Law and Legislative Studies

Law and legislative studies is a degree that asks you not just to learn the law but to understand the political and institutional processes through which law is made, debated and reformed. Law provides the framework of rules and principles that govern social life, regulating conduct, protecting rights and resolving disputes. Legislative studies asks where those rules come from, how parliament and other legislative bodies work, how political forces shape the content of legislation and how law reform happens.

Together they give you a complete picture of the legal system as both a body of doctrine and a social and political institution.

At the University of Hull this four-year, full-time degree is recognised by both the Bar Standards Board and the Solicitors Regulation Authority, meaning it qualifies as a qualifying law degree and satisfies the academic stage of training for those wishing to become a barrister or solicitor in England and Wales. You will learn to think like a lawyer, developing skills in legal analysis, statutory interpretation, case reading, legal reasoning and argument, and applying these to the core areas of English law, including contract, tort, criminal law, public law and European and international law. The legislative studies element introduces you to parliamentary processes, the drafting and scrutiny of legislation, the role of parliamentary committees and the political science of law-making.

Graduates pursue careers in legal practice, including the bar and solicitors' profession, parliamentary and legislative roles in the public service, political research and policy, journalism, law reform, human rights organisations and the civil service. Many continue to postgraduate study or professional training, including the Legal Practice Course or Bar Training Course, or graduate into public sector and parliamentary careers where legal and legislative knowledge is a significant advantage.