A Masters in Law will educate you into the regulatory system accepted in a particular country or region and will be a source of great professional opportunities.
Applicants
Though arduous and heavy, Law studies will give you a broad range of specialisations to choose from. For your Masters degree, you may want to focus on European Law, Intellectual Property Law, Criminal Law, Corporate Law, Environmental Law, and others. Getting your hands on that degree will be a time-consuming and difficult process but it will develop the tenacity, communication skills, and vast knowledge necessary to practise in the field. Needless to say, problem solving and objective thinking are in the centre of legal practice. A Masters specialisation will also go in more depth than familiarising you only with the academic point of view. It will teach you to manage your time and take responsibility for the conclusions you make based on complex information.
Course content
A Bachelor’s study in Law introduces students early on to matters of politics, economics, sociology, and ethics necessary to become proficient in the field. Depending on the direction you choose to go in with a Masters, these subjects will still form the basis of your training. Law schools are doing their best to deliver interdisciplinary and flexible programmes, which in turn encourage active discussions and class participation. You should also be prepared to do a lot more reading – the contents of heavy, and sometimes costly, textbooks will be essential for getting through your programme successfully.
Admission requirements
Getting accepted in a Masters programme in Law usually requires that students have obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Law or Legal Studies. For some universities, a Bachelor’s degree which is in a different scholarly field may also be acceptable if students can prove that their undergraduate studies are of sufficient relevance to legal practise. If you are not a native English speaker, you will most likely need to prepare your results from an English proficiency test before your application. The requirements for previous work experience will differ depending on the institution of your choice. Some Masters programmes do not require that applicants have professional experience in law, while others may state that work experience between one and three years is desirable. In any case, proving that you are more experienced than other fresh graduates could be a differentiating factor for your Masters application.
Career options
Before choosing the specific location of your studies, you may also want to consider the destination where you will eventually want to practise law. Some studies are specifically focused on the legal system in the region or country where the programme takes place. In such cases, work outside of this same region may require knowledge and experience which you are not versed in. On the other hand, studies in International Law will allow you to develop the knowledge of different international contexts.
When it comes to particular occupations, examples include barrister, solicitor, paralegal, consultant, company secretary, and more. Keep in mind that as a recent graduate, your professional growth will also take some time. If you are interested in pursuing a more authoritative position, you need to be prepared to gain experience and climb the ladder of a particular legal system more gradually compared to other fields.
For an overview of some of the most popular Masters programmes, click here
