2024/25 entry Applications also open for 2025/26
PG Cert Foundations in Law
Why study Foundations in Law at Liverpool John Moores University?
- Gain a solid foundation in legal knowledge and skills
- Part Time Study Option
Provides legal knowledge with linked practical skills in the Six Foundations of Legal Knowledge:
- Contract Law
- Crime
- Equity & Trusts
- Land Law
- Public & EU Law
- Law of Tort
About this course
Designed specifically for non-law graduates, this Foundations in Law PG Cert, will provide the legal knowledge and competencies that will allow you to proceed onto the Solicitors Qualifying Examination preparatory courses.
You have already acquired numerous transferable skills from your undergrad degree. Opting for law later on demonstrates your drive and commitment to embark on a fresh career path.
Delivered by academics and qualified professional practitioners, this postgraduate programme will provide the legal knowledge and competencies needed in the Six Foundations of Legal Knowledge; Contract Law; Crime; Equity & Trusts; Land Law; Public & EU Law; and the Law of Tort.
It aims to provide both legal knowledge and linked practical skills in order to put you in a strong position to commence any SQE prep course with confidence, so you can go on to complete the vocational phase of qualifying as a solicitor.
Fees and funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students
Fees
The fees quoted at the top of this page cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- access to programme-appropriate software
- library and student IT support
- free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Additional costs
Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:
- accommodation and living expenditure
- books (should you wish to have your own copies)
- printing, photocopying and stationery
- PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
- mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
- field trips (travel and activity costs)
- placements (travel expenses and living costs)
- student visas (international students only)
- study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
- academic conferences (travel costs)
- professional-body membership
- graduation (gown hire etc)
Funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages.
Please be aware that the UK’s departure from the EU may affect your tuition fees. Learn more about your fee status and which tuition fees are relevant to you.
Employability
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 96% (HESA 2018) of our postgraduates in work or further study six months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
As this is designed for those wishing to become solicitors, the programme gives the students both practical and legal knowledge needed in a competitive legal sector.
The student experience
Discover life as a postgraduate student at LJMU.
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Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
Your programme is made up of a number of core modules which are part of the course framework. Some programmes also have optional modules that can be selected to enhance your learning in certain areas and many feature a dissertation, extended report or research project to demonstrate your advanced learning.
Core modules
Contract Law
10 credits
This module aims to provide a basis for knowledge, understanding and analysis of the principles of contract law and aligns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority's Foundations of Legal Knowledge. The module includes: existence and formation of a contract; contents of a contract; causation and remoteness; vitiating elements; discharge of contract and remedies; and unjust enrichment.
Criminal Law
10 credits
This module aims to provide an opportunity for students to acquire substantive knowledge of criminal law to align with the Solicitors Regulation Authority's Foundations of Legal Knowledge. The module includes: general principles of criminal law; general defences; property offences; offences against the person and; criminal evidence.
Equity and Trusts
10 credits
This module demonstrates a critical understanding of the law of equity and trusts in context in order to align with the Solicitors Regulation Authority's Foundations of Legal Knowledge. The module includes: general principles of the law of equity and trusts; creation of valid trusts; charitable and non-charitable purpose trusts; trusts of the family home; Trustee and Fiduciary duties; breach, strangers and tracing.
Land Law
10 credits
This module develops critical understanding of both English and Welsh land law, including: Co-ownership; Adverse Possession; Trusts of Land; leases and licences; third party interests and; registered and unregistered land. Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the policy tensions and changes in land law, and the ability to apply legal knowledge to problems in land law.
Public and EU Law
10 credits
On this module, students will gain an understanding of both the constitutional and theoretical framework of the UK alongside EU Law to align with the Solicitors Regulation Authority's Foundations of Legal Knowledge. The module includes: an introduction to the nature of UK constitution; separation of powers; Royal prerogative; EU and UK relations; devolution, central government and accountability and; Judicial Review.
The Law of Tort
10 credits
The module introduces the fundamentals of the Law of Tort, and aligns to the Foundations of Legal Knowledge prescribed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The module includes: General principles; Defences; Psychiatric damage; Occupiers liability; Employer's liability and; Trespass to the person and land.
Teaching
An insight into teaching on your course
Study hours
The programme for full-time students will be taught within 1 semester (12 weeks) after a 1 to 2 week induction period. It is taught 2 days a week – usually each day consisting of 6 hours face to face delivery.
Teaching methods
From day one students will be introduced to the English Legal System and acquire knowledge and understanding of the legal theories and principles which underpin the areas of substantive law being studied.
Students will do an introductory non-credit induction studying the English Legal System and practical legal research to put the basics of law into context before they undertake their 6 compulsory modules.
As the course progresses, students will demonstrate their learning achievement through a series of formative assessments, culminating in their final examinations.
Applied learning
Students will acquire subject knowledge and legal skills through seminars, supplemented by large group sessions and supported by extensive learning materials. In the seminars students will be applying their new-found legal knowledge to problem-based scenarios and questions.
Assessment
How learning is monitored on your programme
To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
The testing of the knowledge is through examinations which consist of both multiple choice questions (MCQ) type questions (to replicate the SQE 1 assessments) and problem type questions.
Course tutors
Our staff are committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning
Anita Ellis
Programme Leader
Qualified Solicitor and Head of Professional Legal Studies. Anita's areas of expertise include: Property, Accounts, Tax, Probate and Commercial Property laws. Anita's research includes the area of succession laws.
For students who have never studied law before, engaging in such an interesting and challenging discipline is the first step needed to work towards to qualifying as a solicitor.
School facilities
What you can expect from your School
The School is based in the Redmonds Building, in the heart of the bustling Mount Pleasant Campus and Liverpool's growing Knowledge Quarter. Redmonds Building is shared by two Schools within the Faculty of Arts, Professional and Social Studies - Liverpool Screen School and the School of Law - and Liverpool Business School, making for a rich blend of student learning experiences. The building is home to high quality lecture theatres and seminar rooms, a mock court room, social spaces, and a café. It is only a short walk from LJMU's Aldham Robarts Library, which contains all the resources you will require for your studies.
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
Undergraduate degree
2:1 or above from any non-law degree. Applicants without a 2:1 will be considered on an individual basis.
International requirements
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IELTS
Minimum 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each component)
Application and selection
Securing your place at LJMU
To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU online application form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.
The University reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. Where this does happen, the University operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.