Hear from current student Valentina Kass-Vertic on why she chose to study the LLM at Birmingham.
I chose to do the taught postgraduate LLM General degree at the University of Birmingham as I believed it would provide a greater insight into further fields of law that I did not have the chance to study at undergraduate level or areas that I previously enjoyed and wished to study at a deeper level. The LLM General did not disappoint with over 30 modules and varying assessment techniques to choose from including both essays and exams. This breadth has also placed me in a better position to now pursue my upcoming training contract, as it has made me more aware and given me further insight and understanding of areas of the law.
It has been a great opportunity to challenge myself, to develop my research skills and to take initiative, given the focus on independent study. Although the primary teaching method of the LLM is through tutorials rather than lectures, the tutors have always been welcoming in their office hours and happy to answer any questions you may have or to go through parts of the reading that have proved challenging after tutorials. Furthermore, the small tutorial sizes compared to undergraduate level has allowed me to get to know my peers a lot better and provides a welcoming atmosphere in tutorials where everyone feels able to voice their opinions and provide critiques on the reading. A great advantage of the LLM is the range of backgrounds and countries my peers have come from. This has given my learning at University of Birmingham a unique experience, given the insights they have been able to bring to our tutorials and the comparisons to other jurisdictions.
The University of Birmingham is a respected academic institution with a high reputation in the UK and worldwide. Having studied my undergraduate LLB at the University of Birmingham and thoroughly enjoyed my three years at the University, I knew I wanted to continue at the same University. I have kept in contact with many peers and continued to maintain and develop my professional relationships with many tutors over the years. The University of Birmingham has so many opportunities to get involved in over 200 different societies, sports teams and events, social teams as well as the legal opportunities provided through the law school including career events, mooting, pro bono and conferences. There is something for everyone! Further, there are frequent postgraduate events throughout the year including wine and cheese events, pizza nights and quizzes. These have been great ways to meet other postgraduate students across the University.
In the years to come I will look back at my time at the University of Birmingham with affection, pride and nostalgia.
Valentina Kass-Vertic
LLM General Student