What type of students take Land Economy?

There are between 40 and 50 Part IA (first year) students admitted each year to Land Economy. The Department will also usually accept one or two students as affiliates or transfers into Part IB and Part II. There are currently approximately 130 undergraduate students in the Department, 120 graduate students (MPhil/PhD) and 40 members of teaching and research staff.

Applicants for the Tripos are drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds and have a wide variety of goals. There is no stereotype and the Department has students with a mix of skills and interests.

What grades at A level do I need?

What subjects should I take at A level?

Do I need A level Mathematics, Law or Economics?

I did not take A levels but an equivalent, does this matter?

The normal requirement for undergraduate applicants to Land Economy is A*AA at A level. The Department does not require applicants to have taken particular subjects prior to joining. Part IA (year one) is designed to develop the core skills required for Land Economy and therefore students who have not studied core subjects like law and economics before do not find themselves at a disadvantage. Our students tend to have a mix of subjects at A level in both humanities and sciences. This said, by the very nature of the subject geography, economics, maths and law are useful subjects to have studied.

If you are not taking A level but an equivalent exam (eg IB, Abitur) the entry requirements are those considered by the University to be equivalent to A*AA at A level. Details of this can be found in the Cambridge University Undergraduate Prospectus or on the Undergraduate Admissions website. If this still does not answer your questions it is recommended that students contact the College Admissions Office at their chosen college to ask for more specific advice.

What other requirements might I be expected to meet?

Will I have to take a written test as well as have an interview?

English is not my first language, do I need to take an English language test?

The University used to stipulate minimum matriculation requirements for all applicants regardless of their course of study. These requirements were abolished from 2009 onwards.

If English is not your first language you may be required to meet a specific English language requirement. Details can be found in the Cambridge University Undergraduate Prospectus or on the Undergraduate Admissions website.

It is the colleges who decide any additional requirements that students are expected to meet. It is the colleges who decide whether applicants should have only an interview, submit written work or sit a test, and this varies between colleges. Information on the individual college requirements can be found on the Undergraduate Admissions website or by contacting colleges directly.

Is there a part–time Land Economy undergraduate degree?

Can I study Land Economy in combination with another subject?

There is no part-time course at Land Economy. Land Economy can not be taken as a joint or combined degree.

What are my chances of getting a place to study Land Economy?

What are the College quotas for Undergraduate students?

Cambridge Colleges operate a pool system, so individual College statistics are actually meaningless when trying to work out your chances of getting a place. For example, College X may have 3 places, 10 applicants and so apparently a 3:10 ratio. They may however take NONE of these 10 applicants, but instead take their students from the "pool", or alternatively all 10 applicants may be excellent and so 7 will go to other Colleges! Overall, the ration of applicants to places for Land Economy is close to the University average of 3.5:1.

Colleges do not generally have quotas, but will take the best people they see.

Which College should I apply to?

Will my choice of College effect my chances of getting into Land Economy?

Where can I find information about the colleges?

We are unable to advise which College to apply to. We would recommend that you have a good look at the Colleges and decide where you think you would be happiest for three years. This is a personal choice according to your likes and interests. In most years we have students from approximately 10 different Colleges and there is no special advantage to you applying to one College over another. Each year the numbers of applicants to each College is different and the number of students studying Land Economy in each College is different. There are however a few Colleges that do not take Land Economy students. Currently these are Corpus Christi, Churchill, Emmanuel, King's and Peterhouse.

Further details of the Cambridge colleges can be found on the University website, individual college websites or by contacting the College Admissions Office at a specific college.

Where can I get a Cambridge Overseas Application form (COAF)?

Where can I find further details on applying to Cambridge University?

Where can I find information on financial support?

Where can I find information for international students?

How should I prepare for my interview?

The University of Cambridge Undergraduate Prospectus and the Undergraduate Admissions website contain a wide range of information regarding the applications process, what is expected of applicants, fees, college information, open days and more.

It hosts information for international students, mature students and students with a disability. You can download the Cambridge Overseas Application Form (COAF) from this site as well as publications about funding and interviews.

If you still have questions it is recommended that you contact the Cambridge Admissions Office, who should be able to give you further advice.

How is the course taught?

How are supervisors allocated?

Teaching in the Department (and in Cambridge in general) takes the form of lectures and supervisions (small group teaching). The lecturers and supervisors in these instances will be those that teach on a particular paper and have knowledge of that particular area.

You will also have a Director of Studies, usually a member of the Department, who is responsible for checking your overall progress. Directors of Studies are assigned by the colleges and who your Director of Studies is will therefore be dependant upon the College to which you apply.

In year three of the undergraduate course you will also have a supervisor for your dissertation. This supervisor will be someone who has a background in an area related to your research topic.

Where can I get hold of a Land Economy reading list?

A reading list for new students, affiliates or transferring students can be found on this website by going to the main menu and selecting Courses/Undergraduate/Reading for new students or by clicking here. This list is designed to give students a broad introduction to the core subject areas of Land Economy.

I am applying for Economics / Geography / Law at other Universities. What are the Department′s views on this?

Can I submit an alternative personal statement for Land Economy?

The Department is aware that applicants to the undergraduate course will also be applying to Department's at other Universities where the subject is related to but not the same as Land Economy. We are also aware of the difficulties that this creates for students when writing their personal statements. Whilst there is no process by which students may submit an alternative personal statement the Department is conscious of this issue and takes it into consideration when reviewing applications.

Can I get exemption for any professional qualifications?

The Land Economy Tripos is currently accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). All graduates of this course are eligible to enter the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), successful completion of which entitles full membership of RICS. RICS also offers free membership to Land Economy students whilst they are taking the course.

Graduates of the Tripos degree in Land Economy are also often granted partial exemption from the academic requirements of the Law Society and Bar Council, ie the Common Professional Examination (CPE). Exemptions are only confirmed once a degree has been awarded and will depend upon the papers taken whilst studying Land Economy. Completion of certain papers may confer exemption from the CPE requirements of Public Law, Land Law, Contract, Tort and other areas of legal study. Candidates would still be required to take Criminal Law, Law of the European Union and Equity and Trusts in a CPE or Postgraduate Diploma in Law course in order to complete the academic stage of training.