Law and Finance

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Local:$ 40.2 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 40.2 k / Year(s) Deadline: Jan 20, 2025
1 place StudyQA ranking:3650 Duration:1 year

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The MSc in Law and Finance is taught jointly by the Law Faculty and the Saïd Business School. It will provide you with an advanced interdisciplinary understanding of economic and financial concepts and their application to legal topics. The MSc combines a highly analytic academic core with tailor-made practical applications derived from collaboration with professional and regulatory organisations.

Typically, at least half of each class of MLF graduates go on to employment within the legal sector in London or internationally, usually at large, corporate law firms, at training contract or associate level, as well as in a variety of in-house roles. Others go on to work in fields such as investment banking, private equity, consulting and policymaking. Each year, a small number of students also embark on a career in academia.

As an MLF student, you will have access to the University Careers Services as well as to some relevant support from the Saïd Business School’s Careers Service, and to a dedicated MLF Careers Adviser to support you as you consider your career strategy and move into the application and interview processes. 

Additional speaker events are run to compliment the MLF programme, which facilitate contact with senior practitioners of law and finance, and MLF students will be a member of both the SBS and wider University alumni networks.

There are two core finance courses, Finance and First Principles of Financial Economics, a core interdisciplinary course, Law and Economics of Corporate Transactions, and one or more elective courses in law. There are also pre-sessional courses in maths and financial reporting.

In addition to these core MLF courses, students selecting the Law Stream will take two law electives from a tailored list of about 10 law courses that are available to students on the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL). The list of law electives comprises courses that are business law-oriented and thus are intended to complement both each other and the MLF course as a whole. In taking these electives, you will be joined by students taking the Law Faculty's other taught graduate courses, the BCL and the Magister Juris (MJur).

MLF students can also select the Finance Stream. If you select this option, you will take only one law elective. In lieu of the second law elective, you will take a mandatory finance course, Corporate Valuation, in the second term and one finance elective in the third term. The short menu of finance electives has been selected from those offered by the Saïd Business School for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and MSc in Financial Economics (MFE), comprising finance courses intended to complement the MLF programme. The electives are studied at the Saïd Business School alongside MBA and MFE students. It is anticipated that the Finance Stream will be available in future years, subject to notice.

Finance, a core MLF course, is taught during the first and second terms through twelve three-hour classes spread over the two terms and is assessed by a combination of a group work exercise that takes place during the second term and a timed examination at the end of the second term. 

First Principles of Financial Economics, another core course, is taught during the first term through weekly three-hour classes and is assessed by a combination of a group work exercise that takes place during the term, and an assessed essay and a timed examination at the end of the first term.

Law and Economics of Corporate Transactions, the MLF core interdisciplinary course, is taught through lectures and seminars during the second and third terms. It is assessed during the third term by means of a group work exercise involving the analysis of transactional case studies, including the preparation and presentation of proposals, and by an assessed essay submitted during the third term. 

Law electives from the BCL may be taught by a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials over the duration of the academic year, except for the dissertation option, which involves one-to-one sessions with an assigned supervisor. Outside of the seminars and tutorials you will be expected to read extensively in order to acquire the necessary knowledge to engage with course material at an appropriate level. 

Each law elective, except for the dissertation, is assessed through a timed, three-hour examination at the end of the third term. Those taking the dissertation option are instead required to submit a 10,000- to 12,500-word dissertation in the third term.

Finance Stream courses are taught by interactive classes at the Saïd Business School during the second and third terms, and assessed by formal coursework and/or practical work and/or a timed examination during and/or at the end of those terms. 

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or a very strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications) in law. Equivalent qualifications may include a master’s in law or a postgraduate diploma in law or other law professional equivalent. 

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

The longer it is since you have been in full-time education, the more attention will be paid to any relevant professional experience. 

  • Official transcript(s)
  • CV/résumé
  • Statement of purpose/personal statement: Around 300 words
  • Written work:One essay of 2,000 words
  • References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, generally academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level

est

Standard level scores

Higher level scores

IELTS Academic 
Institution code: 0713

7.0 Minimum 6.5 per component  7.5  Minimum 7.0 per component 

TOEFL iBT 
Institution code: 0490

100

Minimum component scores:

  • Listening: 22
  • Reading: 24
  • Speaking: 25
  • Writing: 24
110

Minimum component scores:

  • Listening: 22
  • Reading: 24
  • Speaking: 25
  • Writing: 24
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) 185

Minimum 176 per component

191 

Minimum 185 per component

Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) 185

Minimum 176 per component

191 

Minimum 185 per component

  • Global Education
  • Hill Foundation Scholarships
  • A number of Research Council awards are available each year from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
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