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Faculty of Law
Master of Common Law
MCL | Full-time
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Programme Highlights:
Expected Duration
Expected Duration
1 year
Fees
Fees
HK$220,000
Expected Programme Start Date
Expected Programme Start Date
1st September
Application Deadline
Application Deadline
Main Round:
12:00 noon (GMT +8), December 13, 2024
Clearing Round:
12:00 noon (GMT +8), February 28, 2025
Description
Description
Full Time (one year)
Closed to Applications
Expected Duration
Expected Duration
Fees
Fees
To be updated
Expected Programme Start Date
Expected Programme Start Date
To be updated
Application Deadline
Application Deadline
Description
Description
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Overview

The Master of Common Law (MCL) programme is tailored for law graduates from non-common law jurisdictions, notably those from Mainland China, who seek to gain expertise in common law as practiced in Hong Kong and other common law jurisdictions.

Entrance Requirements

*The following changes for admission in the academic year 2025-2026 will be subject to the University’s approval

Applicants must comply with the General Regulations, the Regulation for Taught Postgraduate Curricula, and fulfil the following requirements

(1) Hold a degree of Bachelor of Laws with at least second class honours or equivalent qualification from a university or comparable institution in a non-common law jurisdiction; and

(2) For a candidate who is seeking admission on the basis of a qualification from a university or comparable institution outside Hong Kong of which the language of teaching and/or examination is not English, shall satisfy the Faculty English language requirement with one of the following recognized English tests:

a. International English Language Testing System (IELTS - Academic) - an overall band score of 7.0 or above with no subject below 6.5; or

b. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) - 97 or above

In each case, for admissions purposes, the test score report is regarded as valid for two years of the application deadline.

Subject to satisfying these entrance requirements, applications are considered for admission based on factors including the applicant's academic record, their relevant experience, academic and other references, the quality of their personal statement, and other information submitted in the application. Admission decisions will be made in light of other applications received and subject to admissions quota, if any.

Important Remark(s):

1. Admission to the programme is typically competitive.  We strongly encourage applicants to submit their applications early and ensure they are complete.

2. All supporting documents must be submitted within 15 calendar days  from the date of your application.

3. If you anticipate being unable to meet all documentary requirements simultaneously, we encourage you to proceed with your application. Please include a brief explanation of the reason for the delay and indicate when the required documents will be available.

4. Applications will not be reviewed or processed until they are complete. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all materials are submitted in a timely manner.

Download Documents

For additional information, we recommend reviewing the following documents:

Additional Information
PDFPDF Document
Regulations & Syllabuses
PDFPDF Document
Supporting Documents
PDFPDF Document
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Faculty

Faculty of Law
The Faculty of Law at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) traces its origins to 1969, when a Department of Law was established within the Faculty of Social Sciences. Beginning with three teachers and 40 students, the Department offered a three-year LLB degree and, from 1972, a one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL). The department was Hong Kong's first law school, and its LLB and PCLL were the first local university qualifications to be recognized for admission to legal practice in Hong Kong. Formerly, all barristers and most solicitors had trained and qualified in the United Kingdom. Law had been taught at HKU in the 1920s and 1930s, but only as part of a broad-based Arts curriculum. From 1964 to 1969 the Department of Extra-mural Studies at HKU had also taught part-time courses leading to an external LLB degree from the University of London. The law school at HKU was designed to increase the supply of lawyers, train lawyers in Hong Kong law rather than just English law, and make formal legal education available without the need for students to go overseas.

From a teaching department in 1969 to a Faculty today with about 2,500 students and over 80 full-time academic staff from about 17 jurisdictions, the Faculty of Law has been the training ground of many distinguished legal minds. Generations of lawyers who graduated from the Faculty now form the backbone of the legal profession and protect the Rule of Law in Hong Kong, which is crucial to the success of the territory.

The Faculty is committed to academic and professional excellence in meeting the challenges of a rapidly changing environment. While the Faculty has gone a long way from its inception, it continues its efforts in international outreach, in strengthening the ties with Mainland China, and in enhancing the quality of legal education with a view to train not just good lawyers but also leaders who have a passion to serve, wherever they are.

You can find more information about HKU Law at https://www.law.hku.hk/.
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Contacts

If you have any inquiries regarding the programme or faculty, please do not hesitate to reach out to us using the contact methods provided below:

Programme Admissions Advisor(s)
Professor John LIU
Contact Info
Faculty of Law, HKU