MSc in Law and Finance

at University of Oxford

Students studying the MLF take three core courses and then choose either to take the law or finance stream. There are also pre-sessional courses in maths and financial reporting.

Core courses

There are two core finance courses (Finance and First Principles of Financial Economics), and a core interdisciplinary course (Law and Economics of Corporate Transactions). Finance is taught during the first and second terms. First Principles of Financial Economics is taught during the first term and Law and Economics of Corporate Transactions is taught during the second and third terms.

Law stream

In addition to the 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). Students may choose to select two half options in law in place of a law elective, thereby allowing students to study a wider range of subjects. 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). Teaching may be delivered over the duration of the academic year using a range of different formats, including lectures, seminars and tutorials. 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.

Finance stream

Currently, as an alternative to taking two law electives, MLF students can select the Finance Stream, which is taught by interactive classes at the Saïd Business School during the second and third terms. By selecting the Finance Stream, 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 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.

Proven and potential academic excellence

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
 

• a first-class or a very strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours 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.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
 

• Work experience in a relevant field may be an advantage but is not a requirement.

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

• Publications are not expected. They may, in certain circumstances, advantage an application but it is appreciated that the opportunity to publish may vary considerably depending on factors such as the stage the student has reached in their academic career and the structure of the course(s) they have studied. Consequently, a lack of publications will not be assessed negatively.

English language proficiency

Minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level requirement

IELTS Academic

 7.5  

TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition'

110

Home    
£45,490

Overseas    
£45,490

Typically, over 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 dedicated MLF careers support as you consider your career strategy and move into the application and interview processes. 

Additional speaker events are run to complement 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.