Law in Practice with a Foundation Year, LLB (Hons)

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Course Overview

If you don’t attain the grades needed to enrol on to the LLB Law in Practice, then this 5-year programme, including a Foundation Year, could be for you.

The Foundation Year is an excellent way to gain the knowledge and skills needed to begin the LLB Law in Practice degree; you will be introduced to key themes in law, as well as being provided with opportunities to pick up new skills that will be of use throughout your undergraduate degree.

The Foundation Year is taught at The College, located on our Bay Campus. After you complete this year, you will move to the School of Law on Singleton Campus for the remainder of your studies.

The LLB element provides a comprehensive grounding in the core areas covered by a law degree, with a year spent at a paid internship in a legal setting. This will allow you to experience legal practice firsthand, and pick up key skills that will be infinitely useful in your future career.

You will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing. As your studies progress, you can choose from a wide range of specialised areas of law, enabling you to shape your own learning.

All of our undergraduate Law programmes contain the foundations of legal knowledge needed to enter the legal profession. Our programmes provide a strong foundation for students who may wish to take the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE) in the future, and satisfy the academic stage of training required by the Bar Standards Board for those wishing to become barristers.

Why Law in Practice with a Foundation Year at Swansea?

As a student on a Foundation programme, you will benefit from being part of a diverse teaching environment, based in state-of-the-art facilities on our £450m Bay Campus.

You will spend a year on the Foundation Year, which is entirely focused on getting you ready to undertake your undergraduate LLB Law in Practice degree.

While studying at Swansea University, you will benefit from being part of a lively research and teaching environment with students at its heart.

Swansea has an established and growing reputation for law teaching and research. The School of Law is recognised as a source of expertise, and as having an impact on policy and practice in a diverse range of fields of practice. The School is wholly committed to continuous improvement in teaching and learning, and to putting students at the centre of its activities.

You will be supported by our established Employability Team to help you secure a placement in a legal service environment for your third year, which will have tangible benefits for your future career path and employment.

Law at Swansea is ranked:

  • Top 125 in the World (The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025)
  • Top 150 in the World (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025)

Your Law in Practice with a Foundation Year Experience

Teaching on the Foundation Year takes place in smaller class sizes, allowing for a more personalised experience. You will be given the opportunity to pick up essential skills through modules such as Critical Thinking, IT Support, and Composition and Style.

In addition to this, you will be introduced to legal concepts and terminology through a range of teaching themes that include Legal Skills, Contract Law and Criminal Law.

After you’ve continued on to your LLB Law in Practice degree, we offer a broad range of experiential learning opportunities for you to put theory into practice during your time spent studying. From research-based placements, to working with clients, to developing advocacy and other skills. Our thriving Law Clinic offers students the opportunity to get involved in giving advice to clients and we have programmes of extra-curricular mooting, negotiation and client interviewing.

Our undergraduate degree structure, with its range of final year optional modules, gives you plenty of scope to tailor your studies to your particular interests, career goals, or ambitions. As well as the year-long internship as part of the degree structure, we also offer a range of shorter work placement opportunities in a wide range of settings.

Throughout the 5-year programme, we offer an inclusive, student-focussed learning environment and community. Modules are delivered and assessed in a variety of different ways and you will be encouraged to take responsibility for your own learning, to work independently as well as with others, to act professionally, and to master new skills.

Law in Practice with a Foundation Year Employment Opportunities

Studying a law degree can lead to a range of careers. We aim to equip you with multiple skills to enhance your prospects. Our graduates go on to a wide variety of careers, which include being a:

  • barrister, civil servant, lecturer, legal executive, local government officer, paralegal, police officer, prison officer, researcher, solicitor, stockbroker or trading standards officer.

Modules

Your first year of study will be your Foundation Year at The College. This covers a mix of key themes in law, combined with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in your degree.

On successful completion of your Foundation Year, you will move to the School of Law to complete your LLB degree. Your second year is made up of compulsory modules covering a range of themes.

In your third year you will study a mixture of compulsory and optional modules.

Year 4 (Level S) will be spent at a paid internship in a legal setting. You will take the internship module (LA-S000) and be assessed throughout the year and receive an overall module mark with feeback for each element. If the mark attained for your placement year (Level S) is not to your advantage (i.e. does not improve your overall weighted average) then it will not be counted towards your overall degree classification.

Year 5 consists entirely of optional modules allowing you to shape your own learning.

Law in Practice with a Foundation Year, LLB (Hons)