The University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law or "UST Law" (as distinguished from the Faculty of Canon Law), is the law school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines. Established in 1734, it is the first law school in the Philippines. It is one of the Top Performing Law Schools in the Philippine Bar Examinations. The faculty has produced numerous alumni in government, public service and the academe. Known as Facultad de Derecho Civil, the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law is the oldest lay college in the University as well in the Philippines. It was established on September 2, 1734, the same year that the Faculty of Canon Law was founded, with a curriculum identical to that adopted during the time in leading universities in Europe. The number of subjects in the curriculum was later enriched and expanded. During the major part of the Spanish regime the course consisted of twelve semesters (six years), based upon a year of preparatory work.