Law with Business

DipHE or LLB Law (Hons) or CertHE

UCAS code: M2N1

Start dates: September 2024 / September 2025

Full time: 3 years

Part time: 6 years

Location: Headington

Department(s): Oxford Brookes Business School, School of Law and Social Sciences

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Overview

What legal issues do businesses face? Join our specialist Law with Business LLB programme to build your legal knowledge and gain commercial awareness. You’ll advance your insight and expertise across complementary disciplines.

You’ll develop a deep understanding of the legal context in which businesses operate. You'll explore company law, commercial law and many other legal concepts, values and principles.

There are opportunities to build your skills through mooting and client interviewing, and perhaps even join our nationally-acclaimed mooting team. You’ll also have access to mentoring schemes and employability opportunities.

We’re a friendly, supportive community. Tutors will encourage you to join in with our activities and events.

You'll graduate ready for ongoing professional training such as the Bar course for Barristers, or preparation courses for the Solicitors’ Qualifying Exam.

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Law with Business, DipHE/CertHE/LLB Law Hons degree course students in mooting court at Oxford Brookes University

Why Oxford Brookes University?

  • You’re our priority

    Help is always easy to access with regular meetings with your Academic Advisor, who will be a member of academic staff from the School of Law. Many tutors are involved in high profile legal research which informs their teaching.

  • Gain practical experience

    Academic staff will help you make the most of extra-curricular opportunities including client interviewing and pro bono opportunities.

  • Test your legal skills

    Try mooting and test your skills of legal argument and communication in our Moot court.

  • Optional year abroad

    This module provides you with the opportunity to apply and test your subject knowledge, skills and competencies either by studying abroad or work-based learning.

  • Specialist knowledge

    Gain understanding of the legal context in which businesses operate.

Course details

Course structure

You’ll get to grips with key areas of law and business. On your first year Business module you’ll take part in a business simulation where you’ll work in a team to make managerial decisions. In other modules, you’ll learn how contracts are created and examine the relationship between the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary.

In year 2, you’ll move on to more advanced modules in law and business. You’ll learn about employment contracts, issues to do with civil loss and harm, and conflicting interests over land. The Company Law for Sustainability module allows you to consider how we can embed sustainability in corporate law and policies.

Year 3 allows you to pursue specialist modules and undertake your own research. On the Independent Study module, with support from our academics, you’ll explore an aspect of law that fascinates you. Other modules, such as Business Ethics, show you how to make moral decisions as a business owner and as a human being.

Law with Business, DipHE/CertHE/LLB Law Hons degree course students in mooting court at Oxford Brookes University

Learning and teaching

Our Law with Business course has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of students wishing to pursue a QLD. We offer a selection of modules that have been carefully thought through. Our modules provide a focus on discrete areas of law, with a strong emphasis on business. 

Throughout the course, our academic team employ a range of teaching and learning styles. You will be supported at every level of the course, with close access to lecturers, small seminar groups and tutorials. 

You will learn through a variety of teaching and learning methods including: 

  • lectures, seminars and workshops
  • supervised independent learning
  • court visits
  • work with a wide range of practical resources.

During your studies, you’ll gain a range of personal and professional skills which will be a springboard for your future career development in a number of industries.
 

Assessment

We use a range of assessment techniques. In some modules, you’ll be assessed through formal exams. In other modules, you may be assessed through coursework, in-class exercises or other means. 

Professional accreditation

After you complete your LLB, you can go straight to the vocational stage of training. If you want to be a barrister, you’ll be ready to progress to the Bar course. You’ll also have a strong foundation of legal knowledge from which you can move on to prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE).

 

Study modules

Teaching for this course takes place face to face and you can expect around 8 hours of contact time per week. In addition to this, you should also anticipate a workload of 1,200 hours per year. Teaching usually takes place Monday to Friday, between 9.00am and 6.00pm.

Contact hours involve activities such as lectures, seminars, practicals, assessments, and academic advising sessions. These hours differ by year of study and typically increase significantly during placements or other types of work-based learning.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

  • Contract Law

    In this module, you’ll get to grips with contract law. You’ll gain a detailed understanding of the formation, operation, and termination of contracts. You’ll understand the key ideas behind contract law. You’ll develop the critical skills in legal reasoning and analysis you gained from your Legal Method modules.

    You’ll enhance your legal skills, as you tackle case studies in contract law. You’ll explore:

    • the purpose of contract law
    • formation of contract
    • agreement problems (such as mistake or misrepresentation)
    • terms of contract
    • exclusion causes
    • statutory control
    • breach of contract and damages.
  • Criminal Law

    You’ve committed a crime. But what makes you responsible for it? In this module, you’ll get to grips with the key principles of criminal responsibility, and build key skills for your degree. You’ll look at individual defences and offences, as well as fatal and non-fatal offences against people and property. You’ll study crimes including: 

    • murder and manslaughter
    • theft and burglary
    • ‘offences against the person’ such as assault and battery

    You’ll also learn about defences such as: 

    • insanity and automatism
    • duress and self-defence
    • duress.
  • Foundations of Business

    In this module, you’ll gain a strong understanding of business organisations and how they function in contemporary settings. You’ll develop core practical knowledge as you take examples from current business practice, and apply them to business concepts and theory. And the knowledge that you gain in this module will underpin further learnings that you will undertake throughout your degree.

    You’ll have the opportunity to examine the complexities of the interlinkages between the internal and external factors affecting an organisation. For example, you’ll explore the impact of challenges such as globalisation and the increasing pace of change, and how these are evaluated in order to establish a strategy. You’ll apply the lessons learned in lectures to a hand-on business simulation game, where you’ll work as part of a team to make weekly business decisions. You’ll therefore gain the insights, tools and skills necessary for succeeding in a real business context. 

  • Legal Method

    In this module, you’ll gain invaluable legal skills for your degree. You’ll learn to think like a lawyer, and understand:

    • the sources of English law
    • the structures and functions of the UK Courts

    You’ll also learn:

    • how to critically read and assess statute and case-law
    • how to evaluate legal arguments
    • how to find and use online legal information.

    You’ll dive into the world of UK law. You’ll learn to find and understand legal information. And you’ll gain key skills in legal thought and argumentation.

  • Public Law

    In this module, you’ll dig into Public Law, and gain key legal knowledge for your degree. You’ll explore its key elements, including:

    • civil liberties and human rights
    • judicial review processes
    • the separation of the different elements of the government 
    • constitutional and administrative law. 

    You’ll explore the relationship between Public Law and three key elements of the state - the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. And you’ll consider the relationship between the State and its citizens. 

Year 2

Compulsory modules

  • Company Law for Sustainability

    In this module, you’ll learn how sustainability relates to corporate law. You’ll gain excellent practical knowledge for your later module, Business Governance and Human rights. This module also gives you an alternative approach to running a business, if you’ve studied Tort Law for Business.

  • European Union Law

    In this module, you’ll get to grips with the European Union (EU) and its foundations. You’ll dig into key areas of law, central to the EU system. And you’ll explore the political and social implications of EU Law. 

    You’ll examine the history of EU Law, and its key institutions:

    • the European Parliament
    • the Council of the European Union
    • the European Commission. 

    You’ll then focus on Union Law, and how it relates to national law. You’ll also consider the role of the Court of Justice of the EU. You’ll explore substantive law, as you understand the internal market of the EU, including:

    • free movement of people
    • citizenship.
  • Land Law

    Land law is a fascinating attempt to solve people’s conflicting interests in land. You’ll get to grips with the English Land Law and its key concerns. You’ll explore:

    • the nature of law, property and land
    • the division of estates and interests (into legal and equitable)
    • land registration.

    You’ll gain a detailed knowledge of freehold and leasehold estates. And you’ll explore co-ownership and trusts of: 

    • land leases
    • licences
    • mortgages

    You’ll also consider the rising importance of the Human Rights Act 1998 to Land Law. 

  • Tort Law

    In this module, you’ll get to grips with tort law (law which deals with civil loss or harm). You’ll explore:

    • the tort of negligence 
    • employers’ liability
    • trespass to land
    • public nuisance
    • the Rylands-v-Fletcher case
    • trespass to the person
    • defamation
    • privacy
    • vicarious liability (when you’re liable for acts you didn’t commit)

    You’ll also investigate the rising importance of human rights law. 

Optional modules

Business Strategy for Competitive Advantage

How can we compete in today’s global business environment? How can we create a sustainable competitive advantage over other businesses? In this module, you’ll gain critical skills and key knowledge of the classical principles of business strategy. Using well-established analytical tools, you’ll examine how organisations create value through the effective exploitation and development of their internal resources and capabilities. And you’ll explore the links between an organisation and the external environment in which it operates.  

Employment Law

In this module, you’ll get to grips with employment law. You’ll look at the difference between a self-employed person and an employee. You’ll analyse:

  • the contract of employment
  • terms of employment
  • the flexibility of the relationship between employer and employee.

You’ll then explore a wide range of employment rights, including: 

  • protection against unfair dismissal
  • redundancy rights
  • discrimination protections.

Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

In this module, you’ll gain a strong knowledge of enterprise, and develop a wide range of relevant entrepreneurial skills. You’ll get to know the rich variety of meanings in enterprise and entrepreneurship. You’ll learn new and innovative ways of thinking about business, increasing your ability to think creatively and effectively for your Law with Business degree. You’ll consider topics including,

  • entrepreneurship
  • intrapreneurship (when an employee acts like an entrepreneur within an organisation)
  • Business spin-offs, including technological ones
  • Social and public enterprise.

Environmental Law

How do societies react to environmental crises? How do we address environmental problems in the law? In this module, you’ll look at the relevant regulations and laws around the environment. You’ll look beyond legal cases, and consider the historical, political, ethical and technological issues of law and the environment. You’ll examine:

  • anthropocentrism vs ecocentrism
  • environmental rights and environmental justice
  • ecology and conservation
  • climate change and risk
  • the ethics of environmental law.

You’ll develop key critical skills as you consider the fascinating interaction between the law, society and one of the biggest issues facing humanity - the environment.

International Business Law

In this module, you’ll gain a strong understanding of International Business Law. You’ll gain key knowledge of the legal environment of business organisations throughout the world. You’ll gain excellent analytical skills as you compare and contrast these environments, and consider how they affect trading between states. 

International Law

In this module, you’ll explore the key laws of the international community. You’ll examine the origins and basis of international law. You’ll also look at the sources of international law, including treaties and customary norms. You’ll enhance your critical skills as you analyse the relationship between:

  • international and municipal law
  • subjects of international law
  • the concept of territory or jurisdiction.

You’ll consider the core principles in the use of force, and the way armies behave. And you’ll look at the law of state responsibility, individual accountability and violations of international rules.

Organisational Behaviour and Management

In this module, you’ll get to grips with organisational behaviour and management. This is when we analyse the behaviour of people in organisations, and apply certain principles to our interaction with them. You’ll understand the key elements of organisational behaviour and management, and understand how to apply it practically. You’ll gain core skills in critiquing and evaluating research, allowing you to become a better user of information and evidence.

Understanding Criminal Justice

In this module, you’ll dive into the criminal justice system, and the main issues of criminal justice. You’ll understand  wider aspects of the criminal justice system and engage critically with the system’s flaws and shortcomings. You’ll gain key critical skills as you explore how well the system achieves its aims. You’ll explore specific areas such as:

  • punishment
  • sentencing
  • crime prevention
  • community safety
  • policing
  • youth crime
  • prisons
  • the criminal court system

You’ll observe the criminal justice system, first hand. You’ll then devise a social-science experiment to test your understanding of the system you’ve studied. This means you’ll devise a hypothesis on how the criminal justice system operates, and test to see if your hypothesis was right. You’ll conduct work in prisons, police stations and the streets of Oxford, allowing you to access the real world of the criminal justice system. 

Year 3

Compulsory modules

  • Commercial Law

    In this module, you’ll get to grips with commercial law (law relating to trade and sales). You’ll dive into key topics, including: 

    • the nature and sources of commercial law 
    • how we classify transactions 
    • obligations of the buyer and seller
    • the passing of ownership 
    • the passing of property (risk)
    • the condition of goods
    • agency and remedies.
       
  • Equity and Trusts

    In this module, you’ll explore Equity (fairness in the law). You’ll also investigate trusts, which exist to regulate situations where someone cares for another person’s affairs. 

    You’ll engage with Equity, and equitable remedies. You’ll also dive into trusts in all their forms. You’ll gain key critical skills as you analyse private trusts, and how they generate equitable interests. You’ll then consider the key features of charitable trusts. You’ll explore:

    • the administration of trusts
    • the powers and duties of trustees
    • breach of trust 
    • the law of tracing.
  • International Trade Law

    In this module, you’ll get to grips with international trade law, and its key elements. You’ll understand international sales transactions. You’ll gain valuable key critical skills as you analyse the key treaties of international law, such as:

    • the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
    • the World Trade Organisation 
    • international commercial terms
    • specific trade laws
    • case histories
    • dispute settlement procedures.

    You’ll also explore:

    • international rights in international trade
    • the relationship between domestic law and international rules
    • international trade agreements

    You’ll discover how these rules can (or can’t) resolve certain problems in international trade. And you’ll develop the ability to advise on international trade practices, and other rights and obligations. 

Optional modules

Business Ethics

How do we do business in an ethical way? In this module, you’ll discover how to make moral decisions, both as a member of a business organisation, and as a human being. You’ll gain key analytical skills in business, as you understand, analyse and evaluate the ethical choices of others. You’ll also gain core critical skills as you evaluate the ethics of different systems of production, distribution and exchange.

Business Governance and Human Rights

Why should businesses be socially responsible? Why is it our responsibility to make sure others don’t suffer as we make money? In this module, you’ll dive into the different corporate regimes which ensure that we hold businesses to account for their actions. 

Computer Law and Artificial Intelligence

The internet rules society. In a vastly digital age, lawyers really need to understand technology and the legal challenges it presents. In this module, you’ll examine the legal issues of current internet technologies and hardware. You’ll gain key technical knowledge, as you evaluate the regulatory systems of these technologies, and how they affect society. You’ll explore how digital technologies challenge copyright law. And you’ll be introduced to some of the legal issues relating to the use of artificial intelligence. 

 

Crime and Society

In this module, you’ll explore the ways we define and measure crime. You’ll develop core critical skills as you explore theories about the causes of crime. And you’ll consider some major crimes in detail. You’ll dive into the following topics:

  • crime and the media
  • criminal behaviour 
  • crimes in action - from violent crime to white-collar crime
  • critical criminology: race and gender.

You’ll think about crimes and criminality in a wider sense than simply ‘innocence’ or ‘guilt’. You’ll look at the social contexts of crimes, and what causes people to commit them.

Independent Study Module

This module gives you the chance to do research on a topic that fascinates you. You’ll work independently, with the support of our expert academic team, and will carry out work on a specific project of your choosing. You’ll gain core skills for work, including in:

  • enquiry
  • research 
  • analysis 
  • evaluation.

International Human Rights Law

How can we effectively protect human rights? In this module, you’ll get to grips with international human rights law. You’ll gain key critical skills as you analyse arguments and ideas about human rights, and the ideas behind them. You’ll also consider their current legal and political meaning through examining: 

  • relevant laws
  • current debates
  • case studies.

Equality Law

How do we prevent discrimination against race and sexual orientation in the law? In this module, you’ll focus on the Equality Act 2010, and other legislation on:

  • sex
  • race
  • sexual orientation
  • religion
  • disability discrimination
  • equal pay. 

You’ll explore how courts interpret the Equality Act, and how it impacts the workplace. You’ll look at how it interacts with the law of the European Commission (EC), and how we might extend equality law. You’ll gain valuable critical skills for your career, as you ask:

  • what difference the Equality Act has made
  • who benefits (and does not benefit) from the act
  • what we can do in the future to improve protection.

Leading and Managing Change

This module gives you the initiative and courage to take calculated risks as an entrepreneur. You’ll develop an entrepreneurial mindset, where you’ll see the world in terms of its rich opportunities. You’ll gain the skills and resilience to manage organisational change, and learn how to operate and make decisions in conditions of uncertainty.

Medical Law

In this module, you’ll get to grips with the structure of the NHS. You’ll explore topics such as:

  • access to health care
  • autonomy and consent
  • responsibility
  • accountability and negligence
  • birth and its regulation
  • death, dying and the incurably ill patient.

Nationality, Immigration and Asylum

In this module, you’ll get to grips with nationality and immigration law, and what it reveals about British society. You’ll examine the key issues and policies around nationality, national identity and migration. You’ll gain a firm understanding of migration in the UK and abroad, as you debate critical issues of today. You’ll also consider current UK law, and the historical, social and political factors that have shaped it. 

Work Experience/ International Study Exchange

Optional modules

Work Experience

In Year 2 and 3 you’ll have the opportunity to participate in the CLOCK scheme (Community Legal Outreach Collaboration Keele). Where you'll gain firsthand experience of the legal world. You’ll be interviewing and advising clients, in legal cases and courtroom settings. You'll join a commitment to provide wider access to justice in the local area and gain useful legal expertise for your CV.

International Study Exchange

If you take this module you will study Law in a university outside the UK for an academic year, experiencing different educational and legal cultures. This will help you develop your knowledge, skills and understanding. After the *International Study Exchange year you will complete your final year with Oxford Brookes and then graduate. The International Study Exchange year is not credit-bearing.

*To go on this exchange you must have completed all your Level 5 studies, and your exchange is dependent on the appropriate partner university's availability.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Careers

After completing the course, you’ll be ready to take the next steps towards a rewarding career. A law degree can lead to a variety of careers. You could take the Bar Course and become a barrister, or start your preparation for the Solicitors’ Qualifying Exam. 

Not all of our graduates go into the legal profession. For example, graduates have joined the finance sector, Police and the Civil Service, and one is now a senior policy adviser in the Home Office. There will also be many opportunities open to you in the corporate world. Graduates have gone on to a wide range of roles at large companies like Aldi, Virgin Mobile, Intel and Yell, as well as innovative micro businesses in a range of industries.

Whatever your plans, you’ll have developed a range of skills which will make you a valuable employee.

To gain further specialist legal knowledge and carve your own career path, you could undertake one of our postgraduate LLM Master of Law pathways

Student profiles

Entry requirements

Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.

Standard offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 104

A Level: BCC

IB Points: 29

BTEC: DMM

Contextual offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 88

A Level: CCD

IB Points: 27

BTEC: MMM

Further offer details

Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. This combination of A-level grades would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.

Applications are also welcomed for consideration from applicants with European qualifications, international qualifications or recognised foundation courses. For advice on eligibility please contact Admissions: admissions@brookes.ac.uk

If you don’t achieve the required tariff points you can apply to join a foundation course or international foundation course to help to reach the required level for entry onto this degree.

International qualifications and equivalences

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module

International full time
£15,950

Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module

International full time
£16,750

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

Tuition fees

2024 / 25
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module

International full time
£15,950

2025 / 26
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module

International full time
£16,750

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.

Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students. 

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support. 

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Information from Discover Uni

Full-time study

Part-time study

Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.