Law or History at Uni?
I want to go into a Law career and am currently studying History, Government and Politics, Philosophy and Ethics, and Maths; all predicted A's at AS. I also got 9A*'s and 1A for GCSEs, but am not sure what to apply for Uni.
I really enjoy history, but have done 3 work experiences in Law which would seem useless in applying for history? I also think I would enjoy Law, so I am not sure what course to apply for because I have heard the degree is very boring and History would be a lot more interesting.
I really enjoy history, but have done 3 work experiences in Law which would seem useless in applying for history? I also think I would enjoy Law, so I am not sure what course to apply for because I have heard the degree is very boring and History would be a lot more interesting.
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(might be a bit biased as have applied for History)
My intial advice would be to wait to see how you do in AS, a lot can change! But if you stay on target and do well then getting onto either course doesn't seem like a problem. Personally I'm looking to do History and then do a conversion, shows a little bit of life experience which is always important to employers and gives you a good academic degree to fall back on. As for work experience, it's difficult to have experience in History so it will still be highly regarded. Good luck in whatever you decide!
My intial advice would be to wait to see how you do in AS, a lot can change! But if you stay on target and do well then getting onto either course doesn't seem like a problem. Personally I'm looking to do History and then do a conversion, shows a little bit of life experience which is always important to employers and gives you a good academic degree to fall back on. As for work experience, it's difficult to have experience in History so it will still be highly regarded. Good luck in whatever you decide!
Original post by elwatson2
(might be a bit biased as have applied for History)
My intial advice would be to wait to see how you do in AS, a lot can change! But if you stay on target and do well then getting onto either course doesn't seem like a problem. Personally I'm looking to do History and then do a conversion, shows a little bit of life experience which is always important to employers and gives you a good academic degree to fall back on. As for work experience, it's difficult to have experience in History so it will still be highly regarded. Good luck in whatever you decide!
My intial advice would be to wait to see how you do in AS, a lot can change! But if you stay on target and do well then getting onto either course doesn't seem like a problem. Personally I'm looking to do History and then do a conversion, shows a little bit of life experience which is always important to employers and gives you a good academic degree to fall back on. As for work experience, it's difficult to have experience in History so it will still be highly regarded. Good luck in whatever you decide!
Obviously if I don't get a very good grade in history then I won't apply for it, but assuming I did; in terms of getting to the top universities ie Oxbridge, which would be easier bearing what I have in mind? Because to be honest I wouldn't mind studying either and Law does still offer many good skills as does history. But thanks!
Original post by DommTurner
Obviously if I don't get a very good grade in history then I won't apply for it, but assuming I did; in terms of getting to the top universities ie Oxbridge, which would be easier bearing what I have in mind? Because to be honest I wouldn't mind studying either and Law does still offer many good skills as does history. But thanks!
Probably History, marginally but they're both quite competitive subjects.
Here's Oxford's stats: http://www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/facts_and_figures/undergraduate_admissions_statistics/courses.html
The Law work experience won't be that useful for getting into Law either to be honest, they're much more concerned about your interest in the subject, and both are well respected academic degrees.
Do some research into the advantages and disadvantages of each for you, eg. Law generally being exam heavy, quite a prescriptive course but History you may have to limit your uni choices to those which teach your particular period of interest, whilst most Law schools have roughly comparable curricula. Read a few books about Law, see if you'd fancy studying it for 3 years or not.
Neither. Both incredibly dull and boring subjects. You'll be falling asleep in lessons at the rate of £9,000 a year.
Go for the one that you find intrinsically more interesting. Both are competitive at top universities, so personally I don't think you should let the chances of getting in for one rather than the other sway you in that direction.
Also, if your primary interest in law is as a possible profession, you should definitely consider doing a BA in history and then a law conversion course (GDL) afterwards. This takes one year full-time (two part-time) rather than three for a standard undergraduate degree, and focuses on what you need to become a lawyer. If you've got a good first degree and are sure that you want to become a lawyer you can get funding for the GDL from a prospective employer law firm.
Also, if your primary interest in law is as a possible profession, you should definitely consider doing a BA in history and then a law conversion course (GDL) afterwards. This takes one year full-time (two part-time) rather than three for a standard undergraduate degree, and focuses on what you need to become a lawyer. If you've got a good first degree and are sure that you want to become a lawyer you can get funding for the GDL from a prospective employer law firm.
I was in the same situation last year. How did you find the work experience?
If you're really split between the two may I suggest doing a history degree and then a law conversion course?
Because it seems you find history as a subject more interesting but law as a career grabs your attention
Because it seems you find history as a subject more interesting but law as a career grabs your attention
Original post by Zedd
Perhaps the OP might like to consider an LL.B in Law and History at a university with good departments in both subjects? You may even be able to drop one in favour of the other if the university were to allow it.
Difficult. I've seen Law with politics/criminlogy/business/a language and that's about it, qualifying system means that other depts. aren't that keen to take on Law students for just a couple of modules.
If OP's Scottish or amenable to working in Scotland it's a lot easier I think. South of the border best options are probably things like Birmingham's new Liberal Arts degree, think Durham and Exeter might do something along those lines too.
If they just want to be a lawyer best option is probably History undergrad degree and then the conversion.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by roh
Difficult. I've seen Law with politics/criminlogy/business/a language and that's about it, qualifying system means that other depts. aren't that keen to take on Law students for just a couple of modules.
If OP's Scottish or amenable to working in Scotland it's a lot easier I think. South of the border best options are probably things like Birmingham's new Liberal Arts degree, think Durham and Exeter might do something along those lines too.
If they just want to be a lawyer best option is probably History undergrad degree and then the conversion.
If OP's Scottish or amenable to working in Scotland it's a lot easier I think. South of the border best options are probably things like Birmingham's new Liberal Arts degree, think Durham and Exeter might do something along those lines too.
If they just want to be a lawyer best option is probably History undergrad degree and then the conversion.
Having a quick look around at some unis I can see what you mean. It's definitely easier to do joint or major/minor degrees in law and another subject in Scotland, but then that comes with its own problems.
Something else to consider is that the OP could do postgraduate courses/research in history with a law degree (within reason).
Original post by Dilloneranger
I was in the same situation last year. How did you find the work experience?
I found it really interesting actually, but from what I've heard, the experience doesn't relate to the degree does it?
What did you end up studying?
Original post by DommTurner
I found it really interesting actually, but from what I've heard, the experience doesn't relate to the degree does it?
What did you end up studying?
What did you end up studying?
I found that the qualities I had to embrace in my work experience were qualities I really enjoyed developing, so that convinced me to apply to read law, where I would be using these qualities all the time.
Original post by Dilloneranger
I found that the qualities I had to embrace in my work experience were qualities I really enjoyed developing, so that convinced me to apply to read law, where I would be using these qualities all the time.
Where are you reading it? And what sort of books do you read?
Original post by roh
The Law work experience won't be that useful for getting into Law either to be honest, they're much more concerned about your interest in the subject, and both are well respected academic degrees.
Do some research into the advantages and disadvantages of each for you, eg. Law generally being exam heavy, quite a prescriptive course but History you may have to limit your uni choices to those which teach your particular period of interest, whilst most Law schools have roughly comparable curricula. Read a few books about Law, see if you'd fancy studying it for 3 years or not.
The Law work experience won't be that useful for getting into Law either to be honest, they're much more concerned about your interest in the subject, and both are well respected academic degrees.
Do some research into the advantages and disadvantages of each for you, eg. Law generally being exam heavy, quite a prescriptive course but History you may have to limit your uni choices to those which teach your particular period of interest, whilst most Law schools have roughly comparable curricula. Read a few books about Law, see if you'd fancy studying it for 3 years or not.
But with the work experience I will be able to demonstrate my enthusiasm for the subject? especially as the rest of my extra-curricular activities such as debating, would enhance my application. Whereas you can't really do the same thing for history?
Also what kind of books are read at uni, something like 'The English Constitution' by Bagehot?
Original post by roh
Difficult. I've seen Law with politics/criminlogy/business/a language and that's about it, qualifying system means that other depts. aren't that keen to take on Law students for just a couple of modules.
If OP's Scottish or amenable to working in Scotland it's a lot easier I think. South of the border best options are probably things like Birmingham's new Liberal Arts degree, think Durham and Exeter might do something along those lines too.
If they just want to be a lawyer best option is probably History undergrad degree and then the conversion.
If OP's Scottish or amenable to working in Scotland it's a lot easier I think. South of the border best options are probably things like Birmingham's new Liberal Arts degree, think Durham and Exeter might do something along those lines too.
If they just want to be a lawyer best option is probably History undergrad degree and then the conversion.
If the OP is credibly an Oxbridge candidate then he might study History and Law at Cambridge, though not at Oxford.
This would involve taking the 2 year part I in history and then a 2 year part II in Law (so, yes, it becomes a 4 year undergraduate course, but so are those in Scotland).
The advantage here is that the decision as to whether or not to convert shouldn't have to be made for a further 2 years. He might very well decide only to stay with History, completing the 1 year Part II of the History Tripos.
Here's an example of someone presently at Cambridge doing Part II in Law having completed part I in another subject (here, Geography).
http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/gavin-bennison-part-i-geography-part-ii-law
Original post by DommTurner
Where are you reading it? And what sort of books do you read?
Hopefully Cambridge, gonna find out the results in a few weeks.. I would really recommend "What About Law" and I know lots of people read "Letters To A Law Student"
Original post by DommTurner
But with the work experience I will be able to demonstrate my enthusiasm for the subject? especially as the rest of my extra-curricular activities such as debating, would enhance my application. Whereas you can't really do the same thing for history?
Also what kind of books are read at uni, something like 'The English Constitution' by Bagehot?
Also what kind of books are read at uni, something like 'The English Constitution' by Bagehot?
With work experience in which you have certain experiences in which you witness certain aspects of Law (ideal world a case at Court of Appeal or higher, but this would mean getting wither incredibly lucky with a sol or scoring WE at a top end chambers), it's also possible to, and many applicants do, put it in your PS in a way which doesn't say much about your interest in Law. If you do go for Law and have WE, PM me and I should be able to help show how to work it to sound academic. The basic rule would be only discuss contentious legal issues you saw being discussed, nothing procedural and not much evidential, problem is these aren't daily occurrences in practice and would probably require you to deliberately bring up a current issue with whoever you were shadowing.
That would be fine if you're interested in Constitutional, but don't feel at all obliged to do that, just find an introductory book for any subject area which interests you (if you have access to a uni library just find the relevant section and go for the smaller end of the books, likely about 200-300 pages).
Original post by cambio wechsel
If the OP is credibly an Oxbridge candidate then he might study History and Law at Cambridge, though not at Oxford.
This would involve taking the 2 year part I in history and then a 2 year part II in Law (so, yes, it becomes a 4 year undergraduate course, but so are those in Scotland).
The advantage here is that the decision as to whether or not to convert shouldn't have to be made for a further 2 years. He might very well decide only to stay with History, completing the 1 year Part II of the History Tripos.
Here's an example of someone presently at Cambridge doing Part II in Law having completed part I in another subject (here, Geography).
http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/gavin-bennison-part-i-geography-part-ii-law
This would involve taking the 2 year part I in history and then a 2 year part II in Law (so, yes, it becomes a 4 year undergraduate course, but so are those in Scotland).
The advantage here is that the decision as to whether or not to convert shouldn't have to be made for a further 2 years. He might very well decide only to stay with History, completing the 1 year Part II of the History Tripos.
Here's an example of someone presently at Cambridge doing Part II in Law having completed part I in another subject (here, Geography).
http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/gavin-bennison-part-i-geography-part-ii-law
I know he could split Part I and II of his Tripos, but you don't apply to do that do you? So he'd have to decide to apply for one or the other at UCAS stage? Sorry, could be wrong but I thought it was designed to allow flexibility once you were in and felt you preferred another subject, not to go that way from the start (with possible execptions for Chem Eng and Management). I know my friend at Cam said it was easier to stick to her English degree then do GDL than switch, but I guess that could have just been her college/DoS?
(edited 11 years ago)
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