If you wish to study for this qualification, you will need to complete the required 360 credits by 31 December 2026, when it will no longer be available. From October 2021, this qualification will be replaced with a new Bachelor of Laws (Honours)(LLB) (R81).
Studying law is stimulating in its own right, and it's also a smart career move. If you want to practise law professionally, a law degree is the first step – but it's also a great asset for many other careers. The OU's Bachelor of Laws with Honours (LLB) is the most popular qualification of its kind in the UK. By the end of your studies, you'll have the legal awareness needed to understand and apply the law, together with skills of legal analysis and methods; and you'll be well prepared for further study or career development.
If you want to become a solicitor or barrister, you'll need to complete this degree within six years.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Code | Q79 |
| Made up of | 360 credits |
There are no formal entry requirements to study this qualification.
Please note that whilst it is possible to study both Stage 1 modules at the same time, students who complete W101 before W102 acquire the legal knowledge, understanding of legal terminology and legal study skills needed for successful study of W102. If you choose to study the modules together, you may therefore find studying W102 to be more challenging initially. Studying the two modules together is the equivalent of full-time study and you'll need to be able to study for up to 35 hours each week.
Students who start their study with an Access module are more likely to be successful when they advance to Stage 1 of their qualification. They're specially designed to give you a gentle introduction to OU study, boost confidence in your study skills, and help you gain a broad overview of your chosen subject area.
You'll also benefit from:
Studying law opens up many career options, whether in law or law-related fields, including solicitor, barrister, legal executive and paralegal. Solicitors and barristers usually work in private practice, in central or local government, commerce, industry, the armed forces or in professional bodies.
Solicitors and barristers in England and Wales need to complete three stages of training:
Other relevant jobs include Citizens Advice Bureau caseworker, Crown Prosecution Service caseworker, magistrates' court legal adviser, court reporter or administrator, licensed conveyancer, patent attorney, trademark agent, teacher, or lecturer in law.
Further employability and careers information is available on The Open University Law School website.
The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) is recognised by The Solicitors Regulation Authority and The Bar Standards Board as a 'Qualifying Law Degree', and by the Council of Legal Education (Northern Ireland).
We make all our qualifications as accessible as possible and have a comprehensive range of services to support all our students. The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) uses a variety of study materials and has the following elements:
For more detailed information, see the Accessibility Statements on individual module descriptions. If you feel you may need additional support, visit Disability support to find more about what we offer.
If you have already studied at university level, you may be able to count it towards your Open University qualification – which could save you time and money by reducing the number of modules you need to study. At the OU we call this credit transfer.
It's not just university study that can be considered, you can also transfer study from a wide range of professional or vocational qualifications such as HNCs and HNDs.
To become a solicitor or barrister, you'll need to complete this degree within six years. This includes any modules you may be wanting to add to this qualification through credit transfer.
You should apply for credit transfer before you register, at least 4 weeks before the registration closing date. We will need to know what you studied, where and when and you will need to provide evidence of your previous study.
For more details of when you will need to apply by and to download an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.