PG Certificate in Law

Our new 60-credit Postgraduate Certificate in Law allows students to apply and enrol into existing LLM law half-modules on a full-time basis for one term (either Term 1 or Term 2) only. Students who successfully complete the 60 credits in a single term will be conferred the PG Certificate in Law.

The new Postgraduate Certificate in Law Programme gives students the opportunity to study at our vibrant School of Law with its unique focus on the legal systems and legal challenges of the Global South generally and Asia, Africa and the Middle East in particular, without having to enrol for a full LLM. The structure of the Postgraduate Certificate in Law allows students to create their own programme of study, choosing from a wide array of 15-credit modules, including those in comparative law, international law, law and development, commercial and trade law, human rights, environmental law, Islamic law and dispute resolution. The Postgraduate Certificate in Law can only be taken full time over a period of one term, either Term 1 or Term 2 of the academic year.

Why SOAS?

• We are ranked in the UK top 20 (QS World University Rankings 2023)
• Our research publications have been rated first in the UK - and our School of Law rated sixth in the UK - in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
• Our Postgraduate Certificate in Law teaching reflects our research strengths in the laws of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and in Islamic, international, human rights, commercial and trade, comparative, and environmental law. Much of our teaching concerns the critical study of law and the ways that law can be used to marginalise or to empower individuals and communities.
• In today’s globalised environment, our teaching also explores the study of the society in which the law operates, and the relationship of law to other structuring forces such as gender, sexuality, race, and economic status.
• All teachers on modules offered at SOAS are experts in their designated field, and many have years of experience advising governments, international and non-governmental organisations, or in professional practice.
• Undertaking the PG Certificate in Law at SOAS brings you into the heart of a world-leading, one-of-a-kind law school to study the world’s most pressing legal issues.

The PG Certificate in Law programme is ideal for Law graduates, current second and third year JD students and legal professionals who wish to expand their knowledge of, and critical engagement with, law - particularly as it relates to the Global South, without committing to a full LLM programme. With the PG Certificate in Law you will join an international network of alumni of the School of Law at SOAS, many of whom are now working at the UN, in NGOs, in government, in private practice, in policy work or in academia.

Applicants with bachelor’s degree equivalent to 2:ii: CGPA: 55-60% or 5.5/10 - 6.0/10 from a good university will be considered for entry. We will consider all applications with a Bachelor of Laws with 2:2 (or international equivalent). Applicants without a Bachelors in Law may apply for the LLM but need to demonstrate a high level of professional or academic experience in Law. In addition to degree classification we take into account other elements of the application such as supporting statement. References are optional, but can help build a stronger application if you fall below the listed requirements or have non-traditional qualifications.