Postgraduate Admissions Criteria

On this page we list the qualitative admissions criteria for our postgraduate programmes.

• For more on admissions standards and the admissions process, visit our postgraduate admissions FAQs.

BCL/MJur

In selecting from those who apply for admission to the BCL or MJur, we look for these qualities:

Application: exceptional academic motivation; capacity for sustained and intense work; developed ability to organise time and set own agenda for study; intrepid attitude towards investigation and learning.

Knowledge: a broad, deep, advanced, and integrated understanding of the main branches of law of at least one municipal legal system.

Reasoning ability: outstanding analytical abilities, including the ability to draw and maintain fine distinctions, the ability speedily to separate the relevant from the irrelevant, and the ability to develop and sustain complex arguments under pressure; capacities for accurate observation and insightful criticism, including willingness and ability to engage with disciplines other than law and to bring their insights to bear on legal problems; originality and creativity of thought, open-mindedness, and capacity for lateral thinking; excellent powers of synthesis and economy of thought.

Communication: willingness and ability to express highly complex ideas clearly and effectively in English, with a particular eye to finesse and economy; ability to conduct a mature debate leaving room for the contributions of others; aspiration to professional standards of style and organisation in legal and scholarly writing.

For further information about the documentation required, assessment procedures etc, please see the BCL/MJur admissions criteria.

MSc Law and Finance

In selecting from those who apply for admission to the MLF, we look for these qualities:

Application: exceptional academic motivation; capacity for sustained and intense work; developed ability to organise time and set own agenda for study; intrepid attitude towards investigation and learning; an interest in the intersection of law and finance

Knowledge: a broad, deep, advanced, and integrated understanding of the main branches of law of at least one municipal legal system.

Reasoning ability: outstanding analytical abilities, including the ability to draw and maintain fine distinctions, the ability speedily to separate the relevant from the irrelevant, and the ability to develop and sustain complex arguments under pressure; capacities for accurate observation and insightful criticism, including willingness and ability to engage with disciplines other than law and to bring their insights to bear on legal problems; originality and creativity of thought, open-mindedness, and capacity for lateral thinking; excellent powers of synthesis and economy of thought; a capacity to understand basic quantitative skills and to acquire statistical skills in the course of the programme.

For further information about the documentation required, assessment procedures etc, please see the MSc Law and Finance admissions criteria.

Research degrees

In selecting from those who apply for admission to research degrees, we look for these qualities:

Application: exceptional academic motivation; capacity for sustained and intense work; developed ability to organise time and set own agenda for study, such as to assure punctual completion of a research degree; intrepid attitude towards investigation and learning; commitment to the highest level of scholarly professionalism.

Knowledge: a broad, deep, advanced, and integrated understanding of the main branches of law of at least one municipal legal system [see note * below]; a mature grasp, normally to masters level, of the area of study to which the proposed thesis belongs, borne out by a well-conceived research proposal.

Reasoning ability: outstanding analytical abilities, including the ability to draw and maintain fine distinctions, the ability speedily to separate the relevant from the irrelevant, and the ability to develop and sustain complex arguments under pressure; capacities for accurate observation and insightful criticism, including willingness and ability to engage with disciplines other than law and to bring their insights to bear on legal problems; originality and creativity of thought, open-mindedness, and capacity for lateral thinking; excellent powers of synthesis and economy of thought.

Communication: willingness and ability to express highly complex ideas clearly and effectively in English, with a particular eye to finesse and economy; ability to conduct a mature debate leaving room for the contributions of others; aspiration to professional standards of style and organisation in legal and scholarly writing.

For further information about the documentation required, assessment procedures etc, please see the DPhil Law and MSt Legal Studies admissions criteria.

* Note: For research degrees in criminology, socio-legal studies, philosophy of law and legal history, applicants are sometimes admitted whose previous academic study has been in a relevant discipline other than law, so long as the applicant demonstrates a sufficiently deep and detailed understanding of the most closely relevant areas of law or legal thought

MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice, and DPhil Criminology

Admissions criteria relating to the MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice and DPhil Criminology are available from the Criminology website.