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AIBU?

To think that law is an academic degree

69 replies

ordermeapizza · 22/10/2014 20:01

and not a vocational degree?

IMO medicine, nursing, etc are vocational as they lead directly to a job and once you've finished your degree you are qualified to work in that profession.

Law on the other hand doesn't actually qualify you to be a lawyer and you need to complete further training after your degree if you want to be a lawyer.

I class a law degree to be academic like English and history.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Tulipblank · 22/10/2014 20:03

Yep. It's an academic degree. It takes at least three years more studying/training to be a solicitor.

VeryStressedMum · 22/10/2014 20:05

Yes it's an academic degree, like you say you don't become a solicitor after the the year degree course.

JustMarriedBecca · 22/10/2014 20:13

Academic and ill advised.

And DULL.

Oh..and one year reviewing one lease on the LPC does not prepare you for working life.

Alisvolatpropiis · 22/10/2014 20:29

Everything Becca said.

I think it is strictly speaking considered a vocational degree because theeoretically it leads to one particular profession (ha!).

BaconandEgg · 22/10/2014 20:29

Academic. No question.

Letthemtalk · 22/10/2014 20:32

Academic, but not dull! I loved doing mine.

LosingAllTheLego · 22/10/2014 20:45

Well its vocational because it directly leads to a specific career, regardless of what further training may or may not be required.

A degree in English is vague, it doesn't qualify you to work in a specific field. Whilst people may obtain a law degree and then not work in law, its a clear path to a career in law.

But does it really matter either way??

DisgraceToTheYChromosome · 22/10/2014 20:46

Academic, not dull and very useful for terrifying the management.

Mitchy1nge · 22/10/2014 20:50

well some are vocational and 'qualifying' or were, leaving only the lpc/bvc and tc/pupillages to do

maybe I don't understand the question but all professions have further hoops to jump through after the first qualification

splendide · 22/10/2014 20:54

Don't medics have a further training stage after their degrees?

Mitchy1nge · 22/10/2014 20:57

most law degrees are definitely qualifying so you don't have to do your pgdl or whatever it is called now

Marmiteandjamislush · 22/10/2014 20:57

YANBU, it is in most universities and not private colleges like college of law or bpp, a liberal rather than vocational degree. It is meant to help students formulate a view of the world and be able to logically construct and defend that view based on intelligence, reason and sensibility. I have a law degree and masters.

fredfredgeorgejnr · 22/10/2014 20:58

Vocational, just because you have to train more to join the profession doesn't change that. Like most vocational subjects though you will of course learn enough to use it purely as an academic subject if you wish to continue in academia, and you can also use it purely as a proof of being able to learn that most people use their academic degrees.

However it is vocational.

Aherdofmims · 22/10/2014 21:02

Academic.

But i would also say this of medicine.

Alisvolatpropiis · 22/10/2014 21:04

Mitchy

Are they? Since when?

Mitchy1nge · 22/10/2014 21:09

I dunno, maybe they're actually not Blush I did English as a first degree so pgdl but have a daughter at law school now and most of their undergrad programmes seem to be qualifying

a not first instance of me chatting shit on the internet possibly

Pandora37 · 22/10/2014 21:09

It's academic. A vocational degree to me is one that requires you to do placements and you're a qualified professional at the end of it. A law degree does neither. And it is deathly dull.

TsukuruTazaki · 22/10/2014 21:12

I think it's academic but also vocational to an extent.

Pandora37 · 22/10/2014 21:13

With the undergrad programme, they are qualifying as long as you choose the qualifying modules which are criminal, tort, contract, land, and equity I believe. Or something like that. At the uni I went to land and equity were optional so if you didn't select to do them then you didn't have a qualifying law degree.

Alisvolatpropiis · 22/10/2014 21:15

Mitchy

Grin

I was just about to start throwing things having done a law degree and the Lpc. Thought you meant Lpc/bar course post grad courses were no longer needed!

Doing the degree or post graduate diploma qualifies you to study for the next bit of studying, that's true.

lastnightIwenttoManderley · 22/10/2014 21:16

By this logic, are there any vocational degrees? Medics need to do further study, Engineers need to do further study, Law professions need further study...

Mitchy1nge · 22/10/2014 21:21

oh no I did say it only leaves those vocational and professional bits, but it cuts out a whole year of postgrad study?

it's not like people leave medical school and can independently do proper dr stuff either, they have those two foundation yrs then life as a reg and whatever else to get through

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Bunnyjo · 22/10/2014 21:25

I'm not sure why you think that Law is academic, but Medicine isn't. Both require additional training before being able to practise.

Medicine degrees do not directly lead to a job as a doctor once you have graduated. Graduates are eligible to apply for provisional registration with the GMC, but are required to complete an additional 2 years of foundation training before being eligible for full registration with the GMC. Then there's the speciality training; which is anything from an additional 3 years' training (General Practice) to 8 years!

I believe degrees such as nursing, midwifery, radiography and physiotherapy directly lead to a qualification and registration to practise upon completion of the degree, as do a few NHS scientist degrees. But Medicine definitely isn't one of them.

Alisvolatpropiis · 22/10/2014 21:26

I should read more carefully Blush

Doing a law degree aided my paying attention to detail no end

NotTheKitchenAgainPlease · 22/10/2014 21:28

Medics aren't actual registered with the GMC doctors the minute the graduate. They have to work, pass more exams etc before they can register.
I'd say law was vocational. Pharmacist graduate with a Masters now but they still have to work in a preregistration post and pass exams before qualifying. Of course this doesn't or seclude anyone from going down the academic route ...

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