LLB Law and Spanish

On this joint LLB programme you will study Scots law alongside Spanish.

In Years 1 and 2, you will study foundation 'Ordinary' courses.

In Years 3 and 4, courses are studied at 'Honours' level, where you will choose from up to 40 specialist courses covering a range of theoretical, practical and historical fields of study.

If you wish to retain the option of practising as a lawyer in Scotland, it may - but not always - be possible to complete the additional courses required.

Where this is an option, it will typically require extra study throughout the programme. Consequently, you must consider the possible impact of this on qualifying as a solicitor.

We highly encourage all students on joint degree honours programmes to discuss their intended pathway with the Law School.

Year 1

You will be introduced to general legal principles and legal techniques and will study compulsory courses including:

• Scottish Legal System
• Critical Legal Thinking
• Contract Law
• Family Law
• Public Law of the UK and Scotland
• European Union Law

You will study either Spanish 1A or 1B, depending on your language skills.

You will also explore a selection of literary texts and films from the Spanish-speaking world.

Year 2

Your courses may include:

• Property Law
• Jurisprudence
• Public Law and Individual Rights
• Delict
• Criminal Law
• Revenue Law
• International Private Law
• Business Entities
• Commercial Law
• Evidence
• Succession and Trust Law

In Year 2, you will build on the Spanish language skills you developed in Year 1. You will also continue to study the literatures and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.

Additionally, you might like to take optional courses in Catalan or Portuguese.

Year 3

During Year 3, you will spend at least 30 weeks on approved study placement in a Spanish-speaking country studying agreed courses in law and Spanish.

Our graduates have told us how much the year abroad has benefited their broader life experience and skills, as well as their linguistic and intercultural competencies in Spanish.

All students who spend Year 3 abroad must also take the compulsory course Advanced Legal Writing (Online).

Year 4

You will receive advanced legal skills training during your honours study and will have the opportunity to specialise in further law subjects.

You will choose from a wide range of courses, including:

• Commercial Law
• Property Law
• Family Law
• Criminology

You will also study one further course in Spanish from a range of specialist honours options on topics such as film and literature, history, language and politics.

You have the option of completing a dissertation in law.

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2022/23)

Our facilities

Law

The Law School has been housed in the beautiful Old College since the late 1800s. Our traditional and historic home has recently undergone a complete refurbishment as part of a £35m project.

As a student at Edinburgh Law School, you will benefit from brand new teaching, study, and research facilities that are at once historic and modern.

Designed for the way you study, the outstanding new features include:

• a spectacular law library
• spacious seminar rooms
• dedicated student social spaces, including a student café

Our library is one of the largest law libraries in the UK.

Within easy walking distance of the highest courts in Scotland and the Scottish Parliament, the Law School is ideally appointed and placed for those studying and working in the law.

Spanish

Teaching in Spanish takes place in and around the University of Edinburgh's Central Area.

This is where you will also find the Main University Library which holds around 27,000 books and 5,000 journals in Spanish.

The Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) supports more than 300 student-led societies and clubs, including the Spanish Society, and promotes opportunities with local charities through its volunteering centre.

From acting to dancing, making friends in language cafes to campaigning on global issues, these student-led groups offer lots of ways to engage.

Staff and student editors publish creative writing in nine European languages – including Spanish – in the online magazine, Babble. Launch nights typically include readings and performances.

Students interested in Latin America might also want to get involved with the University's Centre for Contemporary Latin American Studies, which brings together staff and students from across the university with an interest in the region.

Within the city, you will have access to specialist collections, including the National Library of Scotland and National Museum of Scotland.

Spain has a consulate here, and there’s a sizeable Spanish-speaking community.

The annual Spanish Film Festival was started by our staff and is now a regular fixture in the city’s cultural calendar.

Study abroad

During Year 3, you will spend the academic year on approved study placement in a Spanish-speaking country.

What are my options for going abroad?

How will I learn?

Law

Large group lectures provide the teaching framework for law in Years 1 and 2, complemented by small group tutorial sessions.

Year 1 students will usually have two or three lectures per course, course per week. You will also have a regular tutorial for each course.

Years 3 and 4 consist of two-hour seminars, rather than lectures and tutorials, in which students are expected to discuss and explore topics in greater depth.

All Year 1 students have access to Edinburgh's Law Peer-Assisted Learning Scheme (Law PALS). The Mooting Society also provides you with opportunities to learn and practise courtroom skills.

Spanish

For Spanish, you'll be taught by experienced lecturers and language instructors in a combination of lectures, tutorials and language classes.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed through a combination of coursework and exams.

Law

After graduating you can progress on to the legal profession in Scotland by completing the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, followed by a traineeship with a legal firm, to qualify as a solicitor.

Please note however that this is only possible following a joint degree programme if you have been able to complete all additional courses required for the Diploma.

You can then opt to go to the Bar, to qualify as an advocate. This requires a period of 'devilling' under the supervision and direction of a practising advocate.

Practising in other jurisdictions

Our LLB programmes are accredited by the Law Society of Scotland. However this combined honours programme does not include all courses required to proceed to the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice and thereafter to the legal profession in Scotland.

It may be possible, in discussion with the Law School, for joint honours students to meet these requirements by studying additional courses.

Graduates who qualify to practise, may also go on to qualify and practise law in other jurisdictions. In particular, there are rules which enable a Scots-qualified solicitor or advocate relatively quickly to re-qualify as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales.

Graduates may also go on to re-qualify in Spain as a abogado. Graduates may also qualify and practise elsewhere in Europe and beyond, This would be in accordance with the relevant local conversion requirements and any further study required in the non-Scottish destination jurisdiction.

Other opportunities

Graduates who do not choose a legal career often use their skills and experience for employment in:

• finance
• management
• journalism

Our graduates have also worked with international organisations such as the United Nations and the European Union.

Spanish

One of the five most widely spoken languages in the world, Spanish is your gateway to a great many countries and cultures. This includes a large number of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and a growing community of speakers in the United States.

In addition to having over 400 million native speakers, it is spoken as a second language by around nine million people, globally. Wherever you are based in the world, the ability to understand and communicate in Spanish will make you stand out.

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

• SQA Highers: AAAAA (achievement by end of S5 preferred). BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S5.
• A Levels: A*AA - AAA.
• IB: 39 points with 666 at HL - 37 points with 666 at HL.

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

• SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S5.
• A Levels: ABB.
• IB: 34 points with 655 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

• SQA: Highers: English at B, at first attempt, and a language other than English at B.
• A Levels: English Literature, English Language or combined English at B, and a language other than English at B. English Language and English Literature GCSE , both at A or 7, are accepted in place of A Level English.
• IB: HL: English at 5 and a language other than English at 5.

Additional requirements

Language requirement

For degrees that have a subject requirement of a language other than English, students may not use their own native language to meet this requirement. In these instances, English or an alternative language other than native will be acceptable.

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international student and your school qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to the University you may be eligible for admission to this degree programme through our International Foundation Programme.

International Foundation Programme

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

• SQA National 5 at C
• SQA Standard Grade at 3
• GCSE at C or 4
• Level 2 Certificate at C
• IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 162 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 62 with at least 54 in each component.

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

English language qualifications must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the degree you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

English language requirements

This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.

It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

Please note that some programmes do not have Discover Uni data available.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for LLB Law and Spanish

Additional costs

On some courses, you will be encouraged to purchase additional learning materials for learning and assessments.

Additional costs should be anticipated for the mandatory Study Abroad in Year 3. Costs will vary depending on the country/partner university. Additional costs may include:

• insurance
• visa requirements
• accommodation
• internet access
• travel

Funding

For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.

Fees and funding

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