Law with Law Studies in Europe

Law at Oxford combines intellectual depth with extraordinary breadth, developing not just knowledge of legal doctrine but the capacity to reason from legal principles with precision and to engage critically with the foundations of legal systems. The study of European law adds a comparative and international dimension that is particularly significant: European legal traditions, rooted in Roman law and developed through the civil law systems of continental Europe, differ fundamentally from the English common law, and understanding both systems in depth is an achievement of genuine scholarly distinction.

This four-year programme focuses on European law in the broadest sense, encompassing both the laws of EU member states and the European legal tradition that connects them, studied alongside English and Welsh law. You will engage with the major areas of English private and public law while developing rigorous understanding of European private law, administrative law, and the comparative legal scholarship that illuminates the differences and connections between legal systems. Oxford's tutorial system ensures that your legal reasoning is constantly challenged and refined through intensive one-to-one and small-group teaching.

Graduates are exceptionally well prepared for careers at the highest levels of the legal profession in England, Wales, and across Europe. International commercial law firms, barristers' chambers specialising in commercial and public law, EU institutions, international arbitration bodies, academic research, and the civil service are all prominent destinations. The European law specialism is particularly valuable for those seeking careers in contexts where cross-jurisdictional legal expertise is required, including transnational commercial practice, EU policy, and comparative legal research.

Postgraduate study in European law, comparative law, or international law is a natural continuation for those who wish to pursue scholarship.