Best A-Levels for Studying Law

Best A-Levels for Studying Law

Law is an incredibly popular degree course that many students aspire to study. In 2016 alone, 17,335 people applied to study law at university level: around 72.5% of those applicants were successful. There are several different ways in which you can study law, depending on what your final career goal is. If you’re interested in becoming a practising lawyer, then you’ll need to undertake an LLB, whereas if your focus is on the law as an academic subject, and you’re more interested in learning about the concepts of law, then you can study the subject as both a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree.

Regardless of the type of law degree you choose, if you’re interested in studying law then you’re likely to be wondering what A-levels you should study, what the law degree entry requirements are, and whether you will need to detail any specific knowledge or skills on your UCAS application. Here’s everything you need to know about the best A-levels for studying law:

Why Study Law?

The main reason that many students choose to study law is that they wish to qualify and become a lawyer. However, a traditional law degree takes just three years to complete, whilst it takes five to six years to qualify to become a solicitor, meaning that many law students do not go on to become lawyers. The good news is that law is a robust and highly sought-after degree that teaches a wealth of valuable and transferable skills that can be used in both legal and non-legal industries. No matter what career you’re pursuing, therefore, completing a law degree will give you a professional edge and help you to stand out from the crowd.

Other reasons to study law include that you will be studying for a degree that is useful and will have practical applications in your everyday life. Law applies to your everyday transactions and will help you with everything from buying your first house to honing your negotiating skills. In your working life, the vital skills you will learn from studying law include the ability to interpret complex information, world-class research skills, the ability to create and present sound arguments, great negotiation skills, and the ability to communicate with people from all walks of life with confidence.

Finally, it is not insignificant to note that holding a law degree is impressive and prestigious. Even in non-legal professions, having a law degree carries weight and people overtly recruit those with law degrees for the skills that they have. Law graduates often go into industries such as banking, finance, marketing, and management, as well as traditional roles within the law.

The Type of Knowledge Needed for a Law Degree

Not sure whether law is the right degree course for you? Because law is such an intellectually demanding degree course, it’s important to ensure that you have the skills and knowledge you need before committing to such an expensive and time-consuming course. One of the main skills you will need to study law is good written and verbal communication skills because a significant part of your degree will be assessed through a combination of written examinations and coursework. If you don’t have the verbal confidence to communicate in regular group discussions and coursework then law might not be the right choice for you.

Other skills you will need to study law include a thirst for knowledge and a desire to constantly learn new things and improve your skill set, dedication to studying the law and the ability to be an independent learner, working under your own motivation. Whilst your tutors will support and guide you, you will be responsible for your own success and must plan your own time in order to meet your deadlines. Choosing the right A-levels will be essential in helping you to ensure that you possess all of these skills before you begin your degree course, as many A-levels can teach or hone these skills, which is why they are so desirable to university admissions officers.

As well as ensuring that you have the right A-levels and that you achieve the grades you are offered, if you wish to study law in the UK then you may need to sit an LNAT examination. LNAT is an abbreviation for Law National Aptitude test and it is a test that serves two purposes. Firstly, it is to help you understand whether a law degree is the right path for you before you sign up for a potentially expensive and time-consuming course. Secondly, it helps universities to ensure that you have the aptitude that you will need to succeed in a law course. LNAT is designed to test your verbal reasoning skills, your ability to understand and interpret information, and your ability to analyse information, reason, and draw conclusions. Not every university will require that you sit the LNAT exam as part of the application process, but if you wish to study law at any of the following universities then you will need to do so: University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, Durham University, University of Glasgow, King’s College London, the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of Oxford, SOAS University of London, and University College London.

Studying a law degree

Essential A-Levels for Studying Law

If you wish to study law at university then you will need to take at least two A-levels, with many universities requiring that you study at least three A-levels. You may think that studying law at A-level would be an essential requirement for applying for a place on a law degree, but this isn’t the case. Because many schools and colleges don’t offer law as an A-level subject, and it isn’t as widely available as more traditional academic subjects, it is not a prerequisite for applying for a law degree. This is good news if you start your A-levels unsure about the path you want to take at university level, as it means you won’t have limited your options by not studying law. Of course, if you are able to study for a law A-level and this is an option at your college or school then it is a great way to show your commitment to the profession, to ensure that law is the right subject for you and may help your application stand out from the crowd when it reaches the university admissions officers.

If you’d rather keep your A-levels more open, giving you other options if you change your mind about pursuing a law degree, then perhaps the best subject you can take if you wish to study law is A-level English. English develops your essay writing, fluency and communication skills, which are vital for the study of the law.  Both Oxford University and Cambridge University strongly recommend that prospective law students take A-level English, as an essay-based subject can be so helpful for the course. As leaders in the field, the requirements of Oxbridge are indicative of best practice.

Other subjects on the recommended list from Cambridge University for prospective law students include history, politics, maths, languages and science subjects.

  • History. History is regarded as a great subject for potential law students because, like English, its main focus is on essay writing. The study of history also requires critical thinking, which is one of the most essential skills a law student can possess, and will encourage you to develop logical arguments.
  • Politics. The UK legal system has evolved considerably over the years, and many of those changes have been politically motivated. Studying politics at A-level will provide you with an important backdrop to the laws you will learn about as part of your degree, and this subject will also help you to improve your essay writing skills, in the same way as history and English.
  • Maths. Maths is considered to be one of the hardest and most academic A-levels that you can study, which means that it will appeal to admissions officers and strengthen your law application. Whilst it’s true that law isn’t a traditionally maths-based subject, it does require logical thinking and the ability to follow step-by-step instructions to their conclusions which will be beneficial when studying law. What’s more, maths may also be a handy skill to have if you wish to specialise in tax or corporate law.
  • Languages. The ability to learn a foreign language is a valuable skill that shows a high level of commitment and dedication that will be incredibly valuable if transferred to the practice of learning the law. Language skills will also enable you to work overseas if that is a long-term goal for you.
  • Sciences. You shouldn’t study more than one science subject, as other subjects are more relevant to your chosen degree subject, but taking biology, chemistry or physics will be beneficial because, like maths, they will show that you have a logical mind and are good at problem-solving. These are both skills you need to study law.

Other A-Levels for Studying Law

If you have already chosen two recommended subjects from the list outlined above but are still looking for the right third subject, or if you are considering standing out from the crowd by taking a fourth A-level subject then other subjects that are considered complementary and would still be viewed favourably by university admissions officers are geography, religious studies, music, philosophy and economics. Whilst these subjects are academic subjects and will clearly demonstrate that you have the focus and critical reasoning skills needed to study law at degree level,

Whilst we have extensively outlined the subjects that you should consider taking at A-level if you wish to study law, it’s important to note that there are also subjects that you shouldn’t take. Most universities will prefer traditional academic A-level subjects and therefore practical or non-academic subjects such as dance, art, physical education, and photography are not valued by university admissions officers for law degrees and may even be excluded from your offer or your points total if you are given an acceptance offer.

What’s more, whilst some schools and colleges ask all their students to take mandatory A-level general studies or A-level critical thinking courses, these A-levels should not be included in the three subjects you need to take to fulfil your university admissions criteria. Most universities will specifically state that these subjects are excluded from their permissible A-level requirements. If you have to take these subjects, view them as a supplementary add-on, rather than as a full A-level in their own right.

Getting the Right A-Levels for Law

When applying to study law, it is clear that some A-level subjects are more highly regarded than others, and therefore where possible, these are the subjects you should focus on. But it’s also important to note that the grades you receive are more important than the subject you achieve those grades in: If a university requires that you achieve an A, they won’t offer you a place if you achieve a D in an objectively ‘harder’ subject. For this reason, it is wiser to choose A-level subjects that you enjoy and that you excel in. If you enjoy a subject and find it easy, you’re more likely to achieve the grades you need.

According to The Guardian’s Best University League Tables for Law, the five best universities to study law in the UK are Cambridge University, Oxford University, London School of Economics, UCL and Glasgow University. The grades you would need to achieve to study law at each of these universities are:

  • Cambridge University: A typical offer would be A*AA grades, and you will also be required to pass the LNAT exam before you complete your application.
  • Oxford University: A typical offer would be AAA, and you will also be required to pass the LNAT exam before you complete your application.
  • London School of Economics: A typical offer would be A*AA grades, and you will also be required to pass the LNAT exam before you complete your application.
  • UCL: A typical offer would be A*AA grades, and you will also be required to pass the LNAT exam before you complete your application.
  • Glasgow University: A typical offer would be A*AA grades, and you will also be required to pass the LNAT exam before you complete your application. One of those A-levels must be in English.
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