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The School of Law at Aberystwyth was founded in 1901, making it the oldest law school in Wales. Due to this, what is now the Department of Law and Criminology continues to have a good reputation in Wales and beyond. In the 2008 Times University Guide the department was ranked 39th, below Cardiff (38) and above Swansea(42), also ex-University of Wales institutions.

The Centre for Legal Practice which delivers the Legal Practice Course (LPC) program is located within the same building.

The Department is housed in the Hugh Owen building on the main Penglais campus, adjacent to the main library that also houses the law library. With the building, the official 'Home base' for the LPC students in the Resource room. In many ways it's very similar to a professional office, providing an excellent backdrop for the course. With facilities for coffee, tea and a nice study area, it makes for a very nice atmosphere.

Within the resource centre are 20 workstations, as well as facilities for printing and photocopying (a big necessity with the amount of notes you'll have to take!). The school also provides various sessions on how to conduct Legal Research using the technology available. In addition, there is a wireless connection available throughout the main campus. Overall, a very comprehensive package.

The course is delivered through a variety of large and small group sessions. The large sessions (LGS) last for an hour and are used as an introduction to key areas that will be focused on in greater detail in the smaller classes. Although the large group sessions are akin to lectures, they are far more interactive than the ones you would associate with undergraduate courses.

The smaller group sessions, lasting normally for two hours, are used to carry out practical exercises and to delve further into the subject matter discussed in the LGSs. These sessions usually involve a lot of discussion between students and various team assignments.

Interestingly, the course can be conducted in either English or Welsh. For those intending on practicing in Welsh courts, they offer an Advanced Criminal Advocacy module in the native language.

Aberystwyth is a quiet seaside town that is almost universally loved by its student population. Crime is very low and the town centre extensively covered by cctv, with visible police patrols during the night.

In addition to the University Arts centre which offers a mixture of theatre, film and music the town has one cinema – the Commodore. This is a very reasonably priced single screen cinema which has the advantage of its own bar (drinks can be taken in to watch the film). Since the cinema only shows one film at a time expect most films to arrive in Aberystwyth about two weeks after their general release.

In terms of shopping opportunities, Aberystwyth has a large number of lovely small boutique shops. It does not however have any large supermarkets, which can be a bit strange at first, but all necessities are easily available.

The course fees for 2008 were set at £8100, plus a £100 deposit and £110 for registration with the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. However, with this fee all books and course materials are included, printing and photocopying costs and even tea and coffee! The University offers a large number of generous scholarships and bursaries which are well worth looking into and applying for.

Halls of residence are reasonably priced with self-catered accommodation ranging from £62 to £85 per week; Catered accommodation, which includes a "Meal Loyalty Card" with sufficient provision for most students, costs between £81 and £93 per week. The university offers help and advice for those wishing to find private accommodation.

In all other ways the cost of living is low. Bus services are regular and a travel card works out at about £1 a day, however main campus is easily accessible by foot from all parts of town.

The Union offers a variety of events including free film showings, comedy and poker nights. In addition, the town has two ‘nightclubs’ – The Bay and Pier Pressure and a huge number of pubs. Most student socialising takes place in the town rather than in the Students’ Union. Most drinks in most bars are under £2. There are a number of sports clubs and societies on campus with most tastes are catered for.

The student law society has been through difficult times, though has regrouped somewhat over the last year and looks to become more active in coming years. The department has a very active Mooting society which in addition to participation in internal and external competition organises mock trials, visiting speakers and film nights. Starting in 2008 the Department will also have an Innocence Project.

Careers advice is primarily given by the Centre for Legal Practice. Each year there are a series of workshops run on topics such as finding a training contract, writing a CV, and finding work experience. A CV advice service is also available on a drop-in basis in the main careers advice centre on campus.