Law & Criminology =]

Ok, I've just finished Year 11 and thinking about choosing my A level subjects:

I've come to think about:
English (Language / Literature combination)
History
Mathematics
Economics
and Government & Politics

Are those good choices?

After completion of these A levels, I wish to study Law & Criminology at Cardiff University. I want to become a barrister / lawyer with obvious criminal aspects to my work.

How would I go about my work, if I have around 6 As or above at GCSE could I manage the potential workload at the above stages, and what would I need to do after my 3 Year university course to become a lawyer?

If you reply thank you :smile:

Reply 1

ninety_nine

How come you're doing five proper A levels? I'm just saying it'll be a large workload, which might be unneccesary (most people do four and General Studies/Critical Thinking). The choices themselves are all very respectable.

After your course you take a one year course to become a barrister, forgotten the name of it now. I'm assuming the Law & Criminology degree is a qualfying law degree?

Reply 2

Edmund Blackadder

You'd have to do the BVC (Bar Vocational Course). But make sure that degree is 'qualifying', otherwise you'll have to spend more time and money on the GDL converting it.

Reply 3

cconstant

Heres my advice-
Only do 3 full A-levels, it is way to much work to do any more than that and tbh it wont give you much of an advantage. So either drop two AS's for A-level or just do 4 AS's and drop the one, the latter is the conventional way of doing things (of course your school may be different!)
If you have a choice at your school only choose English Literature do that instead, as it is more respected than the language or combined language/literature course.

If you want to be a barrister you should be aiming for a 2ii at a very minimum (tbh it should be a 1i) and then join one of 4 inns of court, do the Bar Vocational Course (BVC), and get called to the bar. You then need to do a pupillage where you shadow a barrister for a year.
So in all it takes about 2 years after your degree to become a barrister.

To be come a solicitor you need to do the Legal Practice Course (LPC) which is one year. After that you can start practicing law with a firm.

Reply 4

cconstant

oh yeah what where your GCSE results?

Reply 5

cconstant

You are awarded one of four classes, much in the same way you would be awarded an A*-F at GCSE. The top students get a first class degree. The next best get a upper second class degree (written 2:1/2i.) Then lower second class degree (2:2/2ii) the there is the third class degree.
Some universities give a unclassified/ordinary degree if they pass, however it will not be an honors degree.
Then of course theres fail!

Around the top 13% get a 1st
73% get 2nd <-- top half would be upper bottom half would be lower
7% 3rd
7% ordinary

Reply 6

cconstant

another thing I should also mention is that gaining a pupillage is the hardest par of becoming a barrister. Only around a third of those that start the BVC will obtain a pupillage, so it is highly competitive. Also a high percentage of these come from oxbridge.
the most commonly attended universities for those in pupillage are:
Oxford University - 9.0%
Cambridge University - 8.7%
Kings College, London - 3.1%
University of Bristol - 2.6%

As you can see oxford and Cambridge are well ahead of anywhere else.

That was the top four of a list of 35 uni's last one was:

University of Westminster - 0.9%

And Cardiff weren't even on the list!

p.s.
I also going to be applying to Cardiff to do Law with Politics so that list was quite depressing but KCL was quite a nice surprise as i am also applying there.
However, I know Cardiff is one of the best Law schools in the UK and it was absolutely beautiful when I went on the open day.

Reply 7

awais590

GAH. I just came back from a sixth form evening earlier yesterday. It was to the sixth form i'm planning on going to.

BUT. i wanna study: History, english lang/lit, politics & biology

the sixth form doesn't teach politics and on top of that. general studies is compulsory for the full A2. critical thinking is optional.

so now. i'm thinking of taking:

History, combined english OR english lit, sociology & economics. for the full A level.
BUT i'll have to remove one of them or take one as an AS in order to put general thinking in there for the full 2 years.
i wanna pursue a career in law.

so, what do you think?

thanks!

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