Undergraduate Prospectus 2008

Law

Why law?

Studying law develops your skills of analysis, argument and persuasion, which will equip you for a variety of careers after graduation. As part of your studies you will consider major concerns of state and private dealings, the need for private protection and for public exposure. You will grasp the organisation of society and all its constituent elements: commercial, social, political and economic relationships, families and associations, individuals and governments, countries and international organisations. Your imagination will be stretched, and you’ll have an enormous amount of fun.

Why law at Sussex?

At Sussex, the study of law involves not only the investigation of the legal principles for resolving disputes in society; it is also an examination of how these principles evolved and how this process is a central part of our democracy.

At Sussex we emphasise both what the law is and why it is like it is, as well as the events and forces in society that have shaped the law we have today. Together, we examine such questions as why certain behaviour is criminal in one society but not in another; and why it was criminal in our society in the past, but is no longer. This approach makes the social, political and economic context in which law evolves important to the study of law at Sussex.

We do not compromise on the importance of understanding what the law is: at Sussex there are many opportunities to test your skills in presentation and argument about current legal problems. You are also invited to participate in the various skills competitions, in mooting, client interviewing and negotiating, which begin at Sussex and which, depending on your success, may develop to national and international stages. For a young law school, Sussex has been remarkably successful in reaching the later stages of these competitions, representing England in The Hague at the Telders International Law Moot Court competition.

Sussex Law School (SLS) is expanding but still small enough to give a strong sense of identity, where teaching staff are actively involved in researching their subjects.

At Sussex, you can take a degree that is exclusively about law, or you can combine it with one of many other intellectual disciplines, all of which illustrate how the law and its development are part of a wider context. Where law is studied with a language you take a four-year programme, with a year in the country of your chosen language.

What sort of career could I have?

All LLB law programmes at Sussex are qualifying law degrees, which means that all graduates are exempted from the first part of the two-part professional examination required for practising law as a barrister or solicitor. Apart from legal practice, these programmes will equip you for a wide range of careers and employment. They are attractive to public employers such as the civil service and local government, as well as private employers such as large corporations, whether as lawyers or in positions of management and administration. Some of our graduates go on to further study in the expectation of becoming law teachers, and others become accountants or insolvency practitioners, or go into business or politics.

How will I learn?

You will experience several different teaching methods, for example large-group lectures as well as small-group seminars. Within these smaller groups you learn by presentation, discussion, debate and role-play, often on the basis of reading materials prescribed in advance. You are tested by a variety of assessment methods: unseen and open-book exams, essays, dissertations, projects and coursework.

What will I achieve?

• Familiarity with the institutions and procedures of the English legal system and of the EU.
• Knowledge of the concepts, principles, values and rules of English law and the ability to draw on the fundamental principles to undertake in-depth study of specialist areas.
• Awareness of the context within which law operates and ability to show the insights you have gained through the study of other disciplines related to law.
• Appreciation of the relation between law and society.
• The skills when faced with a particular set of circumstances, to identify the issues of legal relevance and apply your legal knowledge to provide a solution that carries the authority of established legal principle.
• The ability to conduct independent legal research to locate relevant materials, both printed and electronic.
• In analysing the law, knowledge of how judges reason and how statutes are to be interpreted; the ability to handle ideas embedded in complex legal doctrine; and familiarity with legal concepts.
• The ability to bring together material from legal and non-legal sources and apply and integrate them to illustrate and illuminate legal theory and factual problems.
• The ability to reflect critically on the law, appreciate where the current law is in need of reform and draft proposals for appropriate change.
• The ability to work independently and on your own initiative, seeking appropriate assistance and appreciating the value of constructive criticism; but also to collaborate with others.
• The ability to discuss points of law, present an argument for one side in a dispute, support this with legal authority, employ legal terminology correctly and respond effectively to contrary views.
• The power to present clear, concise and accurate written arguments.

‘When I applied for the Law degree at Sussex I was unsure what career path I would follow after university. I chose Law not because I was keen to become a solicitor, but because I wanted to learn and be challenged.

‘As an undergraduate student, learning and being away from home can get overwhelming, but the University runs a brilliant student support system, and there is always a mentor or student advisor available to provide academic or non-academic help.

‘There is no typical Law student at Sussex so you’ll never feel excluded, and you will encounter all kinds of opinions during seminars.

‘After three years I still don’t want to be a lawyer but I’ve learnt so much that I now have the confidence to pursue career paths I didn’t even know existed before I came here.’

Frances Pollitzer