Find out about studying Law on the Faculty Website and in the University Undergraduate Prospectus.
Law at Wolfson
The emphasis is on principle and technique, reasoning and explanation. There are opportunities to study the history of law, and to consider the subject in its wider social context. In studying Law as an academic discipline, students are required to think critically, to identify the policies which underpin particular rules and to suggest alternatives. They are expected to develop an understanding of the economic, political, social and international context in which the Law applies, and an appreciation of its ethical and philosophical consequences. This often requires students to engage with other academic disciplines. Wolfson College has around 15-20 undergraduates studying Law at any one time and our student body is drawn from across the nation and around the world.
Graduates from any discipline may apply to Wolfson for admission to a two-year law degree as an affiliated student. Affiliated students take Parts IB and Part II of the Law Tripos (effectively the second and third years of the law degree). It is possible to complete all seven foundation subjects in two years as an affiliated student and graduate with a qualifying law degree.
We are also very keen to encourage those students who do not yet have a degree to make applications to study the full three-year Law course with us at Wolfson.
Admissions Information
The University's entry requirements for Law can be found here.
Qualifications
Many A level (or equivalent) subjects provide a good grounding for the study of Law at university and Colleges have an open mind about the subjects that are a sound preparation.
Good applicants tend to have taken subjects at A level (or equivalent) that develop a careful, analytical approach to reading and which require them to present information in a way which is well structured and thoughtfully argued. In our experience, applicants with backgrounds in Mathematics and science subjects perform as well as those whose background is in humanities subjects. Applicants are not required to have studied Law at GCSE or A level. Those who have done so tend not to have any special advantage once they begin studying Law at university.
More information can be found in the University Undergraduate Prospectus entry.
Assessments, Written Work and Interviews
All applicants for Law must register to take the National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT). Full details on how to register for the LNAT can be found on the LNAT website. You can register for the LNAT from 1 August to 15 September 2022, and the LNAT can be taken from 1 September 2022. Applicants for Law must take the LNAT by no later than 15 October 2022. Further details can be found on the Admission assessments page of the University website.
Applicants will be asked to submit one piece of written work, which they have written as part of their normal preparation for public examinations. The preferred word limit for each sample is 2,000 words.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to be interviewed in December. There will be one or two interviews (in total lasting 40-50 minutes) which will be conducted online via Zoom. Applicants may also be asked to spend 15-20 minutes immediately before interview reading an unseen passage.