Exploring Law: Studying Law at University
Is law right for you? Learn the basics, explore key questions in depth, and hear from students and inspirational legal figures.
Duration
6 weeksWeekly study
4 hours
Exploring Law: Studying Law at University
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Learn the fundamentals of law and whether studying law is right for you
If you’re aged 16 to 18 and are considering studying law at a UK university, this six-week University of Cambridge course is for you.
Whether you already know that you want to study law at university, you’re considering your options, or are just curious about the law, this course will give you the introduction you need.
Get great insights into legal studies
During this course, you’ll learn what studying law at a UK university entails.
You’ll learn about the nature, sources and major categories of law, and key skills needed to succeed as a law student.
You’ll hear first-hand from university law students about their experiences, and from inspirational people from the legal world.
You’ll also gain insights into how to make an effective university application.
Whether or not you ultimately decide to study law or become a lawyer, this course will develop your understanding of the law and its role in society.
Discover diverse areas of law
Beyond the fundamentals of law, you’ll have the chance to explore in depth some fascinating questions of criminal law, public law and private law.
Study law with experts
This course is convened by Stephen Watterson, Okeoghene Odudu and Amy Goymour from the Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, assisted by six specialist colleagues.
Under their guidance, you’ll gain insights into the law and develop key skills needed to succeed in legal studies. You’ll learn how to interpret different legal sources, apply legal rules to real-world scenarios, explore different perspectives on legal rules, and develop your own critical arguments.
Ultimately, we hope that you’ll develop confidence in your ability to enjoy and succeed in legal studies at university.
What topics will you cover?
- The nature, sources and major categories of law
- Issues in criminal law
- Issues in public law
- Issues in private law
- Key skills for law students
- Insights from inspirational people who work in law
- Insights from university law students
- Career paths following a law degree
- Making an effective application to university
When would you like to start?
Date to be announced
Add to Wishlist to be emailed when new dates are announced
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Identify the pervasiveness and function of law in society.
- Apply legal rules and principles to factual scenarios.
- Interpret different types of legal text.
- Explore competing perspectives on legal rules.
- Evaluate policy and particular legal rules.
- Produce an argument based on evaluation of legal rules.
- Classify rule sources in a broader legal context.
- Describe what characterises students and practitioners of law.
Who is the course for?
This course is primarily designed for students between 16 and 18 years old who are considering whether to study law at a UK university.
Who will you learn with?
Stephen Watterson holds the position of Professor of Private Law in the Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, and is a Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
Okeoghene Odudu holds the position of Professor of Competition Law in the Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, and is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
Amy Goymour is an Associate Professor in Land Law in the Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge.
Who developed the course?
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge contributes to society through the pursuit of excellent education, learning, and research.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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