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Difference between BA and LLB?
17
Hi, i was totally set on doin a LLB and not a BA, because i thought it was better, then i discovered that Cambridge do BA's and now i am totally confused as to whether i want to apply LLB or BA, can you help, and tell what the essential differnce is? and long term wise? thanks.
Reply 1
mtbab
Hi, i was totally set on doin a LLB and not a BA, because i thought it was better, then i discovered that Cambridge do BA's and now i am totally confused as to whether i want to apply LLB or BA, can you help, and tell what the essential differnce is? and long term wise? thanks.
The Cambridge law degree is callled a BA for purely historical reasons (as is Oxford's). Other than the title, it is the same qualification as LLB and is of the same length in duration.
EDIT: On the other hand, at other universities, sometimes you will graduate with a BA if you do a joint honours degree (like "law with politics" or "law with business studies"). Provided you select your modules carefully (i.e. make sure you study the seven core foundational subjects which the Bar Council/Law Society require so that the degree meets the requirements of the "academic stage" of legal training), the BA will be treated the same as an LLB.
Reply 2
The impression I have from all of my wordly wisdom (don't berate me) is that BAs aren't really the best idea UNLESS they are, of course, from Oxbridge. I think Nottingham does a BA but that might seem like a strange thing to have by employers - LLBs are much more common. As is said above, though, if you do the compulsory modules (set by the Law Society) you'll be fine. I also seem to remember reading something about more flexibility with BAs (?) as you can choose to do other departments' modules which count towards your degree e.g. If you love German, you could carry on with it and gain credits!
Reply 3
ryan342
I also seem to remember reading something about more flexibility with BAs (?) as you can choose to do other departments' modules which count towards your degree e.g. If you love German, you could carry on with it and gain credits!
Yes I presume this would be the point of doing a joint honours BA - to pursue some other academic interest of yours alongside the law. Either that or simply because you combine law with a discipline relevant to some career you are interested in (business etc). As long as you work hard and do well in both fields, I don't know why it would harm you when it comes to getting a job as a lawyer (or whatever you ultimately decide to do), subject to the caveat above about covering the required law modules. It'd certainly be a talking point at interviews.
EDIT: Oh and maybe if you started a BA and didn't like it, the university might let you transfer onto the straight LLB after the first year or something. You'd have to check and see what individual universities' policies are on this.
Reply 4
ryan342
The impression I have from all of my wordly wisdom (don't berate me) is that BAs aren't really the best idea UNLESS they are, of course, from Oxbridge. I think Nottingham does a BA but that might seem like a strange thing to have by employers - LLBs are much more common. As is said above, though, if you do the compulsory modules (set by the Law Society) you'll be fine. I also seem to remember reading something about more flexibility with BAs (?) as you can choose to do other departments' modules which count towards your degree e.g. If you love German, you could carry on with it and gain credits!
To be honest, the only situation in which I would think a (non-oxbridge) BA might be a disadvantage, is if you wanted to be a law academic. All the legal firms take non-law graduates and a qualifying BA in Law still has more Law than the CPE (conversion course); I think it has to be 2/3 Law. Its not as if the law you learn in your degree is particularly useful in practise.
Non legal employers would also probably welcome the breadth of the BA (assuming you chose reasonably relavent modules).
Reply 5
14
If you do a BA you need to check that its a qualifying law degree
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