This course is available to Home (UK) students and International students who meet the English Language requirements.
Our Integrated Foundation Year for LLB Law is a thorough, skills-building course that will give you everything you need to start your studies with confidence.
Our Foundation Year sets you up so that you’re ready to take on a study of Law - providing you with opportunities to gain knowledge and understanding of how to get started this fascinating subject at university. All Foundation Year students take ‘Global Perspectives’ and other foundation course modules, then two subject-based modules provide an introduction to the study of law, giving you the critical skills to explore a range of legal issues within identified contemporary debates in the discipline. Once you have completed your Foundation year, you will normally progress onto the full degree course, LLB Law.
Our Department of Law and Criminology has a reputation for high-quality research and teaching. Whilst studying Law at Royal Holloway you will explore the fundamental principles of justice, equity and equality within the framework of English and European law. This degree is for anyone looking to start a career in law, whether as a barrister or a solicitor, it is also for those who are interested in the legal system and the ways in which laws are made and upheld. You will be equipped with a wide range of transferable skills which are highly sought after by employers in a wide variety of fields.
You will consider the different laws which apply to different legal problems within the legal system. This will enable to understand how the law regulates agreements between individuals and the relationship between the individual and the state. In addition to acquiring invaluable legal skills in research and oral presentation, you will have the opportunity to choose from a range of subjects in fields such as family law, medical law, company law and international law along with criminology options in terrorism, sentencing and penal policy and gender and crime.
Our balanced approach to research and teaching guarantees high-quality teaching from subject leaders, cutting edge materials and intellectually challenging debates. You will receive individual attention and flexibility to acquire expertise within a specialist field.
In addition to lectures and seminars, as new students, you will have a Personal Tutor who will work with you on any issues and we place great emphasis on continuous feedback both orally and in writing.
A degree in Law which is qualifying for regulatory purposes in some instances
Perfect for those students wishing to benefit from academic and skills-based training in Law
Benefit from a diverse range of optional modules in law and also other related disciplines such as criminology, sociology and forensic psychology
Develop skills to evaluate legal developments, analyse legal texts and develop independent thinking.
Develop key legal research and communication skills.
For students starting their LLB degree after 21 September 2021, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is the new way to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. Doing the SQE provides more flexibility in how you train to become a solicitor and we have secured an agreement for our students with a provider of the training needed after your degree, subject to terms and conditions. For students wishing to qualify as a barrister, the Common Protocol on legal education agreed between the Solicitors Regulatory Authority and the Bar Standards Board recognises Royal Holloway as a qualifying law degree provider, which means that on successful completion of this course you will have fulfilled the academic stage of training to become a barrister.
From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
This module aims to help students develop a critical approach to a range of data types and sources. Focusing on examples of the ways data is used in Britain in two key social policy areas, crime and health, students will gain experience in presenting and interpreting qualitative and quantitative data. Students will investigate a number of case studies within these areas, examining the effects of alternative ways of gathering and visualising data and beginning to identify the uses and limitations of different data sources and types. They will develop an understanding of the way data is used to form judgements and to inform attitudes, policies and action.
This core Foundation module offers an inter-disciplinary introduction to a range of concepts of global significance highly relevant for students progressing onto humanities, arts and social science subjects. The lectures, seminars and readings will approach each concept from a variety of humanities, arts and social science perspectives and will involve students exploring different epistemological approaches, including but also beyond, those of their own degree subject.
In this module, students will be introduced to a range of ethical frameworks and the philosophical traditions underlying them, examining their methods, concepts, challenges, limitations, and achievements. After reviewing key ethical theories, the module will investigate a variety of ethical problems and dilemmas, exploring a range of practical ethical topics to connect theories and stances with the nature of the twenty-first-century world. Students will practice using ethical reflection, insights, and understandings to help clarify and seek resolutions for controversial issues or problems that arise in a particular domain. This will involve an examination of the way ethical and legal frameworks have been developed for the regulation of issues of ethical concern in areas such as human rights, wealth distribution, technological change, the environment, and human sexuality.
In this module, students closely examine, compare and contextualise a range of texts that deal with the theme of learning. The core texts: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel Purple Hibiscus (2003); Willy Russell’s play Educating Rita (1980); and Alan Parker’s film, Fame (1980), will be accompanied by a range of extracts from a broad variety of text types, from poetry to philosophy to legal documents. Each week, we will consider a key issue raised by the core text under discussion alongside extracts from other texts. Students will be encouraged to use the methods of Critical Discourse Analysis in their close reading, comparison and contextualisation of the texts.
The module aims to provide students with a flexible and adaptable framework that enables them to read, understand and interpret texts from any discourse area closely, analytically and critically. It will support their understanding of the ways in which different text types function and enable them to identify the way genres provide frameworks for audiences to comprehend discourse, assess the means by which apparently similar aspects of the world can be appreciated and understood from different perspectives or positions, and explore the ways in which discourse is used to constitute a sense of being and identity.
The module will also provide opportunities for students to reflect on their own experiences of and beliefs about learning, and to consider their own learning methods and processes as the Foundation Year progresses. This will support the transition to their degree courses, giving them agency in the process as they think carefully about how they learn, how they might learn more effectively, and how that is affected by cultural, social and economic forces.
The aim of the project is to enable students to engage in theoretical work on an agreed specific area relevant to one of the departments within the Humanities. Topics will be proposed by supervisors from which students can state three (rank ordered) preferences or students may propose their own topic subject to agreement. The allocation of project topic and supervisor is carried out with the intention of enabling students to work on their preferred (highest ranked where possible) area. Projects will be completed on the basis of a specification agreed with their supervisor and progress will be monitored against the specification. The project will culminate with a joint Poster Presentation with all students on the Foundation Programme.
Year 1
Constitutions establish and control the powers of the state and regulate the relationship between the state and its citizens. This module examines the UK’s uncodified constitution, primarily considering the main characteristics of the British system of government, including the division of powers between the legislature, executive, and judiciary and between Westminster and the devolved regions; key constitutional concepts and their associated challenges, including Parliamentary sovereignty, conventions, the rule of law, and human rights protection before and after the Human Rights Act 1998; and how administrative law, particularly judicial review, controls the actions of the government and public authorities.
Contracts form the legal basis of commercial transactions. This module examines the legalities regarding the formation of contracts, the capacity to contract and the performance of legal obligations as well as remedies for breach of contract. In particular, you will examine the following areas: introduction to contract; invitation to treat; offer and acceptance; consideration; Promissory Estoppel; intentions to create legal relations; implied terms; express terms; exemption clauses; unfair contract terms; mistakes; types of misrepresentation; misrepresentation and remedies; duress; undue influence; frustration and force majeure; breach of contract and remedies; and third-party rights.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the general nature of criminal law and learn how to apply the general principles of criminal liability, including the liability of accomplices. You will look at the elements of an offence and the various requirements for actus reus and mens rea, considering how they apply to various offences against the person or property. You will examine selected principal offences against the person, including fatal and non-fatal offences involving physical violence such as assaults and those involving sexual violence. You will also asses selected principal property offences, including theft, burglary, robbery and deception, and the inchoate offences and the liability of accomplices.
This module serves as an intensive introduction to the fundamentals of the legal system and legal study. It explores elements of the historical, philosophical and social context of the English Legal Systems, including issues of law, morality and justice. Additionally, various sources of law, including at national and international level, and through treaties, statute and case law will also be studied.
This module focuses on employability by involving students in practical skills sessions such as mooting, client interviewing, and negotiation. It is designed to develop core professional competencies that are required by the legal and non-legal professions.
Year 2
This module examines the various types of interests which can exist in land, including the rights and duties under these interests, how they can be protected against third parties acquiring other interests in the land, and how they can be transferred. In particular, you will examine fundamental concepts; contracts relating to land; adverse possession; leases and licences; mortgages; co-ownership and the family home; freehold covenants; easements; and protection of interests in land (both registered and unregistered).
This module provides you with an introduction to the law of tort, focusing on general principles of tort liability in the law governing reputation and misuse of private information, negligence, intentional interference with the person and the law of nuisance. Specifically, you will develop an understanding in the following areas: the function and purpose of the law of tort; an introduction to the law of negligence and its importance in the law of tort; an examination of the duty of care and its breach including how is it manifests in specific torts such as employers liability, vicarious liability, occupiers liability, economic loss and psychiatric injury; an examination of the remaining aspects of negligence such as causation and remoteness; general defences; defamation and misuse of private information; trespass to the person including harassment; and finally, interference with property rights and enjoyment in the form of nuisance and the rule in Rylands v Fletcher.
This module examines the role of the European Union (EU) in the free movement of peoples, goods, services and capital. You will explore the legal enforcement of treaties on which the Union is based, with a consideration of both national and international systems. You will examine these treaties and the various EU institutions created under them (and incorporated into domestic law), examining their legal and policy-making powers. In particular, you will look at the laws and functions of the EU Institutions including the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Council and the Court of Justice of the EU, and explore how free movement works across national borders and how the law of the EU is enforced.
Year 3
In this module you will examine equity and its relationship with the common law. You will explore the concept of a trust and the laws associated with governing the creation and administration of trusts. You will explore the development of equity historically and explain how purpose trusts operate. You will look at how charitable trusts are created and consider the duties of trustees. You will consider the nature and scope of fiduciary obligations and consider when those obligations might be breached and the consequences of such. You will also consider particular types of trusts, including secret trusts, resulting and constructive trusts.
Optional Modules
There are a number of optional course modules available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course modules that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new modules may be offered or existing modules may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.
We use a variety of different methods of assessment. These might include an essay about a controversial issue or an established case, an analysis of a video, a report of an experiment or a critical analysis of a recently published research.
Some modules involve oral presentations. Assessment is both summative and formative, and you will be provided with detailed comments on essays and other coursework and many modules also have a written examination in May or June.
Progression to the next year is dependent on passing the compulsory course units. The combination of quality and range of assessments helps our students to develop a wide portfolio of skills and learning.
At least five GCSEs at grade A*-C or 9-4 including English and Mathematics.
T-levels
We accept T-levels for admission to our undergraduate courses, with the following grades regarded as equivalent to our standard A-level requirements:
AAA* – Distinction (A* on the core and distinction in the occupational specialism)
AAA – Distinction
BBB – Merit
CCC – Pass (C or above on the core)
DDD – Pass (D or E on the core)
Where a course specifies subject-specific requirements at A-level, T-level applicants are likely to be asked to offer this A-level alongside their T-level studies.
Other UK and Ireland Qualifications
Select your qualification
Select your qualification
International Baccalaureate
BTEC National Extended Diploma
BTEC National Diploma
BTEC National Extended Certificate
Welsh Baccalaureate
Scottish Advanced Highers
Scottish Highers
Irish Leaving Certificate
Access to Higher Education Diploma
T-levels
International & EU requirements
Select your country
Select your country
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus (South) (Greek-Cypriot system)
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
English language requirements
All teaching at Royal Holloway (apart from some language courses) is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.
The scores we require
IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 6.0. Reading 6.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. 54 in writing. 54 in reading. No other subscore lower than 51.
Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
Country-specific requirements
For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please visit here.
A Law degree at Royal Holloway makes you highly employable in the UK and internationally. As well as a career in law, the transferable skills gained will form the basis of a career in criminal justice agencies. You will be equipped with the knowledge, skills and experiences essential to advance your future career or move on to further study and pursue a career in research and evaluation in academic and policy contexts.
Get involved in extra-curricular activities such as mooting, negotiation workshops, interviewing competitions, our student-led law gazette and our Legal Advice Centre
Studying a law-related degree can lead to careers in a variety of fields as it proves your ability to grasp new subjects and to retain and convey information.
Our graduates have gone on to careers with employers including law firms, the Crown Prosecution Service, the police, the probation service, the prison service and the National Crime Agency.
Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £5,760 (Foundation Year element only, see below for full details)
Eligible EU and International students tuition fee per year**: £22,900
Foundation year essential costs***: There are no single associated costs greater than £50 per item on this course
How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students who have already taken out a tuition fee loan for undergraduate study should check their eligibility for additional funding directly with the relevant awards body.
*The tuition fee for Home (UK) students taking this Integrated Foundation Year course is controlled by Government regulations. The fee for the Foundation Year element of the degree in 2025/26 is £5,760 and is provided here and a guide only. The fee for Home (UK) undergraduates starting in 2026/27 has not yet been announced, but will be advertised here once confirmed.
Please note that once you move into Year 1 of your main degree, you will be charged the standard undergraduate fee for that year. The Government has not yet announced what that fee will be, but for guidance only, in 2025/26 it is £9,535.
**This figure is the fee for EU and international students for the academic year 2025/26 and is included as a guide only. The fee for EU and international students starting in 2026/27 has not yet been announced, but will be advertised here once confirmed.
Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually for all students. For further information see fees and funding.
*** These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2025/26 academic year and are included as a guide. The costs for the 2026/27 academic year have not yet been announced. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included.
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