Triangle

Course overview

You will also develop advanced Spanish language skills and a cultural awareness of Spain.

The course is offered by the School of Law in collaboration with the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures.

Applicants must have studied A level Spanish and the course includes a year abroad in Spain.

Support

The school provides specialist advice to help you with your legal skills. The aim is to ensure that every student has someone they can approach to discuss their legal study skills.

We also offer optional skills workshops on a wide variety of topics including presentation, communication and negotiation. These are delivered by a range of law firms and chambers from across the UK.

The University library houses a law collection of approximately 60,000 books, law reports series, journals and extensive electronic resources. 

Key facts

  • Consistently ranked among the world's top law schools including top 100 worldwide in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019
  • This course is recognised by the Bar Standards Board as a qualifying law degree
  • Home to a number of student-run societies, which coordinate a wide variety of activities including careers and sporting events, volunteering opportunities, mooting competitions, and local and international trips

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2020 entry.

UK entry requirements
A level AAB including A in Spanish in Clearing for UK/EU, contact us for international entry requirements via our Clearing enquiry form

Please note: Applicants whose backgrounds or personal circumstances have impacted their academic performance may receive a reduced offer. Please see our contextual admissions policy for more information.

Required subjects

Spanish

IB score 36; 6 in Spanish at Higher Level

A levels: AAA including Spanish and excluding general studies and critical thinking

All A level subjects in the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences are regarded as acceptable (except for general studies and critical thinking). However, offers are not normally made to students presenting more than one non-traditional or practical subject (such as art, art and design, computer and information technology, dance, drama and theatre studies, graphics, media and communication studies, and sports and physical education studies). A higher score in the LNAT examination may be required of those applicants presenting non-traditional subjects.

The Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT)

All applicants, including mature and overseas applicants, must take the Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT) exam. Due to timescales, this is not required for international applicants joining the University through Clearing.

How are results used?

The role of LNAT is to act as a second filter to distinguish between large numbers of similarly qualified applicants and to allow applicants to demonstrate their aptitude for law - it does not replace A levels and/or other qualifications. It is not possible to say what LNAT score will be required in any particular year.

How do I book?

Please visit the LNAT website to create an LNAT account - you will then be able to book your exam. The earlier you book, the more chance you have of getting a test slot on the day of your choice. You will need to enter your UCAS Personal Identifier number on your LNAT profile. If you take your LNAT exam after submitting your UCAS application, you must go back and enter your UCAS Personal Identifier number on your LNAT profile.

You may only sit the LNAT once in each admissions cycle (any subsequent results will be void) and results cannot be carried forward.

What are the key dates?

LNAT registration begins: 1 August 2019
Testing beings: 1 September 2019
Deadline to register/book the test: 15 January 2020 (to ensure that you take your test before the final deadline)
Deadline to sit the test: 20 January 2020 (for the University of Nottingham)

International applicants may submit their application after these deadlines - however, courses may close early depending on the volume of applications. We would still advise you to sit your exam and submit your UCAS application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Contact details

Please contact LNAT for any other questions. Alternatively, if you have an enquiry that is specific to the University of Nottingham, please contact us.

English language requirements

IELTS: 7.0 (no less than 7.0 in any element)

For details of other English language tests and qualifications we accept, please see our entry requirements page.

British Council accredited

If you require additional support to take your language skills to the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional course at the Centre for English Language Education, which is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

Students who successfully complete the presessional course to the required level can progress onto their chosen degree course without retaking IELTS or equivalent.

International applicants

For country-specific information including entry requirements, contact details and representatives, see our website. If you need a visa to study, the University can provide all the information and advice you need.

Mature students

At the University of Nottingham we have a valuable community of mature students and we appreciate their contribution to the wider student population. You can find lots of useful information in our guide for mature students.

Alternative qualifications

Our admission process recognises that applicants have a wealth of different experiences and may have followed various educational pathways. Please view the alternative qualifications page for details.

Flexible admissions policy

In recognition of our applicants’ varied experience and educational pathways, the University of Nottingham employs a flexible admissions policy. We may make some applicants an offer lower than advertised, depending on their personal and educational circumstances. Please see the University’s admissions policies and procedures for more information.

Notes for applicants

When considering your application, we will look for evidence that you will be able to fulfil the objectives of the programme of study and achieve the standards required. We will take into account a range of factors additional to, and in some cases instead of, formal examination results. 

Candidates taking examinations in other systems (for example International Baccalaureate and other EU systems) will be expected to achieve an equivalent level of attainment. Please view our frequently asked questions for further information.

Mature Students

At the University of Nottingham, we have a valuable community of mature students and we appreciate their contribution to the wider student population. You can find lots of useful information on the mature students webpage.

Learning and assessment

How you will learn

How you will be assessed

Study abroad

On this course, you will spend your third year studying abroad in Spain.

You will get the opportunity to broaden your horizons and enhance your employability by experiencing another culture. You can choose to study similar modules to your counterparts back in Nottingham or expand your knowledge by taking other options. Teaching is typically in Spanish.

Study Abroad and the Year in Industry are subject to students meeting minimum academic requirements. Opportunities may change at any time for a number of reasons, including curriculum developments, changes to arrangements with partner universities, travel restrictions or other circumstances outside of the university’s control. Every effort will be made to update information as quickly as possible should a change occur.

Modules

Core modules

Introduction to Law and Legal Theory

The module provides an introduction to the basic techniques of legal study and reasoning. It familiarises law students with the main theoretical perspectives on law while connecting this knowledge to the practical operation of the law and its impact on society. It also encourages the development of a critical approach to understanding law in its context.

Law of Contract

This module is concerned with aspects of the substantive principles of general contact law. Topics include aspects of contract formation and vitiating factors, the contents of contracts, and discharge and remedies.

Public Law

This module examines the nature of constitutionalism and the structure of the UK state. Core constitutional concepts - limitations on governmental power, the rule of law, human rights - are analysed. 

The module examines changes that have taken place in relation to the traditional notion of parliamentary sovereignty with reference to the UK's membership of the EC/EU and the incorporation of the ECHR via the Human Rights Act. 

This module also covers the procedures and major principles of judicial review of administrative action and fundamental aspects of civil liberties law, including the powers of the police.

Spanish 1

Welcome to Spanish at the University of Nottingham — this is where your journey to Spanish fluency shall really begin to take off!

Designed for students who have completed an A level in the language, this module will support you to improve in all the key areas of language acquisition: reading, writing, listening and speaking. To keep the classes interesting and relevant we'll use a wide range of source material from newspapers, audio-visual content and websites.

Through this, not only will your speaking and comprehension skills improve, but also your grammar usage and ability to understand the language in different contexts.

You'll also become more culturally aware of the countries that make up the Spanish-speaking world and get a better understanding of their varying current affairs and cultures.

Optional modules

You must take 20 credits from this group:

Literature in Spanish

This module is designed as a foundation for all later modules covering Spanish and Portuguese literatures. The main aims of this module are to give you a general introduction to literature and the study of literature, while providing you with a partial overview of literary writing in the Spanish language. As well as to introduce some of the key theoretical issues of literary study and instil good reading and critical habits. Through this you will be tested on your skills in close reading, textual analysis, seminar participation and the ability to write cogent and convincing commentaries and essays. This module is worth 20 credits.

Modern Latin American History

Through a combination of lectures, guided reading and research you'll explore the main patterns of Latin American political, economic and social history, between independence in the 1820s and the end of the twentieth century.

We'll focus on specific concepts, terminology, events and people, so as to develop an understanding of different perspectives and interpretations of the history in question. We'll also encourage you to appreciate the interaction between the ‘political history’ of major events and protagonists in official positions of power, and the ‘social history' of populations who both contributed to, and were affected by, political change.

You will learn to develop a critical approach to the study of history through a variety of materials; gain an ability to distinguish between the particular and the general and to develop the tools for comparative analysis.

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on Friday 04 September 2020.

Core modules

Civil Law: A Comparative Introduction

This module introduces you to the civil law tradition as practised on the continent of Europe by comparing its history and main features with the common law tradition as practised in the United Kingdom. 

It will pay particular attention to the legal systems of France and Germany (although reference will be made to Spain, the Netherlands and other European jurisdictions), and will emphasise the principal areas of private law (contract, tort and property). 

It will cover:

  • the structure of civilian legal systems, including the constitutional and institutional context
  • sources of law and legal development
  • basic features of contract, tort and property law
  • harmonisation of law and the emergence of a European private law
  • the methodological challenges of legal comparison

All students will be exposed to the same core content, but seminars will provide opportunities to acquire deeper knowledge of a chosen legal system. Lectures will be in English but seminars will, when possible, also be offered in other European languages so as to enable those with the necessary linguistic skills to acquire and develop a legal vocabulary in the pertinent language.

Criminal Law

This module includes an introduction to the general principles of criminal law and the study of some offences.

Foundations of Tort

The module covers the tort of negligence and other major torts.

Land Law

This module examines the nature of land ownership in English law, and the conceptual framework of the creation and transfer of estates and interests in land. This module also examines the principal third party interests affecting land, with particular emphasis on their creation/acquisition and their protection through changes of ownership.

Spanish 2

This module will build on the language and cultural skills developed in year one and get you started on your exciting journey towards degree-level Spanish. Over the year, we're going to take you to the next level so by the end of the module you'll be ready to spend time living in a Spanish-speaking country.

We'll further develop your grammar and communication skills, building your confidence so that you feel happy working or studying abroad during year 3. We know the thought of essay writing in another language may feel daunting, but we will help you develop these skills to competence.

To prepare you for participating in conversation with fluency we'll pay special attention to developing your ability to use complex sentence structures and rhetoric. You'll get plenty of practice during laboratory classes where you'll have access to a wide range of contemporary audio-visual materials.

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on

In year three, you will study at the Universitat de València. Teaching is in Spanish.

In year four, you will take the final core modules in the Law of Trusts and (currently) the Law of the European Union and core and optional language modules.

Core modules

Law of the European Union

This module analyses the legal order established by the European Union (EU) treaties. It considers the law governing the establishment and operation of the EU, including the methods for enforcement of EU law.  This module also considers the substantive law of the European Union. It involves a detailed examination of the law relating to the internal market, and related areas of EU law. 

Law of Trusts

This module examines the conceptual context of trusts, and the requirements for the creation and validity of express private trusts and charitable trusts. This module also examines resulting and constructive trusts, the duties of trustees and the imposition of fiduciary liability, together with associated remedies.

Spanish 3

This advanced module will be your final step towards fluency, training you in a more formal, sophisticated register of spoken and written Spanish.

We'll continue to use a wide range of authentic Spanish texts to further deepen your knowledge and confidence at this advanced level. We'll look at how the texts are put together so that you may use these skills within your written and spoken Spanish, taking you to the highest level of proficiency.

Plus 40 credits from a range of modules on Spanish studies, including:

Business and Society in Spain

Taught in Spanish, this module has been designed to give you a thorough insight into Spanish business including the contexts that have influenced its development and the ways it interacts with wider society.

We'll investigate a range of factors that have shaped the Spanish business landscape since the transition to democracy, such as:

  • changes within the global and European regulatory environment
  • ideological factors
  • entrepreneurship
  • government action to attract foreign investors, promote Spanish FDI and boost trade with regions such as Latin America, Europe and China.

You'll not only gain a historical understanding, but a contemporary perspective too by looking at case studies of both companies like Inditex (the owners of Zara and other important fashion brands) and important Spanish industries such as tourism. The module also explores some of the less positive impacts and criticisms of Spanish business practices relating to the environment, debt and corruption.

Literature and Films, Conflict and Post-Conflicts

Explore how literature and film can give us a deeper insight into the experiences of conflict in 20th and 21st-century Latin American and Iberian societies.

Together we’ll investigate the way in which film and literature have reflected, resisted, interrogated and remembered the socio-political violence and conflicts that have shaped the 20th and 21st centuries so far in Europe (with a particular emphasis on the Iberian Peninsula) and Latin America (including Brazil).

Your Spanish and Portuguese language skills (along with translations or subtitles where needed) will help you adopt a comparative approach focussing on the formal experiments and common preoccupations of filmmakers and writers across different national cultures and historical contexts.

You will discuss questions around a range of themes which may include; authoritarianism, confronting colonial and neo-colonial practices, racial and class inequality, social injustice, gender and sexuality, and living on with the legacies of past traumas.

You can expect to discuss works by writers such as Roberto Bolaño, Ruben Fonseca, Alejandro Zambra, Mariana Enríquez, Clarice Lispector and Liliana Heker. Feature films and documentaries by Alfonso Cuarón, Pedro Almodóvar, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Claudia Llosa, Patricio Guzmán and Susana de Sousa Dias will also be discussed.

Literature and Film under Franco

One of the best ways to truly understand a nation is to study its culture. Together we’ll explore a key moment in 20th century Spanish history, literature and film-making. By looking at the context and circumstances in which filmic and literary texts were produced under Franco you’ll develop awareness of generic conventions in both literature and film and perfect your skills in close textual analysis. 

You will gain a solid knowledge of the Franco régime and of the literature and film produced at this time, plus an understanding of the conditions for cultural production under the Dictatorship. 

By the end of the module, you will have developed a good command of the concepts and vocabulary required to analyse literary and filmic texts, a capacity for close reading and textual analysis, as well as presentation skills and research and essay-writing skills.

Painting in Spain

This module will offer a panorama of painting in Spain from the late 16th century to the late 19th century taking in four themes: portraiture, history and genre painting, religion, and mythology and myths.

Artists covered will include Domenikos Theotocópoulos, Diego de Silva y Velázquez, Jusepe de Ribera and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo from the Spanish Golden Age and Francisco de Goya, Vicente López, Martín Rico and Marià Fortuny from the 19th century.

You will have the opportunity to study other painters in the preparation of assessments throughout the year. There will be an emphasis on designing exhibitions and on understanding the paintings both within the context of art history and the history and cultures of Spain.

Politics and Literature in Contemporary Spain

You may believe that politics and literature are two distinct fields of study, but this module will help you understand the complex but integral relationship between the two.

We’ll explore the representation of key social and political issues within contemporary Spanish literature. You’ll discover how literature in late capitalism, and contemporary ‘Hispanic’ authors in particular, dealt with issues of language, identity, culture, society, nationhood, gender, class, memory, time and writing.

We also explore debates regarding the consistency of the categories of ‘Spain’ and ‘Spanishness’ when analysing cultural production in contemporary Iberia. This shall lead us to assess the competing discursive practices involved in remapping the notion of Spanish canonical literature at the beginning of the new millennium.

Spanish American Narrative and Film

This module looks at key 20th century Spanish American novels and short stories and considers issues such as race, gender, sexuality and the conflict of cultures. You will be trained in using a broad range of tools of narrative and rhetorical analysis so as to engage in debates about literary representation and aesthetics, and will hone your use of these through a programme of research tasks, seminar presentations, group discussions, and written assignments.

Making the Cuban Revolution: Ideology, Culture and Identity in Cuba since 1959

Free education from cradle to grave has been central to modern Cuba’s cultural and ideological identity. This module will encourage you to explore Cuba’s revolutionary change since 1959, through an examination of its evolving ideologies. You’ll review the critical factors of nationalism, dependency, radicalism and leadership which shaped developments from the original rebellion up to the present day.

 

Together we’ll discover the role of education policies and the ways in which a ‘cultural revolution’ was fundamental to the socialisation process of, and popular participation in (or dissent from) the Revolution.

 

This study will help you form conclusions about both the meaning of ‘ideology’ within the context of the Revolution, and the international geo-political significance of Cuba's self-definition and evolution.

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on

Fees and funding

UK students

£9,250
Per year

International students

£18,420*
Per year

*For full details including fees for part-time students and reduced fees during your time studying abroad or on placement (where applicable), see our fees page.

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .

Additional costs

As a student on this course, you should factor some additional costs into your budget, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses.

You should be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to purchase your own copies or more specific titles.

Please note that these figures are approximate and subject to change.

Scholarships and bursaries

The University of Nottingham offers a wide range of bursaries and scholarships. These funds can provide you with an additional source of non-repayable financial help. For up to date information regarding tuition fees, visit our fees and finance pages.

Home students*

Over one third of our UK students receive our means-tested core bursary, worth up to £1,000 a year. Full details can be found on our financial support pages.

* A 'home' student is one who meets certain UK residence criteria. These are the same criteria as apply to eligibility for home funding from Student Finance.

International students

We offer a range of international undergraduate scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers.

International scholarships

Careers

This course will equip you with a thorough knowledge of English law and encourage an appreciation of Spanish law. You will also develop advanced language skills in Spanish as well as cultural awareness.

A high proportion of our graduates go on to qualify as solicitors or barristers. Those seeking careers outside of law use their degree to gain access to a wide variety of professions and organisations such as consultancies, business advisory services, marketing, civil service, public relations, accountancy and campaigning.

Professional recognition

BSB

This course is recognised by the Bar Standards Board as a qualifying law degree.

Average starting salary and career progression

87.4% of undergraduates from the School of Law secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £25,800.*

The School of Law ranked 5th in the UK for boosting graduate salaries, with graduates earning an average of £4,844 more than expected five years after graduation.**

* HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20 data published in 2022. The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.
** The Economist British university rankings, 2017.

81% of undergraduates from the Department of Cultural, Media and Visual Studies secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £23,938.*

*HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20 data published in 2022. The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.

Studying for a degree at the University of Nottingham will provide you with the type of skills and experiences that will prove invaluable in any career, whichever direction you decide to take.

Throughout your time with us, our Careers and Employability Service can work with you to improve your employability skills even further; assisting with job or course applications, searching for appropriate work experience placements and hosting events to bring you closer to a wide range of prospective employers.

Have a look at our careers page for an overview of all the employability support and opportunities that we provide to current students.

The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers (Ranked in the top ten in The Graduate Market in 2013-2020, High Fliers Research).

Bar Standards Board

This course is recognised by the Bar Standards Board.

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" I like how the course combines the cultural element of learning more about another country, and the way in which its language has developed and how it differs to English, alongside learning about the English legal system and how that operates around the country with its different technicalities. "
Jasmine Melia, Law with Spanish and Spanish Law

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Important information

This online prospectus has been drafted in advance of the academic year to which it applies. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publishing, but changes (for example to course content) are likely to occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of the course. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply for the course where there has been an interval between you reading this website and applying.