Oxford Brookes University
speciality: Law

I really loved the way we law students have an option to choose a pathway which gives a chance to have a wide range of options open for us in the future in the field of law. Moreover, the course itself encourages us to do most of the stuff in a practical manner which benefits us to be ready once we graduate from law school.

Everything is still fairly new as it’s my first year, so there isn’t much to say. So far the course has been decent. However, I didn’t like the fact that there wasn’t enough teaching on referencing. This is something that hasn’t been taught properly in my college. For some tutors to expect students to perfect the technique is a letdown, as it reflects in some of our work that we haven’t had enough practising on referencing. One library session isn’t going to do anything for some students.

My personal experience studying law has been a conflicting one, at times I’ve felt disconnected from the course in moments of self-doubt. At times I’ve felt liberated in moments where my understanding of the piece of information in front of me has clicked. Surprisingly, the course has been more manageable than expected, my fears of the stigma behind studying ‘one of the hardest degrees’ undoubtedly had me worried before starting the course; however, once I had come to terms with the adjustment of articulating myself from a legal perspective, and away from the style of essays I wrote during my prior essay-based A-level subjects, I began to thoroughly enjoy the course.

Modules that didn’t pique my interest, I struggled to understand and to want to expand my further reading on. However, the modules I did enjoy learning about, I found myself during my spare time reading up on articles, statues, and any type of material related, as a leisurely activity rather than feeling as if I am studying. This is particularly useful during the second and third years, where I have had more freedom with choosing modules that intrigue me, ultimately setting me up for success once I have found areas of the law I am truly interested in pursuing.

Overall, I would certainly recommend the course, not only as someone who has always been interested in pursuing a legal career, but the benefits gained from a law degree extends much further than just a degree, the confidence to speak my mind and stand with what I feel is right, the ability to use reasoning to articulate myself effectively, and the adaptability to consistently challenging situations, are all things I have gained and utilise in my everyday life.

Being a relatively new college it would be expected that there would be less preparation for the students by the lecturers but at the contrary, the lecturers have prepared the seminars and lectures for the entire year.