BSc Politics and Law (Cornwall)

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Exeter

Program Overview

If you're fascinated by how power and law shape society, this degree lets you study both disciplines in equal measure and understand how political systems and legal frameworks interact in the real world. It suits practically-minded students who want hands-on, experiential learning from day one, and it's a great fit for anyone eyeing careers in law, politics, public policy, or advocacy.

Curriculum Structure

Year One: You'll build a solid foundation in both disciplines, taking core modules like Legal Foundations and Legal Foundations 2, alongside British Government and Politics, with the chance to add options like Constitutional Law or Modern Political Theory. It's designed to get you thinking critically about legal and political systems together right from your very first week, through case studies and real-world problems rather than just lectures.

Year Two: Things get more focused as you take Political Analysis as a core module, while choosing from a wider mix of options like Contract Law or The Law of Torts on the legal side, and modules such as Comparative Politics or Security Studies on the politics side. This is really where you start shaping your degree around the specific area of law and politics that interests you most.

Placement Year (optional): If you choose the four-year "with Industrial Placement" route, you'll spend a year gaining paid, graduate-level work experience with an organisation of your choosing, in the UK or abroad, building commercial awareness and independence that employers genuinely value.

Final Year: You'll complete a dissertation, along with advanced optional modules like Human Rights Law, Corporate Law, Theory and Governance, or Parliamentary Studies, giving you the chance to specialise deeply and produce a substantial piece of independent work that reflects exactly what you want to be known for.

Focus Areas: Constitutional and human rights law, criminal law, political theory, public policy, and comparative politics, with an emphasis on how legal and political systems shape and are shaped by each other.

Learning Outcomes: Graduates come away with strong research, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills, along with real practical experience producing policy briefs, drafting legal documents, and advising organisations, all built through case studies, debates, and immersive group projects rather than lectures alone.

Professional Alignment: Worth knowing upfront: this programme doesn't cover all of the Foundations of Legal Knowledge, so it isn't a full route to qualification as a solicitor or barrister on its own. That said, it's closely connected to Exeter Law School, and students benefit from professional placements with law firms, government bodies, and NGOs, plus strong relationships with the legal profession regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Reputation: Exeter is ranked Top 25 in the UK for Law, coming in 22nd in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, and Top 10 in the UK for Law Graduate Prospects, ranking Joint 10th in the Complete University Guide 2027. The university also has an excellent national and international reputation for mooting.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

BSc Politics and Law (Cornwall) is built around learning by doing, not just reading. From your very first week, you'll be tackling real-world problems through case studies, debates, immersive events, and group projects rather than sitting through lecture after lecture. On the Penryn Campus you'll have access to modern lecture theatres, seminar rooms, and collaborative study spaces, plus dedicated law and politics libraries, IT suites, and online learning resources to support both solo study and teamwork. Here's what that actually looks like day to day:

Mooting: you can take part in simulated legal hearings right on the Penryn Campus, including debating and mooting events held in Stannary Court, which builds real advocacy, research, and public-speaking skills.
Group projects: you'll work collaboratively with classmates to produce policy briefs, draft legal documents, and advise organisations, picking up hands-on experience alongside your academic study.
Professional placements: the course offers the chance to take a placement with law firms, government bodies, NGOs, or non-profit organisations, either in the UK or abroad, so you leave with real communication, teamwork, and commercial awareness under your belt.
Industrial Placement variant: if you go for the four-year route, you can spend a full year in a paid, graduate-level placement with an organisation of your choosing.
Immersive assessment: alongside essays and exams, you'll be assessed through presentations, policy briefs, debates, and simulations, all designed to reflect the skills employers actually look for.
Small-group, low-ratio teaching: Penryn Campus is known for its intentionally low student-staff ratios, so you get closer contact with lecturers and a genuinely close-knit learning community rather than getting lost in a crowd.
Careers support: you'll have a dedicated Employability Officer, access to the Career Zone, and the chance to meet potential employers face-to-face at the annual Law Fair, workshops, and careers sessions.
Interdisciplinary connections: Exeter Law School in Cornwall works closely with the Exeter Business School, giving you exposure to modules like Environmental Law and Policy, Human Rights, and Company Law alongside your politics studies.

Progression & Future Opportunities

A degree that combines Politics and Law gives you a genuinely versatile skill set — critical analysis, negotiation, and clear communication — that employers across the legal and political worlds are actively looking for. Graduates from this kind of background typically move into roles such as paralegal, policy advisor, government researcher, or trainee solicitor. Here's how Exeter helps you get there:

Careers support: you'll have a dedicated Employability Officer, one-to-one appointments for CV reviews and interview practice, and access to the Career Zone's workshops on securing training contracts, vacation schemes, and alternative legal careers.
University-industry partnerships: Exeter Law School has direct placement relationships with organisations like Michelmores LLP and EDF Energy, who have hosted Exeter students in placement and paralegal roles that lead directly into training contracts.
Employer events: the annual Law Fair brings leading law firms specifically targeting Exeter graduates, giving you the chance to network and make an impression well before you graduate.
Long-term reputation: Exeter is ranked Top 25 in the UK for Law, coming in 22nd in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, and Top 10 in the UK for Law Graduate Prospects, ranking Joint 10th in the Complete University Guide 2027, so the degree carries genuine long-term weight on your CV.
Pro bono and practical experience: through the Legal Assistance Programme you can get involved in the Community Law Clinic, the Student Appeals Project, or Judicial Shadowing, building real experience alongside your studies.
Broad graduate outcomes: past graduates from this kind of combined programme have gone into law firms, government departments, NGOs, international organisations, and public policy roles, as well as further legal or political study.

Further Academic Progression: If you want to keep building on this degree, Exeter offers strong postgraduate routes in both directions. On the law side, you could move into the LLM Master of Laws, which lets you specialise further and comes with access to the same custom-built Moot Court and strong professional network that supports the undergraduate programme. If your interests lean more towards politics and policy, Exeter's postgraduate Politics and International Relations programmes let you deepen your expertise in areas like public policy or comparative politics. And if you're aiming to qualify as a solicitor or barrister, it's worth knowing this particular programme doesn't cover the full Foundations of Legal Knowledge, so you'd likely follow up with a conversion route such as the Graduate LLB before moving on to the professional stage of training.