Law with Politics

Law and politics are disciplines that have shaped each other throughout the history of liberal democratic societies. Politics asks how power is organised, legitimised, and contested, and how states make collective decisions in conditions of disagreement. Law provides the frameworks through which those decisions are implemented, rights are protected, and disputes are resolved.

Studying them together gives you a richer understanding of both: law makes more sense when you understand the political forces that produce it, and political analysis is sharper when you understand the legal constraints within which it operates.

At the University of Manchester, this three-year full-time LLB programme combines a distinctive approach to legal education with complementary teaching from one of the largest politics departments in the country. You will study the core subjects of English law, developing the doctrinal knowledge and analytical skills that legal education demands, alongside politics units covering political theory, comparative politics, international relations, and specific topics in political analysis. Manchester's approach to law is academically rigorous and practice-informed, preparing you both for professional legal training and for careers where the relationship between law and political power matters.

Graduates who wish to qualify as solicitors in England and Wales typically complete the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, while those pursuing the Bar complete the Bar Practice Course and pupillage. Beyond professional qualification, graduates also work in the civil service, international organisations, policy research, think tanks, journalism, and commercial roles. The combination of legal and political training is particularly valued in roles involving public law, human rights, regulatory work, and international governance.

Postgraduate study in law, politics, and public policy is a common progression.