BA in Jurisprudence

IMPORTANT

Please note the following deadlines: 15 October 2024 @6pm for UCAS applications; 15 October 2024 to sit and complete the LNAT test.  Due to high demand, applicants are advised to register and book their LNAT tests by 15 September 2024 in order to get a test date before 15 October 2024.

Overview

An outstanding university education that also serves as a qualifying law degree

The BA in Jurisprudence is our regular three year undergraduate law degree, equivalent to what in some universities would be called an LLB.

It is also a 'qualifying law degree' for the purpose of practice as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales.

It is one of the most highly regarded undergraduate law degrees in the UK, and those who do well in it are in high demand both in the legal professions and in other fields in which professional analytical work is required.

Course in brief

Course length
3 years

Entry requirements

A-levels: AAA

Advanced Highers: AAB, or AA plus an additional HIgher at grade A

IB: 38 (including core points) with at least 666 at HL

Or equivalent (see list of international qualifications)

All candidates must also take the Law National Admissions Test (LNAT) as part of their application.

Please note the following deadlines: 15 October 2024 @6pm for UCAS applications; 15 October 2024 to sit and complete the LNAT test.  Due to high demand, applicants are advised to register and book their LNAT tests by 15 September 2024 in order to get a test date before 15 October 2024.
 

Course structure

The programme isn't modular. The courses identified by the legal professions as necessary for legal practice (the 'foundations of legal knowledge') are also identified by Oxford as core academic law subjects, and all undergraduate law students in Oxford are required to take them.

You are also required to take a course in jurisprudence (theory of law). In your final year you have the chance to choose from a selection of optional subjects.

There are public examinations in your first year and your final year, but not your second year, although there is an essay in jurisprudence to be written over the summer vacation at the end of that second year. Your mark for this essay counts towards your degree result, so the exam in jurisprudence at the end of your final year is correspondingly shorter.

Moderations (MODS)

Final Honour School (FHS)

Year 1, terms 1 & 2

Year 1, term 3 - end of year 3

A Roman Introduction to Private Law Administrative Law
Constitutional Law Contract
Criminal Law European Union Law
Legal Research and Mooting Skills Programme (Stage 1) Jurisprudence
  Land Law
  Legal Research and Mooting Skills Programme (Stage 2)
  Tort
  Trusts

These are the compulsory courses, but you will also take 2 optional courses. Here is a page showing the structure and details of the various components.

About the BA in Jurisprudence

Why Oxford?

The best thing that Oxford did for me was to show me that uncovering the controversies and complexities of my subject (law) is an utterly fascinating, fulfilling and exciting experience. The notion that something is worth studying for its own merit is embraced here.

Verity (Law)

In all universities, a law degree calls for hard work. You must become familiar with a great deal of material across a wide range of legal topics. In Oxford, particular emphasis is placed on first-hand study of legal sources - the reading of statutes and cases, sometimes very long statutes and cases, in their original reported form. This means a lot of work in law libraries, of which Oxford has some of the best. As well as books you will increasingly work with online materials. Law is constantly evolving and infinitely thought-provoking.

A common misconception is that studying law is mainly a matter of memorizing data. It is true that there is a lot to remember but lawyers exist to use the law, not just to know it, and the main way that lawyers use the law is by making legal arguments. A central aspect of legal education in Oxford, as at other law schools, is learning to make a proper legal argument. This is a creative activity and calls for originality and inspiration as well as information and accuracy. The Oxford method of teaching by tutorials - weekly meetings between a tutor and two or three students - gives you particularly intensive training in the art of argument.

The Admissions Process

There are four main parts involved in applications for Oxford undergraduate law (BA Jurisprudence or BA Law with Law Studies in Europe):

Watch our video about the Law interview

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Admissions Statistics Report

The Faculty of Law publishes a brief report each year on the admissions process for the undergraduate degree BA Jurisprudence & BA Law with Law Studies in Europe (please note Senior Status applications are not included in the statistics). For further admissions statistics, please visit the University admissions page where you can find statistical reports and further detailed data.

Law Admissions Report 2023-24

 

The admissions flowchart

The admissions flowchart 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Take a look at our FAQ's to find out more.

BA in Jurisprudence Admissions FAQs