The Student Room Group

Switching from English to Law

hi - just wondering how possible it is to switch from english literature to law once you're actually at university. i've got offers from warwick and york for english but i'm considering switching.

Reply 1

warwick law is rlly competitive and they dont allow transfers onto the course (idk about internally but im assuming this too will be quite difficult, given that there is unlikely going to be extra space on the course). it defo depends on the university
Original post
by whotookthebump
hi - just wondering how possible it is to switch from english literature to law once you're actually at university. i've got offers from warwick and york for english but i'm considering switching.

Hi @whotookthebump ,

Unfortunately this will depend on the university - they may only do this if there is sufficient space, you meet the academic requirements and have properly discussed this with staff.

However, if you're unable to switch to law, please don't think you've lost your chance to study it! If you're certain you want to study an LLB (for example, if the academic and theoretical side of law appeals to you), you could always take a gap year and apply for law degrees next year. Alternatively, you could stick with English Literature for your undergraduate degree and then study a postgraduate conversion course (PGDL). If you're thinking about a legal career in the long-term, I would argue that this could actually be a better option - the unique skills and experiences you will gain through studying a non-law degree often set you apart from law students and are highly attractive to law firms. If you apply for vacation schemes and training contracts during your undergraduate degree, you may even be lucky enough to have a firm both offer you a graduate job and sponsor you through the PGDL and SQEs (that is, if you wanted to become a solicitor).

Best of luck with whichever you choose to study!

Holly - PGDL Student
University of Law
Hi @whotookthebump

Congratulations on your offer to study at York!

To answer your question, while it is possible to transfer if you have the relevant grades, our Law course is very popular and is usually full. If you start your studies and apply to transfer, you'll most likely be put on a waiting list and if a place does open up you may be offered it. However, I cannot guarantee how likely this will be.

An alternative option might be to complete your English course and then apply for our Graduate Diploma in Law. This is a one-year postgraduate course that teaches you the foundations of English Law and will allow you to meet the requirements to qualify as a solicitor or barrister.

Hope that was helpful. If you'd like to know more, you can get in touch with York Law School's undergraduate team at [email protected] or I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.

Thanks,
Sam

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