Download the course booklet to find out more about Lancaster University, how we teach Law and what you'll study as a Law student.
Overview
Top reasons to study with us
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Ranked 55 in the world for Law (Times Higher Education 2022)
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UK Top 20 for Law (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022)
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Purpose-built Mock Court Room
This Law degree is taught by world-leading, research-active academics based in our Law School.
They will introduce you to technical legal topics and help you to understand the ways that law shapes our society.
Practical experience
Practical experience is important in this degree, with a range of opportunities available. You may be able to take part in our Law Clinic which provides real-world experience of giving free legal advice to members of the local community. The Street Law project provides experience in schools and organisations, advising and supporting them on specific areas of law.
We offer a wide range of diverse opportunities and try to ensure that all students can access the opportunities that interest them, however please note that places are limited on some schemes and modules.
Your year abroad
Spending your third year of four with one of our highly-regarded partner universities in the US, Europe, or Canada, you will study Law or Law-related subjects, providing you with insight into the way law impacts on societies around the world.
You will need to pass your first and second year studies at the first attempt (without resits) in order to progress to the year abroad.
Lancaster University will make reasonable endeavours to place students at an approved overseas partner university that offers appropriate modules which contribute credit to your Lancaster degree. Occasionally places overseas may not be available for all students who want to study abroad or the place at the partner university may be withdrawn if core modules are unavailable. If you are not offered a place to study overseas, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent standard degree scheme and would complete your studies at Lancaster.
Lancaster University cannot accept responsibility for any financial aspects of the year or term abroad.
Networking opportunities
We have strong links to Chambers, Law firms and related professions from across the UK, including magic circle firms from London. We usually host a judicial lecture series, alumni visits and lectures, and a Law Fair, which is typically attended by lawyers (including trainees, associates and partners) and members of their recruitment teams. All of this should help you to make professional connections, learn more about their firms, and get a head start on your career in Law.
Our student-run Law Society usually organises a wide range of extracurricular activities including mooting and negotiation competitions (typically judged by barristers and members of the judiciary). In recent years they have organised a Law Ball, sporting fixtures, and a careers dinner. Each event is designed to help you build your peer and employer networks.
80% of the School’s research was rated as internationally excellent or world leading in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014).
Careers
Your law degree can open doors to a wide range of careers within, and beyond, the legal sector. We carefully devise, structure and support our degree programmes to help you prepare for the next step towards a career of your choosing.
Throughout your time at Lancaster University Law School you will have the opportunity to:
- Develop excellent subject-specific knowledge
- Enhance your range of transferable skills
- Secure practical legal experience (subject to availability of places)
- Work on your ability to speak in public, present confidently, and think on your feet
- Access a extra-curricular activities
- Gain insight into future options and be guided by a dedicated Careers Officer
All of this will help to optimise your ability to stand out in a crowded employment marketplace. Your Law degree could lead to a rewarding job in the public, private or third sector, such as:
- Practising lawyer (Barrister or Solicitor; In-house lawyer; Goverment Legal Service; CPS; Law Centre work; CAB; Court personnel; Clerk in Chambers)
- Paralegal
- Accountancy and taxation
- Finance
- Civil service
- Media
- Police
- European Commission
- Conveyancing
- Court reporting
- Military/Military legal services
- Political/Governmental career
- Legal education
Wider roles with a need for legal understanding include: Legal Recruitment Consultant, Chartered Company Secretary, Compliance Officer and Investment Banker.
Some of our graduates go on to Graduate Training Schemes or pursue opportunities with: Civil Service, Ministry of Justice, Probation Service, HM Courts and Tribunal Service, HMRC, Local Government and Trading Standards.
An undergraduate degree can also lead on to further study or academia and we have a wide range of postgraduate programmes.
Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring you not only gain a highly reputable degree, but that you also graduate with relevant life and work based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which offers you the opportunity to complete key activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development. Visit our Employability section for full details.
Entry Requirements
Grade Requirements
A Level AAB
IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.
Other Qualifications
International Baccalaureate 35 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects
BTEC Distinction, Distinction, Distinction
We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualifications. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.
Contact Admissions Team + 44 (0) 1524 592028 or via ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk
Course Structure
Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and others which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism. We divide academic study into two sections - Part 1 (Year 1) and Part 2 (Year 2, 3 and sometimes 4). For most programmes Part 1 requires you to study 120 credits spread over at least three modules which, depending upon your programme, will be drawn from one, two or three different academic subjects. A higher degree of specialisation then develops in subsequent years. For more information about our teaching methods at Lancaster please visit our Teaching and Learning section.
The following courses do not offer modules outside of the subject area due to the structured nature of the programmes: Architecture, Law, Physics, Engineering, Medicine, Sports and Exercise Science, Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedicine and Biomedical Science.
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research.
Core
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Criminal Law
This engaging module immerses you in a broad investigation of criminal law, typically including legal rules, substantive crimes, the conditions of criminal responsibility, and law in practice. We will explore the scope of law and its enforcement in a political, economic, moral and social context.
You will develop an understanding of the principles of criminal liability, and the elements of major offences typically including homicide to theft, fraud to sexual offences, and offences against the person. You may also have the opportunity to explore such topics as complicity, inchoate offences and defences.
We encourage lively discourse and debate through a combination of workshops and seminars, both of which are linked to a lecture programme. This will help you to consolidate knowledge, analyse and argue about criminal law.
Our teaching is research-led and you will be encouraged to read as widely as possible on the subject. Not only does this module provide the foundation for further study in your second year and beyond, but it also establishes key skills in presentation, critical analysis, and intelligent debate.
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English Legal System and Methods
This year-long module introduces you to the central tenets of the English Legal System and supports the development of the legal skills that will see you through your degree.
The module is your initiation into legal reasoning and the process of legal research. Within it we would typically include such topics as:
- the structure of the courts and tribunals
- legal precedent
- international sources of law
- the legal professions
- the judiciary
- lay justice
- the criminal trial process and civil litigation
- legal aid
A combination of lectures, workshops and seminars provides you with a sustained opportunity to: deepen your knowledge of the English Legal System; learn how to read legal cases and journal articles and critically analyse legal materials; write law essays; and problem solve.
The module was developed by Dr Siobhan Weare who co-authored one of the leading textbooks in this area of Law.
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Law of Contracts
Contract Law at Lancaster is studied from an interesting perspective – we begin by looking at resolution for breach of contract. This includes monetary compensation, injunctions and orders compelling parties to carry out their promises.
By starting at the end, you are constantly reminded of the purpose of Contract Law (to provide a remedy to an aggrieved party when the other party has broken its contractual obligations). It also means that you get to practice applying the law while studying this important but difficult topic, and, you will be able to competently address the main concern of clients when you begin practicing law: resolution.
Of course, we also typically study the formation of contract, terms of contract, and their interpretation and enforceability. But heavy emphasis remains on remedy.
The module involves self-study of the historical and theoretical aspects of contracts and contract law, including ‘Contract in Context’ which was co-authored by staff member Dr Richard Austen-Baker.
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Public Law
Public Law is an engaging, compulsory module that will introduce you to constitutional law, administrative law and human rights law.
You will typically journey through:
- key constitutional principles (separation of powers, the rule of law, parliamentary sovereignty, constitutional conventions)
- the legal framework underpinning the UK judiciary, executive and Parliament
- judicial review, inquiries, tribunals and ombudsmen
- The Human Rights Act 1998 and the question of a British Bill of Rights
We begin with an introductory workshop, which will familiarise you with the political and legal structures that make up the UK’s constitutional framework. Then we venture into an innovative mix of traditional lectures, problem-based workshops, and small-group seminars, all of which cement the connections between key legal theories and their practical, real-world application.
You will engage with a series of short legal problems through group discussions, critically analysing arguments in legal journals and reading cases for your coursework, as well as preparing a group presentation.
You will be taught by academics who are researching constitutional theory, constitutional conventions, and/or human rights law. They will support you to develop understanding, deepen your legal knowledge, and hone your critical evaluation skills.
Core
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EU Law
The European Union as a legal system operates differently to English law. This module will give you a basic understanding of the institutions of the EU, the way law is created and developed, the principles governing relations between the EU and its Member States, and the substantive law of the EU.
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Land Law
How does the law relate to land and property? And is the current law still fit for the 21st Century?
Our Land Law module immerses you in real life scenarios to promote an understanding of how the law actually works. You are given the opportunity to work through legal problems as though you are advising a client, and we discuss some of the documentation and protocols that are used by property lawyers.
We encourage lively debate and discussion, and aim to develop your skills in thinking and reasoning logically and creatively, challenging convention and understanding how land law has shaped our environment and society. You should also have an appreciation of the ways in which land law has developed and changed.
Topics typically covered include:
- co-ownership of family homes and division of property between cohabitees
- mortgage law, including undue influence and the rights of lenders and borrowers
- landlord and tenant law, including the law on tenants’ rights and ‘sham licences’
- adverse possession and squatters’ rights
- rights of airspace and the three dimensions of land ownership
- the law of easements and restrictive covenants
Your lecturers will be specialists in their field and active researchers. Current research within the teaching team addresses the system of land registration for the protection of title or ownership of land, and the history of property law and how well it works.
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Law of Torts
This core module introduces you to torts. You will critically explore the key torts and tort principles typically including such topics as trespass to the person, negligence, torts of strict liability and vicarious liability. You will also consider defences to torts and remedies for aggrieved parties.
Optional
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Contemporary Crime Problems
This module introduces students to a range of contemporary crime ‘problems’ through a study of academic debates and perspectives. The historical, socio-economic and cultural contexts will be explored whereby students will be encouraged to critically analyse the process of criminalisation, criminal justice responses, and how these criminal or ‘deviant’ activities have come to be considered problematic. Specialist areas of criminological debate will be addressed, such as cultural criminology, the criminology of everyday life and the relationship between crime, pleasure and transgression.
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Contemporary Issues in the Legal Profession
This module tackles key questions around the organisational and institutional structures of the legal profession, taking a close look at the contemporary challenges that it now faces.
While the module primarily focuses on the Anglo-Welsh system, we will also address other systems through literature on law in the USA, Australia and other commonwealth jurisdictions.
Topics covered in the module may include:
- an appreciation of the current status of the legal profession, including its globalised context
- ‘Tesco Law’ and law in an information/digital age
- business, economic and ethical considerations in the legal profession, lawyering and access to justice
- implications of key statues such as the Legal Services Act
- The current state and future development of legal education
Throughout the module, you should develop a solid understanding of issues relating to lawyer/client interactions, such as ethics, confidentiality, legal professional privilege, conflict of interest. You will also have the opportunity to study representations of lawyers and lawyering in fictional settings, such as TV, film, literature and plays. This module exposes you to a range of debates and encourages you to think creatively and critically, as well as from a socio-legal perspective.
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Family Law
How does the law define familial relationships? And how do the law and family justice systems regulate those relationships – between adults, and between parents and children?
Our Family Law module focuses on such questions, and more. We will delve into family life and intimate relationships, exploring issues such as marriage, divorce and custody. You will critically evaluate legal issues relating to family, and develop a sound legal understanding of how the law affects family relationships and resolves familial conflicts.
Topics covered in this module may include:
- Forming Legal Relationships
- Cohabitation
- Ending Legal Relationships
- Parents and Children
- Responsibility
- Child Arrangements Orders (Residence)
- Child Arrangements Orders (Contact)
- Abuse within the Family (Adults)
- Abuse within the Family (Children)
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Human Rights and Civil Liberties
What are human rights? How are they implemented or contravened? What is the relationship between complex human rights issues and society today?
This module uses the context of the European human rights regime to investigate civil liberties and human rights protection. You will adopt a critical and comparative approach as you gain a comprehensive grounding in the law of human rights.
We will tackle some of the most complex and relevant issues such as the right to life, freedom from torture, freedom of expression, and capital punishment. Specific case studies allow you to engage with issues and questions regarding whistle-blowing and enforced disappearances.
Our teaching is research-led and combines seminars, tutorials and lectures. You will be encouraged to read as widely as possible on the subject and we will help you to develop your skills in critical analysis, discourse and debate.
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Understanding Criminological Fieldwork
Social research is at the heart of social science perspectives on criminology. Research provides an important means of producing evidence within criminology and in the planning and evaluation of policies and provision within the criminal justice system. The module introduces the theoretical foundations and processes of different forms of social research used within criminology focusing in particular on criminological fieldwork.
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Youth Justice
Our Youth Justice module is an opportunity to consider the tension between perceptions of children as ‘troubled’ and ‘troublesome’. We will also explore the criminal justice response to children who are in conflict with the law.
The competing themes of welfare and justice are closely examined, along with the recent history of youth justice policy. Following these thematic explorations, we take a more in-depth look into specific topics, including:
- female offenders
- youth imprisonment
- comparative youth justice
- children in care
This module is led by a research-active lecturer with an interest in children in the care and criminal justice systems; the lecture on children in care draws specifically on their cutting-edge research. The combination of lectures and small group teaching helps you to develop your understanding, deepen your criminological knowledge, and develop your critical evaluation skills.
Core
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Year Abroad
Spending your third year of four with one of our highly-regarded partner universities in the US, Europe, or Canada, you will study Law or Law-related subjects, providing you with insight into the way law impacts on societies around the world.
You will need to pass your first and second year studies at the first attempt (without resits) in order to progress to the year abroad.
Lancaster University will make reasonable endeavours to place students at an approved overseas partner university that offers appropriate modules which contribute credit to your Lancaster degree. Occasionally places overseas may not be available for all students who want to study abroad or the place at the partner university may be withdrawn if core modules are unavailable. If you are not offered a place to study overseas, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent standard degree scheme and would complete your studies at Lancaster.
Lancaster University cannot accept responsibility for any financial aspects of the year or term abroad.
Core
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Equity and Trusts Law
This module covers the major types of trust and the key elements required for their validity and operation as well as relevant aspects of equitable remedies. The overarching imposition of Equity will be interwoven with the discussion of the substantive types of trust. As well as an in-depth exploration of the workings of each mode of trust, the emergence of each will also be examined before modern uses and policies are considered. Key current developments in relation to the law of trusts will also be drawn upon.
Optional
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Company Law
The company law module covers the key areas of company law from incorporation to insolvency including corporate personality and piercing the corporate veil, the company’s constitution, contracts and companies, directors’ duties and minority shareholder protection. These practical, substantive areas of company law are discussed in accordance with relevant theories relating to the corporation and its role in society generally.
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Competition Law
The Competition Law module is designed to give students a good grounding in contemporary competition law and the economics and policy which underlie it. The main focus will be on EU and UK competition law, but reference will also be made to US and Australian law where it provides a useful counterpoint. The module will examine the way in which antitrust and behavioural economics interact and inform the development of competition law and policy. Substantive areas such as the main EU antitrust provisions, their UK counterparts, and the merger control regimes in the EU and UK will be covered. The module will cover the basic provisions but special focus will be given to areas of controversy or recent reform. The enforcement of the law will also be given special consideration.
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Crimes of Power
This module focuses on the crimes that power makes possible. Criminological theory and research has traditionally prioritized the crimes of the powerless over and against the crimes of those that make laws, wield influence and capital or authorize State violence. As such, this module will introduce you to theory, research, and case-studies on corporate and white-collar crimes, as well as state crimes like genocide and torture, in order to provide an analysis of the commission and punishment of such crimes.
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Criminal Careers
Is there a criminal justice preoccupation with risk and prediction? If so, how helpful has this been to date?
This engaging module will tackle these fundamental questions and deepen your understanding of why some criminals appear to choose a life of crime: ‘criminal careers’ being the criminological term.
You will be taught by research-active academics who are experts in the field and you will explore some of the key contributions of research in this area, including work published by our teaching staff. For instance, staff research will inform your lectures on the criminalisation of children in care and the issue of ‘onset’ in criminal careers. Departmental research will also feed into your study of perceptions of ‘risk’ and ‘risky’ populations. A co-authored book (Soothill, Fitzpatrick & Francis, 2009 – ‘Understanding Criminal Careers’) is also used to support this module.
Topics covered include onset, persistence and desistance. You will also critically analyse some of the unintended consequences of research into this area – as well as considering the future implications on criminology of those consequential findings.
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Dissertation
The dissertation is an independent, in-depth inquiry into a research topic of your choosing, subject to there being a suitable expert in the department to supervise your project. The topic will relate to a key legal question or issue and may also directly relate to your professional/career interests.
This is your opportunity to make a contribution to the legal and academic community with new and original research and writing on a legal issue.
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Evidence
This module introduces you to the principles of the law of evidence in criminal cases. It also introduces you to the nature and theory of proof. These general issues are developed through the study of particular topics such as the burden and standard of proof; confessions and illegally obtained evidence; disputed identification evidence and other warnings to the jury; hearsay; the credibility of witnesses and bad character evidence.
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Immigration and Asylum Law
This module introduces the principles of UK immigration and asylum law. Asylum is a subject seldom out of the press and it has received unprecedented political attention in the last decade. Given that immigration is now such a wide subject, with a number of major new statutes, you will only be introduced to selected highlights and the module will focus mainly on the asylum process. Consideration of the general issues is developed through the study of particular topics such as the nature of an asylum claim and the link between human rights and asylum. Immigration detention and the foreign prisoner crisis and deportation issues will also be discussed. If possible, the module will be supplemented by a visit to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.
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Intellectual Property Law and Policy
Focusing on new technologies and our own research in this area, this module addresses the changes in the law that are necessary to accommodate the impact of the internet, developments in 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and advancements in bio-technology.
You will examine intellectual property law and the protection of intangible property, particularly copyright and patent law. And you will explore the theories that justify the legal protection of human creativity, whilst also studying its practical application.
You will consider copyright protection and its basic tenants alongside the defences and exceptions that allow society to benefit. Following this, you will look at the impact of the Internet and the ability to infringe upon copyright at an unprecedented level.
We will also cover the basics of patent law protection, along with issues relating to the ownership of patents by employers. And you will undertake an in-depth study of the current UK and international policies relating to bio-technology patents.
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Law and Religion
To what extent does English law accommodate religious belief and practice? How has the law interacted with religion historically? What is the current interplay between law and religion? And how does the UK model of religious accommodation compare with those adopted in European jurisdictions?
Religion in the 21st century continues to attract and engage the attention of the government, parliament and the courts - as it has done throughout English legal history. Law and Religion, an engaging, policy-significant and popular module, will tackle the central questions outlines above and introduce you to the laws that regulate religion and belief in the UK.
Typically the module covers the following topics:
- history of relationship between religion and English law
- legal definition of religion
- legal status of established and non-established religious groups
- religious freedom
- religious discrimination
- religious offences
- religion in schools
- religious law
- religious tribunals
The module focuses on two very pertinent topics in the area of religion and law: the application of Islamic law in the UK, and religious tribunals in the UK. We will draw on our research as we discuss issues that are high on the agenda of policy makers and are part of current media discussion.
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Mass Atrocities and War Crimes
This module will assess the legal and practical issues surrounding responses to massive violations of human rights, before the political and moral issues involved in using national and international courts will be discussed. The imposition of truth commissions as well as other techniques of ‘transitional justice’ to respond to massive human rights violations will be critically analysed in order to deduce the success of such responses.
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Prisons, Punishment and Society
How should we understand the role of punishment under democracy? How do the historical, cultural and ideological relationships that underpin and, to a certain extent, determine punishment inform our conceptions of Justice, Fairness, and Equality?
This module examines both the historical and philosophical dimensions of modern democratic punishment. We will probe the punitive landscape charted by theorists like Michel Foucault, Norbert Elias, and Emile Durkheim. This module will also consider the “new punitiveness” and the “old” in search of an explanation for the rise of the incapacitative approach to punishment, its permanence and its implications for the legitimacy of the democratic project.
Fees and Funding
We set our fees on an annual basis and the 2023/24 entry fees have not yet been set.
As a guide, our fees in 2022/23 were:
UK | International |
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£9,250 | £20,930 |
Scholarships and bursaries
At Lancaster, we believe that funding concerns should not stop any student with the talent to thrive.
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries to help cover the cost of tuition fees and/or living expenses.
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Additional costs
There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.
Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.
College fees
Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small college membership fee which supports the running of college events and activities.
For students starting in 2022, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2023 have not yet been set.
Computer equipment and internet access
To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.
The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.
Study abroad courses
In addition to travel and accommodation costs, while you are studying abroad, you will need to have a passport and, depending on the country, there may be other costs such as travel documents (e.g. VISA or work permit) and any tests and vaccines that are required at the time of travel. Some countries may require proof of funds.
Placement and industry year courses
In addition to possible commuting costs during your placement, you may need to buy clothing that is suitable for your workplace and you may have accommodation costs. Depending on the employer and your job, you may have other costs such as copies of personal documents required by your employer for example.
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Fees in subsequent years
Fees are set by the UK Government annually, and subsequent years' fees may be subject to increases. For international applicants starting in 2022, any annual increase will be capped at 4% of the previous year's fee.
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Important information
The information on this site relates primarily to 2023/2024 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.
The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.
More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.
Our Students’ Charter
We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.