Law and Economics

Explore the English Legal system and its applications, while learning how to apply economics to key business issues.

Gain a thorough understanding of how laws are made, how we reform them, and how to conduct legal research.

Alongside this you’ll study Economics modules designed to explore the application of economic theory to real-life situations. We’ll use our academic expertise to help you make robust links between economic theoretical frameworks and the practicalities of the real world.

Putting theory into practice

You can choose to take an Economics placement year between years two and three of your degree, to super-charge your employability and improve your prospects after graduation. We can help you to find a placement and provide support throughout your year away. If that's not for you, you can choose to complete internships during the summer breaks instead.

Gold-standard facilities

You’ll be able to put your skills into practice from day one with our range of specialist facilities. Our replica Crown Court at One Friar Gate square allows our Law students to learn in a real courtroom environment. Our Financial Markets Lab offers direct use of financial data, information and analytics in a dedicated trading room which provides a simulation of what it’s like to work on a real trading floor in the financial district.

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

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

On your Economics modules you will be assessed in a number of ways, including:

• computer-based assessments
• business reports
• applied economics projects to showcase your analytical and quantitative skills
• data retrieval and quantitative analytics using Bloomberg
• computer-based analysis harnessing Excel and SPSS
• poster presentations and reports to assess your research and consultancy skills

Studying a Law based course can open up a range of roles in fields such as education profession, libraries, museums, archives, law, the civil service, management, marketing and the uniformed service.

Economics graduates with an understanding of business and leadership are in great demand across the public, private and voluntary sectors worldwide. As well as roles in international business, consultancy and finance, you could pursue opportunities in government departments, development agencies, charities and not-for-profit organisations.

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)
• Economics BA (Hons)
• Economics and Finance BSc (Hons)
• Law and Entrepreneurship 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.