MSc in Law and Finance

University of Oxford

About the course

The MSc in Law and Finance (MLF) is taught jointly by the Law Faculty and the Saïd Business School. It will provide you with an advanced interdisciplinary understanding of economic and financial concepts and their application to legal topics. The MSc combines a highly analytic academic core with tailor-made practical applications derived from collaboration with professional and regulatory organisations.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Law Faculty and/or the Saïd Business School and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Law Faculty and/or the Saïd Business School.

Assessment

MLF students undertake assessment and/or examinations in each of the three terms of the programme. The core course of Finance, Law and Economics of Corporate Transactions and First Principles of Financial Economics use a range of assessment methods which may include group work exercises, timed examinations and formal coursework.

Most law elective subjects are assessed by means of timed examinations at the end of the course but a number use assessed essays written over a longer period. Further information about forms of assessment is provided on the Law Faculty Admissions page. Those taking the dissertation option are required to submit a 10,000 to 12,500 word dissertation in the third term.

Finance Stream courses are assessed by formal coursework and/or practical work and/or a timed examination during the second and third terms.

Graduate destinations

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.