Aspiring law students will now need two language A levels. Photo: Jason Borg

English and Maltese A level will be mandatory subjects to enter the University law course from next year following recent changes in entry requirements.

Aspiring law students must now obtain A levels in both languages (at grade C or better), as well as an intermediate certificate in Italian or French.

This means students who opted for subjects such as history, philosophy, economics, sociology, IT or other languages, such as Italian and French, at A level, will no longer be able to opt for law at University.

To compound matters, aspiring law students are also being prevented from opting for legal studies, a new subject being offered at sixth form.

The regulations deem legal studies as “not intended for students planning to join the Law Course”, but students are objecting, arguing that the intermediate subject would provide good preparation for aspiring law students.

Entry requirements for the highly popular University law course have often undergone amendments.

In our opinion, this defies the logical aim of the subject

In the past, students were also required to have A level certificates in English, Maltese and Italian to enter the course. These requirements were eventually relaxed and, until two years ago, students were allowed to enter with any two A levels.

This was seen as a way of responding to changes in the employment prospects of lawyers since the industry also started to demand lawyers with IT skills and financial backgrounds.

Last year, however, the University decided law students should have either English or Maltese at A level.

Entry to the course has now become stricter, closing the door for anyone who opts for an A level in any subject other than English and Maltese.

Meanwhile, a number of student organisations yesterday objected to the fact that aspiring law students will not be able to choose legal studies at intermediate level.

“When one reads the course description it is obvious that this subject would help prepare aspiring law students,” law student representative Paul Caruana Turner said.

“Such a subject has long been needed and suggested by students and lecturers alike.”

But aspiring law students who now require English, Maltese and Italian or French, can only choose their other two intermediate subjects from Group 2 (humanities) and Group 3 (sciences). Legal studies falls under Group 4.

“In our opinion, this defies the logical aim of the subject, which has the possibility of potentially helping hundreds of students prepare for their University course,” he said.

University organisations Pulse and Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi yesterday called for the Education Ministry to rectify the situation and discuss the way forward with stakeholders.

“As it stands, the people who would best be served by legal studies will be unable to select it, whether intentionally or due to an administrative oversight,” Mr Caruana Turner said.