Converting to law the MA way

Non-law graduates may choose an MA in law as an alternative to the traditional law conversion course. Both these postgraduate study routes provide the legal knowledge they need to be eligible for the vocational stage of a lawyer's professional training: the Bar professional training course for barristers, and the legal practice course for solicitors.

MAs in law tend to take two years full time and cover subjects in greater depth, whereas a traditional law conversion course such as the common professional examination (CPE) or graduate diploma in law (GDL) takes one year full time or two years part time.

Why choose a law conversion course that takes longer?

Jamie Turner, a politics graduate from the University of Sheffield, decided to study for a two-year MA in law at the same university rather than take the traditional CPE. Jamie felt that the MA course would give him a broader knowledge of law, as it covered a much wider range of subjects than the CPE.

He found that, as the course was spread over two years and was therefore slightly less intensive than some other conversion courses, he could work part time to fund his studies and still have a life outside work and the course. He was also able to live in Nottingham and commute to Sheffield for lectures and seminars.

The academic challenge of an MA in law

Jamie says, 'The work expected was definitely a big step up from my undergraduate degree but this was largely due to the quantity rather than its difficulty. I found the methodology for structuring legal questions and answering them very different from anything I had done before. The course requires a lot of reading so it helps to be organised.'

Advice to other graduates considering an MA in law

Jamie found that studying for a masters gave him an excellent grounding in law and prepared him well for the next step. However, he warns, 'Make sure the course is right for you and that you are doing it for the right reasons and not because you don't know what else to do. There is the potential to have a high-earning career but you must offset this with the tuition fees and the living expenses involved in qualifying.'