Written by Tessy Idemudia, a 2nd year Law with Politics student

Hi all! My name is Tessy, and I am a second-year law with politics student. I always knew that I would study law. The decision to add politics to my degree was made because I wanted to try something new. I had not studied politics at a level like I did law, so I thought I’d give it a go. When I applied, Manchester was the only university to provide a Law with Politics degree that constitutes a qualifying law degree. When deciding on my firm choice for university, I was looking for a university in a diverse city that had plenty to see and explore (but without draining my pocket). I found Manchester to be the perfect fit. Sometimes I refer to it as “cheaper London” because it functions as a nice inbetween; it’s busy like the South, but it’s still cosy as it’s situated in the North.

In my first year, all my modules were mandatory. I believe my first year was structured this way to ensure that I could build up foundational knowledge about my subject before I decided to go into a more niche area. My favourite law module was contract law. I found it straightforward to understand, yet I admired how complex and intriguing the cases and principles that we learnt were. Naturally, the law is contentious and, because of this, laws and clauses may be interpreted in many different ways. I enjoyed the discussions I’d have with my fellow course mates in seminars, as we’d often get into a debate about whose viewpoint was correct and why.

For politics, I fell in love with my comparative politics module. I found it interesting to learn about why countries operate in democratic or authoritarian ways in comparison to others. I finished the course with a new level of understanding of politics, which gave context as to why current political tensions have been occurring.

If you’re someone who is interested or curious about pursuing a career in law, I recommend joining the Manchester University Law Society (MULS). It’s the biggest society on campus and it supports law and non-law students to make links with commercial firms and ultimately become lawyers. I was the first year representative for MULS last year, and I’m currently the diversity officer this year. I’ve had an amazing time being part of the committee and also a member.

There are so many amazing societies that you can be a part of. If you are struggling to find one that suits you and your interests, make your own! In my first year at Manchester, I created a society called the “Black Girl’s Space” (BGS) with my friend. We created this society to inspire unity and community for black women in Manchester.

There are many opportunities for work experience and internships in Manchester. The career service has a whole list of opportunities in different industries and sectors that you may apply for. In my first year, I was accepted on two first-year schemes at two Magic Circle law firms.

My key pieces of advice to anyone coming to Manchester to study law:

– Engage with all your seminar leaders and course mates so you’re gaining an insight into the different perspectives that will help you produce amazing essays
– Reach out to students who are currently in their first or second year of the course that you could potentially be ready for soon. They’ll have a first-hand perspective that you won’t be able to gain from simply reading the university’s website or watching some YouTube videos!

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