Distance learning for law degree. L.L.B.

M

Mature student

Guest
I am considering embarking in a law degree by distance learning. At the moment I am nervous just thinking about it as it is without doubt a huge commitment in time and money.
I would like to read some "law for beginners" type books but unfortunately the bookshops and public library in our provincial town have very little to offer.

I intend travelling to Dublin in the near future so if anyone can recommend a specialist law bookshop and perhaps a title that would "give me a feel" for what it is all about.
 
Res

What college are you obtaining the distance LLB from?.

How lontg is the LLB?.

Bookshop, wise Hoggis Figgis and Waterstones do just about everything.
 
Re: Res

Or have a look at amazon.co.uk or easons.ie first so you can get an idea of what's available.

I'm a great fan of distance learning and it has saved my sanity here in the sticks. I've done all sorts, including a degree in business studies, various computer qualifcations etc. and am now doing an arts degree. I don't know if it suits your needs or how the law qualifications translate in Ireland but the Open University are by far and away the best organisation to study DL with that I've come across. Their organisational methods are amazing and they have a friendly, professional and very informed approach and are worth every penny (they usually work out dearer than Irish counterparts). Irish organisations have a much more haphazard approach and it can sometimes feel a bit "fred in the shed"; even with semi-state institutions.

The main difference with studying DL is that you don't have so much human contact so you are not always 100% if you are on the right track. OU get around this with tutors (that really are available) and online chatrooms/messageboards - Irish institutes are not half as geared up for this, in my experience. The other difference I find is that it takes a lot of discipline to maintain a study schedule (and you really do have to have one) so you need to be sure that you *want* to spend the time and effort at it before you fork out your hard-earned yoyos.

Good luck with it. Feel free to PM me if you think I could give you any other info.

Rebecca
 
OK

What org would you recommend for DL learning then Miss R , the Open University ?. I have been looking to do a Degree for some time and would consider DL but most of the DL colleges have some strange affiliations
 
Re: OK

Hi docks

Yes I would definitely recommend the OU but from a support and course choice/variety angle mostly. Because DL is all they do, the entire OU framework is designed around DL students, whereas organisations that to DL to supplement (mostly) full-time/part-time class-based courses seem amateurish by comparison. The OU has been doing it so long they seem to have dealt with whatever problems or issues you might face many times before and are reassuring. I would guess that state subsidies from the UK government mean that they have more funds than other institutions for student support systems.

All that said, I don't know how recognisable their degrees are in the workplace. They come up very highly in surveys in the UK as regards course content and employer response to qualifications but I don't know how Irish employers see it. I suppose it depends on the field of work you are in. From my previous experience (of a recognisable business degree by DL with an Irish institution), unless you are get a First class or go to Oxford or Harvard or something, a degree is a degree. Often the degree is the basic job qualification that gets your toe in the door and after that it is how you sell yourself and your experience that gets you a job/promotion. I've certainly never been made to feel that it was any less of a degree during job application processes. If anything most interviewers/employers have been really impressed with my having "stuck it out".

One word of caution; an OU honours degree from scratch will take you 5 or 6 years generally (although you could try and squash it into 3, something I get shivers even thinking about). Generally speaking an Irish DL degree seems to take 4 years, depending on the institution.

Best of luck with it!
Rebecca
 
Re: Res

I would agree with MissRibena about the OU, I got a BSc from them and have never felt that it was looked down upon by employers at all, in fact the opposite. I find that most employers are genuinely interested in how you can manage your time so well and see this as a great positive in a prospective employee. It is as good as any other degree and has definitely opened a lot of doors for me.
 
Distance learning for law degree. L.L.B.

Hi Mature student.

Best a luck with the law. Unfortunately there are not many "law for beginners" books out there, but most students find it a very manageable subject once you get into it/have an interest in it.

If you ever intend to go further just check that the L.L.B. is recognised by Kings Inns for direct entry to their degree course. It may seem like a long way off but you may as well do one thats accepted and keep all options open.

If you don't mind could you post the details of the courses that you are considering? Just who is offering them would be brill
 
LLB

It may also be worth checking out how easy it is to get in the door once qualified and the extent to which you have to rough it before establishing a reasonable income. Not all lawyers work on tribunals!!! The best source of advise would be someone who works in this profession.
 
LLB

Just a note:
The Easons on dawson street in Dublin (near Trinity, I think its exact name is Eason Hanna's) always stocks a nice selection of law books. I once found a "How to study law" book, essential reading as you nedd to find out how to get the important bits out of cases and judgements. I don't know where you live but certain universities do evening law degrees. (The University of Limerick is a definite).

If you're studying with the aim of becoming a solicitor, how about skipping the degree altogether? If you have a degree already (in anything) you are eligible to sit the Blackhall Place exams. There are quite a lot of colleges -eg- Griffith College and DIT who run courses preparing people for the exams, many of whom may not have studied law before. It would obviously be intensive but its an option.

Good luck and enjoy it! One thing I've learnt is that its easier than it seems at first!
 
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