Our campus at the heart of the city is the perfect place to undertake a law course, but what makes Birmingham so special, and why should you choose to study your degree here?
The city itself
Birmingham is a hub for criminal justice and is home to several courts of law, including Birmingham Crown Court, Magistrates' Court, and County Court; all are a stone's throw away from our City Centre Campus. UK law allows you to sit in on court cases, so you can go and get a first-hand experience of the type of environment you could be working in one day. There will also be pre-arranged trips and visits to local establishments as part of your course.
We’re making a difference
We don't just teach law, We advocate it. We go beyond boundaries by combining legal studies with a focus on social justice and human rights, making sure you graduate from us as an ethical legal professional. Our Centre for Human Rights is at the forefront of this endeavour. You will have the chance to join our nationally recognised Mooting Society, as well as our Student Law Society and Student Debating Society. All three provide extra-curricular opportunities for you to practise, develop and enhance your skills.
Our close links to industry mean we regularly host talks with leading experts in the legal society and beyond. This can give you insight into current trends in the legal sector, and inform your future career choices. You’ll learn from industry experienced staff, who have worked in various legal roles all around the world. Their invaluable knowledge will give you a teaching experience you won't find anywhere else, and ensure that you have the skills necessary to put theory into practice in your future career.
We recognise the global scope of law, so all our programmes have an international focus. This is embedded throughout the curriculum, giving you the opportunity to transform your experience with us into a global one.
Facilities
BCU has both a mock Crown Court and a mock Magistrates Court. These courts have been designed to replicate the setup seen in actual law courts as closely as possible. This allows you to get used to the procedures, rules, and regulations embedded in the legal environment they will encounter later in your career. Both courtrooms are used across various modules.
You will study in our state-of-the-art City Centre Campus, ideally located for you to take advantage of our strong links to Birmingham’s legal district, one of the largest in the United Kingdom. Our campus is also at the heart of the multi-million pound Eastside redevelopment project, which will put us right on the doorstep of the new HS2 trainline.
Law courses at BCU
Find more information about different law related courses at BCU
Enhance your employability
We are firmly committed to providing excellent opportunities for you to undertake practical work experience to enhance legal skills and your employability with the added benefit of making a real contribution to the Birmingham legal community.
This is offered through the Birmingham City University Law Clinic. You can get involved with the Law Clinic by taking one of the assessed modules as part of your degree, or by volunteering for one of the Law Clinic’s many other projects. There is a variety of opportunities for students in all years of study.
We offer year-long placements.
On all of our programmes you will gain a professional focus and real world experience, ensuring you are equipped to make an immediate impact in your career. You have the opportunity to embark on a year-long sandwich placement as part of your undergraduate degree course, which will get you invaluable experience before you graduate, at some of the biggest law firms in the West Midlands.
Our renowned American Internship Programme offers you the chance to apply to undertake an internship in the United States. We're also home to the internationally recognised Centre for American Legal Studies, which researches topics such as the death penalty. The Centre for American Legal Studies operates the UK’s largest student internship programme to the USA. To date we have placed over 500 students in Federal and State Public Defender offices, private attorney offices, American University Law Schools, law projects and organisations across the USA, from New York City to West Texas and San Francisco.