Is this too easy?

[littletikes27]

I am going to university as an adult learner in January to study a Law degree with the hope of becoming a barrister.

I've recently found out that you can actually have any degree and then do a 12 month top-up degree to convert to a law degree!

Would I BU to study criminology, which opens up many job opportunities, and then convert to law (which seems like quite an enjoyable experience) or do the straight forward law degree which could perhaps be not as fun?

In many Unis - we do it - you can study a qualifying law degree doing a joint Law/Crim degree. Useful if it's criminal law you are particularly interested in

If you don’t think studying law would be fun, why do you want a career in it?

Many lawyer friends of mine would say do the former.

Back in the day (90s), I seem to remember a statistic of only 50% of law students continuing with law after graduation. I'd go the criminology route, I'm jealous actually!!

@AnathemaPulsifer it is criminal law I am interested in which will be covered in very few modules out of many. Contract law/international law has nothing to do with what I am interested in

There always has been a postgrad conversion course option. However they are competitive to get on, intensive and even more so to get a training contract afterwards.

I studied Law, having considered the conversion course and being told that, rightly or wrongly, it wasn't considered 'as good' as a 'proper' Law degree and that you'd struggle to find pupillage etc against students who'd done the full degree.

This was 15 years ago, so it might be different now (I ended up not becoming a lawyer anyway, so no idea if this mindset has changed) but something to think about, particularly if you're looking to become a barrister rather than a solicitor.

But a degree and then a conversion would be four years, rather than a three year law degree.

Ask around and see what the career prospects are for those with a conversion law degree. It shouldnt matter, but in the world of traditional law firms it probably will.

Then base your decision on that.

Yes, it's still the case that 50% of graduate lawyers studied a different degree and converted. It won't be held against you at all.

The qualification routes are changing soon though so do check as by the time you graduate it will be the SQE exams

I am a solicitor and did a law degree. I am in the minority amongst my colleagues as most did another degree and then the conversion. I hear the conversion is a really tough year and it costs about £9k (more in London). As pp said, it does also mean an additional year of studying.

There are far more overlaps in law than you would think and the main core subjects in particular are necessary

Look at what courses offer modules you are interested in (I did Criminology as a module if iirc it was a long time ago). Human Rights is another one that would fit with what you want its easier to tailor the degree to what you want

Really decide if you want to be a barrister first - if you do straight law I think is best. If you want to have the opportunities criminology opens up do that.

Im one who did not continue down the path and went instead into legal publishing. its tough and consuming and very very hard work

You'd still need to study contract law at some point and very likely EU law (whatever happens with Brexit) so you can't escape them entirely. If I were you, I'd do a qualifying law degree with a minor in criminology if you can. You never know, you might enjoy studying constitutional law or human rights!