Durham Law School | llb course | llb degree

In 2005, Durham University swept the honour of being nominated as the Sunday Times University of the Year. This year, the Times’ Good University Guide, long held to be the benchmark for academic excellence within the United Kingdom, continued its endorsement of Durham University by placing it as the 8th ranked university in its guide.

Such recognition is deserved for this relatively small university tucked away in the North-East of England, languidly spread over Durham City and the surrounding countryside, and standing shoulder to shoulder with England’s oldest Norman cathedral.

The academic excellence of Durham University is not surprising, considering the rich heritage and history that traces back centuries. Established as the 3rd university in England after Oxford and Cambridge, Durham remains every bit the quintessential traditional educational establishment, complete with a collegiate system and idiosyncratic traditions. The collegiate system promotes bonding at a very basic level, and ensures that your mates are not solely from your degree course.

Rowing in the river Wear remains a tradition for every fresher, and students at University College (housed within the 10 century old Durham Castle) dine in gowns in the Great Hall twice a week. Such rich traditions and academic excellence translate to highly coveted places within the university, and correspondingly high qualifying academic grades. For your application to the law faculty to deserve a second look, nothing less than AAA at the ‘A’ levels would suffice.

The Law faculty at Durham University is one of a handful ranked 5*A for its research quality, and boasts several famous academics such as Professor Helen Fenwick and Professor Tom Allen. In 2008, both the Times Good University Guide (Law) and the Complete University Guide (Law) ranked Durham as 7th in the United Kingdom, a testament to the rigour of an LLB in Durham University.

Students in the law faculty take 6 modules annually, and attend two tutorials per module per term, always in small groups of less than 10 students. Such close academic attention ensures that the educational experience is personalized, and creates a very close-knit community. The relatively low number of contact hours (approximately 12 hours a week) means that much of the work consists of personal research and initiative.

This is no reason to slack off though, as first years students are marked according to a final year standard. For the past two years, 1/3 of the cohort failed at least one module, and was required to re-sit the paper to qualify for the second year of law school.

Most of the law lectures take place at Elvet Riverside, a large building by the side of the river Wear. While not particularly remarkable in terms of aesthetic design or technological facilities, the lecture theatres provide decent seating, temperature control, and acoustics.

The overall cleanliness of the area is acceptable, and the location of Elvet Riverside quite acceptable, given its fairly central location within Durham City. In any case, the small size of Durham City means that most students walk to all their destinations, be it their accommodation, restaurants, clubs, or lecture theatres.

Law tutorials tend to take place in the Law Department, a historic building just a minute away from the magnificent Durham Cathedral. While the building is stupendously convoluted with several staircases and winding hallways, students should get used to such architectural idiosyncrasies within a matter of weeks.

The tutorial rooms themselves are usually the offices of the tutors, and vary widely in terms of size. Nevertheless, even the smaller tutorial rooms have a certain charm to them, probably due to the view of Durham City’s cobblestoned lanes and quaint houses from the windows.

Law resources are available from the Main Library and the individual college libraries. However, the primary source of legal resource is still the Law library, which is currently located at Palace Green, a mere 30 seconds from the Cathedral. It boasts a very decent collection, and is housed within a stately building made of stone. The relatively small faculty size of approximately 200 students per cohort also ensures that books are usually readily available.

The librarians are friendly and well-trained, always willing to assist locating a particular journal missing from its designated folder. A computer room is also readily available for those in need, but most students are well-equipped with their own notebook computers to type notes and observations.

Lectures are typically held once a week per module and the lecturer:student ratio is about 1:200 in the first year, as all modules are compulsory. However, this drops dramatically in the second year, when 3 of the 6 modules are elective in nature. Nevertheless, the ratio is quite acceptable, and lecturers are amenable to answer questions even in the middle of a lecture.

The quality of teaching is generally good, although students are always encouraged to email their tutors for clarifications over any doubts. An annual survey done keeps track of student opinion, and keeps lecturers aware of their strengths and weaknesses.

Tutorials are typically held twice a term per module, and the tutor to student ratio is about 1:9. This allows for close attention and a cosy atmosphere, but students are expected to prepare their materials to some depth before attending the tutorial. Students who turn up without any preparation are liable to be asked to leave.

It is a common grouse that the number of tutorials is inadequate, although to be fair, tutors are usually happy to arrange for consultation sessions for further academic discussion.

As previously mentioned, there are only about 12 contact hours weekly when undertaking a degree in law. The rest of the time is at the discretion of the student, who are expected to allocate a good amount of reading time, and corresponding reflection over the material learnt.

Such an approach may appear formidable to first year students, who struggle with learning a wholly new subject within a very different environment. It must be remembered that university entails several adjustments, including making new friends, adjusting to a different environment, and often being away from your family for the first time. It requires considerable discipline and a genuine interest in the law to do well at the subject.

In terms of specialization, Durham University is particularly noted for its strength in Public Law, boasting some very prestigious academics who are experts in their field. More than half of the staff in the Law Department have research programmes related to Human Rights, and produce prodigious amounts of publications and articles in their fields of expertise.

Durham University is tucked away in the North-East of England, amidst sprawling fields and open spaces. The history of the area, coupled with the imposing Cathedral, lends an air of tradition and mystique to the collegiate atmosphere. Parallels with Harry Potter spring to mind, and not unjustifiably. The terrain is notoriously hilly though, and makes cycling a rather impractical option, unless you’re after a vigorous daily workout when commuting between home and lecture theatres.

Within Durham City, there is a good range of restaurants, offering a variety of cuisine as diverse as Spanish, Chinese, English, Indian, and Italian. Prices are relatively affordable, with student discounts being offered in most establishments. The lone cinema in town, the Gala Theatre, offers an alternative source of entertainment for bored students.

For alternative entertainment, there are also the botanic gardens, playing tourist at various tourist sites (including the Cathedral, the Castle, and other historic buildings), and the various college bars around the university.

There is also a range of clubs dotting the city, including the notorious Klute, apparently voted by FHM to be the second-worst nightlife in the world. However, the burning down of the top ranked worst nightclub in the world has elevated Klute to legendary status, earning comments such as “it’s so incredibly bad that it’s good”.

Safety is not an issue within Durham City, with the local police well aware of what drunk students may attempt, and having the prescience to increase a police presence in certain select areas.

Students used to the buzz of a larger metropolis are not left behind. The city of Newcastle is but a 15 minute train journey away, and promises a much greater variety of food, a plethora of sights, and a vibrant nightlife. While train journeys servicing Newcastle and Durham stop soon after midnight, a group of students out for a big night out at Newcastle may elect to share a taxicab back to Durham city at an affordable cost.

The cost of living in Durham as a student is not particularly low, although definitely cheaper than large cities such as London. The cost of university fees is ₤3,145 for a local student and ₤10,050 for an international student. In terms of joining societies such as the Law society, it usually costs about ₤50 for life membership for large societies.

When around town, expect to spend about ₤2.50 for a pint of lager, although it is somewhat cheaper when purchasing drinks at a college bar. When eating out at a restaurant, food costs anywhere from ₤6 to ₤15 for a decent meal.

Room and board is about ₤4000 for the entire academic year, and this includes accommodation and all meals during term time. The food is generally decent in both quantity and quality, though this obviously varies from college to college. Second years are expected to live out, and renting a room in Durham City is usually for a one year lease at anywhere between ₤40 to ₤80 per week, depending on the location and furnishings. Third year students can generally choose between living in their college, or living out.

Much of university social life revolves around college life, which is always eventful and fun-filled. Events (known as “ents”) are occasionally organized, and feature a fancy-dress theme, various activities to bond with other college mates, and copious amounts of alcohol. Every term, a ball or other formal event is also usually held, giving students an opportunity to dress up and experience a little pomp and magic.

Durham University is also noted for its sporting achievements, and high level of sporting participation within its student body. Most sporting activities take place at Maiden Castle, which has facilities including an indoor multi-purpose court, a running track, two full-sized hockey pitches, and grass tennis courts.

Many students who opt not to commit full-time to a sport play recreationally in their college team, and a league system exists for several popular sports. The gamut ranges from football to cricket to pool.

Societies representing the law faculty are also present, including the Law Society, ELSA Durham, and the Mooting Society. The Law Society organizes several activities during term time, including pub quizzes, boat cruises, and other social events. Past highlights include a trip to Lincoln’s Inn, and talks by various legal personalities.

For anxious law students worrying about the competition beyond their degree at Durham University, there are several resources available to reduce such anxiety. The Durham Students’ Union has a careers advisory service, and appointments may be made for a personalized session to consider career options, to vet CVs, and discuss other concerns.

Beyond this service, the Law Society has been active in organizing trips to major solicitor firms in London, and liaising with alumni for a wider contact base. The brand name of Durham University Law School is also valuable, and employers value the quality of the education at Durham University.