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Study Public Law abroad

About this subject

  • About this subject
  • Is this the course for me?
  • Career prospects
  • Studying Public Law
  • Where to study?
Public Law

Public Law is defined as being the field of law that governs the relationship between individuals and the state. This particular area of study covers constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law which affect6s the relationships between groups without the intervention of the state of government.

There are a number of different legal structures with the world, those who wish to acquires an overall knowledge of international law, should also consider  studying Public Law modules within an International Law course programme.

Is this the course for me?

Are you passionate about the relationship between government authorities? Is the legal structure of the UK something that fascinates you? If so, then perhaps a degree in Public Law would be ideal for you.

Of course, while a passion for the academic discipline is essential for studying this particular course, it is also essential to remember that law is a course that requires a lot of dedication from potential students. As well as learning the theory behind the structure of the law, students will be required to examine case studies and apply these to real-life scenarios. As such, all successful students should have logical minds, sharp analytical skills and able to work independently.

Career prospects

The majority of students who decide to study law do so with the intention of working within the legal profession. Most law programmes allow graduates the opportunity to study for the Legal Practice Course without having to take the Graduate Diploma in Law, allowing them to quickly progress to the appropriate level of training.

Of course, not all graduates decide to pursue a career as a lawyer or solicitor and many will decide not to continue with further studies. Skills learnt on the course are highly transferable to other industries such as business and finance, journalism and PR roles or within social welfare industries.

The average law graduate salary is approximately £36,000 which makes law a popular course of study.

Studying Public Law

The competition for places on Law courses is particularly string as is often reflected by the entry level requirements. Most undergraduate courses will require students to have a minimum of 3 strong A-levels (or equivalent) in relevant subjects such as history, law, economics or even literature, all of which will help strengthen your application and demonstrate your suitability for the programme.

Any post-graduate course will also expect graduates to have a minimum of a 2:1 qualification before starting this course. If you wish to study the Legal practice, your honours degree should be in Law, or you should have already completed the Graduate Diploma in Law.
Those who are non-native speakers of English should score a minimum of 6.0-6.5 in an IELTS test in order to demonstrate language fluency.

The majority of public law courses last a minimum of 3 years at undergraduate level, although some courses will encourage students to extend the length of their course of study in order to gain work-related experience. Top universities such as Cambridge require undergraduates to study for an LNAT test before starting the course. Post-graduate courses will last a minimum of a year, although they may take longer depending upon the level of study.

Where to study?

Of course it is also important to choose somewhere that will make you happy for the duration of your course, particularly if you’re opting to live away from home. Wherever you choose to study, your degree will end up costing you a lot of money, so you need to ensure that you get the most out of your time as a student. As such it is important that you consider whether the surrounding culture will add to the pleasure of your University years as well as academic benefits of studying at a particular institution.

Another consideration to take into account is the cost of your course, as well as the grade requirements. Most Universities will only accept graduates with high academic records, so before deciding that law is the course for you, check that your predicted grades meet these requirements. Given that a Civil Law course can consist of up to four years, budgeting is also vital. Similarly, law courses can often be costly, particularly if you are considering becoming a fully trained solicitor or barrister, can you afford the fees and living costs?

If you’re struggling to secure funding, there are a number of scholarships and grants available.

There is such competition for places on Public law courses that the decisions you make today regarding your institution of study will have a significant impact upon your future; particularly if you want to qualify as a solicitor or barrister. If you are planning on studying for the legal practice course, then make sure you attend a prestigious university that allows you to gain work experience within the legal industries as this will strengthen your application for post-graduate study. Universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, Durham, University College London, Kings College London, Nottingham, Glasgow, Exeter and Bristol are all seen as well-established Universities for law as they require all undergraduates to sit the LNAT test before entry to their degree programmes.

You should also have a look at your Universities links within the law industry. Many establishments will form links with  specialist law firms, and allow students the opportunity to network with key recruiters and pursue work placements and experience.

What Public Law courses are there?

1

Legal Rights (Law)

2

Constitutional / Public Law

3

Environmental Law

4

Administrative Law

Top 10 study destinations for Public Law

1
9
Australia
2,940 Views View 13 courses
2
32
Canada
1,828 Views View 14 courses
3
210
UK
1,787 Views View 62 courses
4
196
Thailand
441 Views View 1 course
5
131
Netherlands
382 Views View 6 courses
6
211
USA
333 Views View 85 courses
7
154
Ireland
187 Views View 7 courses
8
134
New Zealand
126 Views View 1 course
9
16
Belgium
122 Views View 2 courses
10
84
Hong Kong
73 Views View 2 courses