Course summary

This undergraduate Law degree, involving an exciting year abroad at a German university in either Berlin or Bayreuth, has been designed to meet the need for legally and linguistically equipped lawyers who can cooperate and negotiate with European partners within a changing European context. The German legal system belongs to the continental European family of legal systems known as Civil Law. By contrast, England is the home of Common Law, a family of legal systems which also embraces many nations outside Europe including the USA. During this undergraduate Law degree course you will familiarise yourself with both legal systems, thereby gaining comparative experience of two of the world's major legal families. During years one, two and four of the qualifying law degree approximately two-thirds of your time will be spent on English law and one-third on German and German Law. Your third year is when you put your German to good use studying in a top German law school. For almost 100 years Birmingham Law School have made a major contribution to teaching and scholarship, and you’ll learn from prestigious academics who are working at the top of their field influencing law and policy around the world. Why study this course? Study at a top global law school - the University of Birmingham is in the top 20 in the UK for Law (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022), reflecting the high quality of our undergraduate teaching and our world-leading research. Wide-ranging extra-curricular legal opportunities and professional links - our Centre for Employability, Professional Legal Education and Research (CEPLER) is what truly sets Birmingham Law School apart, running pro bono groups and mooting competitions. Opportunities also include placement schemes, the annual law fair, and visits to leading firms, all of which will prepare you for life after Law School. Extensive choice of modules - you can really tailor your undergraduate Law degree course to suit your interests in final year with our vast range of optional modules. Placement year abroad - with the opportunity to study at one of Germany's top law schools in Bayreuth or Berlin you will experience an incredible new culture, an alternative perspective on Law and a different academic environment. Excellent graduate prospects - According to the High Fliers Research report, The Graduate Market in 2022, the University of Birmingham has been ranked as the most targeted University by the UK's top 100 graduate employers in 2021-2022. 89% of our law students are in work or further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022). 16th in the UK for Law in the QS World University Rankings 2022 Top 60 Law School in the World (THE 2022 Rankings) Top 25 for Law in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023