LSE Law School | London School of Economics | llb course | llb degree

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), situated in Central London, is renowned for the modernity and practicality of its courses. The 2008 Good University Guide (Times) ranked Law at the LSE a place above Oxford and just below Cambridge, an indication of its overall excellence.

LSE, while still belonging to the University of London, has recently moved to awarding its own degrees. All students registering from 2008 onwards will automatically be awarded an LSE degree on graduation. This has been widely applauded by students since the name LSE is now recognized as an assurance of quality in teaching and continuing scholarship.

All lecture theatres are equipped with computers, projectors and microphones. Some lecture halls such as the Old Theatre even has an inbuilt recorder to record certain lectures to be played online at students’ leisure.

LSE has made heavy investment in making information easily accessible. Much of the reading material and lecture handouts are posted online, to be accessed via “public folders” (categorized by courses and then subjects) in the LSE e-mail account. To facilitate research, every law student is given access to the Westlaw and LexisNexis databases.

Wireless access is also available in the majority of the campus, enabling students to go online in teaching rooms, cafes and open areas.

The library is another resourceful facility. Not only is it the largest library in the world devoted to the economic and social sciences, but the library is also quick to purchase new editions of textbooks and reference books. For the subject of law, books get outdated nearly every two years and replacements have to be made to ensure accuracy.

There are ten hours of teaching per week, lectures and classes all-inclusive. Like other prestigious universities, LSE promotes small classes to facilitate a better learning environment. Students are encouraged to participate actively in response to questions raised by teachers. The importance of self-studying cannot be emphasized more; you are expected to prep classes beforehand, using lecture notes and textbook material.

In your first year, the subjects you take are compulsory. They are Law of Obligations, Property I and Introduction to the Legal System, Public Law and Criminal Law. The number of hours you spend in each subject obviously varies from person to person, but the average time you are expected to put into each subject is roughly 3 hours.

The effort will pay off as you come to revise for the final examination in May/June at the end of the academic year. Although you have to submit two essays per term per subject, they do not count towards your final examination results. While easing some pressure during term time, this is especially beneficial for freshers who are new to writing essays. They can then use the year to get accustomed to studying law and polishing their essay-writing skills.

The teaching quality for law is extremely high. The Lecturers specialize in what they teach and most of them are leading academics in the area. Students benefit directly from them as they provide insightful views and sometimes chapters exclusive from their books (awaiting publication).

Part-time teachers are often practicing lawyers and in addition to the normal curriculum, they give information as to Law in practice. Such mixture of teaching staff meant that LSE produces creative yet practical law graduates.

The School also works hard in maintaining the high level of teaching quality. Teaching Quality Assurance and Review Office (TQARO) is responsible for quality related activity across the School. This includes internal and external reviews, student surveys and committee servicing. Student surveys, in particular, are used to monitor the teaching quality of individual lecturers.

Students can be rest assured that they receive maximum level of support from the teaching staff. Q&A takes place over e-mail or individual session during office hours. In the run-up to examinations, some teachers even organize extra workshops and Q&A sessions which are highly useful.

The School is situated in Holborn, Central London. Houghton Street is always busy – various student societies set up stands along the Street, giving out flyers and freebies to fellow students. LSE does not have a campus of green fields, it has cosmopolitan vibes. Leicester Square and Covent Garden are within walking distance. Besides nightclubs and discos, theatres showing musicals and dramas are extremely close to the main campus.

It is this dynamic city life that makes LSE an unusual college characterized by a good mix of work and play. For those of you who are fond of greenery and quiet settings, LSE may not suit your taste.

Tuition fees for new UK and EU undergraduates will be in the region of £3223 while overseas undergraduates will be in the region of £12,840 per year. Living costs in London is relatively higher than in other cities. For 2009/2010, The School estimates that students should allow about £1000 per month (including accommodation).

If you live in student halls, you can expect a lower figure – roughly £500 on food, drinks and transportation per month. Law books are not inexpensive. A standard textbook costs about 25 to 30 pounds. Some courses have tailor-made course packs available to be purchased in the school library (£10).

Another way to reduce the cost is to buy second-hand law books. Various societies such as the Law society organizes book-selling event at the beginning of the term and the “Alpha bookshop” at the Student Union sells second hand books all-year long.

The Students’ Union funds over 170 student societies covering most interests. These societies hold seminars, gatherings and outings frequently, contributing to this vibrant student community.

The Union also runs a shop, a café and bars which on Friday and Saturday nights provide a venue for “Crush”, one of London’s top student nightclubs. For those who like to chill over weekends – “Crush” is the place to go.

As for London, it provides arguably the most entertainment of any city in the world! Rest assured, if you choose LSE then you'll never be short of things to do in your spare time.

The LSE Careers Services centre helps students to apply for internships and training contracts. Besides a general careers fair, it organizes a Law Fair annually with major city law firms as participants. You can also book one-to-one careers advice and CV checking appointments. The places go quickly so do make a booking in advance.

There are also student societies working alongside the LSE careers service centre. Asian Careers Society, for example, holds mock interviews, CV checks, LPC/ PCLL information sessions and internship panels throughout the year.

The School places a strong emphasis on Careers and support is widely available. Law students in their penultimate year will certainly find this useful especially during internship application season.