The law course at Cambridge

The law course at Cambridge gives a thorough grounding in the principles of law from academic rather than a vocational perspective. There are opportunities to study the history of law and consider the subject in its wider social context. The emphasis is on principle and technique. The law course develops skills of interpretation and logical reasoning and encourages students to consider broader questions such as ethical judgment, political liberty and social control.

Although many undergraduates who read law do so with the intention of practicing, many do not, preferring instead to go into administration, industrial management or accountancy. Candidates intending to read law do not have to study any particular subject at school. Pupils can have a scientific or mathematical background at A-level or they can study history or languages.

Undergraduates reading law for three years take part 1A of the Tripos at the end of the first year. This comprises four papers: Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, the Law of Tort and Roman Law. In the second year they study five subjects for part 1B of the Tripos, which they take at the end of the year. The range of subjects on offer is wide – from Family Law to International Law – though in practice most undergraduates take Contract and Land Law as two of their papers. In the third year, undergraduates study five subjects for Part II of the Tripos. The range of options is even wider than in Part IB. According to preference an undergraduate may develop his or her interest in Property Law (including Trusts and Conveyancing Law), Commercial Law, Public Law (including Administrative Law and EU Law), or in more academic and sociological aspects of law, such as Jurisprudence, Legal History, Labour Law and Criminology. Candidates may also participate in the seminar course, submitting a dissertation in place of one paper.

Candidates for the postgraduate LL.M take any four papers selected from a wide range of options in English Law, Legal History, Civil Law, Public Law, International Law, Comparative Law and Legal Philosophy.

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 1487