Program Overview

An International Foundation Year at our International Study Centre prepares you for your degree at Lancaster University. You will focus on English language, university-level study skills, and academic modules that relate to your degree subject.

Supporting your progression to the University
At the International Study Centre, we take every measure to ensure you are supported in your academic journey. Our programmes allow for increased time spent learning, researching and developing your skills. By studying with us, you will benefit from:

• Formal assessments at the end of each term.
• An improved English language module, Academic English Skills, providing greater opportunity for informal assessments and feedback.
• Combining and reducing the number of module assessments allowing more time to prepare.
• A personal tutorial system with a focus on your academic progress at key points of the academic year, creating action plans based on your performance and progession options.

Law
The International Foundation Year in Law leads to a choice of degrees at Lancaster University Law School – one of the UK’s most respected law schools. To prepare for your degree, you will study core English language modules and subject modules for Law. Your degree options include Criminology, Law, and Law with Politics.

As a Law student the topics you will study include justice, ethics, democracy and political institutions. You will learn about important cases and the history of the law, and you will either study Globalisation or Core mathematics.

Bachelor of Law
This Law degree is taught by the world-leading, research-active academics based in our Law School.
The degree will introduce you to technical legal topics and help you to understand the ways that law shapes society. If you choose to do so, you can, from your second year, opt to specialise in one of our three pathways, after which you will be awarded a named degree:

• Criminal Law and Justice
• Commercial Law
• Human Rights Law

The pathways enable you to pursue your own interests and specialise from an early point in your studies and the in-depth knowledge you’ll gain will help you to stand out from the crowd when applying for graduate roles.

80% of the School’s research was rated as internationally excellent or world leading in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014). 

Networking opportunities
We have strong links to Chambers, Law firms and related professions from across the UK, including magic circle firms from London. We usually host a judicial lecture series, alumni visits and lectures, and a Law Fair, which is typically attended by lawyers (including trainees, associates and partners) and members of their recruitment teams. All of this should help you to make professional connections, learn more about their firms, and get a head start on your career in Law.

Our student-run Law Society usually organises a wide range of extracurricular activities including mooting and negotiation competitions (typically judged by barristers and members of the judiciary). In recent years they have organised a Law Ball, sporting fixtures, and a careers dinner. Each event is designed to help you build your peer and employer networks.

Practical experience
Practical experience is important in this degree, with a range of opportunities available. You may be able to take part in our Law Clinic which provides real-world experience of giving free legal advice to members of the local community. Our Miscarriages of Justice Project gives the chance to work on real criminal cases alongside practising lawyers as they support prisoners who maintain their innocence and have exhausted their appeal rights. The Street Law project provides experience in schools and organisations, advising and supporting them on specific areas of law.

If you would like to see how law impacts on countries around the world, you could apply for Study Abroad - extending your degree to four years and spending your third year with one of our highly-regarded partner universities in the US, Europe, Canada and Australia.

If you wish to extend your range of experience, you may be interested in our Placement Year degree or in a volunteer role. Previously we have offered volunteering opportunities with the Citizens Advice Bureau and Lancashire Constabulary's Special Constables.

We offer a wide range of diverse opportunities and try to ensure that all students can access the opportunities that interest them, however please note that places are limited on some schemes and modules.