LLB Law with Sociology with a Year in Industry

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Royal Holloway University of London

Program Overview

This LLB in Law with Sociology with a Year in Industry gives you a strong foundation in law alongside a deep understanding of society, while giving you real-world work experience through a placement year. It’s perfect for students who want to combine legal study with insight into social structures, inequalities, and policy, preparing you for a career where law meets society.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1
In your first year, you’ll build the core foundations of law and sociology. Key modules like Public Law, The Law of Contract, and English Legal System introduce you to essential legal principles, while Introduction to Sociology explores social theory, research methods, and the impact of institutions on everyday life. You’ll also develop early professional skills through activities like mooting, client interviewing, and negotiation.

Year 2
The second year deepens your understanding of law and social sciences. Modules such as Tort Law and Land Law explore civil wrongs and property law, while sociology modules like Data Analysis for Social Scientists and Sociology of Contemporary Society teach you research skills and critical thinking about inequality, social change, and institutions. You’ll also practise practical legal skills in preparation for your placement year.

Year 3 – Year in Industry
This year gives you hands-on experience in a legal or policy-related workplace. Supported by the Law & Sociology department and the Careers & Employability Service, your placement allows you to apply your learning, develop professional networks, and gain practical insights into how law operates in real-world social contexts.

Year 4
In your final year, you return to campus to specialise in areas of interest. You might take modules like European Union Law, Law Dissertation, International Human Rights Law, or sociology electives such as Race, Ethnicity & Migration or Sociology of Health & Illness. This year allows you to integrate your work experience with advanced study and research, preparing you for professional or academic careers.

Focus Areas

Law, Sociology, Social Policy, Professional Legal Skills, Research Methods, European Law, Social Justice.

Learning Outcomes

You’ll gain expertise in both law and sociology, develop critical thinking and research skills, and become confident in professional legal practice and social research. You’ll be ready to tackle complex legal and social challenges with practical, real-world experience from your placement year.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

This degree meets the academic requirements for the professional stage of qualifying as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, while the sociological training supports careers in policy, research, and public service.

Reputation & Employability

Royal Holloway is known for blending rigorous legal study with social insight. Graduates from this program are well-placed to work in legal practice, public policy, social research, or community roles, with the placement year giving a clear advantage in employability.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Royal Holloway, this program isn’t just about lectures and textbooks — you’ll gain real hands-on experience that helps you step confidently into the professional world. From the start, you’ll develop practical legal and sociological skills through interactive classes, mooting, client interviewing, negotiation exercises, and research projects. The Year in Industry gives you the chance to work in a legal, policy, or social research environment, allowing you to apply what you’ve learned and make valuable professional connections. The Law & Sociology department works closely with the Careers & Employability Service to ensure you find placements and projects that matter.

Here’s how you’ll put theory into practice:

Spend your third year on a placement in a legal firm, public agency, or community organisation — your assessed work contributes directly to your degree.
Work with the Legal Advice Centre, giving free legal advice under supervision and gaining client-facing experience.
Take part in Street Law projects, running legal workshops in schools or local communities to make law accessible and understand its social impact.
Practise professional legal skills in your taught modules, including mooting, negotiation, client interviewing, and presentations.
Attend networking and insight events, connecting with employers in law, social research, and public service, and receive support for volunteering or short-term work experience.
Access Royal Holloway’s library and digital legal resources, including legal databases and research tools, to complete projects, essays, and case studies.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from this degree leave with more than legal knowledge — they gain sociological insight and practical experience from their year in industry. This combination makes you highly employable in roles such as solicitor, barrister, policy advisor, criminal justice officer, or social researcher, and prepares you to apply law in real-world social contexts. Because of the placement year, you’ll often stand out as “work-ready,” with practical experience that complements your academic learning.

Royal Holloway supports your career journey in many ways:

The Careers & Employability Service offers tailored support, helping with CVs, interview preparation, and job applications specifically for law and social research careers.
Access to placements and internships in legal firms, policy agencies, or community organisations gives you practical, hands-on experience before graduating.
The department maintains strong connections with law firms, public sector agencies, and social research organisations, providing networking opportunities and insights into the professional world.
The degree meets academic requirements for professional legal training, keeping the path open to qualifying as a solicitor through the SQE or training as a barrister.
Graduates often enter careers in policy development, social research, legal practice, or public administration, applying their legal knowledge and sociological understanding.
Typical starting salaries for graduates from Royal Holloway law programs are around £26,000 within 15 months of finishing their degree.

Further Academic Progression:
After graduation, you can continue your studies with an LLM in areas such as criminal law, human rights, or social policy. For professional legal careers, the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) or barrister training paths are available. Research-focused graduates may pursue a master’s by research (MRes) or a PhD in sociology, criminology, or related social science fields, combining legal and social insights for advanced academic work.