Essex Law School | llb course | llb degree

The University of Essex is situated in the beautiful Wivenhoe Park in the outskirts of Colchester, and has long had a reputation for excellence in research and teaching quality. In the most recent university league tables by The Independent, Essex has once again improved on last years ranking, attaining a very respectable 25.

The law department boasts 75% employment rate for graduate prospects by both The Times and The Independent, and has consistently scored 5 out of 5 for teaching quality. This small but efficient university has been steadily improving its teaching quality and compares highly amongst other red brick universities and the more traditional establishments alike.

The university now plans to add a technology park to its already ample facilities that has guaranteed both long term investment and growth. This is all part of the ten year plan to develop the university and its commercial opportunities.

Law lectures are divided between the really impressive Ivor Crewe Lecture Theatre and the original Lecture Theatre Building to give a large teaching arena. Further teaching rooms are all over campus providing ample teaching space, as well as the Law Common Room providing a great place to relax.

There is also the huge Albert Sloman Library with 24 hour study rooms and round the clock computer access. Put simply, it is never hard to keep working long into the night, whether a good or a bad thing!

Many students find this relatively small sized university much more approachable, with students finding teaching staff always eager to help however they can. Every member of staff has open office hours for students to simply turn up and discuss various matters.

The law department is located adjacent to the human rights centre, one the worlds leading institutions for the promotion and development of Human rights. The university was the first to offer the LL.B in Law and Human Rights, a multi-disciplinary approach to human rights taught by member of staff from a variety of departments.

Most undergraduates will find themselves with eight hours of lectures and four hours of seminars per week. During the intervening periods students are expected to do further private study and reading. The lectures provide the students with a strong framework which they can work from and expand their knowledge and understanding.

Situated in the picturesque Wivenhoe Park on the edge of Colchester, Britain’s oldest recorded town provides a wonderful backdrop for your educational experience. Often in the warmer summer months you will find students spending afternoons relaxing or studying around the lakes or cooking food with friends over barbeques in the 200 acres available.

The campus university provides almost all amenities to students, including banks, a post office, laundrettes, a range of food establishments, a mini-market, a huge £1.25 Million club and a great sports centre. Tesco is located close by, no more than a 10 minute walk, and the town centre is well connected to the campus by a very regular bus service.

With a only a one hour train journey to central London, it gives students the option to spend time in the nation’s capital for entertainment prospects, especially at the weekends. The best thing about a campus university is the convenience of accommodation, with study areas and social spaces all within a two minute walk.

Currently, the fees for 2009/2010 have not been released but as a guide the tuition fees for the academic year 2008/2009 were £3175. In addition, each course usually recommends at least one course book. Although many students simply use the huge Albert Sloman Library, when coursework deadlines and exams loom it can be hard to get hold of the limited number of books.

General living costs vary depending on your lifestyle and budget, however as an indicator the majority of venues on campus are free, and those that do charge on entry vary between £2.50 and £5 depending on the night and entertainment provided.

A pint will set you back around £2 and a meal on campus ranges from £4-6, whilst a bus to the town centre costs between £2 and £3. The biggest expense will of course be accommodation which can be expensive in Essex, with university accommodation up to £400 a month for an en-suite.

With so many options on campus students rarely need to spend time socialising anywhere else, but should you choose there are many night spots in Colchester town. Amongst the most popular are the Playhouse, the Hippodrome and Route.

However, for the more discerning student there is the Silk Road. Although, there are a lack of student nights in the town centre some recent ones have proved very popular, such as the nationwide Sexy Penny’s student party.

Many law students find themselves busy on Wednesday afternoons playing in one of the many sports teams on offer at the University of Essex. Joining one of the sports teams is a great way to make new friends and spend some time away from the books. Other students spend time being active in the law society, mooting, taking part in street law or one of the many other activities.

The University of Essex Careers Advisory Service provides a number of events to support, guide and encourage potential law students. The annual law fair is the pinnacle of the law students’ career calendar, but there are also a number of other events with visits from a number of visiting bodies. All of these events are well publicised and are in fact emailed to every law undergraduate.

The Careers service also provides more general guidance, with CV workshops and interview techniques. The most useful part of the careers service is the friendly staff, and it is easy to make appointments where the staff are happy to help you work through applications or help you resolve any difficulties you may find regarding the BVC, the LPC or applying for training contracts.