Oxford Law (BA Jurisprudence): Complete Module Guide

Oxford’s BA Jurisprudence is a three-year degree structured around two stages: Moderations (Mods) in the first year and Finals (FHS) in years two and three. It is widely regarded as the most academically demanding law degree in the UK — combining rigorous doctrinal analysis with jurisprudential theory from day one.

Moderations (Year 1) covers four compulsory subjects: Roman Law (Roman Private Law or Roman Legal History), Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Contract Law. Mods are examined in Trinity term by three-hour written papers. Roman Law is unique to Oxford at undergraduate level and is assessed as a standalone paper — it rewards students who enjoy the historical and comparative dimensions of law.

FHS Core (Years 2–3)includes Tort, Land Law, Equity & Trusts, Administrative Law, European Human Rights Law, and Jurisprudence (legal theory). Jurisprudence is compulsory and involves close reading of Hart, Dworkin, Raz, and others — it is one of the papers that most distinguishes Oxford from other law degrees. Tutorials are the primary teaching method: you write an essay per week per subject and defend it in a one-on-one or two-on-one session with a tutor.

FHS Electives allow students to choose three or four optional subjects from a list that includes Company Law, Family Law, Employment Law, Intellectual Property, International Law, Taxation, Criminology, and others. The elective papers often feature the most cutting-edge scholarship and are where students develop specialism.

Finals are assessed almost entirely by closed-book written exams — typically twelve three-hour papers across two weeks in June of third year. The degree is graded as First, 2:1, 2:2, or Third. Use our Oxford BA flashcard decks and practice papers to prepare.