Law courses hike in popularity as A-level results are released

The demand for law degrees has risen following the release of A-level results, according to the Law Society Gazette.

BPP University College and The College of Law have both reported a ‘surge in applications’ for their LLB law degree courses, bucking a UK wide trend of fewer students applying for university places.

The College of Law says it has seen 50% more applications than expected for its new two-year law degree, due to start in September 2012, while BPP has announced a 79% increase in applications for its law degrees. UK applications across all university subjects are down 8.7% compared with last year.

BPP chief executive Peter Crisp attributed the rise in applications to ‘affordable tuition fees’ and to more students opting for ‘career relevant degrees’, such as law. He commented: ‘All our degree programmes have been designed with flexibility in mind – with the option to study in two years as well as three, either full time or part-time, as well as via distance learning, allowing more freedom around living costs, and a wider choice on when and how people want to study, or embark on their chosen career.’

The College of Law board member for business development Sarah Hutchison said: ‘The even stronger than expected interest in our LLB in its first year… only goes to vindicate our long-held belief that there is a need for a law degree which focuses on developing students’ professional legal skills and boosting their employment prospects in the competitive world of law.’

Law degrees are still valued

While this news may not be most welcome for law students and graduates competing for training contracts, it does offer a positive reflection of the degree and the profession. A law degree is traditionally viewed as a way of ‘opening doors’ to a wide range of careers, as well as being a solid vocational course towards a specific job. A rise in the number of people choosing to study law can be considered representative of the esteem in which the degree is still held.

Getting training contract applications right

An increase in those eyeing a career in law may also be useful motivation for students and graduates looking to start their careers in the near future: it is all the more important to make sure that training contract applications are of the highest possible standard first time around.

Advice, tips and inside information on careers in law

• Securing a training contract may not be as competitive as you first think
• Ten ways to get your training contract application noticed by law firms
• Employer Insights: how to get hired by top law firms

Posted by Ross B_TARGETjobs on 20 August 2012

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