LLB Law and French

On the joint LLB programme you will study Scots law alongside French.

In Years 1 and 2, you will study foundation 'Ordinary' courses.

In Years 3 and 4, courses are studied at 'Honours' level, where you will choose from up to 40 specialist courses covering a range of theoretical, practical and historical fields of study.

If you wish to retain the option of practising as a lawyer in Scotland, it is sometimes (but not always) possible to complete the additional courses required.

This will typically require extra study throughout the programme. This means you must consider the possible impact of this on qualifying as a solicitor.

We highly encourage all students on joint degree honours programmes to discuss their intended pathway with the Law School.

Year 1

You will be introduced to general legal principles and legal techniques. You will study compulsory courses including:

• Scottish Legal System
• Critical Legal Thinking
• Contract Law
• Family Law
• Public Law of the UK and Scotland
• European Union Law

You will also study the compulsory course French 1B. This course will help you develop your written and spoken skills in the French language.

We will also introduce you to the richness and variety of French civilisations by focusing on social and political events from the Second World War to the 21st century. These topics include:

• resistance and collaboration
• the Fifth Republic
• May 1968
• feminism
• colonisation and decolonisation

Year 2

Law courses

In Year 2, your legal courses may include:

• Property Law
• Jurisprudence
• Public Law and Individual Rights
• Delict
• Criminal Law
• Revenue Law
• International Private Law
• Business Entities
• Commercial Law
• Evidence
• Succession and Trust Law

French courses

You will develop your written and spoken language skills in French in readiness for your year abroad in Year 3.

You will learn how to write a précis in French and how to translate. Many exercises will relate to social, political or cultural debates in present-day France and the Francophone world.

You will also take a course in French and francophone literature and culture. This course will introduce you to the most important authors at key points in French literary and cultural history, from the 12th to the 21st century.

You will study works by writers such as Montaigne, Racine, Molière and Baudelaire alongside texts that have been considered marginal to French culture for reasons of gender or colonial politics.

Year 3

During Year 3, you will spend at least 30 weeks on an approved study placement in a French-speaking country. You will study agreed courses in law and French. We typically have exchange places at partner universities across Belgium, France and Switzerland.

Our graduates have told us how much this year abroad has benefited their broader life experience and skills, as well as their linguistic and intercultural competencies in French. Living abroad will also give you a wider perspective, experience and skills to embrace the opportunities and challenges of life after university.

All students who spend Year 3 abroad must also take the compulsory law course Advanced Legal Writing (Online).

Year 4

You will receive advanced legal skills training during your honours study and will have the opportunity to specialise in further law subjects, chosen from a wide range of courses, including:

• Commercial Law
• Property Law
• Family Law
• Criminology

You will consolidate your core language skills in French and take an honours-level option in an aspect of francophone literature, thought or culture.

You have the option of completing a dissertation in law.

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2024/25)

Our facilities

Law

The Law School has been housed in the Old College since the late 1800s. Our traditional and historic home underwent a full refurbishment, completed in 2019. This transformed the building into a 21st century home for the school, while celebrating and preserving the heritage and history of Old College.

As a student at Edinburgh Law School, you will benefit from excellent teaching, study, and research facilities.

Designed for the way you study, the new features include:

• a law library
• spacious seminar rooms
• dedicated student social spaces, including a café

Our library is one of the largest law libraries in the UK.

The Law School is ideally placed for those studying and working in the law. It is within easy walking distance of the highest courts in Scotland and the Scottish Parliament.

French

Teaching in French takes place in and around the University of Edinburgh's Central Area.

This is where you will also find the Main University Library which holds over 118,500 books and 25,500 journals in French. The library can give you access to:

• films
• newspapers
• databases
• other media in the French language

Les Escogriffes

The University's French theatre society, Les Escogriffes, typically stages a play in French each year, with opportunities to direct, act, produce and promote.

Babble

If you love to write, our online creative writing magazine Babble is the place to publish your:

• prose
• poetry
• drama
• non-fiction

Babble goes out twice a year and includes work written in French and eight other European languages. You can get involved in the editorial committee, and launch nights typically include readings and performances.

Centre de recherches francophones belges

Established in 1995, our Centre de recherches francophones belges promotes the teaching of francophone Belgian literature, and hosts a range of activities for students and the public. Since 2018, the Centre has been partnering with Wallonie-Bruxelles International (WBI) to bring francophone Belgian culture to Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Diaspolinks network

We also play a key role in the Diaspolinks network, which brings together researchers with a shared interest in the growing field of Diaspora Studies, especially anglophone and francophone diasporas.

The international network is unique in comparing the various diasporic communities’ responses to issues of identity, belonging and relocation in the context of British, French and Canadian immigration policies.

Why Edinburgh?

Within the city, you will have access to specialist collections, including one of the best French collections in the UK in the National Library of Scotland.

Edinburgh's French cinema scene is particularly strong. There is plenty to see and do throughout the year, and there are annual French and Africa in Motion film festivals.

Many events are hosted by the recently upgraded and refurbished Institut français d’Écosse on George IV Bridge, five minutes from Old College, which is an arm of the French Foreign Ministry.

The centre promotes French language and culture and is co-located with the French consulate on the city's Royal Mile.

Study abroad

You will spend Year 3 abroad (a minimum of 30 weeks) in a French-speaking country.

Turning classroom learning into a lived experience, your year abroad will allow you to deepen your knowledge of French by speaking it daily and immersing yourself in francophone culture.

Whether studying or working, this is a chance for you to evolve and grow beyond Edinburgh. Our graduates have told us how much the year abroad has benefited their broader life experience and skills.

What are my options for going abroad?

How will I learn?

Law

Large group lectures provide the teaching framework for law in Years 1 and 2. These are complemented by small group tutorial sessions.

Year 1 students will normally have two or three lectures per week for each course. You will also have a regular tutorial for each course.

Years 3 and 4 consist of two-hour seminars, rather than lectures and tutorials. In these, students are expected to discuss and explore topics in more depth.

All Year 1 students have access to Edinburgh's Law Peer-Assisted Learning Scheme (Law PALS). The Mooting Society also provides you with opportunities to learn and practise courtroom skills.

French

For French, your classes will typically fall into three categories:

• lectures
• tutorials
• seminars

Language tutorials allow you to develop your linguistic skills in a range of real-world tasks under the supervision of an experienced language teacher.

These tutorials typically cover skills such as reading, writing, listening and speaking – all of which involve learning and applying grammar.

In addition to classes, and to get the most out of your courses, you will need to read widely.

We make extensive use of our audio and visual resources, and you will also be encouraged to use online materials.

The Students’ Association facilitates a peer support scheme for French, bringing together students across year groups to help each other with specific study skills, topics or themes.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed through a combination of coursework and exams.

Coursework in French may take a range of forms to allow you to practise different skills. For example, you may be asked to:

• write an essay, review, blog post, opinion piece or learning journal
• respond to a piece of writing, film, or other media, including through close reading
• give a short talk or presentation
• record a podcast or video
• design a poster or presentation

Exams for French will include oral exams to test your spoken language skills.

Law

After graduating, you can progress to the legal profession in Scotland by completing the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, followed by a traineeship with a legal firm, to qualify as a solicitor.

However, this is only possible following a joint degree programme if you have been able to complete all additional courses required for the Diploma.

You can then opt to go to the Bar, to qualify as an advocate. This requires a period of 'devilling' under the supervision and direction of a practising advocate.

Careers outside of Scotland

Graduates who qualify to practise may also go on to qualify and practise law in other jurisdictions. There are rules which enable a Scots-qualified solicitor or advocate relatively quickly to re-qualify as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales.

Graduates may also go on to re-qualify in France (and in Belgium and Luxembourg) as an 'avocat'.

Graduates may also qualify and practise elsewhere in Europe and beyond. To do this, you must comply with the local conversion requirements and complete any further study non-Scottish jurisdictions require.

Non-legal careers

Graduates who do not choose a legal career often use their skills and experience for employment in finance, management or journalism.

Our graduates have also worked with international organisations such as the United Nations and the European Union.

French

Studying a language to a degree level demonstrates that you are:

• a good communicator
• a resilient problem solver
• someone open to other cultures and new ideas

These skills are valued by employers as 'intercultural competence'.

Graduating in Law and French, you will be near-fluent in a major language of international communication, one of the most widely spoken in the world.

You will be well-placed to seek opportunities in the 29 countries where France is an official language (including parts of Europe, Africa and North America) and the many multinational companies and institutions for which it is a working language, including the European Commission.

Wherever you are based in the world, your skills will make you stand out.

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

• SQA Highers: AAAAA (achievement by end of S5 preferred). BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S5.
• A Levels: A*AA.
• IB: 39 points with 666 at HL.

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

• SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S5.
• A Levels: ABB.
• IB: 34 points with 655 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

• SQA: Highers: English at B, at first attempt, and a language other than English at B. National 5s: French at B (if not at Higher).
• A Levels: English Literature, English Language or combined English at B, and a language other than English at B. GCSEs: French at B or 6 (if not at A Level). English Language and English Literature GCSE, both at A or 7, are accepted in place of A Level English.
• IB: HL: English at 5 and a language other than English at 5. SL: French at 5 (if not at HL).

Additional requirements

Language requirement

For degrees that have a subject requirement of a language other than English, students may not use their own native language to meet this requirement. In these instances, English or an alternative language other than native will be acceptable.

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

• SQA National 5 at C
• GCSE at C or 4
• Level 2 Certificate at C
• IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component.We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 162 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 54 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 5 in each component.*

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the degree you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT, or Trinity ISE test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins, regardless of your nationality.

English language requirements

(*Revised 24 May 2024 to change PTE Academic requirement from total 62 with at least 54 in each component, and to clarify that we do not accept PTE Academic online. Revised 29 August 2024 to add Oxford ELLT requirements.)

This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.

It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

Please note that some programmes do not have Discover Uni data available.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for LLB Law and French

Additional costs

On some courses, you will be encouraged to buy additional learning materials for learning and assessments.

Additional costs should be anticipated for the mandatory study abroad in Year 3. Costs will vary depending on the country and partner university.

Additional costs while studying abroad may include:

• insurance
• visa requirements
• accommodation
• internet access
• travel

Funding

For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.

Fees and funding

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