Law at Cambridge
Although our BA (Hons) course (referred to at other universities as an LLB degree) is primarily concerned with English law, there are opportunities to study other legal systems, including civil (Roman) law, EU law and international law. You can also study theoretical and sociological aspects of law such as jurisprudence or parts of criminology.
Facilities and resources
The David Williams Building, on the University’s Sidgwick Site, houses lecture theatres, seminar rooms and a moot court. It is also home to the Squire Law Library, one of the finest academic law collections in the UK. The Library offers an extensive collection of printed and electronic resources and excellent computing facilities.
The Faculty and University Law Society organise numerous activities, including public lectures, careers events with leading barristers’ and solicitors’ firms, social events, and mooting competitions (debates about hypothetical legal cases).
Course costs
Tuition fees
Information on tuition fee rates for Law is available on the tuition fees page.
Additional course costs
There are no compulsory additional course costs for Law. However, most students prefer to purchase their own copy of a relevant statute book (c£15 each) for around 10 of their total 15 papers across the whole course (depending on papers chosen). If you have any queries about resources/materials, please contact the Faculty.
Student exchange schemes
In previous years, the Faculty has offered students the opportunity to spend a year studying at one of our partner universities in Europe. We hope to offer this opportunity to future undergraduates – please check the Faculty website for further information and updates on the exchange scheme.
Changing course
To be able to change course, you need the agreement of your College that any change is in your educational interests, and you must have the necessary background in the subject to which you wish to change – in some cases you may be required to undertake some catch-up work or take up the new course from the start/an earlier year. If you think you may wish to change course, we encourage you to contact a College admissions office for advice. You should also consider if/how changing course may affect any financial support arrangements.
If you wish to combine law with another subject it is best to discuss this with your preferred College before submitting your application.
Students who wish to combine law with another subject usually study law after that subject rather than before. It is desirable to study law for two years wherever possible since it is not possible to pass all seven 'foundation' subjects necessary for a qualifying law degree at Cambridge in less than two years.
If your first subject has a two-year Part I, you need to consider the implications – especially the financial implications – of four years as an undergraduate.
After Cambridge
Many of our graduates go on to qualify as barristers and solicitors, and find employment within the legal departments of the Civil Service, local government, businesses, banks, and international organisations. Others stay in academia or or go into a wide variety of other careers in administration, management, finance, politics, media, the charity sector, and the arts.
The BA in Law at Cambridge is currently considered a ‘qualifying law degree’ in England and Wales by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Bar Standards Board. Qualifying law graduates who have completed the seven ‘foundation’ subjects and the legal skills requirement meet the academic component of training as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales and may proceed directly to vocational courses that lead to professional examinations. The foundation subjects are Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Law of Tort, Law of Contract, Land Law, Law of Trusts (Equity), and Law of the EU. Please note that the SRA has recently reviewed the requirements for qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales; a new framework for qualification, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), will apply to students who commence their law studies after 1 September 2021, subject to final approval from the Legal Services Board. See the SRA website (www.sra.org.uk) for further details.
