School of Humanities and Social Sciences


Certificate of Higher Education in Common Law (CertHE)

Our Certificate of Higher Education in Common Law is a qualification in its own right that also provides an entry route to degree-level study.
It is ideal if you are ready to study for a degree but do not have the qualifications usually required to enter.
Develop a critical awareness of the common law legal tradition and apply problem-solving skills to a range of legal and non-legal settings.

The modules studied for the CertHE Common Law are the same as the Level 4 modules of the LLB.

Contract law

One of the seven foundation subjects required for a qualifying law degree in England and Wales.

Criminal law

One of the seven foundation subjects required for a qualifying law degree in England and Wales.

Legal system and method

This is a compulsory part of the LLB and CertHE Common Law. You should select this on first registration.

Public law

One of the seven foundation subjects required for a qualifying law degree in England and Wales.

All modules for the CertHE Common Law are assessed entirely by written examination. These are held in May/June and October at local examination centres around the world. You can sit a maximum of two modules in the October session.

The University of London was the first to offer a degree in English Law in the 1890s, and continues to offer the security of an internationally recognised 'gold standard'.
Upon achieving the CertHE Common Law, you will hold a law qualification in some of the core legal subjects that have been examined by approved University of London academics.
You may also have the option of transferring to the Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

The academic direction of the CertHE Common Law is provided by a Consortium of outstanding University of London Law Schools: Birkbeck, King's, LSE, Queen Mary, SOAS and UCL.
Three of these (UCL, King’s and LSE) are ranked in the top 20 worldwide for Law (QS World Rankings 2018) and in the UK's top ten (The Complete University Guide 2018).