University of The Philippines College of Law - Programs and Admissions

Programs and Admissions

The College first conferred the Juris Doctor (J.D.) on its April 2008 graduates, after a change in degree title was approved by the U.P. administration the previous year. Like the majority of law schools in the country, U.P. used to provide the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), a standard four-year law program covering all subjects in the bar exams, until the change to J.D. was made in order to reflect more accurately the U.P. law program being a "professional as well as a post baccalaureate degree." In the past, the College also offered the Master of Laws program.

Through the Law Center, the College conducts Mandatory Continuing Legal Education programs for the members of the Philippine Bar, consisting of a series of seminars on various aspects of the legal and judicial profession offered throughout the year. The College also hosts various conferences, fora, colloquia and workshops, which serve as formal and informal channels of communication, information, and education provided by the University of the Philippines Law Center.

The college has the lowest admission rate among Philippine law schools. The criteria for admissions includes the general weighted average earned by the applicants in their undergraduate programs; the scores in the Law Aptitude Examination given by the College; and the performance in an admissions interview conducted by members of the U.P. Law Admissions Committee.