Politics, Philosophy & Law LLB

Key Information

Course type: Single honours Delivery mode: In person Study mode: Full time Required A-level: A*AA Duration: Four years Application status: Closed Start date: September 2025 Application deadline: 29 January 2025

Course Description

Our Politics, Philosophy and Law (PPL) LLB degree is the first course of its kind in the UK. Co-taught by The Dickson Poon School of Law, the Department of Political Economy and the Department of Philosophy, this programme offers students the unique opportunity to explore these three different disciplines while simultaneously achieving a law degree. Students will learn from distinguished academics from these three outstanding departments. In addition to receiving a comprehensive legal training, PPL students will delve into contemporary legal, political, and philosophical theory to gain insight into how these disciplines connect with and inform one another.

Key Benefits

• Flexible curriculum structure, allowing students access to a range of modules from The Dickson Poon School of Law, Department of Political Economy, and Department of Philosophy.
• One of the UK’s premier law schools located in historic Somerset House, with the Royal Courts of Justice, Law Society, and Inns of Court on your doorstep.
• Taught by world-class academics, as well as visiting lecturers and practitioners from global law firms.
• Access to extensive legal research resources at King’s College London’s impressive Maughan Library.
• Engaged student-run societies that organize both social gatherings and career-oriented events.
• A dynamic Professional Skills curriculum, including professional skills modules, a legal clinic, and mooting programme.
• A dedicated careers team to provide tailored guidance on accessing and succeeding in the legal profession.

Course Essentials

Our four-year course—co-taught by The Dickson Poon School of Law, the Department of Philosophy and the Department of Political Economy—is designed to educate the ‘complete lawyer’. Over and above the legal expertise gained in the traditional, three-year LLB, the LLB in Politics, Philosophy & Law aims to provide broader insight into philosophical underpinnings of law and policy, as well as the social and political context in which law is made and practiced. After your first year, you will have the choice of applying to a study abroad option at IE University, Madrid. If you are successful in gaining a place, you would spend Year 3 abroad and your degree title will be ‘Politics, Philosophy & Law with a Year Abroad LLB’.

Base Campuses

• Strand Campus: Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.
• Waterloo Campus: Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Regulating Bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

Entry Requirements

Subject Requirements

• Required subjects: No required subjects
• Preferred subjects: No preferred subjects

A-Levels

• Required grades: A*AA
• Notes: A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.

Contextual A-Level Information

• AAB
• Notes: A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

• 38 points overall or an aggregate score of 19 from three Higher Levels.
• Notes: The total point score of 38 includes TOK/EE.

Contextual International Baccalaureate Information

• 35 points overall or an aggregate score of 17 from three Higher Levels.
• Note: The total point score of 35 includes TOK/EE.

LNAT

• All applicants are required to take the National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) by 31 December.
• Notes: LNAT results will not be carried over from one year to the next.

Alternative Accepted Qualifications

• Access to HE Diploma
• BTEC Nationals/CTECs
• Cambridge Pre-U
• European Baccalaureate
• Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

English Language Requirements

• English language band: B
• Notes: Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries (as defined by UKVI) who have successfully completed high school in the respective country, are not required to complete an English language test.

Selection Process

• Alternative Law programmes: If you are applying for admission for English Law & French Law LLB (M121), English Law & German Law LLB (M122), English Law & Spanish Law LLB (M123), English Law & Australian Law LLB (M124), or Politics, Philosophy & Law LLB (LM21) and also wish to be considered for the Law LLB (M100) course you must make a separate entry on your UCAS form.
• Contextual consideration: We make contextual offers for this programme, which can be found in the entry requirements.
• Deferrals: Applications can be submitted for deferred entry by choosing the appropriate year of entry on the UCAS application.
• Foundation courses: We consider applicants who have recently achieved grades which are below the entry criteria, and have subsequently studied/are studying another qualification to seek entry, such as a Foundation programme, to be resit applicants.
• Graduates: Our general entry requirements are based on A-level or equivalent. However, where an applicant is completing/has completed a degree, we are able to consider the degree study as part of the assessment of the application.
• Personal Statement: Your personal statement is one of the many factors in the overall assessment of your application, and is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the university and inform us of your commitment to the programme and how the programme fits into your career plans, as well as any work experience or extracurricular activities you have done.
• Resits: Please be aware that we do not accept resit students for entry to any of our undergraduate Law programmes.
• Transfers: Transfers into this programme are not permitted.

Teaching Methods

• Lectures
• Small Group Tutorials
• Seminars

Assessment

• Examinations
• Coursework
• Essays

Structure

Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 480 credits.

Required Modules

• Introduction to Comparative Politics (30 credits)
• Elements of the Law of Contract (30 credits)
• European Law (30 credits)
• Legal Reasoning & Legal Services (non-credit bearing)

Optional Modules

• Elementary Logic (15 credits)
• Epistemology I (15 credits)
• Ethics 1 (15 credits)
• Greek Philosophy 1 (15 credits)
• Introduction to Philosophy I (15 credits)
• Metaphysics 1 (15 credits)
• Modern Philosophy 1 (15 credits)
• Political Philosophy 1 (15 credits)

Employability

King’s Law graduates are popular with many employers. The majority of our students choose to become solicitors in leading law firms and specialist or niche firms. Others opt for careers in business or finance, becoming financial analysts, management consultants. Others find that their PPL degree opens up career opportunities in international development, advisory work, the public sector, journalism, teaching or higher education.

Tuition Fees

Full Time Tuition Fees UK

• The UK tuition fee for the academic year is currently £9,535 per year.

Full Time Tuition Fees International

• The International tuition fee for the academic year is £31,600 per year.

Additional Costs

• Books, if you choose to buy your own copies
• Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
• Library fees and fines
• Personal photocopies
• Printing course handouts
• Society membership fees
• Stationery
• Graduation costs
• Travel costs for travel to and around London, and between campuses

Funding

To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.

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Degree Overview:

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Objectives:

• Educate students to become the "complete lawyer" with expertise in:
• Traditional legal areas
• Philosophical underpinnings of law and policy
• Social and political context of law
• Allow students to achieve a law degree while also immersing themselves in philosophy and political science

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Program Description:

• Four-year program, jointly offered by:
• The Dickson Poon School of Law
• The Department of Political Economy
• The Department of Philosophy
• Flexible curriculum, allowing students to choose modules from all three participating departments
• Taught by world-class academics, visiting lecturers, and practitioners
• Unrivalled location for law, near landmarks like the Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court
• Student-run societies for both social and professional development

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Outline:

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Program Content:

• Year 1:
• Required modules:
• Elements of the Law of Contract (30 credits)
• European Law (30 credits)
• Legal Reasoning & Legal Services (non-credit bearing)
• Optional modules:
• 30 credits from a range of Philosophy options, including:
• Elementary Logic (15 credits)
• Epistemology I (15 credits)
• Ethics 1 (15 credits)
• Greek Philosophy 1 (15 credits)
• Metaphysics 1 (15 credits)
• Modern Philosophy 1 (15 credits)
• Political Philosophy 1 (15 credits)
• Years 2-3:
• Students choose from a wide range of modules offered by the three participating departments
• Modules are divided into four categories:
• Law modules
• Philosophy modules
• Political Economy modules
• Optional modules (can be chosen from any of the three departments)
• Year 4:
• Students complete their dissertation
• Optional study abroad option at IE University, Madrid (for students who meet the requirements)

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Course Schedule:

• Each year is divided into three terms:
• Michaelmas Term (October-December)
• Lent Term (January-March)
• Summer Term (April-June)

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Assessment:

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Assessment Methods:

• A combination of coursework and written examinations
• Forms of assessment may include:
• Examinations
• Essays
• Moots
• Negotiation exercises

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Assessment Criteria:

• Students are assessed on their:
• Knowledge and understanding of the subject matter
• Critical thinking skills
• Communication skills
• Research skills

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Teaching:

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Teaching Methods:

• Lectures
• Small group tutorials
• Seminars

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Faculty:

• World-class academics, visiting lecturers, and practitioners from global law firms

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Unique Approaches:

• Flexible curriculum allows students to tailor their studies to their interests and career aspirations
• Strong emphasis on practical skills development through a dynamic practical skills curriculum
• Dedicated careers team offers tailored guidance for navigating and excelling in the legal profession

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Careers:

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Potential Career Paths:

• Solicitor
• Barrister
• Financial Analyst
• Management Consultant
• Journalist
• Teacher
• Academic

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Opportunities:

• Leading law firms
• Specialist or niche firms
• Businesses
• Finance companies
• International organizations
• Public sector

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Outcomes:

• Graduates are successful in obtaining posts with their desired firms or chambers
• Many law firms specifically target King's PPL graduates due to their high quality and competitiveness

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Other:

• Students on the program are allocated a personal tutor each year for support and guidance
• King's College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative, and relevant programs of study
• The program includes a legal clinic where students can gain practical legal experience under the supervision of qualified lawyers
• Students have the opportunity to participate in mooting competitions and other extracurricular activities

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Conclusion:

The Politics, Philosophy, and Law LLB program at King's College London is a rigorous and rewarding program that provides students with the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of law, philosophy, and political science. The program prepares students for a wide range of career paths in the legal and non-legal sectors.

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Full time tuition fees UK: The UK tuition fee for the 2024-25 academic year is currently £9,250 per year. This is based on the UK Government's cap. Full time tuition fees International The International tuition fee for the 2024-2025 academic year is £29,472 per year. Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions. All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2000 against their first year's tuition fee. Students undertaking the Year Abroad pathway will pay King’s tuition fees while attending King’s (Year 1, 2 and 4) and a reduced fee to King’s during Year 3. You should also budget to pay for the associated subsistence costs, such as travel, visas, accommodation and food as well as any vaccination/immunisations required by the country to which you are travelling.