Overview
If you’re planning a career in the legal profession, our LLB degree provides a well-rounded qualification that can be your first step towards becoming a Scots lawyer or entering other prestigious sectors.
The University of Stirling LLB offers in-depth knowledge and understanding of legal principles, theories, institutions and rules – as well as the wider social and political context in which law operates. You’ll benefit from the knowledge of our expert teaching staff, whose own legal research is widely published and feeds back into the LLB programme. You can also rest assured that everything you’re learning is in line with the highest professional standards, as our LLB Hons is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland and recognised by the Faculty of Advocates.
There is also an opportunity to apply for a work placement (in your third or fourth year) in a legal organisation which will equip you with a comprehensive understanding of what professional life is like. Our LLB is a rigorous degree that develops important intellectual and personal skills. That's why our graduates are attractive to employers both in the legal profession and beyond.
The Stirling LLB is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland and recognised by the Faculty of Advocates, which are the professional bodies for Scots lawyers. This means that LLB graduates do not need to take any Law Society of Scotland exams to become a solicitor in Scotland and that we can prepare graduates to become an advocate in Scotland.
The Law School offers several academic prizes at undergraduate and graduate level.
Entry requirements
SQA Highers
AAAB
GCE A-levels
ABB
IB Diploma
32
BTEC (Level 3)
DDD
Widening access students
Widening access students may be eligible for an adjusted offer of entry. To find out if this applies to you go to our widening access pages.
Care-experienced applicants will be guaranteed an offer of a place if they meet the minimum entry requirements.
Scottish HNC / HND
Year one minimum entry - A in all graded units
Access courses
University of Stirling access course - for mature students only. You must pass the course with 60% or above.
SWAP Access course - for mature students only.
Email our Admissions Team for advice about other access courses.
Foundation Apprenticeships
Considered to be equivalent to 1 Higher at Grade B
English, Welsh and Northern Irish HNC/HND
Merits and Distinctions
English access course
Access to Higher Education Diploma - 60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3. Email our Admissions Team for advice about other access courses.
Advanced entry is not available for this course.
In addition to academic qualifications, personal statements and references will also be considered. The Faculty of Arts and Humanities is committed to widening access to Higher Education, and to the legal profession.
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill.
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 60 overall with a minimum of 59 in each sub-skill.
- IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing.
See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.
Pre-sessional English language courses
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.
Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses
Course details
The main aims of the LLB are to:
- provide substantial in-depth knowledge and understanding of:
- the principles, concepts, values and substantive rules of the Scottish legal system;
- the wider context within which the Scottish legal system operates;
- the main legal institutions and procedures of the Scottish legal system.
- develop problem-solving and legal research skills, as well as more general transferable intellectual skills which are of value in the practice of law and a wide range of careers;
- provide the in-depth knowledge and understanding needed to progress to further studies in law and a career as a solicitor or in multi-disciplinary areas involving law;
- provide graduates with knowledge, understanding and skills that will provide added benefit to them as individuals, to the Scottish legal profession, and to society as a whole;
- In addition to the core LLB subjects, we provide students with the opportunity to take subjects which will provide them with all the permitted exemptions from the exams required by the Faculty of Advocates should they wish to go to the Bar. (Roman Law, Private International Law, European Law).
Modules
The module information below provides an example of the types of course module you may study. The details listed are for the academic year that starts in September 2024. Modules and start dates are regularly reviewed and may be subject to change in future years.
Course details
Modules are delivered by face to face lectures and seminars, supplemented by podcasts. Throughout your degree you will be expected to spend a significant proportion of your week reading the material required for seminars and tutorials. You'll also undertake independent research supervised by a member of staff, presenting a dissertation on a legal topic of your own choice in your final year.
Assessment is by examination and coursework.
A popular feature of our LLB course is the opportunity to study a work placement module in Year 3 or 4. You’ll be placed with a prestigious law practice or law-related organisation, giving you a chance to link learning to practice and thought to action.
As a University of Stirling student, you’ll have the opportunity to broaden your horizons and study abroad through our well-established connections with several international universities.
Fees and funding
Scottish students
This fee is set by the Scottish Government and is subject to change.
Although you’re liable for annual tuition fees, if you are domiciled in Scotland you can apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish Government on your behalf.
You will be charged the annual tuition fee each year when you enrol.
If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
This tuition fee may be subject to change depending on guidance provided by the UK Government.
You can apply for financial assistance, including a loan to cover the full cost of your tuition fees, from your relevant funding body. Students from the Republic of Ireland are eligible for a tuition fee loan of up to £9,535 from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
We also offer additional funding – such as our Honours Year Scholarship – for students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. See our funding opportunities section below for more information.
You will be charged the annual fee each year when you enrol.
If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy and terms and conditions.
International students (including EU)
Eligible students will automatically receive a scholarship worth between £8,000-£30,000 over the duration of your course. See our range of generous scholarships for international undergraduate students.
You will be charged the annual fee each year when you enrol. Your fees will be held at the same level throughout your course.
If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
Additional costs
There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees.
See what funding opportunities and loans are available to help you with tuition and living costs.
Students from Scotland
Find funding opportunities for Scottish students.
Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
Eligible students will automatically receive our Undergraduate Welcome Scholarship, Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, and our Honours Year Scholarship, which are worth between £1,000 and £9,250.
International students
Eligible international students will automatically receive a scholarship worth between £8,000-£30,000 over the duration of your course. Find funding opportunities for international students.
If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.
International (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.
We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay.
After you graduate
The LLB degree is your first major step towards practising Law professionally. Graduating with the Stirling LLB will enable students who want to become Scots lawyers to apply for entry to the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice. This is offered by a number of Scottish universities, and is the next stage towards qualifying as a lawyer in Scotland. Entry to the DPLP is primarily based on the average grade attained in the compulsory LLB subjects during first and second year. Students who want to practise law in England and Wales will have to complete the Solicitors Qualifying Exam.
For up-to-date advice on the route to qualification in Scotland, visit the Law Society of Scotland’s website.
Preparing you for the world of work
We offer a comprehensive employability and skills programme to help you maximise your time at Stirling and develop the attributes required by employers. We also have a dedicated Faculty Employability and Skills Officer and a Careers Service that work in partnership with academic staff to ensure you get the best out of your University experience, and are given the right opportunities to make you ready for the world of work.
Our LLB graduates have gone into a range of careers, and we have alumni at law firms such as; Pinsent Masons LLP, Brodies LLP, DWF and CMS Cameron McKenna. Meanwhile, others have gone on to work in a wide range of alternate sectors, with employers including Morgan Stanley and the Royal Bank of Scotland plc.
We work with a variety of law firms that offer work placement opportunities in the Work Placement module.
