The University has pulled the plug on its decision to toughen entry requirements for the law course from next year, and has withdrawn legal studies, a new subject offered at sixth form.

In August, the University had defended its decision to make entry requirements for admissions tougher.

According to the University’s course requirements, students joining the Bachelor of Laws course this year need a pass in two subjects at advanced level at grade C or better. Applicants should also be in possession of passes at intermediate level in English or Maltese.

We had asked for the entry requirements to be raised

For next year, the requirements had been changed to a pass at advanced level at grade C or better in both Maltese and English, or in either English and Maltese and another subject.

Applicants, however, would have been required to get passes at grade C or better in three intermediate subjects.

In 2015, students would have needed English and Maltese at advanced level, Italian or French at intermediate level and two other subjects, all at grade C or better.

But yesterday the university said students choosing the law course as from 2014 “will be pleased to learn” that the senate has ruled that only one of the intermediates must be at grade C or better.

The other two are required at grade E or better.

The Italian or French at intermediate requirement for 2015 is no longer a requisite.

Meanwhile, pending comprehensive consultation, the senate decided not to offer legal studies as an intermediate level subject and it was being withdrawn from the list of subjects that can be taken for the Matriculation Certificate.

When contacted, president of the Chamber of Advocates Reuben Balzan expressed disappointment that the minimum requirements at intermediate level changed to one C and two Es.

“My understanding of the situation is that currently Maltese and English are not obligatory to join the law course and under the new requirements they will become obligatory at grade C or better. We welcome this as a positive development.

“On the other hand, we are not pleased with the fact that the minimum requirements at intermediate matriculation level have now changed to one C and two Es.  I think that the minimum should not be less than three Cs.”

Dr Balzan said he “strongly” felt that a student should be in possession of at least either Italian or French, if not both, at intermediate level, and legal studies at an intermediate matriculation level should become a requirement for all future law students.

“As a Chamber we had asked for the entry requirements to be raised since we feel that this is necessary to raise the standard of new law graduates,” he noted.

Legal studies had been placed in a fourth group of subjects, precluding law student hopefuls from choosing it.

Student organisations Pulse and Għsl, had criticised the decision, arguing that legal studies could provide the necessary preparation for aspiring law students.

Yesterday Għsl said it hoped legal studies would be reintroduced as part of the requirements for prospective law.