Law

International legal studies is a law degree with a specifically global orientation, preparing graduates to engage with the complex intersections of domestic legal systems, international law, and the legal dimensions of cross-border commerce, human rights, and global governance. English law, as a common law system with international commercial significance, is the foundation, but this degree situates that training within a broader international context and gives you direct academic experience of another legal jurisdiction through a year spent at one of Southampton's global partner institutions.

The University of Southampton's four-year full-time Law (International Legal Studies) degree carries a typical entry tariff of 152 points. As the course itself describes, it is designed to challenge and inspire future legal professionals by combining in-depth knowledge of law with the year abroad experience, reflecting the Law School's own international standing and the diversity of jurisdictions in which graduates can pursue their legal careers. You will study the core subjects of English law alongside international law, comparative law, and the legal dimensions of international trade, human rights, and commercial relations, developing both technical legal knowledge and a genuinely international legal perspective.

Graduates who wish to qualify as solicitors or barristers in England and Wales will need to complete further professional training after the degree. The international dimension of the degree is particularly valuable for careers in international law firms, cross-border legal practice, international commercial arbitration, international organisations, and roles in the diplomatic and foreign affairs sector. Many graduates pursue postgraduate legal training in England or in the jurisdiction where they spent their year abroad, and the comparative legal education the degree provides is a strong foundation for international legal careers.