History and Law

Explore 500 years of history in the historical and cultural hub of Derbyshire and benefit from our links with organisations within the region while honing your legal, debating and drafting skills by combining your studies with Law. You’ll gain a range of transferrable skills such as research, analysis and problem solving that will open up a range of graduate career options, including those where legal knowledge is invaluable.

We aim to broaden your understanding of history and its significance and cultural impact on global society, while equipping you with skills and knowledge from the legal sector. 

With its rich industrial past and thriving heritage industry, Derbyshire is the ideal location to study history. Our History modules focus on the sixteenth century to the modern day, giving you a broad-based understanding of major events, movements, and concepts in society, culture and politics.  

A cultural and historical centre 

Derbyshire and the City of Derby have a rich history; an important centre for trade, religious expression, industry and enlightenment thought, it has played crucial roles in political, social and economic change in the region, nationally and globally. The History provision at Derby explores these key ideas and themes, both within the region and within wider contexts. We make direct use of local archival and heritage materials and utilise our longstanding links with organisations within the region to enrich our teaching. 

Student Legal Advice Centre and Pro Bono work 

Students studying Law at Derby may have access to our Student Legal Advice Centre - our dedicated space for real-world learning. Volunteering in the Centre provides you the opportunity to develop transferrable skills that will assist you in gaining the skills required once you graduate.  
The Centre offers assistance in the following areas:

• Family law  
• Criminal injuries compensation authority claims  
• Immigration family reunion (in partnership with British Red Cross and Paragon Law)  

The Centre also offers support to Litigants in Person in Family Law matters at the Family Court at Derby. In Autumn 2022, a Business Clinic and Legal Triage Clinic (exclusively for University of Derby students) was launched.  
The Centre also has a Policy Clinic and Justice Project. The Justice Project promotes the teaching of law to all members of the community, including school children, by informing them of their legal rights and responsibilities.   
The Centre was shortlisted for Best Contribution by a Law School at the LawWorks and Attorney General Student Pro Bono Awards 2022, and was highly commended at the LawWorks Pro Bono Awards 2021 for Best contribution in relation to the Centre’s Immigration Family Reunion Clinic. 

What is a Joint Honours degree?

A Joint Honours degree offers students the opportunity to study two subjects.

A Joint Honours degree is a great option if:

• You want to study two subjects you’re passionate about
• You’ve got a specific career in mind and want to create a tailored degree to prepare you for the future
• You want to study a new subject alongside one you’re already familiar with

The Law Pathways within the Joint Honours Scheme do not lead to a Qualifying Law Degree. However, if you select a particular combination of modules (as advised by the Subject Leader) this may offer some exemptions from the Postgraduate Diploma in Law/Common Professional Examination. Any such exemption must be negotiated by the individual student with PGDL /CPE providers and with the professional bodies. 

The modules below indicate the range of modules you may study as part of this combination, however prescribed and optional modules will vary depending on whether you choose to study both subjects equally, or choose to major or minor in a subject. To find out exactly which modules you would study as part of your chosen combination please contact jhs@derby.ac.uk.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

You'll be taught through a variety of methods, such as:

• lectures 
• seminars 
• workshops and tutorials 
• student presentations 
• debates 
• one-to-one sessions with a tutor 
• work projects    
• self-directed study    
• video discussions with overseas partner institutions    
• case preparation 
• mooting - where you present a legal issue against opposing counsel in a mock court case 
• interviewing 
• negotiation 

Engaging in real or simulated legal practice, you will build a range of the key skills required to succeed in the legal sector at every stage of the course.  
You will also develop skills in legal scholarship, with the chance to undertake problem-based research and original academic enquiry. If our teaching team consider the work you produce to be of sufficient quality, it could be published in the Derby Law School Journal.  
Through our peer assisted mentoring scheme, students from later years of the course also give helpful guidance and support to first year students.

Showcasing your skills 

Mooting forms part of certain modules and you can develop your expertise further through regional and national competitions. We have an excellent record of success in these challenges.  
We also help run a schools’ debating competition in partnership with Derby & District Law Society and Enterprise for Education where you can mentor local secondary school pupils. 
 

How you are assessed

For Law modules, assessments include:  

• group work 
• oral presentations 
• written coursework 
• examinations 
• seminar debates 
• group presentations  
• conference papers 

The History modules at Derby have a wide range of assessments that are varied and reflect the different academic and transferable skills of History graduates. We have designed our assessments to reflect the key skills of the historical discipline as well as skills that will prepare you for life beyond university. Our commitment to students as researchers, public history, global history and co-production has shaped our assessment strategy, and we have designed our assessments so that you are building expertise through the degree.   

Studying History and Law will lead to a wide range of careers in the education profession, libraries, museums, archives, law, the civil service, management, marketing and the uniformed services. Recent graduates have, for instance, taken up professional roles in local government, in Human Resource roles for major national businesses, and in project consultancy roles in global companies.

2025 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

2025/26

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional information about your studies

You will typically study your two subjects equally at stage one, before choosing whether you want to major in one subject at stages two and three.

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

Other courses you might like

• LLB (Hons)
• History BA (Hons)
• English and Law BA (Hons)

Contact us

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.