MA in Law

Overview

At a critical time in history, the MA in Law presents an exciting opportunity for you to move into a highly sought-after field of study. There is growing demand from organisations worldwide for expert lawyers that can embrace challenges and innovation.

As an accelerated, senior-status postgraduate degree, the MA in Law builds on the fact that you have already benefited from a university-level education, allowing you to graduate in just two years versus the three years it would normally take to obtain an LLB.

Choosing the MA in Law will enable you to progress onto the Bar Practice Course or prepare, in part, for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) - developing core legal skills and a solid understanding of the seven foundations of legal knowledge.

You will also have opportunities to gain Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) through our law clinics - and gain free access to career development resources from our partner, BPP University, designed to help aspiring solicitors and barristers prepare for the SQE or the Bar.

Choosing a postgraduate law degree from the University of Bristol will see you embark on an intellectually demanding, research-rich curriculum that will make you stand out to future employers.

Challenged and inspired by world-leading academics, you will be able to demonstrate excellent legal, analytical and research skills and be empowered to pursue a top-flight career in or beyond law. That is why our programmes are well-respected by leading law firms*.

* Fourth most targeted university by top UK employers (High Fliers 2023)

Ranked #3 in the UK for legal research excellence (REF 2021)

Course structure

We have a large and vibrant international community and students benefit from small class sizes. There are four core units in year one, which are assessed by examination and/or coursework.

You will also benefit from an intensive 'Thinking Like A Lawyer' unit at the beginning of the degree to help prepare you for your substantive units. Year two includes three core units plus a further optional unit of your choice.

Visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content for our MA in Law.

Careers

Graduating from a world-leading law school* will open doors for careers in a variety of sectors. Individuals who have completed the MA in Law have gone on to:

• qualify as solicitors or barristers in the UK, and as lawyers in other jurisdictions,
• work in private practice, as in-house legal counsel for businesses or in the public sector,
• act as advisers in international organisations, or for international NGOs and other agencies,
• study further in the UK or overseas.

The Law School has partnered with BPP University to offer law students the Bridge Programme, a free career development course to help aspiring solicitors and barristers prepare for their future careers, through two distinct pathways. Find out more about the Bridge Programme.

Please visit our Careers and Employability webpage for more information.

*A top 60 Law School (QS World Rankings 2023).