LLB Law with a Year in Industry

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Royal Holloway University of London

Program Overview

This four-year law degree gives you the perfect blend of academic study and real-world experience. You’ll learn how the legal system works, explore the major areas of UK and European law, and then step into a professional workplace for a full year to see how law operates in practice.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

Your first year focuses on building a strong foundation. You’ll explore how the UK government functions and how rights are protected, understand how contracts are formed and enforced, and dive into the main principles of criminal law. You’ll also learn how the English legal system works in reality, while developing essential skills like legal writing, analysis, and professional communication.

Year 2

In your second year, things become more detailed and practical. You’ll study land law to understand ownership and property rights, and tort law to see how civil wrongs like negligence are handled. You’ll also explore European Union law and how it connects to UK legal frameworks, which helps you understand modern cross-border legal issues.

Year 3 – Industry Placement

Your third year takes you out of the classroom and into the workplace. You’ll spend the year working in a legal or related professional setting, gaining hands-on experience that counts directly toward your degree. This real-world exposure not only strengthens your CV but also helps you understand what kind of legal career might suit you best.

Year 4

In your final year, you return to campus and take more advanced modules. You’ll study equity and trusts and then choose optional subjects that match your interests — whether that's company law, medical law, advocacy, criminal justice, or even writing a dissertation. This year lets you shape your degree around the direction you want your future to take.

Focus Areas

Core areas of English law, EU law, contract, criminal law, torts, land law, equity, and practical legal skills.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the program, you’ll understand how key areas of law operate, be confident in legal reasoning and argument, and have real industry experience that sets you apart. You’ll also build practical skills like problem-solving, advocacy, and professional communication.

Professional Alignment

The degree follows the academic requirements recognised by employers across the legal field. The built-in work placement gives you a competitive edge when applying for training contracts, paralegal roles, or graduate positions.

Reputation & Employability

Royal Holloway is known for producing confident, work-ready graduates. The combination of a solid law degree and a full year in industry means you’ll stand out to employers — not just as a student who studied law, but as someone who has lived it.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

On the LLB Law with a Year in Industry at Royal Holloway, you learn the law by actually stepping into legal-style environments, not just reading about them. From your first year, you start developing real-world skills through practice-based classes, volunteering opportunities, and professional training sessions. By the time you reach your industry year, you already have the confidence and practical grounding to work alongside legal teams, charities, or public organisations. The university’s Law School, Careers Service, and student societies all work together to make sure you’re prepared, supported, and able to make the most of every opportunity.

Here’s how you gain hands-on experience during the degree:

A full Year in Industry where you spend your third year working in a real organisation — anything from a law firm, compliance department, legal charity, or public-sector body — giving you professional experience that counts toward your degree.
Volunteering opportunities through the Legal Advice Centre and partnerships with justice-support organisations, letting you assist with real cases, community support, and client-focused work.
Mooting, debating, and negotiation activities through the Student Law Society, where you practise presenting arguments, developing confidence, and thinking on your feet in simulated court settings.
Professional & Legal Skills training built directly into the course, where you learn client interviewing, negotiation, legal writing, research techniques, and how to build case arguments.
Workshops led by legal practitioners and guest speakers who bring real industry challenges into the classroom and give insight into current legal practice.
Access to specialist digital research tools used throughout the legal sector, helping you learn how to investigate cases, analyse legislation, and navigate legal databases.
Library and research support with a strong law collection, dedicated study spaces, and academic guidance to help you work at a professional standard.
Group projects in several modules, where you collaborate on case studies, legal problem-solving tasks, and presentations that mirror how real legal teams operate.
Seminars, research events, and departmental discussions that expose you to current legal debates and academic ideas beyond your standard classes.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from the LLB Law with a Year in Industry at Royal Holloway step into the job market with both a respected legal qualification and real work experience, which gives them a noticeable edge. Many students move straight into legal careers, while others use the degree as a springboard into roles that value strong analysis, communication, and problem-solving. Whether you see yourself practising law or shaping policy, this course opens doors in several directions — including careers such as solicitor, barrister, paralegal, or compliance and regulatory work.

To give you a clearer picture, here’s how the university supports your long-term growth and professional future:

The Careers and Employability Service offers targeted help for law students — from one-on-one career appointments to CV polishing, interview guidance, networking events, and employer workshops.
Graduate outcomes are strong, with a high proportion of students either employed or in further study within just over a year of finishing their degree.
Law graduates typically enter the workplace with competitive starting salaries, especially those who completed the industry year and gained hands-on experience.
The program benefits from established relationships with legal firms, charities, and public-sector bodies, which means more opportunities for placements, mentoring, and future employment.
The LLB itself carries long-term value because it provides the foundational academic training required for professional legal routes like the solicitor or barrister pathway.
Many students progress into policy roles, criminal justice careers, corporate advisory positions, and public service, reflecting the course’s strong reputation for producing well-rounded, job-ready graduates.

Further Academic Progression:

After completing this degree, you’ll have several academic pathways open to you. Many students go on to study LLM specialisms, such as international law, medical law, human rights, or corporate law. Others choose to prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) or pursue training for the barrister route. And if research is something that excites you, this degree gives you a strong foundation to continue into postgraduate research or even a PhD in law or related fields.