This programme provides you with the necessary qualification to pursue a legal traineeship. Undertaken after obtaining your LLB, it is the next step towards a career as a solicitor or advocate in Scotland. Our aim is that the Glasgow Diploma comes to be regarded as the trademark of excellence, ensuring that you are not just employable but actively sought after by employers. It will equip you with the hands-on skills necessary to practise law as a “day one ready trainee” in the 21st century, as well as excellent opportunities to develop your own professional network to support you throughout your career.
You will take five core and three optional courses. The core courses are required by the Law Society of Scotland, which regulates Scotland’s legal profession. Optional courses allow you to select additional subjects of study that suit your areas of interest or meet the requirements of your future employers in the legal profession. Courses are delivered through a combination of online resources, e-modules, lectures and small group tutorials. As our programme aims to equip you with the abilities and attributes of a “day one ready trainee”, each course will enable you to develop not only your written communication skills, but your verbal communication skills. Tutors will expect you to come to each class prepared to contribute.
Students contemplating a career as an advocate in Scotland are required by the Faculty of Advocates to take courses in International Private Law and Roman Law. These can be studied at the University of Glasgow at the same time as undertaking the Diploma and at no additional cost.
Upon successful completion of the programme you will be eligible to progress through your traineeship to work as a solicitor or advocate in Scotland. The Diploma is a requirement for entry into these roles in the legal profession. The Diploma is a requirement for entry into these roles in the legal profession, in addition to providing employment opportunities in related legal disciplines. As well as working with colleagues in the School of Law and the University’s Career Service, we strive to increase your employability through our strong links across the legal profession by liaising with human resources and training partners in our tutors’ organisations. In addition, we run a series of networking events where you can meet lawyers from all areas of the industry and at all levels, from trainee to partner. Our goal is not only to prepare you for life as a trainee and to make you as attractive to employers as possible, but to support and guide you to help make the correct career choices.
The diploma qualification is essential for entry to both the solicitors’ and advocates’ branches of the profession. It meets the requirements of the Law Society of Scotland’s Professional Education and Training Stage 1.
The diploma is a vocational course. You’ll learn the ethical rules, practical knowledge and personal skills required of lawyers in Scotland.
We train you to be a practising lawyer. You’ll gain a thorough knowledge of legal principles and an appreciation of the practical context in which they’re applied.
We place great importance on preparing you for what really happens in legal practice by giving you hands-on experience in an office environment. We also use realistic simulations to recreate situations you’ll experience in your work.
As a graduate you’ll be well equipped for the job market in the legal profession or in other fields.
The diploma is offered over one year full-time or two years part-time.
The course starts with a week-long Foundation Skills course for both full-time and part-time students. It consists of lectures, demonstrations and workshops in the following areas:
The skills gained are further developed and assessed within the core and elective modules taken during the remainder of the course.
The core curriculum consists of seven compulsory modules, plus a choice of five elective modules.
Our library has a wide range of law reports, legislation, serials and monographs. It also has duplicate sets of key law report series, houses extensive collections in government publications and other related areas.
You’ll have access to a wide range of electronic information sources which can be accessed from home, including all the major legal databases.
Compulsory subjects:
Plus a choice of five from the following electives:
Full-time students
There is a full time all week induction course of skills training in the first week of semester one. There is a further dedicated full-time skills training period in week one of semester two. Teaching of the core classes during the rest of semester one is mostly from Tuesday to Thursday each week. In semester two teaching may take place from Monday to Thursday depending on the elective classes selected.
Part-time students
There is the full-time all week induction course in week one of semester one and the same full-time skills training period in semester two as for the full-time students. Teaching takes place during semester one primarily from 6pm to 8 pm on Tuesday to Thursday. During semester two teaching may take place from Monday to Thursday depending on the elective classes selected.
You’re assigned to firms of four at the start of the course. Most of the teaching and learning is done in your firms. Teaching and supervision is provided by practising solicitors, who have been trained as course tutors.
In addition to learning legal subjects, you’ll also develop generic skills which you’ll require for your professional life including:
The background to much of our practical work is the award- winning ‘virtual’ community of Ardcalloch. Ardcalloch is a town we’ve created. A wide variety of events take place in the town which give rise to legal issues of one kind or another for its citizens. This initiative has a world- wide reputation in legal education.
All these activities are conducted on and supported by the SIMPLE (Simulated Professional Learning Environment) IT process. This allows student firms to interact with clients, fellow firms and other simulated characters throughout a real transaction.
We have standardised clients who are specially trained ‘clients’ who assess and give feedback to you on your performance of legal skills.
Most of our electives involve active participation such as:
One of the most positive aspects of the course is the opportunity provided to meet both fellow students and tutors. They’ll become fellow practitioners, and your paths will cross regularly during your working life in this relatively small legal jurisdiction.
Here’s a few comments from our graduates:
"I think the firm concept works very well and I cannot speak highly enough of their use as a learning tool."
"The method of teaching is very effective. The firm work allows for us to make any mistakes in a safe environment and prepare us for our traineeships. "
"The teaching approach is very unique. Students have hands on approach to learning. The firm experience was very efficient in promoting good work. The general experience is one of a kind."
Develop your existing legal knowledge and work towards becoming a Chartered Legal Executive Lawyer and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx). Changes to the legal profession mean that alternative routes to professional qualification are becoming more popular, and this course enables you to fit your studies around your existing work commitments.
You will study on campus on a weekly basis through immersive three-hour workshops. Your modules will give you a detailed understanding of two specific areas of law and the specialist knowledge that is central to client care, including professional conduct, negotiation and legal writing. You will use case studies to gain real insight into legal practice.
You will have the opportunity to be mentored by a practising professional from the Leeds legal community, who will provide insight into life in a legal practice and one-to-one support to really sharpen your career prospects.
On completion of your course and your qualifying period of employment, you will be able to apply to become a Fellow of CILEx as a Chartered Legal Executive lawyer. This means you will be able to apply for roles with responsibilities similar to those of a solicitor. You will also have access to a wide range of member benefits, including networking and training events. Completion of your course will also provide you with exemption from some further CILEx training courses.
Our range of dynamic and immersive facilities will help you prepare for an exciting career in law. Our purpose-built courtroom and Professional Suite will allow you to hone your communication and presentation skills. You will be taught by experienced legal professionals at our City Campus and their wealth of professional experience will feed into and enhance your learning.
Once you have completed your course and your qualifying period of employment to meet CILEx criteria, you could apply to join the organisation and become a Chartered Legal Executive lawyer. This will allow you to continue your legal career in your chosen field of practice, possibly going on to become a partner in a law firm.
This programme is suitable for solicitors in Scotland to enter the legal profession. It is an essential part of your training within law and it is Stage 1 (PEAT 1) of the professional training for solicitors in Scotland. At Aberdeen you gain a Diploma from a team trained and experienced in law with strong networks to ensure your training is 'fit for purpose.' Your training is complemented by presentations from law professionals and you can become involved in the various law societies which are student led clinics and projects designed to align your skills to real challenges.
The DPLP is a practical transaction- based learning programme which aims to prepare suitably qualified graduates for legal practice in Scotland. The DPLP satisfies the requirements of Professional Education and Training Stage 1 (PEAT 1) of the professional training programme for solicitors in Scotland. Completion of PEAT 1 is required for entry into the legal profession in Scotland.
If you have either an undergraduate degree or postgraduate degree in law this is an essential qualification to allow you to practice. If you want to further your studies after postgraduate level University of Aberdeen offers two very useful qualifications in International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution. Depending upon where you work is based both qualifications offer very useful tools to progress and widen your work opportunities either in the UK, Scotland or internationally.
Optional Courses
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out about international fees:
Find out more about fees on the programme page
*Please be advised that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page and the latest postgraduate opportunities
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
You may be interested in professional development such as:
The Diploma in Professional Legal Practice is suitable for students seeking to enter the professions of solicitor or advocate in Scotland.
The content is determined by the national Joint Standing Committee on Legal Education, the Diploma Co-ordinating Committee and various working parties, which include representatives of all the universities and members of the legal profession.
The focus is on the practical skills required in the legal profession.
Compulsory courses include:
There are also a number of elective courses on offer, ranging from Construction Law to Estate Planning, which take place in February/March.
Students on this programme have a very full timetable in comparison with that at undergraduate level. It entails a large number of contact hours, much of the time in small workshop groups.
Participation in practical class work is regarded as extremely important and attendance is expected. Failure to attend workshops will disqualify students from sitting the final exams.
There may also be the need for substantial preparation for exercises and in-class assessment. There is an emphasis on legal skills throughout.
Courses will be taught by lectures and workshops. Students are expected to prepare in advance for all workshops by reading the required materials and by reflecting on the issues to be discussed.
By the end of this programme, students should have acquired a more sophisticated understanding and be equipped with basic skills and knowledge required for legal practice. This will include pervasive consideration of legal skills.
Find out more about the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice
The CILEx Graduate Fast-track Diploma (Level 6 Diploma in Legal Practice) is for law (with a qualifying law degree) and Graduate Diploma in Law graduates who want to qualify as lawyers without undertaking the more traditional and costlier Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course routes.
There is no requirement to secure a training contract or pupillage when taking the CILEx route to qualification. Instead of qualifying as a solicitor or barrister, you qualify and practise as Chartered Legal Executive lawyers.
Increasingly on a level playing field with solicitors, Chartered Legal Executive lawyers can now become judges, coroners, advocates and partners in law firms. On successfully completing the Graduate Fast-track Diploma (Level 6 Diploma in Legal Practice) you can upgrade from CILEx Associate Member to CILEx Graduate Member. The course can be studied in the evening, leaving you free to work in legal practice and gain the necessary qualifying employment to becoming a Chartered Legal Executive lawyer and a CILEx Fellow. The course is split into two periods of learning of approximately ten weeks each. You study one practice unit each period, along with the Client Care unit. (The Client Care unit runs through the whole duration of the programme). The examination periods take place in January and June.Find out more about CILExWe also offer Level 6 Single Subject Certificates in The Practice of Employment Law and Civil Litigation. for further information please contact the School Admissions Office (see contact details).
Professional accreditation
As a CILEx- accredited centre, we play an important role in helping CILEx learners achieve their developmental and career aims through the delivery of CILEx qualifications. In addition we understand our responsibilities and take all reasonable steps to ensure that CILEx is able to comply with its regulators' conditions. Once a student's Chartered Legal Executive studies and qualifying employment are complete they will be able to call themselves a qualified lawyer.
Course structure
Core module
and two practice units
Visit the CILEx site for detailed module information
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
The course is split into two periods of learning of approximately ten weeks each. You study one practice unit along with the Client Care unit. (The Client Care unit runs through the whole duration of the programme). The examination periods take place in January and June.
