download the programme specification.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Entry requirements

We accept the following qualifications:

A-level: ABB
BTEC: DDD
International Baccalaureate: 33 points overall with Three HL subjects at 655
Access: 60 credits overall with 33 distinctions and distinctions/merits in related subject

International qualifications

We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.

Alternative qualifications

See our full list of undergraduate entry qualifications.

Fees & funding

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

From August 2021 EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for 'Home' fee status. EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will be classified as 'International' for fee purposes, more information can be found on our fees page.

  • Home - full-time: £9250
  • International - full-time: £19640

If your fees are not listed here, please check our undergraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

Successful graduates of this programme will be eligible for a 20% fee waiver to any of our Postgraduate Law programmes. This can be combined with our general alumni fee waiver, meaning a 30% reduction in fees (based on Home student fees). Find out more about the LLM Fee Waiver.

We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries, and our careers service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies. Find out more about funding your studies with us.

Careers

Partnerships with leading organisations

Cutting-edge collaborations with global law firms, government organisations, local councils, NGOs, think tanks and academics in world-leading Universities support the delivery of all our programmes, exposing you to unique opportunities to grow a strong awareness of future career destinations and develop dynamic professional networks throughout your degree.

These include Linklaters LLPDebevoise & Plimpton LLP and BoiesSchiller & Flexner LLP, the UK Supreme Court, the National Justice Museum at the Royal Courts of Justice, the Kalisher Trust, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants and Migrants’ Rights Network, Fair Trials, Big Brother Watch and Liberty, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Law Commission, the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, Stanford Law SchoolBerkeley Law and Loyola Law School (Los Angeles), New Europeans, the Human Rights Lawyers’ AssociationForensic ArchitectureLewisham Borough, the Council of Europe, the British Academy, Garden Court Chambers, Doughty Street Chambers and many others.

Welfare benefits course and Legal Advice Centre placements

We give you access to a welfare benefits course provided by the Pro Bono Community organisation. This prepares you for 3-6 months placements in Legal Advice Centres in London. There are 15 placements in Legal Advice Centres available to our students on an annual basis.

The welfare benefits course has 30 spaces annually, and equips you with foundational knowledge in contemporary areas of legal practice such as benefits for people unable to work due to sickness or disability, universal credit, benefits for migrants, help with housing costs, appeals and advocacy.

The course also has a core introductory element covering the background to Law Centres, legal aid, triage, interview techniques and practical skills.

Staff

For a full list of staff, please visit the Department of Law's staff page.

Dominic Grieve

Former Attorney General for England and Wales, Dominic Grieve KC has worked at the intersection between the law and politics, receiving acclaim for his contributions to international human rights. He was elected as MP in 1997, entering Parliament from a career as a barrister.

Grieve held high office for over twenty years, including as shadow Attorney General, shadow Home Secretary and shadow Justice Secretary. Grieve was a member of the Standards and Privileges Committee, and Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee.

His work in Parliament on civil liberties and the Rule of Law was recognised by two awards – Parliamentarian of the Year in 2005 and in 2014 by a Lifetime Achievement award from Liberty. He has specialised on issues relating to Law and Order, civil liberties and international affairs as well as having an interest in environmental issues.

Upon being appointed a Visiting Professor in Law at Goldsmiths, Dominic explained in an interview with The Times Higher Education that what he is mainly bringing to our Law & Politics programme is his "experience of having to apply legal principles and sustain human rights on a daily basis, taking account of the needs of government decision-making in a political context".

Grieve added that "academic study can suffer from being too detached from the realities of politics and government", and that "equally, far too much politics is practised without sufficient intellectual rigour", and he hopes he "may contribute to bridging that gap" at Goldsmiths. 

Watch here the students in our Law Society interview Dominic about his career, life and his teaching at Goldsmiths.