Tips for Studying Law

At Pearson Business School, we offer two routes to a law degree, each tailored to totally different routes into the legal world.

1. LLB (Hons) Law with Business Management - this is a dynamically designed law degree that prepares you for a career in the legal sector as well as in business. This gives you a chance to develop highly-regarded legal and business skills in the heart of the FTSE 100 setting of Pearson PLC. You’ll get taught by qualified solicitors and business leading tutors, so you gain a practical knowledge of both industries.
2. LLB (Honours) Law / MLaw Legal Professional Practice - these are Qualifying Law Degrees which enable graduates to continue to the professional stage of qualification as a solicitor or barrister. In addition to a Masters degree, you'll be exempt from the LPC qualification.

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1. Prepare

Do the reading

You will be set reading before and during each lecture/ seminar to complete. There is also an online library filled to the brim with academic literature and industry texts. Read as much as you can, whether it is theories or cases. Your tutor will be able to guide you but you need to be independent and enrich your knowledge.

Do your reading at times of the day when you are most alert and in a location where you will not be distracted or tempted to do something else. Otherwise, you will find that it takes you far longer than necessary to complete it!

Do the research

If your tutor gives you a case to prepare before the next session, make some key notes about the case and have a brief summary ready in case you are asked about it. Research similar cases too to broaden your knowledge and references. Reading around the subject and doing more than what is required shows initiative and will really translate positively into the workplace.

2. Be present

For both Legal courses, you will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and industry workshops. Seminars enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups. Industry Workshops, jointly led by an industry expert together with the academic tutor, will give you an opportunity to solve authentic work-related tasks to gain hands-on experience. You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course.

It is important to not only attend lectures and seminars, but really take the opportunity to engage by taking as many notes and asking as many questions as possible. Make sure that you make contributions in class and don't be scared to get something wrong. The chances are, other people are nervous too; if you make a mistake, learn from it and try again!

3. Buddy up

Buddy up with other students to form a study group and share ideas and opinions about different topics. Talk to students in the years above you and ask them for top tips on the modules you are studying because they have done it before and will be able to help you.

Many others will be in the same boat as you, and all of you share the same goal. Having regular study sessions together will give you an opportunity to air anything you don't understand, and discuss it with your peers.

If there is a Legal society at university, join it!

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4. Practice papers

The majority of the course consists of written examinations, meaning that exam technique, as well as having the knowledge of course, is a skill you are going to need to master.

Assessment Information for Pearson Business School

Information about how you'll be assessed for each of the Law courses at Pearson Business School is listed below.

LLB (Honours) Law with Business Management

First year (level 4)
10% coursework
80% written exams
10% oral assessment

Second year (level 5)
35% coursework
60% written exams
5% oral assessment

Third year (level 6)
50% coursework
25% written exams
10% practical exams
15% oral assessment

LLB (Honours) Law / MLaw Legal Professional Practice

First year (level 4)
10% coursework
80% written exams
10% oral assessment

Second year (level 5)
17% coursework
66% written exams
17% practical exams

Third year (level 6)
25% coursework
65% written exams
10% oral assessment

Fourth year (level 7)
20% coursework
75% written exams
5% oral assessment

You can see that there are going to be a few exams across the courses that you are choosing to do.

You need to practice! Print off practice exam papers from the internet or ask tutors to create some practice questions for you! Practicing will help you with time management within the exam and will also help with the application of the knowledge you possess to a particular question.

5. Ask for help

You’ll be taught by qualified solicitors, as well as business tutors. All of them have had professional work experience and therefore can be a fantastic help when it comes to contextualising and understanding theories and content taught in the classroom. Therefore, don't be afraid to ask for help, that's what your lecturers and tutors are there for. Get to know your lecturers and maintain a good relationship throughout your studies. Their help will be invaluable.

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For more information about Pearson Business School's Law courses, visit the Pearson College London website.