Course Overview
Entry Qualifications
In addition to the standard College entry requirements (see below) this course requires students to have achieved grade 5 or above in GCSE English Language.
What will I study?
A-Level Law includes the study of:
• The legal system
• Law making
• Nature of law
• Criminal law
• Tort law
• Contract law
Typical issues which you will consider include: What is the difference between civil and criminal law? Is the law sufficiently clear for us to know whether we are breaking it? Do legally unqualified magistrates really know what they are doing? And how do you become a lawyer?
How will I study?
Law requires a great deal of reading and learning of legal principles. A good memory is most useful. However, the assessment also sets law in its social, economic and political context and evaluates its usefulness. There will be a variety of classroom activities including discussion, problem solving, scenario based questions & video.
How is the course examined?
All assessments are based on final exams. There are three written exam papers which are taken in June, at the end of your second year. Each exam paper is two hours long.
Where next?
Whether the student intends to pursue a future in the law itself or has merely a passing interest, the pervasiveness of law means that it is a highly valued area of education for all careers. The discipline and approach developed during the study of law will prepare you for a large variety of careers. These might include finance, commerce, journalism, politics, civil service, local government and business management.
Staff will be able to advise any student wishing to apply for a Law degree or who wishes to pursue a career in the Law. It should be clearly understood by students that the grades required for entrance to a law degree are well above average.
What does the course combine well with?
Law may be studied with any other subject. Other social sciences and humanities, such as Politics, Psychology, Sociology, History and English are popular choices but this list is not exclusive.
College Entry Requirements
We normally expect applicants to have achieved good GCSE passes in at least six subjects, these must:
• demonstrate the suitability for Advanced Level study
• have been achieved at Grade 4/C as a minimum
• include two at Grade 5/B as a minimum
• include English Language – a minimum grade of 4/C
Mathematics – If not achieved within the scope of the above should normally be achieved at grade 3/D. If mathematics is not achieved at grade 4/C then it will be a requirement to continue to study at the correct level until a grade 4 is achieved. Subjects with a mathematical content will require a higher grade.
