The Faculty

The Faculty of Law of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) was founded in 1971, together with the creation and consolidation of the University itself. From its early years, it was established with the aim of offering a modern legal education —open to new schools of thought and distinct from the more traditional models of other Catalan universities. Located on the Bellaterra campus, it was conceived from the outset as a comprehensive university environment, where students, teaching staff, and researchers could share both academic and social experiences.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the Faculty became a benchmark institution thanks to its commitment to teaching excellence and pedagogical innovation. It was among the first to introduce new fields of study related to law, such as Labour Relations, and later Criminology, thus responding to emerging social and professional demands. At the same time, it strengthened its ties with society through debates, conferences, and institutional collaborations that reinforced its role in the Catalan legal and political sphere.

With the arrival of the 21st century, the Faculty was a pioneer in adapting to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), restructuring its curricula to promote practical skills, interdisciplinarity, and an international outlook. This commitment to innovation culminated in the implementation of a new teaching model that combines lectures with small-group practical seminars, encouraging active and customized learning.

Over its more than 50-year history, the Faculty of Law has trained thousands of professionals who now hold positions of responsibility in the judiciary, the legal profession, business, public administration, and the academic world. Its trajectory has made it a consolidated, innovative, and globally engaged institution, with a strong social commitment and a clear international vocation.

The Faculty is also recognized for the high employability of its graduates. According to data from the Graduates Observatory (2023), 90.8% of Law graduates find employment within three years of completing their studies —a figure higher than the Catalan average reported by AQU Catalunya (88%).

With around 2,800 undergraduate and postgraduate students, the Faculty currently offers a wide range of degree programmes, including Law, Criminology, and Labour Relations, as well as innovative double degrees such as Law + International Relations, Business Administration and Law (BA+Law), Political Science + Law, and Criminology + Law. It also provides a diverse selection of official master’s degrees and doctoral programmes, along with curricular placements in partnership with over 360 collaborating organizations, both nationally and internationally.

Research and knowledge transfer are the cornerstones of the Faculty, which hosts leading institutes such as the Institute of European Studies, the Institute of Law and Technology, and the Antígona Research Group. Additionally, initiatives such as the IURISLAB Legal Clinic strengthen the Faculty’s social commitment by allowing students to apply their knowledge to real cases related to social justice.

Finally, the Faculty has a strong international focus and actively promotes student mobility through programmes such as Erasmus+, SICUE, and the Vives Network, as well as through bilateral agreements with universities worldwide. These exchange opportunities, together with courses taught in English and international double degree programmes (such as those offered jointly with Paris and Toulouse), consolidate the UAB Faculty of Law as a prestigious institution —open to the world and committed to serving society.