Emotions of studying law put under the spotlight
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Nottingham Law School (NLS) has launched a study into how more feeling can be injected into legal education, after research found that studying law can lead to “emotional disturbance”.
Researchers from NLS, part of Nottingham Trent University, are looking at ways in which discussion of student emotions can be embedded into the curriculum in a bid to reduce stress among aspiring lawyers.
Law lecturer Rebecca Huxley-Binns, who is conducting the research as part of a larger US study, said that law often leaves students feeling stressed and detached from their studies to an unusual extent.
She said: “Our experience tells us that highly motivated students tend to do better but as student numbers are rising across the country, feelings of isolation and insecurity are increasing. Today’s students are assessment-driven and the majority of law schools are turning out very knowledgeable but disengaged graduates; students learn what the law is, not how to feel about it.”
But not everybody is welcoming the study. Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) student Paras Juneao said: “You can’t teach someone to feel - this study is a bit too hippie for my liking. I wouldn’t say anyone on my course is emotionally disturbed.”
The research is due to be completed in early 2010.
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Readers' comments (20)
Dazed and confused | 8-Sep-2009 6:14 pm
Thank God somebody has bothered to put down on paper how law students feel!! I'm doing my LPC and feel like I'm going to spend my life working like a robot. I got into this because I wanted to have a passion for what I did and help change peoples' lives. But it has all come to light now! Ahhh yes!
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ScoobyDooDoo | 9-Sep-2009 1:21 pm
How can they not feel isolated and annoyed when they're unlikely to ever see anyone else on their course? Law is taught in such a way that each student studies alone, is likely to never enter in a group discussion and has little, if any, contact with lecturers.
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LawGrad | 9-Sep-2009 3:06 pm
I dont know where the above posters studied law, but I always found that there was plenty of opportunities for debate and practical and social uses for what I was learning in lectures and tutorials.
If law students feel 'isolated', perhaps they should do some pro bono work or volunteer with the CAB. Which, in the current climate, they should be looking at doing to extend their CV anyway.
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Anonymous | 10-Sep-2009 12:22 pm
Dazed and confused - "I'm doing my LPC and feel like I'm going to spend my life working like a robot"...errr...welcome to the legal profession
"I got into this because I wanted to have a passion for what I did and help change peoples' lives."...look carefully at the law firms you apply to and the legal specialisms that they do as there are very few lawyers I know who feel this in their jobs (though they started out wanting the same as you).
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ScoobyDooDoo | 10-Sep-2009 1:35 pm
I studied at one of the top Russell Group universities.
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SoontobesecondyearLLB | 10-Sep-2009 4:36 pm
This is exactly how I am feeling, and felt for the whole of my first year as a law student.
I came from a great school and always got good grades, hence I somehow rolled into law school. However, I can say that I now have some kind of emotional withdrawl after being cooped up in such a small room (university halls) and reading page after page in order to meet the demands of my lecturers and eventually get a first.
I definately felt isolated and annoyed as a law student. When I returned home for the Christmas and Easter holidays my parents definately noticed a change in me; that there previously outgoing and intelligent daughter was not withdrawn and lacked any passion.
Most of my coursemates where anti-social, always worrying, always worried, or felt that they HAD to have alcohol infused nights in order to balance the stressed of being a law student. Many of them because without the alcohol, they would have no personality, since their whole personalities were being invested in studying law. And ofcourse, the lecturers were the same.
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Anonymous | 10-Sep-2009 4:39 pm
This is exactly how I am feeling, and felt for the whole of my first year as a law student.
I came from a great school and always got good grades, hence I somehow rolled into law school. However, I can say that I now have some kind of emotional withdrawl after being cooped up in such a small room (university halls) and reading page after page in order to meet the demands of my lecturers and eventually get a first.
I definately felt isolated and annoyed as a law student. When I returned home for the Christmas and Easter holidays my parents definately noticed a change in me; that there previously outgoing and intelligent daughter was not withdrawn and lacked any passion.
Most of my coursemates where anti-social, always worrying, always worried, or felt that they HAD to have alcohol infused nights in order to balance the stressed of being a law student. Many of them because without the alcohol, they would have no personality, since their whole personalities were being invested in studying law. And ofcourse, the lecturers were the same.
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Anonymous | 10-Sep-2009 5:01 pm
Having commenced on my llb as a part time student, I can definitely agree that this course cannot be taken lightly...
I have my moments of highs and lows from the time I entered into law school. It is difficult enough to adjust my study and work at the same,but also finding the time to read and be able to function at optimum level when at home..
Stress is an absolute' buzzword ', This, I don't think is the general concensus of every student..Especially for those that have no other commitments..
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Anonymous | 10-Sep-2009 7:37 pm
The interest of students who have great passions about being the future lawyers and Barristers are incredibly high within my own context of view in the subject of Law in UK. The main endowment here is whether, the effect of Credit Crunch have caused financial difficulties into the Universities, which run by privately owned investors? The crucial point with regarding to British Universities are the lack of marking skills by the examiners, who are working on behalf of the Universities of judging students credibility within marking percentage of 39%, which therefore students have to pay further fees to re-attend exams. Along, of these further problems the main difficulties which causes further problems are students from overseas countries with degrees been earned by private unknown college's. Although, language barriers are high with the overseas students but "Universities or I should say private parties on behalf of Universities are keen to enroll students who don't even speak English at all do to International Fees? I would suggest to every individual student, who are studying LLB Law or major in Law to earn 2.1 classification degree in order get a Training Contract with the leading Law Firms. I insist of the stupidity of Students who are spending their time with a longer run career in law with GDL the conversion course in law, but if you are ideal 1st class degree student in subjects of ENGLISH, HISTORY, POLITICS, ECONOMICS will worth of doing GDL........
Good Luck with emotions and self confidence
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Nearly NQ | 11-Sep-2009 9:59 am
I'm sorry you lot, but studying for a degree isn't meant to be easy. It will be difficult, worrying and stressful. And I don't see how studying law can be any more isolating than may other subjects.
The course is not meant to be social. That's what a 'social life' is for. When in university you are meant to be learning. With all this nonsense about 3 years being a time for fun and to 'find yourself' or whatever, the whole purpose of being at university and doing a degree is being lost. You are there to learn.
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